Article
Development Studies
Eva-Marie Meemken
Summary: The study explores the impact of sustainability certification on farm income and practices across both smallholder and large farms in Peru. Certification is found to be more common among large farms, associated with higher farm incomes and changes in practices. Geographical clustering of certified farms was observed, highlighting the potential benefits of certification in the large farm sector.
Article
Ecology
Robert Finger, Niklas Mohring
Summary: The reduction of pesticide use is a global policy concern, but existing policies have failed to promote the adoption of sustainable pest management. Survey data from wheat producers in Switzerland show that farmers who perceive higher risks of pesticides for the environment and human health are more likely to adopt pesticide-free production. These findings imply that a comprehensive set of policies is needed for large-scale adoption of pesticide-free production.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Hazem S. Kassem, Bader Alhafi Alotaibi, Fahd O. Aldosari, Ahmed Herab, Rabab Ghozy
Summary: The study found that orange farmers had a moderate level of compliance with GlobalGAP standards, with key barriers including personal and economic, awareness and information, institutional support, and infrastructure barriers. Institutional support barriers were identified as the most crucial for compliance decisions, followed by personal and economic barriers.
SAUDI JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yanzhong Huang, Zhaoliang Li, Xiaofeng Luo, Di Liu
Summary: The beneficial effects of agricultural extension of biopesticides adoption have been demonstrated, but the effectiveness of extension still needs to be improved. A survey of rice farmers in China shows that biopesticides extension can increase farmers' adoption probability by 10.3 to 11.7%. Technology demonstration is currently the best approach for extending biopesticides. Inadequate supply and demand of biopesticides contribute to the inefficiency of extension in China.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Charity M. Wangithi, Beatrice W. Muriithi, Raphael Belmin
Summary: The invasive fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis poses a major threat to mango production and trade in sub-Saharan Africa. While farmers primarily rely on pesticides for pest management, some also use indigenous methods. Despite good knowledge of integrated pest management strategies, uptake is relatively low.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gabriel M. Marete, Joseph O. Lalah, Jane Mputhia, Vitalis W. Wekesa
Summary: This study examined pesticide usage practices, knowledge, and health effects on horticultural farmers in three sub-counties in Meru, Kenya. The research found that there is a gap in knowledge and implementation of government regulations on pesticide use, with some banned pesticides still being used. Additionally, a significant number of farmers do not wear proper protective clothing when applying pesticides, highlighting a potential health risk.
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Celine Bignebat, Fatima El Hadad-Gauthier
Summary: The Moroccan agricultural sector has a high proportion of female wage laborers, and this article examines their impact on horticultural farms. The study finds that labor shortages are not the main reason for the ratio of female hired laborers, but instead, quality requirements are driving farm holdings to employ a female labor force.
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Prince B. B. Annor, Simeon Kaitibie, Michael C. C. Lyne
Summary: This study examines the adoption of Global Good Agricultural Practices (GlobalGAP) among small-scale pineapple farmers in Ghana and the heterogeneous effects of adoption on income due to farm size economies. The findings suggest that GlobalGAP adoption decreases net income for farms growing less than 1 ha of pineapples, while it increases net income for farms growing more than 1 ha of pineapples. It is recommended that extension and other interventions targeting pineapple farmers in Ghana should focus on those who are willing and able to grow more than 1 ha of pineapples.
Article
Soil Science
Shadrack Kiprotich, Hezron Mogaka, Samuel Njiri Ndirangu, Charles Nyambane Onyari
Summary: Climate change and population pressure are critical challenges affecting agricultural productivity. Integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) technologies have been developed to address declining crop productivity, but their adoption is still low, especially in Kenya. This study used Cragg's Double Hurdle model to determine the factors affecting adoption and adoption intensity of ISFM technologies among sorghum farmers in Upper Eastern Kenya. The results showed that factors such as gender, dependants, farming goal, decision on information use, farm size, extension services, research awareness, ISFM awareness and ISFM access significantly influenced the adoption of ISFM technologies. The adoption intensity was influenced by factors such as gender, farm size, main source of agricultural information and formal agricultural training. Integration of these factors in policy making and planning processes is crucial to enhance sorghum crop productivity in marginal areas.
SOIL USE AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Fonda Jane Awuor, Ibrahim Ndegwa Macharia, Richard Mbithi Mulwa
Summary: This paper examines the adoption and intensity of integrated agriculture aquaculture (IAA) among smallholder fish farming households in Kenya. The study analyzes farm-level data collected from four counties in Kenya and finds that risk and profit distribution are central factors influencing farmers' decisions regarding IAA adoption and intensity of use. Factors such as mean profit, profit variability, proportion of economically active members, land ownership, IAA awareness, irrigation accessibility, farm topography, and soil type are all found to significantly influence the adoption and intensity of IAA. The study suggests promoting IAA alongside farmer education, farm size, credit accessibility, farm enterprises, and IAA awareness to enhance smallholder IAA adoption and intensity of use.
FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zijian Li
Summary: The study highlighted the importance of considering toxic metabolites, such as AMPA, in pesticide risk assessments in surface soils. Failure to account for AMPA in soil could lead to significant underestimation of human health risks. The proposed screening-level model can aid in improving risk assessment and regulatory management practices for pesticides.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Thomas K. Kwambai, Denis Griffin, Paul C. Struik, Laura Stack, Selly Rono, Caroline Brophy, Moses Nyongesa, Monica Gorman
Summary: This study investigated the factors influencing farmers' choice of potato varieties in Kenya and found that they mainly used farm-saved seed and considered factors such as yield, disease resistance, and market demand when selecting varieties.
Article
Agronomy
Zhongju Li, Ruifa Hu, Chao Zhang, Yankun Xiong, Kevin Chen
Summary: In China, highly intensive governmental regulation can induce pesticide retailers to provide more accurate advice on pesticide use to farmers, but the effects differ across the locations of pesticide retailers.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Kjersti Nes, K. Aleks Schaefer, Daniel P. Scheitrum
Summary: This study demonstrates that non-adoption of GE technology reduces a country's access to imports and increases its prices, leaving the country worse off relative to a world in which the technology never existed.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Dakuan Qiao, Lei Luo, Chenyang Zhou, Xinhong Fu
Summary: This study uses survey data from farmers in Sichuan Province to empirically analyze the mechanism of social learning on the adoption of green control techniques. The results show that social learning facilitates the adoption level of green control techniques by farmers, and environmental literacy plays a bridging role in this process. It is also discovered that a favorable market environment is conducive to the conversion of farmers' environmental literacy into green control techniques.
ENVIRONMENT DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)