Determinants of Smallholder Farmers’ Adoption of Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices in Zomba, Eastern Malawi
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. The Malawi Agriculture Sector Wide Approach Support Project (ASWAp-SP) II
1.2. Theoretical Framework
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Area and Population
2.2. Research Design
2.3. Sampling Design and Sample Size
2.4. Data Collection
2.5. Data Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Characteristics of Respondents
3.2. Smallholder Farmers’ Adoption of CSA Practices
My records show that about 30% of the smallholder farmers in Nthiko have adopted at least one of the CSAs we are promoting… So mostly, they revert to what they already know, thus, traditional practices(Key Informant A)
If I were to assess the current adoption of CSAs by smallholder farmers, you would wonder. The uptake is as low as 25%. This is not as we expected.
3.3. Factors Influencing the Adoption of CSA Practices
3.4. Challenges with the Adopted CSA Practices
Lack of fertiliser and seeds; these are now very expensive. Worse still, zero tillage requires more fertiliser than other systems.(Smallholder Farmer 1)
Maize stalks are scarce. People set the stalks ablaze after harvesting. We just do it around the homestead. It’s too involving to do the entire field. Again, residues bring worms.(Smallholder Farmer 2)
We lack farm inputs. The agricultural advisor promised us but we were not given. Only those in positions were given.(Smallholder Farmer 4)
3.5. Determinants of CSA Practices’ Adoption in Nthiko
I can adopt any CSA practice if I see its benefits and if it is easy to use.(Smallholder Farmer 3)
A person participates when they see the benefits of something. Without seeing, eee, you fear being carried away and losing your money.(Smallholder Farmer 5)
To me, the availability of farm inputs or finances plus access to CSA information services, are enough to enable me to adopt. How can one adopt if they don’t know the practice to be adopted?(Smallholder Farmer 4)
4. Discussions
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Number of Farming Households | Sample Size (n) for Precision (e) Level of ±10% |
---|---|
205 | 67 |
Additional HH | 03 |
Total | 70 |
Title of Officer | Number |
---|---|
Chief agricultural expert | 1 |
District agricultural expert | 1 |
Section agricultural expert | 1 |
Total | 3 |
Participant Code Name | Sex | Description |
---|---|---|
Smallholder farmer 1 | F | CSA practice(s) adopter |
Smallholder farmer 2 | F | CSA practice(s) adopter |
Smallholder farmer 3 | F | CSA practice(s) adopter |
Smallholder farmer 4 | F | CSA practice(s) adopter |
Smallholder farmer 5 | M | CSA practice(s) adopter |
Smallholder farmer 6 | F | CSA practice(s) non-adopter |
Smallholder farmer 7 | F | CSA practice(s) non-adopter |
Smallholder farmer 8 | F | CSA practice(s) non-adopter |
Smallholder farmer 9 | M | CSA practice(s) non-adopter |
Smallholder farmer 10 | F | CSA practice(s) non-adopter |
Key informant A | M | Chief agricultural expert |
Key informant B | M | District agricultural expert |
Key informant C | M | Section agricultural expert |
Variable | Percentage |
---|---|
Sex | |
| 14% |
| 86% |
Age | |
| 71% |
| 29% |
Marital status | |
| 47% |
| 53% |
Occupation | |
| 74% |
| 26% |
Average monthly income | |
| 71% |
| 29% |
Education levels | |
| 89% |
| 11% |
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Shani, F.K.; Joshua, M.; Ngongondo, C. Determinants of Smallholder Farmers’ Adoption of Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices in Zomba, Eastern Malawi. Sustainability 2024, 16, 3782. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093782
Shani FK, Joshua M, Ngongondo C. Determinants of Smallholder Farmers’ Adoption of Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices in Zomba, Eastern Malawi. Sustainability. 2024; 16(9):3782. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093782
Chicago/Turabian StyleShani, Feston Ken, Mirriam Joshua, and Cosmo Ngongondo. 2024. "Determinants of Smallholder Farmers’ Adoption of Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices in Zomba, Eastern Malawi" Sustainability 16, no. 9: 3782. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093782