Person: Simtowe, F.P.
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Simtowe
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F.P.
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Simtowe, F.P.
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0000-0001-8148-9706 11 results
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- Mechanisation of small-scale farms in South Asia: empirical evidence derived from farm households survey(Elsevier, 2021) Aryal, J.P.; Rahut, D.B.; Thapa, G.; Simtowe, F.P.
Publication - Scalability of Adaptation strategies to drought stress: the case of drought tolerant maize varieties in Kenya(Taylor & Francis, 2021) Simtowe, F.P.; Makumbi, D.; Regasa, M.W.; Mawia, H.; Rahut, D.B.
Publication - Seasonal participation in maize markets in Zambia: do agricultural input subsidies and gender matter?(Springer, 2021) Simtowe, F.P.; De Groote, H.
Publication - Impacts of drought-tolerant maize varieties on productivity, risk, and resource use: evidence from Uganda(Elsevier, 2019) Simtowe, F.P.; Amondo, E.I.; Marenya, P.P.; Rahut, D.B.; Sonder, K.; Erenstein, O.Weather variability is an important source of production risk for rainfed agriculture in developing countries. This paper evaluates the impacts of the adoption of drought-tolerant maize varieties on average maize yield, yield stability, risk exposure and resource use in rainfed smallholder maize farming. The study uses cross-sectional farm household-level data, collected from a sample of 840 farm households in Uganda. The adoption of drought-tolerant maize varieties increased yield by 15% and reduced the probability of crop failure by 30%. We further show that the adoption of these varieties increased investments in maize production at the extensive margin through maize area increase and to a more limited extent at the intensive margin through mechanization. The findings show promise for further uptake and scaling of drought-tolerant maize varieties for increased productivity, reduced risk, and the transformation of the maize sector.
Publication - Productivity and production risk effects of adopting drought-tolerant maize varieties in Zambia(Emerald Publishing Limited, 2019) Amondo, E.I.; Simtowe, F.P.; Rahut, D.B.; Erenstein, O.Productivity and production risks affect the use of agricultural production practices and inputs, particularly in developing countries. This paper aims to investigate the effects of adopting drought-tolerant maize varieties (DTMVs) on farm productivity, yield variance and downside risk exposure of maize growing households of Zambia. The study uses household survey data collected from 11 maize producing districts of Eastern, Southern and Copperbelt provinces of Zambia using a structured questionnaire. The Antle’s flexible moment-based approach was used in specifying, estimating and testing a stochastic production function. The study further applied an endogenous switching regression model to control for both observable and unobservable sources of bias. The study revealed that DTMV adoption increases maize yield by 15 per cent and reduces the risk of crop failure: reducing yield variance by 38 per cent and exposure to downside risk by 36 per cent. This study establishes the benefits of DTMV adoption in Zambia with regards to productivity, yield stability and downside risk in the face of climate change. Results from this study underscore the need for more concerted efforts to scale-out DTMVs for both maize productivity enhancement and for risk mitigation against weather shocks.
Publication - Heterogeneous seed access and information exposure: implications for the adoption of drought-tolerant maize varieties in Uganda(Springer, 2019) Simtowe, F.P.; Marenya, P.P.; Amondo, E.I.; Regasa, M.W.; Rahut, D.B.; Erenstein, O.Frequent droughts in sub-Saharan Africa imply water stress for rainfed agriculture and, ultimately, food insecurity, underlining the region’s vulnerability to climate change. Yet, in the maize-growing areas, farmers have been given new drought coping options following the release and availability of drought-tolerant maize varieties (DTMVs). These varieties are being disseminated through the National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems in collaboration with seed companies; however, their adoption still appears somewhat modest, and empirical studies on their adoption potential and associated drivers are scarce. We use empirical data from Uganda to estimate the actual and potential adoption rates and the adoption determinants of DTMVs under information and seed access constraints. Adoption rates for DTMVs could have been up to 22% in 2015 instead of the observed sample adoption rate of 14% if the whole population had been exposed to them. The adoption rate could increase to 30% if seed were availed to the farming population and to 47% if seed were sold at a more affordable price to farmers. The observed adoption rate of 14% implies gaps in the potential adoption rates of 8%, 16%, and 33% because of a lack of awareness, a lack of seed access, and high seed prices, respectively. The findings underscore the role of both market and non-market-based approaches and the potential to further scale the cultivation of DTMVs in Uganda.
Publication - Who is quitting? An analysis of the dis-adoption of climate smart sorghum varieties in Tanzania(Emerald Publishing Limited, 2019) Simtowe, F.P.; Mausch, K.Purpose: New agricultural technologies are continuously generated and promoted for adoption by farmers with the expectation that they bring about higher benefits than older technologies. Yet, depending on the perceived benefits, the user of the technology may choose to stop using it. This paper aims to analyze what drives farmers to dis-adopt climate smart sorghum varieties in Tanzania. / Design/methodology/approach: The study uses cross-sectional farm household level data collected in Tanzania from a sample of 767 households. The determinants of dis-adoption are explored using a bivariate probit with sample selection model. / Findings: The authors find that while farmers switch between different sorghum varieties, most farmers actually quit sorghum production. Older farmers and those facing biotic stresses such attacks by birds are more likely to dis-adopt sorghum./ Practical implications: These findings suggest that there is scope for improving and sustaining the adoption of sorghum varieties in Tanzania once extension services are strengthened. The findings also point to a well-founded theory on the role of markets in enhancing the overall sustainability of food systems./ Social implications: The study findings have broader implications for understanding the sustainability of improved technology adoption/ Originality/value: Dis-adoption is also positively associated with the lack of access to markets underscoring the role of markets in enhancing the overall sustainability of technology adoption and food systems.
Publication - Profit efficiency analysis among groundnut farmers from Malawi(Academic Journals, 2017) Bocher, T.F.; Simtowe, F.P.This study analyzes the profit efficiency and its determinants in groundnut production, applying a stochastic profit frontier model on survey data collected from 400 groundnut growing households in Malawi. The result indicated that the inefficiencies in groundnut production hindered profitability in the sector. The profit efficiency ranged from 1% to 89% (with a mean of 45%). Significant association was observed between efficiency and both farm specific and institutional factors. Efficiency appeared to be significantly and positively associated with access to extension service (p<0.05), household size (p<0.05) and, soil quality (p<0.000). Distance to the local market from the homestead (p<0.000), and land size (p<0.000) allocated to groundnut production were found to reduce the profit efficiency. Male-headed households, on the average were six percent more efficient compared to female headed households. The study indicated potential for increasing groundnut profitability by 55% by improving the access to extension services and markets, which underscores the need for increased resource allocation to support the delivery of extension services and to the improvement of market infrastructure for the enhancement of groundnut profitability.
Publication - Determinants of participation in cavy marketing: evidence from the Democratic Republic of Congo(Kassel University Press, 2017) Simtowe, F.P.; Paul, B.K.; Wimba, B. M. M.; Bacigale, S.B.; Chiuri, W. L.; Maass, B.Smallholder supply chain participation remains low despite the potential welfare gains that would result from choosing a market-oriented production. Yet, studies on determinants of market participation for commodities with underdeveloped value chains are scanty. Employing a double hurdle model, this paper examines factors determining households’ participation in cavy marketing among cavy farmers from Sud-Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We find that wealthier households participated less in cavy marketing while those producing more cavies were more likely to participate in their marketing. Moreover, smaller households tended to sell more cavies, while households with other livestock sold fewer cavies. The findings underscore the significance of increasing the participation in the cavy supply chains by farmers through the promotion of appropriate husbandry practices that enhance cavy productivity and production and that enable farmers to participate in markets as sellers.
Publication - Determinants of agricultural technology adoption under partial population awareness: the case of pigeonpea in Malawi(SpringerOpen, 2016) Simtowe, F.P.; Asfaw, S.; Abate, T.There is exhaustive literature on technology adoption rates and the relationship between technology adoption and relevant socioeconomic and policy variables. Yet adoption estimates derived from the application of standard techniques such as the probit and tobit yield biased estimates. This paper applies the modern evaluation technique: the counterfactual outcome framework to data from about 400 households in Malawi to assess the patterns of diffusion and adoption of improved pigeonpea varieties and their determinants. We find the sample adoption rate of improved varieties to be 14 % while the potential adoption rate if the improved varieties were widely disseminated is estimated at 41 %. The adoption gap resulting from the incomplete exposure to the improved pigeonpea is 27 %. Moreover, adoption is also found to be high among female-headed households, older farmers and those with access to credit. The findings suggest that for increased adoption, there is need for increased involvement of extension workers is the dissemination of information about improved pigeonpea varieties, a robust pigeonpea seed system to increase seed availability to farmers as well as the need for improved access to credit.
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