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Kassie, M.

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Kassie
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Kassie, M.
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0000-0002-5898-3877

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Author: Rahut, D.B. ×

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Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Adoption of multiple climate-smart agricultural practices in the Gangetic plains of Bihar, India
    (Emerald Publishing Limited, 2018) Aryal, J.P.; Jat, M.L.; Sapkota, T.; Khatri-Chhetri, A.; Kassie, M.; Rahut, D.B.; Maharjan, S.
    Purpose: The adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices (CSAPs) is important for sustaining Indian agriculture in the face of climate change. Despite considerable effort by both national and international agricultural organizations to promote CSAPs in India, adoption of these practices is low. This study aims to examine the elements that affect the likelihood and intensity of adoption of multiple CSAPs in Bihar, India. Design/methodology/approach: The probability and intensity of adoption of CSAPs are analyzed using multivariate and ordered probit models, respectively. Findings: The results show significant correlations between multiple CSAPs, indicating that their adoptions are interrelated, providing opportunities to exploit the complementarities. The results confirm that both the probability and intensity of adoption of CSAPs are affected by numerous factors, such as demographic characteristics, farm plot features, access to market, socio-economics, climate risks, access to extension services and training. Farmers who perceive high temperature as the major climate risk factor are more likely to adopt crop diversification and minimum tillage. Farmers are less likely to adopt site-specific nutrient management if faced with short winters; however, they are more likely to adopt minimum tillage in this case. Training on agricultural issues is found to have a positive impact on the likelihood and the intensity of CSAPs adoption. Practical implications: The major policy recommendations coming from of our results are to strengthen local institutions (public extension services, etc.) and to provide more training on CSAPs. Originality/value: By applying multivariate and ordered probit models, this paper provides some insights on the long-standing discussions on whether farmers adopt CSAPs in a piecemeal or in a composite way.
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    Input subsidies or extension: which policy should take precedence when supporting farmers?
    (CIMMYT, [2017?]) Marenya, P.P.; Kassie, M.; Jaleta, M.; Erenstein, O.; Rahut, D.B.
    The Sustainable intensification of maize legume systems in eastern and southern Africa (SIMLESA) R4D project in conjunction with the adjunct Adoption Pathways project were designed to test the agronomic, economic and institutional requirements for CA-based sustainable agricultural intensification practices (CA-SAIPs) in five countries in Eastern and Southern Africa. One of the research efforts towards understanding some of the micro-level and policy enablers of CA-SAIPs looked at key household and farm-specific and macro (country specific) factors as predictors of adoption of two critical components of CA-SAIPs: minimum tillage and mulching. The study was done in four SIMLESA and Adoption Pathways project countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi. Many studies in the agricultural development literature that look at the adoption of agricultural technologies often study factors observed at the farm level and policy variables are often discussed as part of the broad interpretation of these results. In this brief we report on results from a study that is based both on adoption and policy simulations models.
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    Predicting minimum tillage adoption among smallholder farmers using microlevel and policy variables
    (SpringerOpen, 2017) Marenya, P.P.; Kassie, M.; Jaleta, M.; Rahut, D.B.; Erenstein, O.
    Minimum tillage combined with mulching (MTM) is critical to conservation agriculture, yet its use by smallholder farmers raises challenging questions regarding adoption, diffusion and scaling at farm level. In this paper, we used probit regression and post-estimation simulations to identify the key micro (farm specific) and macro (country specific) factors as predictors of MTM adoption in four countries spanning a north-south gradient in eastern and southern Africa (ESA): Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi. We found that farmers’ access to markets and social capital empirically predicted MTM adoption. Policies that increased fertilizer subsidies and extension-staff-to-farmer ratios had similar effects, even if only modestly. Conceivably, subsidies specifically targeted at MTM could also be considered based on their potential environmental and social benefits. We conclude that adoption of MTM still faces the same micro- and macro-level hurdles common to all agricultural technologies. Long-term investments in agricultural extension and reductions in the costs of complementary inputs are critical for the diffusion of MTM.
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    Response to climate risks among smallholder farmers in Malawi: a multivariate probit assessment of the role of information, household demographics, and farm characteristics
    (Elsevier, 2017) Mulwa, C.; Marenya, P.P.; Rahut, D.B.; Kassie, M.
    Why do many smallholder farmers fail to adopt what appear to be relatively simple agronomic or management practices which can help them cope with climate-induced stressors? Using household and plot level data collected in 2011, we implement a multivariate probit model to assess the determinants of farmer adaptation behavior to climatic risks and the relative contribution of information, credit and education on the probability of adopting specific practices in response to adverse changes in weather patterns. We find that plot characteristics, credit constraints and availability of climate-related information explain the adoption of several of these practices. In relative terms, we also find that even when financial limitations are binding, making climate-related information available can still motivate farmers to adapt. Policy implications are that the deepening of extension access with information on the appropriate adaptation strategies is crucial to help farmers make adaptation choices. The need to foster credit markets for easy accessibility and affordability by farmers or otherwise strengthening access to assets is also important.
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