David W. Norman

Rationalising mixed cropping under indigenous conditions: The example of Northern Nigeria

In spite of the prevalence of mixed cropping throughout the developing world little effort has been expended on its investigation particularly under indigenous conditions. This paper attempts to partially rectify this with empirical data collected at the farmers level in part of northern Nigeria. Mixed cropping is shown in this area of limited rainfall to be under indigenous technological conditions a rational strategy both in terms of profit maximisation and risk minimisation. Indeed when improved technology at present available on sole crops is considered in a programming framework mixed cropping under indigenous conditions is still dominant. This is an important reason why extension agents have great difficulty convincing farmers to change to a sole crop strategy which in fact may not be justified. It also supports the desirability of research into mixed cropping under improved technological conditions.

Quantitative assessment of improved rice variety adoption: the farmer's perspective.

Abstract Using data collected from 400 farming households in the Casamance area of Senegal, the paper demonstrates that not only farm and farmers’ characteristics, but also farmers’ perceptions of technology-specific characteristics, significantly influence adoption decisions relating to improved rice varieties. Farmers’ perceptions about improved rice varieties were quantified using a quasi-arbitrary ordinal weighting system, based on a methodology first used in industry. The results of Tobit regression analysis including variables representing both farmers’ perceptions, as well as farm and farmer characteristics, were found to be important in determining the decision to adopt and the intensity of adoption of the improved rice varieties. We conclude, based on the results in the paper, that it is important for farmers, with the help of on-farm interdisciplinary farming systems teams, to provide an input into the rice breeding program of the Senegal Agricultural Research Institute during the process of rice variety development, rather than only having an opportunity to evaluate the varieties at the end of the research cycle. We believe that quantifying farmers’ perceptions in the manner suggested in the paper potentially makes them more palatable to station-based researchers used to cardinal types of analysis. Our findings also provide support for the farmer participatory crop breeding programs that have become popular in recent years in both international and national research systems.

Productivity Growth in the Western Hemisphere (1978–94): The Caribbean in Perspective

Productivity growth, technical efficiency change, and technological change were measured for a sample of 30 countries in the Western Hemisphere for the 1978–1994 period using the Malmquist index. The Caribbean compared unfavorably with North America and the Latin American regions. Evidence indicated some support for the convergence hypothesis. Regression analysis indicated that productivity growth in the Caribbean was positively associated with civil, economic, and political liberty.

Willingness to Pay to Improve Domestic Water Supply in Rural Areas of Central Tanzania: Implications for Policy

SUMMARY This analysis estimates willingness to pay to improve community-based rural water utilities in the Dodoma and Singida Regions of Central Tanzania, using Multinomial Logit functions. An estimate of willingness to pay provides an indication of the demand for improved services and potential for them being sustainable. Surveys were conducted in a total of 30 villages in the two regions. In the Dodoma Region, about 14% of respondents indicated that they were satisfied with the status quo, 64% suggested increasing water discharge and watering points, and 22% proposed other improvements relating to water quality. In the Singida Region, 31% of the respondents were satisfied with the status quo, 59% wanted deeper boreholes and watering points, and 10% indicated other types of improvement relating to water quality. The Multinomial Logit functions indicated that the interaction between the water quality variable and proposed bids were important in making choices with reference to the type of improvement desired. Respondents who wanted to increase water supply in Dodoma Region were willing to pay 32 Tsh above the existing tariff of 20 Tsh/bucket. In the Singida Region, the analogous amount was 91 Tsh per household per year above the existing user fee of 508 Tsh per household per year. If the tariff or user fees have to be increased, the estimated average potential revenue for the surveyed villages was 252 million Tsh/year (US

Adaptability of improved rice varieties in senegal

265 263) in the Dodoma Region, and 5.2 million Tsh/year (US

Productive efficiency and growth policies for the Caribbean

5474) in the Singida Region. In the future, strategic planning is needed to ensure that improvements proposed potentially improve cost recovery initiatives and increase the level of consumer satisfaction. Also, care will be needed to ensure that more disadvantaged community members do not suffer unduly from increases in tariff or user fees.

The meaning of sustainable agriculture: Reflections of some Kansas practitioners

Abstract Using yield gap and adaptability (modified stability) analyses, this study evaluated the potential relevance of improved rice varieties released by, or soon to be released by, the Senegalese Agricultural Research Institute (ISRA) in the Casamance Region of Senegal. Results from researcher-managed, on-farm trials indicated that level of fertilizer applied accounted for most of the difference in Yield Gap II (i.e. the difference between potential [experimental] and actual yields at the farm level), followed by variety. Also, the adaptability analysis results indicated that most of the improved varieties performed poorer than local varieties under poor production environments but better than local varieties under good production environments. We concluded that the rice breeding programme needs to pay greater attention to developing varieties better adapted to the varied production environments under which farmers operate.

The Uganda rural farmers scheme: women’s accessibility to agricultural credit

Productive (economic) efficiency and factors affecting it was evaluated in the Caribbean between 1983 to 1992. Results from non-parametric programming indicated that efficiency (i.e. pure technical, allocative and economic) measures were lower and more variable in Caribbean than in other Western Hemisphere countries (i.e. North America and Latin America). Tobit regression analysis indicated higher levels of private and foreign investments, productive infrastructure, credit availability, education level, and consumption of domestically produced goods had positive impacts on the efficiency measures. On the other hand, higher levels of public expenditure, income tax, and export taxes, and higher inflation rates had negative effects. These results support the current trend towards advocating more open economies (i.e. letting the free market work) and encouraging governments to confine their functions to facilitative/regulatory type roles and to undertaking tasks that are not generally undertaken by the private sector (e.g. developing infrastructure, providing education). Although, generally, the same factors were associated with efficiency in the Caribbean and Latin America, their relative impacts differed. Consequently, in order to improve efficiency in the Caribbean countries, relatively greater emphasis should be placed on encouraging foreign and private investment and developing infrastructure than would be the case in Latin American countries.

Beyond profitability: Using economic indicators to measure farm sustainability

In this paper we report on what “sustainable agriculture” means to farmers who seek to develop more sustainable farming systems. Group interviews were conducted with two groups of sustainable farmers in Kansas to learn how they developed their respective approaches, the kinds of parameters they have used to evaluate success and progress, and what other evaluation tools would be helpful to them. For the farmers we interviewed, the central meaning of sustainable agriculture is its holistic approach to assets management. It also means an alternative perspective on what constitutes success in farming. While economic considerations are important, they are balanced by other considerations such as environmental quality, quality of life, and the contributions the farmers can make to their communities. Sustainable agriculture also means an approach to agriculture that entails “thinking risks” as much as financial risks. Lastly, sustainable agriculture means whole farm planning; the farmers we interviewed were more interested in applying whole-farm planning principles based on their local knowledge, than in evaluation tools based on the expert knowledge of researchers and other scientists. The implications of what sustainable agriculture means to these farmers for research and educational programs are discussed.

Efficiency differentials in the traditional agriculture of Northern Nigeria

This study investigates factors related to loan approval, disbursement, repayment, and loan rationing among 1,012 farmers in the Rural Farmers Scheme (RFS), Uganda, between 1987 and May 1995. Results indicate that women had a higher loan approval rate and loan repaid/loan borrowed ratio than men, but lower actual disbursement levels. Loan rationing among women and men was not statistically different, and no justification was found for microfinance institutions discriminating against women in giving loans based on repayment rates. A wide gap exists between loan amounts approved and disbursed. Strategies are outlined for improving the pool of women loan applicants.