John K.M. Kuwornu

Factors influencing rubber marketing by smallholder farmers in Thailand

ABSTRACT This article assesses the factors determining the type of rubber product that farmers are willing to sell and the factors influencing their marketing channel choice in Thailand. Primary data were collected through questionnaire administration from 280 rubber farmers in two southern provinces. The results of the logit regression model revealed that membership of farmers’ organisation, access to knowledge and information, and total area of immature rubber positively influenced the sale of fresh latex. Membership of farmer organisations and accessibility to market infrastructure also significantly positively influenced the sale of fresh latex to farmer groups. The implications for rubber marketing are presented.

Is land grabbing an opportunity or a menace to development in developing countries? Evidence from Ghana

ABSTRACT This study examined the developmental effects of land grabbing on farming households’ livelihoods and their adaptation strategies. Primary data was collected from 560 randomly selected farming households in seven regions of Ghana using questionnaire and was complemented with key informant interviews and focused group discussions. The Spearman rank correlation was used to determine the relationship between land grabbing and livelihood outcomes while the adaptation strategies of households were analysed qualitatively using descriptive and content analysis. The results revealed that land grabbing has a significant negative relationship with food production, income, social cohesion, health and nutrition of farming households, but had a significant positive relationship with education and employment of farming households. Based on the empirical findings, this study concludes that land grabbing in Ghana is to some extent a threat to development, as the disadvantages outweigh the advantages of the livelihood outcomes of the households that have been affected by these land deals, although it may yield some development opportunities that would yield benefits to the households in the long term. The policy recommendations are presented.

Cost-benefit analysis of conventional and integrated crop management for vegetable production

ABSTRACT Smallholder vegetable farmers involved in agricultural production are confronted with numerous challenges which can adversely affect performance. Farmers would prefer to adopt the most profitable vegetable production systems. A cost-benefit analysis of integrated crop management (ICM) and conventional method (CM) systems for vegetable production was conducted. Primary data were solicited from 120 vegetable farmers using questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to describe levels of awareness and extent to which farmers understood use of the ICM system. A cash flow projection was done on a 0.4 ha size of land for 5 years. Net present value (NPV) and cost-benefit ratio (CBR) analyses were performed for farmers operating under the ICM and CM production systems. The NPV analysis indicated production of vegetables under both systems was viable. The incremental NPV for cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) and onion (Allium cepa L.) production, and the whole farm enterprise were all positive, indicating the ICM system was more financially viable than the CM system. The NPV increase was GHS 2563.58 (GHS is Ghanaian currency, 1

Vegetable Seed Marketing—An Overview of Challenges and Opportunities

US = 3.5 GHS in January 2015 when data were collected) for cabbage and GHS 3949.43 for onion, and of the whole farm enterprise, i.e., combined cabbage and onion production, was GHS 6162.75. The CBR analysis indicated that vegetable production under the two systems was viable, confirming results of the NPV analyses. The CBR for cabbage production was 1.58 for the CM and 2.08 for the ICM systems; the CBR for onion production was 2.69 for the CM and 4.36 for the ICM systems. The CBR for whole farm enterprise was 2.42 for the CM and 3.93 for the ICM systems. Sensitivity analyses, under the assumption of a 5% reduction in yield and a 10% cost over-run, indicated positive NPVs for both production systems for cabbage and onion production, and the whole farm enterprise. The NPVs from use of the ICM system were higher than under the CM system. Overall, vegetable production is profitable under both the ICM and CM systems, and awareness is a factor influencing practice of the ICM system.

Subsistence farmers' access to agricultural credit and its adequacy: some empirical evidences from Pakistan

ABSTRACT Operational inefficiencies in a vegetable seed marketing system can lead to reduced marketing margins and profitability. The vegetable seed marketing system in Bangladesh was examined with particular reference to marketing costs and marketing margins of the marketing channel members. The highest quantity of vegetable seed (21%) was distributed through the channel seed company → wholesaler → retailer → mobile seed vendor → seed user. Marketing costs for the various value chain actors were as follows: importers, Bangladeshi taka (BDT) 220; seed companies, BDT 246; seed-producing farmers, BDT 131; wholesalers, BDT 64; retailers, BDT 47; and mobile seed vendors, BDT 20·kg−1; the exchange rate in 2014 when the data was collected was US

Gender dimension of vulnerability to climate change and variability: Empirical evidence of smallholder farming households in Ghana

1 = approximately 78 BDT. The marketing margin and return on investment of the importer, seed company, and seed-producing farmer were higher than for the wholesaler, retailer, and mobile seed vendor. Lack of capital for seed import, high research and development costs for new varieties, inadequate storage facilities, inadequate supply of good quality seed in the peak season, and high purchase price of seed were problems in vegetable seed production, processing, and marketing systems. Collaboration among stakeholders in the vegetable seed system might help address the problems and make the vegetable seed sector more efficient.

Assessment of bargaining power, market risk and coordination costs in the Thailand cassava marketing channel

Purpose The Government of Pakistan has allocated a substantial proportion of agricultural credit to subsistence farmers. The purpose of this paper is to analyze farmers’ access to credit and its adequacy in the light of current agricultural credit policy of Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach The study has used both secondary and primary data for analysis. Secondary data were collected from the annual reports of Pakistan Economic Survey and State Bank of Pakistan. Primary data were collected from 168 subsistence farmers through households’ survey. Farmers’ credit access and credit adequacy were measured using credit access ratio and credit adequacy ratio, respectively. The Student’s t-test and analysis of variance were used to assess the differences in credit access and adequacy among farmers’ groups (i.e. upper, medium and lower subsistence farmers). Tobit regression model was employed to determine the factors influencing credit adequacy among farmers. Findings The empirical results revealed that the amount of credit provided to subsistence farmers was less than stated in the national agricultural credit policy. Upper subsistence farmers had more access to credit than lower and medium subsistence farmers. Lower subsistence farmers had above average access to informal sources of credit, and had below average access to formal sources. The findings also revealed that lower subsistence and medium subsistence farmers had the highest credit inadequacy of funds for investment in agriculture. The results of the Tobit regression revealed that age, education, experience, household size, total landholding of farmer and proportion of own land influenced the agricultural credit adequacy. Practical implications Most of the credit was distributed among the upper subsistence farmers. Lower subsistence farmers were still largely dependent on informal credit for farm production activities. The Government of Pakistan performed poor in the implementation of agricultural credit policy, and has failed to help subsistence farmers in their access to formal credit. It is needed to revamp the agricultural credit policy and facilitate credit acquisition by subsistence farmers, particularly for tenant farmers. It is important that the Government may classify the subsistence farmers into subgroups, and reallocate the funds accordingly. This study has lessons and implications for agricultural finance initiatives in developing countries. Originality/value Previous studies have focused primarily on access to agricultural credit. However, this study has adopted a holistic approach by using secondary and primary data to assess the farmers’ access to credit and adequacy. In addition, limited literature is available to explore the farmers’ accessibility and adequacy of agricultural credit. Furthermore, this study has focused exclusively on the farmers who are living in the flood-prone areas of Pakistan.

Value chain analysis of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) seed in Bangladesh

Purpose This paper aims to investigate farmers’ vulnerability to climate change and variability in the northern region of Ghana. Design/methodology/approach The study assessed the vulnerability of male-headed and female-headed farming households to climate change and variability by using the livelihood vulnerability index (LVI) and tested for significant difference in their vulnerability levels by applying independent two-sample-student’s t-test based on gender by using a sample of 210 smallholder farming households. Findings The results revealed a significant difference in the vulnerability levels of female-headed and male-headed farming households. Female–headed households were more vulnerable to livelihood strategies, socio-demographic profile, social networks, water and food major components of the LVI, whereas male-headed households were more vulnerable to health. The vulnerability indices revealed that female–headed households were more sensitive to the impact of climate change and variability. However, female-headed households have the least adaptive capacities. In all, female-headed farming households are more vulnerable to climate change and variability than male-headed farming households. Research limitations/implications The study recommends that female-headed households should be given priority in both on-going and new intervention projects in climate change and agriculture by empowering them through financial resource support to venture into other income-generating activities. This would enable them to diversify their sources of livelihoods to boost their resilience to climate change and variability. Originality/value This is the first study that examined the gender dimension of vulnerability of smallholder farmers in Ghana by using the livelihood vulnerability framework. Female subordination in northern region of Ghana has been profound to warrant a study on gender dimension in relation to climate change and variability, especially as it is a semi-arid region with unpredictable climatic conditions. This research revealed the comparative vulnerability of male- and female-headed households to climate change and variability.

Access and Intensity of Mechanization: Empirical Evidence of Rice Farmers in Southern Ghana

This paper examined the balance of bargaining power, market risks and coordination costs among producers and wholesalers in the Thailand cassava marketing channel using annual data spanning 1980–2007. The results revealed that cassava producers were exceedingly risk averse and that there was bilateral bargaining power between the producers and wholesalers. The variability in profit for the wholesalers was higher than that of producers. The coordination cost generally showed positive linear trend over the years and this demonstrates the existence of information asymmetry in the marketing channel. The policy recommendations are presented.

Factors determining subsistence farmers' access to agricultural credit in flood-prone areas of Pakistan

The study was conducted in 2014 to examine the value chain and value adding at different stages of the marketing system of bitter gourd seed in Bangladesh. The research findings revealed that the production of openpollinated bitter gourd seed was profitable and the net return was BDT 42,018/ha (1 USD = 78 BDT) with a benefit-cost ratio of 1.28. The net return was BDT 124,097/ha with a benefit-cost ratio of 1.53 for the hybrid seed of bitter gourd. Different marketing channels were used to sell bitter gourd seed. Of them, value chain-I: seed producer - seed company - seed wholesaler - seed retailer (district level) - seed retailer (sub-district level) - seed user and value chain-III: seed producer - seed company - seed wholesaler - seed retailer (sub-district level) - seed user were found more efficient than other value chains. Consumer paid lower price in value chains-I and III.