Philippe Lebailly

Participatory impact assessment of rice parboiling videos with women in Benin

SUMMARY Using the sustainable livelihoods framework to evaluate the impact of a farmer-to-farmer video on the improved rice parboiling technology, women in Benin rated financial, social, human, natural and physical capital stocks for the baseline year (2006) and the impact year (2009) on a 0–5 scale. Women who had watched the video and those who had not, but who lived in the same villages, perceived a significant improvement in four out of five livelihood capitals while processors in control villages did not perceive any significant change. Apart from testing the sustainable livelihoods conceptual framework as a participatory impact assessment tool for video-mediated rural learning, this study shows how farmer-to-farmer training videos helped to improve multiple livelihood assets.

Evolution of land use-change modeling : routes of different schools of knowledge

Although much has been published on land use-change models (LUCMs), no study has comprehensively dealt with the evolution of land use models based on schools of knowledge. The primary objective of this paper is an explanation of the progress and growth of LUCMs concerning their main ontological, epistemological, and methodological origins. Five main paradigms, i.e., positivism, post-positivism, constructivism, participatory, and pragmatism approaches, are discussed in order to assess the current orientations of LUCMs. Given the complexities of LUCM components, the study concludes that one paradigm cannot adequately address all methodological aspects. Accordingly, it is necessary to combine quantitative and qualitative paradigms to create mixed-method approaches within a systemic framework. Such systemic approaches could shape the most probable future generations of LUCMs, which would be able to cope with the complexity of various subsystems, including biophysical and socioeconomic ones.

Agricultural production in the context of industrialization and food security in Vietnam

Since 1990s the bloom of industrialization and urbanization brings the changes of social and economic issue of Vietnam rural areas. During this process, rural households have reduced agricultural land for cultivating. From the status of food producers now they become food consumers. Through surveying 215 households in Bac Ninh province, the study shows that that industrialization and land conversion process affected household food security in several aspects: the lost of agricultural land and surplus agricultural production decrease; unguaranteed decent work for peasants and high living cost; the decline of living quality and food safety. Food consumption of the family has shifted from self-reliance to the way that more depend on market which increases food expense propotion on household budget. However, spending more on food does not mean satisfied since the suspiciousness of food quality. Household food security becomes more vulnerable, especially for households that have limited access to land and incapability of finding stable jobs. One of the strategies of rural households is diversify their livelihoods, accepted multi-spacial household model. And when income from nonfarm jobs could relatively supply enough their need of cash, they would rather consume high quality food than grow and sell high yielding variable. Rural households move back to the local traditional agricultural activities to ensure their own food quality.

Assessment of household risk management strategies for coastal aquaculture: The case of clam farming in Thaibinh Province, Vietnam

Clam farmers have experienced different types of risks that have been further exacerbated by the rapid expansion of clam farming areas, increased growing densities, and increased market difficulties in recent years in the Thaibinh Province of Vietnam. Most farmers have been seriously affected by production risk, market risk, and financial risk, while a number of others have met with success in almost all of their clam-raising cycles. This study applied a differentiating comparative analysis method and multiple discriminant analysis method to discuss the differences in risk management strategies between and among clam farming households and the impacts of those differences on their success/failure rates. In general, the tactics are related to increase in farm size, the application of technical innovations, diversifying livelihood activities, and accessing secure financial sources all provided better conditions for clam growth, diminished losses, and led to speedier recovery from shocks. To support farmers in managing risks, several government interventions are needed: (1) better re-zoning of clam farming areas in parallel with an increase in the farm size of each household, (2) promoting sustainable linkages between the farmers and the formal financial market and output market, and (3) investing more funding into research and extension related to sustainable clam farming practices and to the improvement of farmers’ skills in cooperative works and management.

On Sustainable Aquaculture

Aquaculture is essential to meet future demand for aquatic products. While aquaculture has expanded to supply domestic and export markets, issues concerning the limited capacity to promote and guide its sustainable development, in fresh, brackish, and marine environments [1]. World fish and aquaculture production is projected to grow at an annual rate of 1.5% during the 2016-2025 periods (a slowdown relative to the 2.5% annually of the previous decade). Accordingly, levels of production are expected to reach 196 MT in 2025. Most of fish production’s growth will take place in Asia. The majority of evolution will come from aquaculture, which will surpass total capture fisheries in 2021. Despite the increasing role of aquaculture in total fish supply, the capture sector is expected to remain dominant for a number of species, and vital for domestic and international food security. Aquaculture will continue to be one of the fastest growing food sectors despite its average annual growth rate slowing from 5.4% in the previous decade to 3.0% in the period 2016-25.Much of the increase is expected in freshwater species. In 2025, fish originating from aquaculture is expected to represent 57% of fish consumed worldwide [2].

Labor Use and Management in Vietnamese Craft Villages: A Case Study in Tu Son Town, Bac Ninh Province

The findings of the research on 150 laborers in three craft villages show that 41.33 percent of labor are concentrated in the age group of 30-45, of these laborers men is accounted for over 57 percent, and only 26 percent are skilled labor. Most of the laborers are working in noisy and unsafe conditions, and less than 30% of them are equipped with labor protection equipment. Moreover, the prevailing salaries of laborers are from 3 to 5 million VND per month whereas the rate of labor contracted is very low (the highest is about 23% at Da Hoi), that makes labourers are less satisfied with work. In order to determine factors effecting laborer’s satisfaction with work, the authors use Exploratory Factor Analysis and the results show that Cronbach Alfa coefficient of each group is more than 0.6. That indicates the use of 30 observation variations belonging to 5 factors in the study is suitable. Additionally, logistic model reports that working conditions, income, welfare policies and gender have a statistically significant effect on job satisfaction of labourers. When the score of the importance of working condition increases 1 point, the probability of workers satisfy with their works increases 1.307 time. When the score of importance of income increases 1 point, the probability of satisfaction increases 1.494 time. When the score of importance of treatment policy increases 1 point, the probability of satisfaction increases 1.329 time. Therefore craft villages need to improve these factors in order to improve the efficiency of labour.

Upgrading opportunities in agricultural value chains: Lessons from the analysis of the consumption of processed pineapple products in southern Benin

This study analyzed the consumption of processed pineapple products in southern Benin. The low processing of agricultural products does not enable sub-Saharan Africa to exploit the potential of agriculture for development. The objective of this paper was to identify upgrading opportunities in Benin’s pineapple value chain. A survey was carried out from December 2012 to February 2013 among 250 respondents randomly selected in five cities in southern Benin; and data were collected based on structured interviews. Dried pineapple, jam, syrup, juice, and cocktail were the processed pineapple products available on the market. Beverages, especially the juice, were the main processed pineapple products. The motivations driving the purchase of processed pineapple beverages by consumers were: competitive price and interest in local, natural and therapeutic beverages. The results indicate there is a margin for the value chain to upgrade products and services, and increase the price of pineapple-based products while staying competitive. A strong marketing and advertisement campaign is essential to support wider knowledge of processed pineapple products by consumers. Product traceability is a prerequisite for export in regional and international markets. This makes the certification of the value chain a critical issue. A joint action of value chain stakeholders is needed to exploit these opportunities.

Land issue around the lands recovered in the region of Tahoua in Niger

The present reflection analyzes the situation of farmlands and pastoral lands in the region of Tahoua in Niger in connection with the environmental conditions in a context marked by considerable regional demographic growth of 4.6% in 2012. These hinder the efforts of the country in the wrestling against food insecurity. It also analyzes the land stakes in this particular case, the intervention of the programs of recoveries of lands and the strategies developed by actors to guarantee their food security. It results from the synthesis of direct observations and from the inquiries on ground. The investigation realized in 2010 concerned 420 households distributed in twenty selected villages following a reasoned sampling and according to demographic weight of eight (8) departments of the region. The objective is to measure the impact of the land dynamics in fighting against the food insecurity and poverty of women in the region of Tahoua. It emerges from this study that 3% of the households without land; in spite of the average of nine (9) individuals by households, or approximately 2.62 hectares by field. The surfaces of fields vary from 0.11 to 17 hectares. Fields are located on trays, in the slum and at the level of dunes in agricultural zone. We attend an emergence of fields beyond the north end of the cultures. Most of the forest lands were transformed into areas of pasture, then into fields of culture after the development interventions.

Linking local rice processors’ access to rural radio, gender, and livelihoods in Benin

In a context of low literacy rates and a high level of rurality, the use of rural radio in agricultural extension is a method that can bridge the gap that exists between researchers, extension workers, and farmers. This article examines the level of farmers’ access to rural radio in relation to gender and livelihoods. The study was conducted in Benin with 18 rural radio stations and 240 rice processors, using the sustainable livelihoods framework to examine the relationship between access to rural radio and livelihoods. Although the study cannot draw conclusions on causal relationships, rice processors who often listened to agricultural broadcasts had better social, financial, and human capital stocks compared to those who did not. Despite the efforts of 72% of the radio stations to link up with extension services, half of the rice processors rarely or never listened to agricultural broadcasts, because the timing of the broadcasts was inappropriate. Interactive radio sessions with farmers that involve government officials will need to address this if they are to become more effective.

Cost Monitoring for Clam Raising Farmers in the Northern Area of Vietnam

Clam farming in the coastal provinces of Vietnam has notably developed since the last decade. It generated high income, improve socio-economic development for many local communities. However, many clam raising farms were facing difficulties of farm management, disease control, markets and systems of quality control. This research aimed to study about the real situation of cost monitoring in the clam raising farms in the Northern area of Vietnam and suggested some recommendation to promote the benefits for farmers. The paper is based on the semi-structure, standard questionnaires and PRA method to collect data from 112 clam raising farms in two coastal provinces (Nam