Nigeria, the seventh most populous country in the world, is plagued by livelihood challenges such as poverty and food insecurity, which are more pervasive among farming households and rural communities. Organic farming is being promoted by some domestic non-governmental organizations as a means of addressing the problem of poverty and food insecurity among farming households and rural communities in the country. Promoters consider organic farming to be well-suited to smallholder farmers’ socio-economic conditions in Nigeria, and that it can help improve their livelihood conditions through increased agricultural productivity and farm income. However, the adoption of the technology by smallholder farmers has been underwhelming, for reasons yet to be studied. Using a livelihood framework and through a case study of farmers in Ibadan, Oyo State, this study qualitatively explores and provides insights into the factors that influence, constrain, and gender the adoption of organic farming in Nigeria. Overall, it was found that a mix of factors, which include institutional considerations, farmers’ livelihood assets and vulnerability contexts, their livelihood activities, and gender-related variables shaped adoption decision-making. The policy implications of the findings were outlined.
Gilbert, E.H. (author), Norman, D.W. (author), and Winch, F.E. (author)
Format:
Report
Publication Date:
1980
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 51 Document Number: C00532
Notes:
Cited Reference, East Lansing, MI.: Dept. of Agricultural Economics, Michigan State University. 147 pp. (MSU Rural Development Paper No. 6, 1980). Microfiche
35 pages, Mozambique remains predominantly poor. The official statistics show that poverty incidence barely changed from 54% in 2002–03 to 55% in 2008–09, which stands way above the government's target of 45% by the year 2009. This places the country off-target to cut hunger and poverty by half by 2015, despite an annual economic growth of about 7% in the period 1994–2010. In rural areas, poverty levels have slightly increased, due to the underperformance of the agricultural sector. Extension services can have a significant impact on poverty reduction through stimulating growth in agricultural productivity. Based on a nationally representative household survey from Mozambique, this paper uses three econometric models, namely an OLS regression, the doubly robust estimator and matching and regression to estimate the economic impact of receipt of extension. The results suggest that the receipt of extension increases farm incomes by 12%. However, rather than crafting resource-poor technologies, extension services tend to target wealthier households who are relatively more likely to adopt the existing technologies. This might increase income inequality. The impact of extension, and therefore its contribution to poverty reduction, can be enhanced through several mechanisms (e.g., programme design and the number of staff).
9pgs, The initiatives of one burgeoning social enterprise give Black-owned farms a platform while connecting them to a wider swath of locals and visitors.
6 pages., Online via UI electronic subscription, Describes the scope, mission, and activities of Results, an international citizen's lobby which has grown to include 150 groups in seven countries. Focuses on these major approaches to ending hunger and poverty in the Third World: small-farmer agricultural development, improving the survival of small children through immunization, oral rehydration therapy, breast-feeding and growth monitoring, promoting small loans to the poorest people. and adopting concrete, measurable goals to reduce global poverty.
