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Apparent Gains, Hidden Costs: Examining Adoption Drivers, Yield, and Profitability Outcomes of Rotavator Tillage in Wheat Systems in Nepal

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  • Gokul P. Paudel
  • Vijesh V. Krishna
  • Andrew J. McDonald

Abstract

The ‘high speed’ rotavator is used for shallow tillage to create a fine tilth and incorporate crop residues, often with a single tractor pass. Rotavator tillage has spread quickly in many parts of South Asia, despite short‐term experimental trials suggesting deteriorating soil quality and crop yield penalties. Evidence of rotavator impacts on farmer fields across soil gradients and time is largely absent. From a farm household survey conducted among wheat farmers in Nepal, we estimate wheat yield and profitability outcomes for rotavator adopters and non‐adopters using propensity score matching. We find that rotavator adoption leads to inferior outcomes, despite significant cost savings for land preparation (US$ 11–15 per hectare). With rotavator adoption, farmers lose about 284–309 kg of wheat grain and about US$ 93–101 of profits on average per hectare per season, and these penalties increase with longer‐term use of the technology. Adoption of rotavator appears to be driven by the cost and time savings for land preparation. Against this backdrop, new policy and extension efforts are required that discourage rotavator use and favour more sustainable tillage technologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Gokul P. Paudel & Vijesh V. Krishna & Andrew J. McDonald, 2020. "Apparent Gains, Hidden Costs: Examining Adoption Drivers, Yield, and Profitability Outcomes of Rotavator Tillage in Wheat Systems in Nepal," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 71(1), pages 199-218, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jageco:v:71:y:2020:i:1:p:199-218
    DOI: 10.1111/1477-9552.12333
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    Cited by:

    1. Brown, Brendan & Paudel, Gokul P. & Krupnik, Timothy J., 2021. "Visualising adoption processes through a stepwise framework: A case study of mechanisation on the Nepal Terai," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    2. Emma Karki & Akriti Sharma & Brendan Brown, 2022. "Farm mechanisation in Nepal's Terai Region: Policy context, drivers and options," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(2), pages 287-305, March.
    3. Xinru Han & Yongfu Chen & Xiudong Wang, 2022. "Impacts of China’s bioethanol policy on the global maize market: a partial equilibrium analysis to 2030," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(1), pages 147-163, February.
    4. Wanchun Xu & Zijing Pan & Shan Lu & Liang Zhang, 2020. "Regional Heterogeneity of Application and Effect of Telemedicine in the Primary Care Centres in Rural China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-15, June.

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