Application of stochastic dominance criteria to evaluate bean production strategies in Central Province, Zambia

Beans are the most important relish crop in the farming systems of Serenje District in Central Province, Zambia. Both leaves and dried beans are major food sources for home consumption, and dried beans have a commercial value in the system. Given this dual role, increasing bean yields would improve family nutrition as well as economic returns to capital and labor invested. However, low levels of production have been recorded over the years due to the use of local bean varieties, low fertility, and inadequate pest control. As a result, on‐farm research on beans was carried out for four years to identify bean varieties and management strategies that would result in higher yields and economic returns. In this paper, the results of the four years on‐farm research were analyzed using stochastic dominance efficiency criteria in order to determine the most risk‐efficient production management strategies. The result indicated that the Brazilian bean variety Carioca, when used in combination with fertilizer and insecticide, performed best for the traditional and small‐scale farmers in Serenje District who are usually highly averse to risk.