IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ags/cmpart/198516.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

A Logit Estimation of Factors Determining Adoption of Conservation Farming by Smallholder Farmers in the Semi-Arid Areas of Zimbabwe

Author

Listed:
  • Mudiwa, Benjamin

Abstract

Despite heavy investment made by various organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa, to promote conservation farming, the adoption of this technology remained low. Therefore, this study was carried out to estimate the factors determining the adoption of conservation farming by smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe. The study was guided by theory of adoption. The data used in the study was collected from a survey done by ICRISAT between March and April 2010. The survey covered 416 smallholder farmers randomly selected from 15 districts where different nongovernmental organizations had promoted conservation farming from 2006 to 2010. The logit model and the maximum likelihood estimation procedures were used to analyze the data. Results from the study showed that CF was adopted by 77.4% of the participating households. Further, farming experience, access to output market, experience with conservation farming and asset ownership were found to significantly influence the adoption of conservation farming. Farming experience had adverse effects on CF adoption while access to output market and asset ownership had positive influence on the rate of adoption of conservation farming. Their elasticities were 0.956, 0.819, 1.570 and 1.326 respectively. Gender, age, education level, extension visits, family labor availability and access to input markets had no statistical significance on CF adoption. Given these results, the study recommends policy support in the creation of output markets, strengthening of existing markets, and linking farmers to output markets. In addition, promoters of conservation farming may consider targeting inexperienced farmers to practice conservation farming. This will lead to an increase in the rate of adoption of conservation farming holding everything else equal.

Suggested Citation

  • Mudiwa, Benjamin, 2011. "A Logit Estimation of Factors Determining Adoption of Conservation Farming by Smallholder Farmers in the Semi-Arid Areas of Zimbabwe," Research Theses 198516, Collaborative Masters Program in Agricultural and Applied Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:cmpart:198516
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.198516
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/198516/files/Final%20MSc%20Thesis_Benjamin%20Mudiwa.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.22004/ag.econ.198516?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andrew D. Foster & Mark R. Rosenzweig, 2010. "Microeconomics of Technology Adoption," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 2(1), pages 395-424, September.
    2. Foster, Andrew D & Rosenzweig, Mark R, 1995. "Learning by Doing and Learning from Others: Human Capital and Technical Change in Agriculture," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 103(6), pages 1176-1209, December.
    3. Wald, John K, 1999. "How Firm Characteristics Affect Capital Structure: An International Comparison," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 22(2), pages 161-187, Summer.
    4. Mittal, Surabhi & Kumar, Praduman, 2000. "Literacy, Technology Adoption, Factor Demand and Productivity: An Econometric Analysis," Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Indian Society of Agricultural Economics, vol. 55(3), September.
    5. Wilfred Nyangena, 2008. "Social determinants of soil and water conservation in rural Kenya," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 10(6), pages 745-767, December.
    6. Doss, Cheryl R., 2003. "Understanding Farm-Level Technology Adoption: Lessons Learned From Cimmyt'S Micro Surveys In Eastern Africa," Economics Working Papers 46552, CIMMYT: International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center.
    7. repec:ucp:ecdecc:v:33:y:1985:i:2:p:255-98 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Jackson, Matthew O. & Watts, Alison, 2002. "The Evolution of Social and Economic Networks," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 106(2), pages 265-295, October.
    9. John K. Wald, 1999. "How Firm Characteristics Affect Capital Structure: An International Comparison," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 22(2), pages 161-187, June.
    10. Doss, Cheryl R. & Morris, Michael L., 2001. "How does gender affect the adoption of agricultural innovations?: The case of improved maize technology in Ghana," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 25(1), pages 27-39, June.
    11. Pau, L-F. & Motiwalla, J., 2007. "India: a Case of Fragile Wireless Service and Technology Adoption?," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2007-011-LIS, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    12. Hayami, Yujiro & Ruttan, Vernon W, 1970. "Agricultural Productivity Differences Among Countries," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 60(5), pages 895-911, December.
    13. Joel L. Horowitz & N. E. Savin, 2001. "Binary Response Models: Logits, Probits and Semiparametrics," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 15(4), pages 43-56, Fall.
    14. Haggblade, Steven & Tembo, Gelson, 2003. "Conservation farming in Zambia:," EPTD discussion papers 108, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ogada, Maurice Juma & Nyangena, Wilfred & Yesuf, Mahmud, 2010. "Production risk and farm technology adoption in the rain-fed semi-arid lands of Kenya," African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, African Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 4(2), pages 1-16, June.
    2. Juma, Maurice & Nyangena, Wilfred & Yesuf, Mahmud, 2090. "Production Risk and Farm Technology Adoption in Rain-Fed, Semi-Arid Lands of Kenya," RFF Working Paper Series dp-09-22-efd, Resources for the Future.
    3. Mekonnen, Daniel Ayalew & Gerber, Nicolas & Matz, Julia Anna, 2018. "Gendered Social Networks, Agricultural Innovations, and Farm Productivity in Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 321-335.
    4. Aslihan Arslan & Kristin Floress & Christine Lamanna & Leslie Lipper & Solomon Asfaw & Todd Rosenstock, 2020. "IFAD RESEARCH SERIES 63 - The adoption of improved agricultural technologies - A meta-analysis for Africa," IFAD Research Series 304758, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
    5. Jonas Kathage & Menale Kassie & Bekele Shiferaw & Matin Qaim, 2016. "Big Constraints or Small Returns? Explaining Nonadoption of Hybrid Maize in Tanzania," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 38(1), pages 113-131.
    6. Hailu, Berihun Kassa & Abrha, Bihon Kassa & Weldegiorgis, Kibrom Aregawi, 2014. "Adoption and Impact of Agricultural Technologies on Farm Income: Evidence from Southern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia," International Journal of Food and Agricultural Economics (IJFAEC), Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Department of Economics and Finance, vol. 2(4), pages 1-16, October.
    7. Peter Bergman, 2020. "Nudging Technology Use: Descriptive and Experimental Evidence from School Information Systems," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 15(4), pages 623-647, Fall.
    8. ManYing Kang & Marcel Ausloos, 2017. "An Inverse Problem Study: Credit Risk Ratings as a Determinant of Corporate Governance and Capital Structure in Emerging Markets: Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies," Economies, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-23, November.
    9. Raphaël Soubeyran, 2019. "Technology adoption and pro-social preferences," CEE-M Working Papers halshs-02291905, CEE-M, Universtiy of Montpellier, CNRS, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro.
    10. Enrico Santarelli & Hien Thu Tran, 2018. "The interaction of institutional quality and human capital in shaping the dynamics of capital structure in Vietnam," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2018-66, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    11. B Kelsey Jack, "undated". "Market Inefficiencies and the Adoption of Agricultural Technologies in Developing Countries," CID Working Papers 50, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    12. Bülent Köksal & Cüneyt Orman, 2015. "Determinants of capital structure: evidence from a major developing economy," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 255-282, February.
    13. Ebenezer Bugri Anarfo, 2015. "Determinants of Capital Structure of Banks: Evidence from Sub-Sahara Africa," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 5(4), pages 624-640, April.
    14. Terrance Hurley & Jawoo Koo & Kindie Tesfaye, 2018. "Weather risk: how does it change the yield benefits of nitrogen fertilizer and improved maize varieties in sub‐Saharan Africa?," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 49(6), pages 711-723, November.
    15. Gu, Xin & Cui, Tingfei & Hu, Yingquan, 2016. "新常态下商业银行和企业两部门杠杆联动的微观机制和宏观效应 [Micromechanism and Macro effect of Leverage Dynamics between Commercial Banks and Enterprises under New Norm]," MPRA Paper 49491, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Khushbu Mishra & Abdoul G. Sam & Gracious M. Diiro & Mario J. Miranda, 2020. "Gender and the dynamics of technology adoption: Empirical evidence from a household‐level panel data," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 51(6), pages 857-870, November.
    17. Avila-Santamaria, Jorge J. & Useche, Maria P., 2016. "Urea Subsidies and the Decision to Allocate Land to a New Fertilizing Technology: Ex-ante Analysis in Ecuador," 2016 Annual Meeting, February 6-9, 2016, San Antonio, Texas 229851, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    18. Leimbach, Marian & Edenhofer, Ottmar, 2005. "Capital mobility and spillovers within a modular approach to multi-region modeling," Conference papers 331342, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    19. Sommarat Chantarat & Christopher Barrett, 2012. "Social network capital, economic mobility and poverty traps," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 10(3), pages 299-342, September.
    20. Aker, Jenny C. & Dillon, Brian & Welch, C. Jamilah, 2023. "Demand, supply and long-term adoption: Evidence from a storage technology in West Africa," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ags:cmpart:198516. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: AgEcon Search (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.agriculturaleconomics.net .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.