The Impacts and Causes of Land Fragmentation on Farm Productivity: Case Review of East African Countries

This report provides an overall assessment of land fragmentation problems in East Africa. Many parts of East Africa have become highly fragmented, putting development systems and activities in these areas at risk of complete collapse. Land fragmentation occurs when land gets converted for agriculture, industrialization, or urbanization, invaded by non-local plants, or enclosed for individual use and by subdividing farmlands into subsequent smaller units called parcels with varying average farm sizes. Fragmentation results from inappropriate agricultural development processes and ineffective land use planning that fails to recognize how farmland is used, and the importance of its interconnected areas. Insecurity of tenure and resource rights are key factors in making this possible. Land fragmentation is one of the key reasons why the ability of most resources in East Africa becomes scarcer, and those remaining become “privatized” by more powerful community members—keen to maintain their access to them. Such individualistic attitudes are new and disadvantage the poorest even further by affecting the traditional customary safety nets and agricultural outputs. Neither the government nor customary governance systems effectively protect resource access for the poorest. This review summary report identifies the key causes, measures, and implications, government interventions, and the common remedies to land fragmentation problems in the East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania including neighboring Ethiopia, and the Sudan. The findings indicated from 2005 to 2015, the population kept increasing for all the named countries in East Africa with Rwanda and Uganda having a substantial increase in population density. The study review further explores the trend in the performance of agriculture by average farm sizes within the intervals of five years by highlighting their strong linkages and found that the average farm size has declined drastically, especially for Kenya. This can only mean that small farms kept becoming smaller and smaller and that there were more small-scale farmers. The results further depicted that the major and commonly cultivated food crops among the East African countries include maize, sorghum, rice, cassava, sweet potatoes, bananas, Irish potatoes, beans, peas, etc., with maize yields (Mt/ha) in 2003 for Uganda being the highest (1.79 Mt/ha) and the lowest in Rwanda (0.77 Mt/ha) respectively. Therefore, from the review results, recommendations are being made as to how the negative impacts of land fragmentation on agricultural productivity can be reduced or mitigated. One way is by community sensitization and awareness about the importance of land consolidation and its proposition on farm productivity.

Farm Production Growth in the Upper and Middle Parts of the Yellow River Basin,China,During 1980-1999

The impact of inputs on farm production growth was evaluated by analyzing the economic data of the upper and middle parts of the Yellow River basin, China for the period of 1980-1999. Descriptive statistics were employed to characterize the temporal trends and spatial patterns in farm production and five pertinent inputs of cultivated cropland, irrigation ratio, agricultural labor, machinery power and chemical fertilizer. Stochastic frontier production function was applied to quantify the dependence of the farm production on these inputs. The growth of farm production was decomposed to reflect the contributions by input growths and change in total factor productivity.. The change in total factor productivity was further decomposed into the changes in technology and in technical efficiency. The gross value of farm production in the region of study increased by 1.6 fold during 1980-1999. Among the five selected farm inputs, machinery power and chemical fertilizer increased by 1.8 and 2.8 fold, respectively. The increases in cultivated cropland, irrigated cropland, and agricultural labor were all less than 0.16 fold. The growth in the farm production was primarily contributed by the increase in the total factor productivity during 1980-1985, and by input growths after 1985. More than 80% of the contributions by input growths were attributed to the increased application of fertilizer and machinery. In the change of total factor productivity, the technology change dominated over the technical efficiency change in the study period except in the period of 1985-1990, implying that institution and investment played important roles in farm production growth. There was a decreasing trend in the technical efficiency in the region of study, indicating a potential to increase farm production by improving the technical efficiency in farm activities. Given the limited natural resources in the basin, the results of this study suggested that, for a sustainable growth of farm production in the area, efforts should be directed to technology progress and improvement in technical efficiency in the use of available resources.

Understanding the impact of sustainable land-scape management practices on farm productivity under intensifying tropical cyclones: Evidence from Southern Malawi

Southern Malawi is continuously affected by tropical cyclone-related floods(TCRFs),which have negative consequences on households'livelihoods,thereby displacing most households to neighbouring communities of Mozambique.The TCRFs have further threatened national,regional,community,and household food security agenda,which is already constrained by poverty,poor agricultural practices,low use of improved varieties,unaffordable inorganic fertilizers,and fragmenting landholding sizes.Accordingly,households have indigenously engineered resilience-based Sustainable Landscape Management(SLM)practices,like intercropping,agroforestry,cover cropping,and soil and water conservation practices,against the adverse effects of TCRFs on-farm productivity.Hence,this study examines the effect of TCRFs and SLM adoption on-farm productivity.While using rigorous endogenous switching regression econometric tools,the study finds TCRFs reducing farm productivity by 27 percent.After SLM adoption,the study observes farm productivity enhancement by 29-126 percent when households adopt at least one SLM practices under varying degrees of TCRFs.Despite the highlighted advantages of SLM adoption,female farmers are less likely to adopt SLM practices because they do not have access to productive resources.Hence,the study proposes the need of gender targeted extension services,accompanied by some seed capital for SLM adoption.Besides,there is need to sensitize farmers on the complementarities between inorganic fertilizer and SLM practices.Lastly,future studies should assess the effect of sustained SLM adoption or dis-adoption and input intensification on farm productivity.

The Output of Major Farm Products and Growth Rate in 1995

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Direct farm, production base, traceability and food safety in China

With the rapid growth of China＇s economy, rising demand for safety food has been accompanied by frequent food safety scandals. Given that China＇s farming is dominated by millions of small-scale farms, ensuring food safety is a major challenge facing the public and private sectors. The direct farm （DF） program, initiated in 2008, represents one of the government＇s major initiatives to modernize the distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables （FFV） and improve food safety. Under the DF program, participating national and international retailers are expected to establish more direct procurement relationships with farm communities. While it is often claimed that greater participation by retailers in the production and post-harvest processing implied the DF program will lead to improved quality, safety and traceability, systematic evidence remains elu- sive as existing studies are largely narrative, based on case studies, or theoretical inference. Little empirical evidence is available for a broader evaluation of the DF program. This paper aims to fill this gap by assessing the overall performance of a single retailer＇s DF experience with respect to the procurement and food safety of FFV. We use data from a survey of production managers of 35 DF production bases （PBs） spread across 11 provinces, 3 cities and 1 autonomous region in China. The results show a mixture of opportunities and challenges. On one hand, the DF program improves production practices and distribution channels of FFV produced on its PBs, thus facilitating the move of China＇s food system towards improved food safety compliance. On the other hand, significant heterogeneity in the traceability of food and the ability of DF to meet higher safety standards is evident both across major product categories and across household-operated vs. firm-operated PBs. The paper concludes with policy implications.

Factors affecting the adoption of on-farm milk safety measures in Northern China-An examination from the perspective of farm size and production type

The cow stock of smallholder farmers with less than 100 cows still accounted for nearly 50% of total cows in China. Since the milk scandal occurred in 2008, raw milk safety has become focus for the sound development of the Chinese dairy industry. Adoption of on-farm milk safety measures by smallholders is a key for ensuring milk safety, and these measures are largely voluntary in nature. The recent survey conducted in northern China reveals that an overall adoption rate of various milk safety measures by smallholders is close to 48% with wide variations across the dairy farmers. We employ the Poisson regression model to study the determinants of farmers' adoption of voluntary milk safety measures. Compared with backyard dairy farmers, dairy complex and scaled dairy farms adopted more milk safety measures. Moreover, the empirical result indicates that farmers' adoption of raw milk safety measures is positively affected by farm size. These findings suggest that the changing dairy production structure towards larger farms and away from backyard dairy farming prompts smallholder dairy farmers to adopt more raw milk safety measures. This lends some support to the role of recent policy initiatives towards larger farms and away from backyard dairy farming on increasing the farmers' milk safety practices and reducing on-farm incidence of milk safety.

Techniques in Utilizing Remote Sensor Technology for Precision Crop Production by Farmers as Climate Change Adaptation Strategy in Nigeria

This paper focuses on techniques in utilizing remote sensor technology for precision crop production by farmers as climate change adaptation strategy in Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study and was carried out between August 2013 and May 2014. The findings of the study revealed that 32 items were needed by farmers in utilizing sensory technology for precision crop production. The study recommended that the 32 items identified by the study should be utilized by extension agent in teaching the farmers the use of sensor technology for precision crop production while the farmers should make themselves available for the training.

Efficiency and productivity analysis of vegetable farming within root and tuber-based systems in the humid tropics of Cameroon

The study analyzes the technical efficiency of vegetable farmers in root and tuber-based farming systems within selected sites of the humid tropics of Cameroon. Multistage sampling was used to collect primary data from a cross-section of vegetable farmers drawn from eight selected sites in Santa sub division, Northwest region of Cameroon. Stochastic frontier analysis was used to estimate the technical efficiency of vegetable farmer and to examine its determinants. The results showed that farmyard manure was the most productive factor input, followed by farm equipment and labor. The mean technical efficiency level was 67%, revealing production shortfalls and indicating possibilities of significantly increasing production with the current input Jevels. Female, as well as more educated farmers were found to be significantly more efficient than their counterparts. The results also showed that farmers become less technical efficient as farm sizes become larger. Our study findings suggest that smallholder farmers＇ access to manure, farm implements, and increased women participation in vegetable farming, will produce huge payoffs in vegetable production efficiency in Cameroon.

Integration of Fish and Poultry Farming into Cropping Systems to Improve Production Yields

This study aims to evaluate and compare the fertilizing effects of fish-breeding water and river water combined or not with composted poultry manure on the growth and production of okra and lettuce crops. Thus, a sample of 2000 Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus fry and a sample of 100 Cobb 500 strain chicks were reared and monitored for six months and fifteen days. Poultry manure and fish-breeding water were then collected and used to fertilize and water okra and lettuce crops. Two systems were used for the crops (okra and lettuce) tested in an elementary plot design with replicates for each treatment (T1: fish-breeding water alone;T2: river water alone;T3: fish-breeding water combined with manure;T4: river water combined with manure). Morphometric parameters and phenological traits of okra and lettuce crops as well as the total harvest weight and production yield were evaluated and compared between treatments. The results reveal better growth and higher yields (0.67 kg/m2 vs. 0.45 kg/m2) of okra crops that received treatment T1 compared to T2. The best growth and yields of lettuce were obtained with treatments T3 (3.34 kg/m2) and T1 (1.89 kg/m2) compared to T4 (1.23 kg/m2) and T2 (1.20 kg/m2). These results show that fish-breeding water combined with poultry manure can boost okra and lettuce production and would be a real asset to stimulate local agricultural development. Thus, the adoption of such an agro-ecological approach integrating fish farming and animal husbandry could increase local production and provide food of good nutritional quality.

Succession and Enhancement Mechanism of Ecosystem Productivity in the De-farming Area of the Ecotone Between Agriculture and Animal Husbandry in North China

The succession and enhancement mechanism of the ecosystem productivity with the characteristics ot de-tarmlng in me ecotone between agriculture and animal husbandry in North China was discussed in order to provide an ideaology or a technical basis for maintaining the impetus of ecological restoration and economic development in this region. A case study was applied in combination with the theoretical analysis. The results indicated that the biomass productivity of the de-farming subsystem decreased by 38.4-72.3% compared with that of farming subsystem in the ecosystem. The main function of de-farming subsystem was focused on ecological productivity, it caused the ideal beneficial recycling ‘defarming → planting grass → raising animals → earn money＇ difficult to be realized. With the differentiation of de-farming subsystem, the natural and social resources input to the farming subsystem were accumulated. This laid a basis for the new attributes of economic productivity to be upgraded. The case study indicated that the economic productivity of the ecosystem was increased by 8.85-13.35 times due to re-coupling between the de-farming subsystem and the farming subsystem as well as coupling between microhabitat differentiation and crop production in the subsystems, where the microhabitat differentiation could enrich water and fertilizer in the same field. It was concluded that the important mechanisms to enhance the system productivity in the ecotone between agriculture and animal husbandry of North China included structure rebuilding and opening of the de-farming ecosystem and taking the advantage of complementary cooperative production among different regions under the market economy and rebuilding an open agro-pasture production structure,

Analysis of the Production and Operation Status of Silkworm Eggs Producing Farms in China——Based on Questionnaire Survey to 136 Silkworm Eggs Producing Farms Nationwide

Through statistical analysis on questionnaire survey data from 136 silkworm eggs producing farms in China,it was concluded that most silkworm eggs producing farms had such problems as follows: old production facilities and poor production condition,heavy staff burden,weak scientific and technological support,small operation scale and heavy surplus production capacity; narrow silkworm eggs sale channels and stubborn regional segmentation,insufficient innovation and lack of technological support for diversified expansion. All these problems led to low labor productivity,low asset utilization rate and poor economic benefit in silkworm eggs producing farms in China. Except the provinces( regions) of Guangxi,Guangdong and Yunnan,the silkworm eggs producing farms in other provinces were generally at deficit condition. In the light of ownership,although silkworm eggs producing farms of different ownership systems were in the red,those of the private sector had the minimum deficit. Based on these findings,it is proposed to deepen system reformation of silkworm eggs producing farms,loosen control to price and circulation of silkworm eggs,implement large-scaled production and operation,speed up scientific and technological innovation,expand diversified development channels,and reinforce government support so as to increase production and operation benefits of silkworm eggs producing farms in China.

An Empirical Study on the Moderate Scale of Food-production-based Family Farm in Guangxi

The moderate scale family farm is the future agricultural business entity in China,and the scale of family farm is a key factor affecting its development.With Guigang City in Guangxi as a point for the study,from the perspective of maximizing income of rural households,this paper uses production function model to calculate the moderate scale of food-production-based family farm at 5.7 ha,and makes policy recommendations.

Vertical Farming Using Hydroponic System: Toward a Sustainable Onion Production in Nueva Ecija, Philippines

The development of new technology for food production is essential to sustain man’s needs for survival. The use of farmlands for food production and industrial purposes goes beyond the carrying capacity of the environment. The study determined the applicability of Vertical Farming using Hydroponic Technology to onion production in Nueva Ecija, Philippines. The country is known as the onion capital of Southeast Asia. The study measured the technology’s sustainability and acceptability to onion farmers. By using experimental method, interview, and Focused Group Discussions (FGD), the study established its viability. Three phases of field experiments were conducted in August 2016, May 2017 and July 2017 using the Vertical Farming and Hydroponics Technology and Single Factor Analysis of Variance. The results showed that there is significant difference in the growth of onion bulb per week and the suitability and comparability of the technology to conventional farming. The study concluded that the VFH technology is acceptable to most onion farmers except the aspect of the cost of initial investment which requires government subsidy for the ordinary onion grower to avail of this new and sustainable technology in onion production.

Preliminary Discussion on Farm Animal Welfare and Its Influence on Brand and Consumption of Chinese Livestock Products

Farm animal welfare(FAW) affects the health and sustainable development of animal husbandry. However, at present,there are still a lot of damage to FAW, and the situation of FAW in China is worrying. In this paper, the concept of FAW and brand are sketched and the importance of FAW is emphasized through analyzing the impact of FAW on the brand and consumption of animal products in China. Advices that more importance should be attached to FAW, animal welfare awareness should be promoted to publicity, and FAW legislation should be speed up are proposed.

Characterization of Farming Systems Using Land as a Driver of Production and Sustainability in the Vhembe District, Limpopo, South Africa

South African agricultural farming systems are characterised by a duality in which there exists large-scale commercial farmers and small-scale farmers. Large-scale commercial farmers, historically identified as capital intensive and characterized by the size of the landholdings, are considered as the main drivers of national food security. Small-scale farmers on the other hand are viewed as important drivers of food security at the household level. These two main farming systems can be found within the Vhembe district municipality of the Limpopo Province and are characterised differently according to land descriptors. The study used an analysis of primary data obtained from in-depth interviews and secondary data obtained from an agricultural database to identify and characterize large- and small-scale farming systems within the Vhembe district. The study examined the land resource namely farm size and land ownership, topography and soil description, rainfall and its variability and threats and hazards used under three different high value crop (HVC) commodities, macadamia nuts, mangos and avocado pears. The study further examined yield and income from farming as drivers of production that would ensure the sustainability of long-term food security at both national and household level. The study revealed that gender of farmers within the farming systems was predominantly (79%) male across all commodities. Age distribution results showed an aging population of farmers mostly (90%) above the age of 51. Communal land ownership was the dominant (74%) land ownership amongst participants. Yield is not solely dependent on farm size and requires consideration of a broader array of land management aspects. There was a strong, significant correlation between income and farm size. These factors have implications for sustainability of the two farming systems and illustrate how certain aspects of land as a driver of production such as land ownership, rainfall variability, yield and income from farming can impact sustainability.

Constraints, and Implications of Organic Farming in Bananas and Plantains Production Sustainability in Benin

Bananas and plantains production is an important income source for millions of small farmers. The increased demand for bananas and plantains on national and international market would justify its value chain development. However, its value chain faces several constraints, of which production and marketing turn out to be the most important. This study aimed at determining and analyzing the constraints related to Bananas and Plantains value chain and showing the gaps between agroecological and agricultural practices used by farmers in southern Benin. Characterization was carried out on the seed production systems, agricultural practices, bananas and plantains production, fruit availability and commercialization constraints with farmers using individual and focus groups surveys. Bananas and plantains seedlings production and acquisition varied according to production areas. Their seedlings self-production was widespread in production areas and 26 cultivars have been identified as major. The availability of these cultivars varied across time and production areas. There were significant negative effects of agricultural practices on major banana pest’s presence. Bananas and plantains production was limited by 12 factors, from which banana plants fall related to the wind, lack of financial support to irrigate banana fields, climate changes, no availability of cultivable lands and low rainfall are revealed to be the most important. Regarding commercialization constraints, low sale prices and difficult access to markets were the most important. Better knowledge of bananas and plantains production systems would help to develop sustainable organic farming strategies to reduce the constraints identified.

How Does the Agricultural Ecosystem Productivity Respond to Climate Fluctuations in the Northern Farming-pastoral Region?

Using meteorological data and mathematical statistics analysis,we take Jungar Banner in the northern farming-pastoral region of China for example,to analyze the fluctuations in the precipitation and average temperature in Jungar Banner during the period 1961-2009.We calculate the NPP of agricultural ecosystem and climatic yield of the main crops in the region during the period 1961-2009,and expound the response of agricultural ecosystem productivity to climate fluctuations in Jungar Banner.Indubitably the climate changes impose great effects on the structure and function of regional ecosystem,and there is a need to take a number of measures to minimize the detrimental effects of climate changes on climatic yield of the main crops.