Climatic and non-climatic factors driving the livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farmers in Ahafo Ano North District,Ghana

Smallholder farmers in Ahafo Ano North District,Ghana,face multiple climatic and non-climatic issues.This study assessed the factors contributing to the livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farmers in this district by household surveys with 200 respondents and focus group discussions(FGDs)with 10 respondents.The Mann–Kendall trend test was used to assess mean annual rainfall and temperature trends from 2002 to 2022.The relative importance index(RII)value was used to rank the climatic and non-climatic factors perceived by respondents.The socioeconomic characteristics affecting smallholder farmers’perceptions of climatic and non-climatic factors were evaluated by the binary logistic regression model.Results showed that mean annual rainfall decreased(P>0.05)but mean annual temperature significantly increased(P<0.05)from 2002 to 2022 in the district.The key climatic factors perceived by smallholder farmers were extreme heat or increasing temperature(RII=0.498),erratic rainfall(RII=0.485),and increased windstorms(RII=0.475).The critical non-climatic factors were high cost of farm inputs(RII=0.485),high cost of healthcare(RII=0.435),and poor condition of roads to farms(RII=0.415).Smallholder farmers’perceptions of climatic and non-climatic factors were significantly affected by their socioeconomic characteristics(P<0.05).This study concluded that these factors negatively impact the livelihoods and well-being of smallholder farmers and socioeconomic characteristics influence their perceptions of these factors.Therefore,to enhance the resilience of smallholder farmers to climate change,it is necessary to adopt a comprehensive and context-specific approach that accounts for climatic and non-climatic factors.

Navigating Market Choices: Understanding Carrot Market Outlet Selection among Smallholder Farmers in Kenya

This research delves into the hurdles and strategies aimed at augmenting the market involvement of smallholder carrot farmers in Nakuru County, Kenya. Employing a Multinomial Logit (MNL) model, it scrutinizes the factors influencing the selection of marketing outlets among carrot farmers. The findings unveil that a significant majority (81%) of surveyed farmers actively participate in diverse market outlets, encompassing the farm gate, cleaning point, local market, external market, and export market. Notably, pivotal buyers include aggregators, brokers, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers, with transactions predominantly occurring at the farm level. Additionally, the analysis discerns substantial influences of socio-economic characteristics, experiential factors, and geographical proximity on farmers’ choices of market outlets. Specifically, gender, age, land size, farming experience, and distance to markets emerge as critical determinants. Moreover, the study delves into the examination of market margins along the carrot value chain, shedding light on the potential profitability of carrot farming in the region. Remarkably, higher average gross margins are identified in export and external markets, signaling lucrative prospects for farmers targeting these segments. However, disparities in profit distribution between farmers and traders underscore the necessity for interventions to ensure equitable value distribution throughout the value chain. These findings underscore the imperative for tailored interventions to tackle challenges and foster inclusive agricultural development. Strategies such as farmer organizations, contracting, and vertical integration are advocated to enhance market access and profitability for smallholder carrot farmers. Thus, this study enriches our comprehension of the dynamics within carrot value chains and provides valuable insights for policymakers and development practitioners aiming to uplift rural livelihoods and bolster food security.

Cattle Production and Lumpy Skin Disease of Smallholder Farmers in Svay Rieng Province

The cattle production in Romeas Haek district,Svay Rieng province,was developed remarkably,since there were some households raising cattle in large number,more than 20 heads.The grazing method of cattle was tethering and free grassing in the commune grass,since the natural grass and rice straw were the main source of cattle feed,however some of them supplemented their cattle with crop-byproducts,planting grass or concentrated feed.For the majority,BCS(Body Condition Scoring)of the cattle in those areas was 3 accounting for 52%-73.33%,but it was found the thin cattle has low BCS of 2 accounting for 11.11%to 40.00%and also fat cattle has BCS of 4 up to 27.78%.However,the average BCS varied with village which ranged from 2.68 to 3.17,but is not different in term of commune and sex of cattle.Besides facing with shortage of feed,the experience with diseases was also another concern,since 85.71%to 95.83%of the households faced this problem last year.Among the clinical signs found,lumpy skin was 100%,i.e.no one escaped from this problem,thus making them aware of vaccinating their cattle against some diseases such as FMD(Foot and Mouth Disease),HS(Hemorrhagic Septicemia)and LSD(Lumpy Skin Disease),but mostly vaccination was used against FMD.Because the LSD has occurred in these areas since 2020,then the seroprevalence was found in high positive up to 72.62%by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay(ELISA)test.This positive rate was also varying by villages,ranging from 53.3%to 94.44%.But there was no association between positive cattle with commune,BCS,sex and age of cattle.In conclusion,the cattle production in Romeas Haek district,Svay Rieng province had developed markedly,however the shortage of feed and disease occurrence are the main challenges for farmer cattle producers,especially LSD outbreak last year.However,most of the farmers have been aware of the benefit of vaccination and had vaccinated their cattle against those main disease,such as FMD,HS and LSD.

Evaluation of Smallholder Farmers’Awareness of Cattle Diseases in Svay Rieng and Prey Veng Provinces,Cambodia

In Cambodia,cattle are used as draught power,sources of fertilizer,sources of assets,and for meat production.Due to some contagious illnesses such as hemorrhagic septicemia and foot-and-mouth disease(FMD),they mostly have low reproductivity and poor physical health.Among those diseases,brucellosis is starting to appear in cattle production in rural Cambodia and is highly transmissible to humans.Thus,the objective of this study was to evaluate the farmers’awareness of cattle diseases and their transmissibility in the country.A survey was conducted in two provinces,Svay Rieng and Prey Veng,in Cambodia,starting from July 2021 to January 2022.A sample size of 216 was randomly selected from the two provinces by using Taro Yamane,and the selection criteria were that the targeted households must have at least two cows.A pre-determined questionnaire was utilized to collect data on number of cattle,raising type,feeding system,source of cattle purchase,hygienic condition,waste management,cattle disease,body score condition and symptoms.As a result,86% of the respondents in Prey Veng province and 99.07% in Svay Rieng province have cattle disease.Smallholder farmers raise 5 to 10 cattle per household,while other farmers raise 10 to 15 calves,or 15-20 or more than 20 heads,while only 20% of smallholder farmers in Prey Veng were able to raise 5 to 10 male cattle per household.Of all the interviewees,90% recognized FMD based on clinical signs such as blisters on the feet,loss of appetite,salivation and painful,red,blister-like lesions on the tongue.Meanwhile,60% know lumpy skin disease(LSD)due to skin nodules.No one knew about brucellosis.The findings suggest that the knowledge farmers have over cattle disease is very limited and this needs more support from related institutions to raise their awareness in order to cope with cattle disease correctly and timely.

Co-designed Practical Use of Probabilistic Climate Advisories among Smallholder Farmers: A Balance between Confidence and Caution

Especially for smallholder farmers with limited land and financial resources,farming in arid and semi-arid lands(ASALs),where season-to-season rainfall fluctuation dictates production,is a risky business.Through participatory approaches,this study compares deterministic and probabilistic interpretations of climate forecasts and their use by smallholder farmers through a crop-growing season.The study revealed that deterministic advisories are good for smallholder farmers only when formulated from forecasts with higher accuracy than the historical climatological distribution.Otherwise,they cause farm loss in terms of labor and inputs.On the other hand,probabilistic advisories help farmers spread the risk to cater to all the uncertainty and in so doing bring out a balance between confidence and caution.However,farmers must be supported with enough sensitization to comprehend forecast probability,translate it into probabilistic advisories and use that to plan and manage farm activities.The findings support the hypothesis providing packaged climate products in transparent probabilistic terms in place of deterministic form can overcome inherent credibility challenges.The study’s conclusion highlights important takeaways and new understandings of the advantage of using probabilistic advisories among resource-poor smallholder farmers.

Waste Management Systems among Smallholder Farmers in Masaka and Lyantonde Districts, Central Uganda

With diversity in farming systems, crop residues, animal wastes and management practices are often not well managed, and most of it is left on the soil surface. This practice is common, especially among smallholder farmers (SHFs). There is no updated record of commonly used waste management practices. Our study focused on smallholder farmers in two farming systems in Masaka and Lyantonde Districts respectively, and with the objective to determine smallholder waste management practices in relation to farm waste components. Using a sample survey, quantitative data were collected from 120 SHFs representing 10.1% of the total SHF population in the Masaka while 120 SHFs provided data and represented 17.4% of the total SHF population in Lyantonde. Our result revealed that for animal waste, Goat slurry 20.4%, dominated the rest in Lyantonde, while in Masaka Pig slurry 23.6%, was dominant. For crop waste in Lyantonde, Bean trashes 12.9%, dominated, while in Masaka Banana leaves and peelings 11.1%, were dominant. In Lyantonde, common waste management practices were: Surface deposition 41.2%, Burning 18.4% Composting 17.3%, Burying 9.4%, Removal 10.9% and Recycling 2.8%. In Masaka, common practices were: Surface deposition 40.9%, Burning 18.6% Composting 13.2%, Burrying 12.3%, Removal 6.2% and Recycling 8.8%. Factors affecting choice of waste management practices by SHFs were: Age, purpose of waste product, season, quantity of the wastes, waste management policy awareness, farmer’s commitment and economic status of the farmer. Greenhouse gas emission for identified waste management practices across the two Districts shall be determined in our next study.

Effect of Social Capital on Performance of Smallholder Farmer Organizations in Western Kenya

Development literature has recently promoted the use of producer organizations in linking farmers to better-paying commodity markets. However, empirical studies find mixed performance of such organizations. This study examines the producer organizations＇ internal factors that may explain the differences in the performance of producer organizations. The study specifically analyzes the role of social capital, within a producer organization, on the performance of such organization using quantitative techniques. The level of commercialization is used as proxy of organization＇s performance. The study finds that social capital positively affects the performance of producer organizations. These findings imply that development strategies that target the promotion commercialization of smallholder agriculture through producer organizations should pay attention to the internal factors within such organizations.

Dissemination paradox:how contextual realities influence smallholder farmers'modifications of agroforestry technologies in Uganda's Mt.Elgon region

This study was intended to understand how smallholder farmers’modifications improved agroforestry technologies’usability in Uganda’s Mt.Elgon region.We used a case study approach to understand how smallholder farmers’contextual realities informed their modifications and enhanced the usability of agroforestry technologies.Data was collected over four months of frequent and regular interaction with the cases using formal and informal methods that included in-depth interviews,conversations,discussions,and direct observations.Emerging themes and patterns were identified from the comprehensively reduced data.In addition,respondents’direct quotes were used to emphasize the reasons for the modifications.The findings showed that smallholder farmers modified the recommended technologies to suit their biophysical and socio-economic realities.Differences and similarities in modifications existed among cases across the agroforestry technologies.The modifications were mainly done to diversify tree uses,optimize space utilization,and minimize production costs for farming households.These findings imply a need to critically examine the smallholder farmers’modifications to make agroforestry technologies applicable and compliant to their contexts.This will inform the re-invention of technologies that will quickly diffuse into the community for broader impact.Findings also emphasize the need to rethink the linear model of technology transfer mainly applied in agroforestry technology development and dissemination because it offers limited space for the much-needed feedback from smallholder farmers.

Motivations,enablers and barriers to the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices by smallholder farmers:Evidence from the transitional and savannah agroecological zones of Ghana

This paper examined the prioritized climate-smart agricultural practices by smallholder farmers,the motivations of adopting climate-smart agricultural practices,the enablers to the successful adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices,and the barriers to the successful adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices in the transitional and savannah agroecological zones of Ghana.Specifically,we employed ethnographic research using participatory approaches,including two stakeholder workshops and household surveys with 1061 households in the transitional and savannah agroecological zones of Ghana.The weighted average index(WAI)and problem confrontation index(PCI)were used to rank smallholder farmers’perceived enablers to the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices and the barriers affecting climate-smart agricultural practices,respectively.Results suggest that the majority of the respondents used a suite of climate-smart agricultural practices,including the timely harvesting of produce and storage,emergency seed banking,appropriate and timely weed and pest control,and early planting as practices to build climate resilience.The majority of smallholder farmers primarily employed climate-smart agricultural practices to improve household food security(96.2%),reduce pests and diseases(95.6%),and obtain higher yields and greater farm income(93.2%).Findings also show that secured land tenure system arrangement,understanding the effects of climate change,and access to sustainable agricultural technologies were ranked the first,second,and third most important enablers to the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices with the WAI values of 2.86,2.75,and 2.70,respectively.Key barriers to the successful adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices included incidences of pests and diseases(PCI=2530),inadequate access to agricultural credit(PCI=2502),high cost of improved crop varieties(PCI=2334),and limited government support with farm inputs(PCI=2296).Smallholder farmers need to be better supported through the provision of appropriate institutional and policy arrangements together with improved land management extension advice to overcome these barriers and facilitate the more effective implementation of climate-smart agricultural practices in Ghana.

Assessment of Pig Disease Prevention of Smallholder Farmers and Village Animal Health Workers in Rural and Peri-Urban Cambodia

Biosecurity measures are essential for protecting pig health, however, these practices are not always utilized by smallholder farmers in Cambodia. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practices, in terms of pig biosecurity measures, of individual stakeholders involved in pig production in rural and peri-urban households in Cambodia. A survey tool was developed and administered using Kobotoolbox, an online electronic survey tool. Surveys were conducted in the provinces of Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, and Battambang during December 2017 to September 2018. There were 225 pig farmers, 43 village animal health workers (VAHWs), 3-district veterinarians (DVs), and 81 feed store owners enrolled in the study. Results showed that several biosecurity guidelines are not followed or well understood by farmers. Specific concerning practices included using natural boars, sharing pig equipment (e.g. scales), feeding kitchen waste, managing other livestock, handling manure, and not restricting access by visitors (VAHWs or DVs, boar owners, pig buyers, neighbors, and meat sellers). Thus, education of pig smallholder farmers and VAHWs on pig biosecurity is needed for improving pig health and production, economic value, and livelihood of smallholder farmers in Cambodia.

Climate Change Adaptation among Smallholder Farmers: Evidence from Ghana

Local discourses on climate change adaptation are very relevant to many developing countries which suffer the most of climate change impacts. Smallholder farmers are a backbone to the Ghanaian economy. However, the activities of smallholder farmers are threatened by climate-related risk increasing their vulnerability. This study aims to review knowledge on climate change adaptation for the ultimate goal of fostering climate-resilience among smallholder farmers. This paper uses purposive sampling to systematically review recent available literature on the theme “adaptation of smallholder farmers in Ghana”. In order to avoid the duplication of the information and track data sources for accuracy purpose, Mendeley version 1.19.4 software was used to incorporate articles while MS EXCEL Version 2019 was used to categorize the types and key examples of adaptation strategies used by smallholders. It was found that the most utilized adaptation types are farm management and technology (67%) and diversification on and beyond the farm (20.6%) with less adoption for knowledge management, networks and governance (5.4%);farm financial management (4%);government interventions in rural infrastructure, the rural health care services, and risk reduction for the rural population (3%). Although the strategies enlisted above help to adapt to climate change, challenges such as poor and unsustainable agricultural practices, socio-cultural constraints, institutional barriers and under-representation of other regions (except Northern Ghana) in the study of climate change adaptation of smallholder farmers in Ghana remain. The study therefore advocates for strengthening the link between research institutions and the extension officers and enhanced deployment of agricultural extension services to smallholder farmers in the rural areas among others.

Linking Markets to Smallholder Agro-forestry Farmers as a Strategy for Poverty Alleviation in the Tropics

The objective of the study was to assess factors affecting market participation of agro-forestry smallholder farmers in Uganda. Primary data on household, farm and marketing characteristics were collected from 153 farming households using a semi-structured, pre-tested questionnaire. The determinants of market participation were assessed using the Probit model. Descriptive statistics showed that a combination of crop, livestock and tree products were marketed by farmers. The main products included maize, cassava and coffee （crops）; firewood and poles （tree products）; and birds and goats （livestock products）. Results from the Probit model showed that farm size, household size, education level, access to credit and extension visits had positive and statistically significant effects on market participation of farmers in agro-forestry products＇ markets. Age of farmer had a negative and statistically significant effect on the participation. Emphasis on improving the quality and coverage of extension services, extending credit facilities to farmers and intensifying agro-forestry training among farmers are suggested as avenues to enhance participation of farmers in agro-forestry products＇ markets.

Expert elicitations of smallholder agroforestry practices in Seychelles:A SWOT-AHP analysis

Agroforestry can leverage the co-benefits of climate change adaptation and mitigation while conserving biodiversity and restoring degraded and deforested lands.The preference of relevant stakeholders regarding agroforestry practices enhances sustainable land management through strategic decision-making in Seychelles and other island states.A suitable approach for assessing stakeholders'preferences of agroforestry is the implementation of the strengths,weaknesses,opportunities,and threats(SWOT)approach in combination with the analytic hierarchy process(AHP)method.The entry point of this study is an extensive literature review process,during which 28 SWOT factors were identified.These SWOT factors were deliberated on during a half-day workshop with agricultural experts who agreed on 20 SWOT factors that reflect the local realities of the Seychelles through a consensus approach.Using the SWOT-AHP approach,focus group discussions were conducted to examine the perceptions of researchers and extension workers about the adoption of agroforestry in Seychelles.The results indicated that the positive aspects of smallholder agroforestry outweigh the negative aspects.For example,increased agricultural production,control runoff and soil erosion receive the highest scores among the strength factors perceived by researchers and extension workers,respectively.The willingness of international organizations to fund agroforestry-related projects and the existence of native tree species on farmlands have the highest scores among the opportunity factors.The lack of education,information,and communication between the government and farmers,and the small land size and crop competition have the highest scores among the weakness factors.Lastly,change in government policies on land use has the highest score among the threat factors by researchers,whereas the most significant threat is climate change and variability for the extension workers.The provision for a 30-year land lease agreement in the National Agroforestry Policy of Seychelles is viewed by both groups as an incentive that could potentially drive the adoption and acceptability of agroforestry.Furthermore,better coordination of various efforts to promote agroforestry and more substantial extension services for farmers,especially the role of technologies for optimal production on small plots of land,can enhance climate resilience in Seychelles and other small island developing states.

Farmers＇ Perceptions of Soil Fertility Status in the Savannah Zone of Centre Cameroon

In Cameroon, most farmers rely on their perceptions for fertility evaluation and choice of agricultural land units. However, because of environmental change, this knowledge is mostly disregarded. The use of farmers＇ knowledge is important for the identification of relevant information for the choice of agricultural land units. The objective of this study was to compare farmers＇ perceptions of soil fertility with a conventional scientific approach in two locations of the forest margin zone of Center Cameroon. Through interviews and soil analysis, this study spelled and weighed the relationships between farmers＇ perceptions and soil fertility status. One hundred and twenty households＇ heads were interviewed and 30 soil samples collected. Farmers＇ perceptions were used to assess the topsoil fertility status across the studied areas, while a conventional scientific approach was used to quantify soil fertility status by the means of a soil fertility index （SFI）. Results showed that farmers, for soil differentiation, used color, texture, depth, drainage and vegetation. Soil＇ names delivered key messages for their location. Although the low overall SFI approximated by the conventional approach, farmers＇ perceptions could differentiate fertility levels between soils. This knowledge is relevant for the design of technical innovations in perceived fertility niches.

Yield and Profit from New and Old Wheat Varieties Using Certified and Farmer-Saved Seeds

Wheat is a strategic crop for food security in Pakistan with predominance of smallholder farmers. Farmer-saved seed （FSS） is used nearly by 75% of farmers for wheat production. Frequent variety or seed replacement is uncommon even among large-scale farmers, and certified seed （CS） is mostly bought to verify the value of new varieties. Replacing old and obsolete varieties by new high yielding disease resistant varieties is key to transferring new genetic gains to farmers. For the first time in Pakistan, on-farm factorial experiments involving seven new and five old wheat varieties and their corresponding CS and FSS were conducted. A total of 49 farmers representing major wheat cropping patterns throughout the country participated in these trials in the 2014 and 2015 wheat growing seasons. Analysis of variance revealed that there was highly significant difference between wheat varieties and between seed classes. New variety ＋ CS gave 33.8% more grain yield as well as higher marginal return over farmers＇ variety ＋ FSS. Grain yield and returns from new variety ＋ FSS and farmers＇ variety ＋ CS were at par. Scientific knowledge generated in this research demonstrated that use of CS ＆new wheat varieties is best option, while growing new varieties with FSS is a second choice for the advantages accruing from their built-in genetic traits of economic importance over growing CS of old and obsolete varieties. Having more flexible seed system will help accelerate the delivery of new genetic gains to farmers＇ fields.

Evaluation of District-Based Indigenous Farmers’ and Researchers’ Fertilizer Application for Optimal Maize Production

Most research-based fertilizer inputs proposed for small scale farmers to increase their productivity do not achieve the required results and should consider indigenous practices. This study evaluates the practices of nutrient fertilizer input by farmers and researchers and relates them to their corresponding yields and profit so as to establish the appropriateness of the practices in 13 districts of the Northern regions of Ghana. Soil nutrients assessment of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) contents used to evaluate the soil NPK status was based on previous studies. Data on fertilizer application by farmers and researchers were obtained from the Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (SARI). The amount of N, P and K fertilizer input in 13 Districts and its associated maize grain yields by both farmers (89) and researchers were calculated and compared using two-sample t-test. The t-test results indicated that average amount of fertilizer input by researchers was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the average amount of fertilizer input by the smallholder farmers, but the high fertilizer input did not significantly (p = 0.74) increase researchers’ maize yields and profits in all 13 study districts grouped together, but there was maize increment in only eight districts. On the average, farmers from five districts applied low fertilizer and recorded low yields. However, when researchers increased quantities of fertilizer applied in these five districts, yield significantly (p < 0.05) increased. The outcome showed that smallholder farmers in these five districts could increase maize yields by 36% in the region should they adopt the maize production strategy by the researchers. The study concluded that, for best options, recommended fertilizer doses to enhance maize yields should consider district-specific farmers’ practices and soil NPK status. The study could enable better implementation of location-based nutrient recommendation in the Northern Region of Ghana.

Agroforestry for Climate Change Adaptation,Resilience Enhancement and Vulnerability Attenuation in Smallholder Farming Systems in Cameroon

The adverse impacts of climate variability and change are felt mostly by smallholder farmers and smallholder farming systems where rain-fed agriculture is predominant.Continuous dependence on rain-fed agriculture has led to declining crop productivity and crop failure in most cases as weather patterns shift which is very problematic for crop growth.Agroforestry which is one of the climate-smart,environmentally benign and agroecological practices has been found to mitigate climate change adversities while fostering adaptation,enhancing resilience and attenuating vulnerability especially in smallholder farming systems.However,in Cameroon,limited empirical research has been done to ascertain the role played by agroforestry in climate change adaptation,resilience enhancement and vulnerability attenuation.This paper which is based on an in-depth review of literature was undertaken to uncover what has been done so far in terms of empirical studies tackling the role played by agroforestry in climate change adaptation,resilience and vulnerability attenuation in Cameroon.It was found that most of the empirical studies have been carried out in one agroecological zone-the western highlands of Cameroon,showing that smallholder farmers adopt different agroforestry practices in the face of climate change with the most common being home gardens with livestock,home gardens without livestock,scattered trees on croplands,improved fallows,live fences/hedges and windbreaks,coffee-based agroforestry,cocoa-based agroforestry,apiculture-based agroforestry,fodder banks,and plantation crop-based agroforestry practices.These agroforestry practices provide a plethora of ecosystem services categorized into provisioning,supporting,regulating and cultural which play an important role towards fostering climate change adaptation,enhancing resilience and attenuating vulnerability in smallholder farming systems.From the findings uncovered by this study,it is imperative for more empirical studies to be carried out in the other four agroecological zones of Cameroon where there is a paucity of information regarding the role played by agroforestry towards fostering climate change adaptation,enhancing resilience and attenuating vulnerability in smallholder farming systems.

Factors Associated with Body Weight Attainment in Calves on Smallholder Dairy Farms in Tanzania

In order to investigate associations between individual calf parameters and/or herd management practices and dairy calf body weight (BW) attainment in smallholder farms in Tanzania, a prospective study was carried out at 121 farms in Mvomero and Njombe districts and included 156 crossbred dairy calves. Information on management factors and sources of calf drinking water were collected by personal observation and interview during four visits. At each visit, BW assessments were conducted by the same veterinarian and blood samples collected. The blood samples were analyzed for hematological parameters, total blood protein, glucose, and serum phosphorus and urea. Low BW was associated with smaller amount of milk fed to calves, early weaning, birth during the wet season, and well/tap water as the main water source (P < 0.05). Low blood total protein, high urea, low phosphorus and low hemoglobin concentrations were also associated with retarded growth. These findings identified and quantified some critical factors that can guide farmers in improving calf performance on smallholder dairy farms in Tanzania. To improve calf BW, the protein and mineral fraction of the roughage should be increased and water supply should be improved. In conclusion, appropriate changes in milk feeding routines and breeding management would also be expected to improve productivity.

Can food security and low carbon be achieved simultaneously?——An empirical analysis of the mechanisms influencing the carbon footprint of potato and corn cultivation in irrigation areas

Irrigated agriculture has tripled since 1950,accounting for 20%of the global arable land and 40%of food production.Irrigated agriculture increases food security yet has controversial implications for global climate change.Most previous studies have calculated carbon emissions and their composition in irrigated areas using the engineering approach to life-cycle assessment.By combining life cycle assessment(LCA)-based carbon emissions accounting with econometric models such as multiple linear regression and structural equation modeling(SEM),we conducted an interdisciplinary study to identify the influencing factors and internal mechanisms of the carbon footprint(CFP)of smallholder crop cultivation on irrigation reform pilot areas.To this end,we investigated corn and potato production data in the 2019–2020 crop years for 852 plots of 345 rural households in six villages(two irrigation agriculture pilot villages and four surrounding villages as controls)in Southwest China.The crop CFP in the irrigation agriculture pilot areas was significantly lower than in non-reform areas.Irrigation reforms mainly impacted the crop CFP through four intermediary effects:the project(implementation of field irrigation channels),technology(improving adoption of new irrigation technologies),management(proper irrigation operation and maintenance),and yield effects.All effects inhibited the CFP,except for the project effect that promotes carbon emissions.Among them,yield increase has the greatest impact on reducing CFP,followed by management and technology effects.Furthermore,planting practices,individual characteristics,and plot quality significantly impacted the crop CFP.This study has policy implications for understanding the food security–climate nexus in the food production industry.

(Re)assessing Climate-Smart Agriculture practices for sustainable food systems outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa:The case of Bono East Region,Ghana

This research paper assesses the reality of Climate-Smart Agriculture(CSA)practices’potential to promote the outcomes of sustainable food systems(SFS)within Ghana’s smallholding agriculture context.The study demon-strates that rural farmers generally perceive CSA’s contribution to‘food and nutrition security’and‘economic performance’as more important than CSA’s contribution to‘social equity’and‘environmental stewardship’.From a narrow perspective,the study demonstrates that farmers perceive CSA’s potential to‘prevent pest and disease outbreaks’and‘increase human capital information’as the most important contribution of CSA to SFS outcomes.In contrast,CSA’s potential to promote environmental stewardship is perceived as the least important among Ghana’s rural farmers.This enormity of displacement of smallholders’perceptions at large is motivated by de-mographic,socioeconomic and ecological factors.Moreso,the CSA for SFS outcomes narratives is driven by farmers’self-apprise,social networks and other local information dissemination agents.Furthermore,research findings suggest farmers’awareness of CSA practices and interventions is deficient owing to unmet training and information needs for approximately 82%of the CSA practices and interventions.This situation elucidates the dichotomy of CSA practices’narratives as tools for attaining food,nutrition security and economic performance to the detriment of critical issues such as increasing awareness and building farmers’capacity to engage with CSA practices while also managing socio-ecological trade-offs that emerge over time due to engagement with CSA.Critical(re)orientation is needed across the scale to drive CSA practices and interventions that confine cli-mate adaptation and food production practices within safe planetary boundaries without undermining social,economic,food and nutrition security needs.