Characterization of Small-Scale Farmers and Assessment of Their Access to Crop Production Information in Selected Counties of Kenya

Small-scale farming accounts for 78% of total agricultural production in Kenya and contributes to 23.5% of the country’s GDP. Their crop production activities are mostly rainfed subsistence with any surplus being sold to bring in some income. Timely decisions on farm practices such as farm preparation and planting are critical determinants of the seasonal outcomes. In Kenya, most small-scale farmers have no reliable source of information that would help them make timely and accurate decisions. County governments have extension officers who are mandated with giving farmers advisory services to farmers but they are not able to reach most farmers due to facilitation constraints. The mode and format of sharing information is also critical since it’s important to ensure that it’s timely, well-understood and usable. This study sought to assess access to geospatial derived and other crop production information by farmers in four selected counties of Kenya. Specific objectives were to determine the profile of small-scale farmers in terms of age, education and farm size;to determine the type of information that is made available to them by County and Sub-County extension officers including the format and mode of provision;and to determine if the information provided was useful in terms of accuracy, timeliness and adequacy. The results indicated that over 80% of the farmers were over 35 years of age and over 56% were male. Majority had attained primary education (34%) or secondary education (29%) and most farmers in all the counties grew maize (71%). Notably, fellow farmers were a source of information (71%) with the frequency of sharing information being mostly seasonal (37%) and when information was available (43%). Over 66% of interviewed farmers indicating that they faced challenges while using provided information. The results from the study are insightful and helpful in determining effective ways of providing farmers with useful information to ensure maximum benefits.

Cholinesterase Activity as an Indicator of Health Risks among Kou Valley Farmers

Introduction: Pesticides are currently an essential component of agricultural production techniques for controlling pests and weeds. In Burkina Faso, non-compliance with good practice in the use of pesticides poses a real health problem for the population. This study examines the health risks associated with pesticide management in rice-growing areas. Material and Methods: A field survey was conducted in Bama, involving farmers, focusing on their socio-demographic characteristics, pesticide usage, and health effects. Cholinesterase levels were measured in subsample of farmers using a portable device. Data were analysed using Microsoft Excel, calculating means and percentages for various practices. Health consultations, protection methods, and pesticide management were studied. Erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase activity was compared before and after treatment. Data were categorised into classes based on inhibition levels, and correlation analyses determined relationships between variables such as age, years of experience, and cholinesterase activity. Results: The results indicate that rice cultivation is mainly carried out by a fairly young population, with nearly 63% being under the age of 50. Common poor practices in pesticide use include improper storage and reuse of leftover pesticides. Seven types of pesticides were identified, including organophosphates such as glyphosate, which was used in 26.7% of cases. This organophosphate has resulted in class B poisoning, causing a 30% - 50% reduction in erythrocyte cholinesterase activity. The health effects of pesticide use are felt by agricultural farmers through various symptoms of poisoning. Conclusion: To reduce the occurrence of pesticide poisoning, it is essential to launch information and awareness campaigns among the population and farmers to promote safe practices in pesticide use in Bama, Burkina Faso.

Local Criteria Used by Farmers to Evaluate the Agronomic Performance and the Fertilizing Capacity of Cowpea Varieties: Diversity, Variability and Proximal Relation with Agronomic Measurements in Contrasted Sahelian Locations

When contributing to participatory research, farmers usually appreciate the performance of cowpea varieties using qualitative scores. The score they attribute to each variety are based on local knowledge. The specific criteria they individually use to attribute a score are not well described. The objectives of this work were to: 1) identify and describe exhaustively the local criteria used by farmers to measure the agronomic performance of cowpea;2) assess the variability and statistical structure of these farmer criteria across local contexts;3) and analyze the association between these farmer criteria and the classical agronomic measurement. To achieve these objectives, an augmented block design was implemented across fifteen locations in the regions of Maradi, Dosso and Tillabéri, representing a diversity of local contexts. From a set of 36 cowpea varieties, fifteen varieties were sown per location, including five varieties (controls) common to all locations. In each location, two replicates were sown in randomized Fisher’s blocks. After agronomic measurement and participatory evaluation (scoring of varieties by farmers), a group survey (focus group) was conducted in each location to identify the criteria considered by farmers to found their discretional scoring of varieties during the participatory evaluation. The analysis of the data identified, across locations, thirteen criteria defined by farmers to characterize the agronomic performance of cowpea. Some of these criteria were different according to location. Farmers ranked the three varieties with the best performance for each agronomical trait (Top 3 varieties). A comparison of the farmer ranking with the ranking based on agronomic measurements revealed similarity and complementary between both methods. This study highlighted the importance of considering both local and scientific knowledge in local varietal evaluations.

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.

Researching the Impact of the Quality of Village Governance on Farmers’Well-Being:From the Perspectives of Income and Occupational Differentiation

The goal of village governance is to improve the well-being of farmers,so this study aims to measure the impact the quality of village governance on the well-being of farmers.It also examines the heterogeneity of this impact across different farmer groups from the perspectives of income levels and occupational differentiation.To this end,this study developed an indicator system based on survey data collected from 1,442 farmers in the Sichuan,Shaanxi,and Gansu provinces,as well as the Ningxia Hui autonomous region.Multiple linear regression models were then used to analyze this data,and the findings revealed that improvements in the quality of village governance significantly increased the well-being of farmers.Specifically,primary-level empowerment and capacity building were shown to contribute the most to the enhancement of the farmers’well-being,followed by social inclusion,and social cohesion was found to have only a minimal effect.In terms of income levels,improving the quality of village governance benefited middle-income farmers the most,followed by low-income farmers,and it had the least effect on high-income farmers.In terms of occupations,full-time farmers gained the most from improvements in the quality of village governance,followed by off-farm farmers,with part-time farmers benefiting the least.Based on these findings,this study suggests that policymakers should improve the quality of village governance to enhance the well-being of farmers,focusing on the impact that level of income and occupational differentiation have on village governance.

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.

Assessing Financial Management Practices and Accounting Mechanisms in Agricultural Cooperatives:A Case Study From Nepal

The study focuses on assessing the financial management practices and accounting mechanisms in agricultural cooperatives in Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan,Dang District,Nepal with a focus on understanding their implications for financial performance and organizational effectiveness.The sample size of total cooperatives(n=46)was divided into Savings and Credit Cooperatives(n=18)and Multipurpose Cooperatives(n=28),respectively,with a total number of respondents(n=138)categorized into managing directors,employees,and general members.Using a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative analysis of financial data with qualitative insights gathered through interviews and surveys,the study emphasizes the importance of modern financial practices,improved reporting mechanisms,and relevant staff training for long-term sustainability.Recommendations include the integration of criteria and evaluation tools to assess cooperative performance,with Hamro Pahunch Multipurpose Cooperative identified as a high performer.Emphasizing the need for robust financial management strategies to navigate the complexity of the agricultural sector,manage risks,and achieve sustainable development,the study notes frequent preparation of financial management reports on a monthly and annual basis,and predominantly annual accounting management.Most cooperatives are using computerized models to present financial positions,but face challenges such as lack of marketing infrastructure,cooperative skills,and technical support.Ultimately,the study advocates for educating policy makers,cooperative leaders,practitioners and stakeholders on the role of effective financial management and accounting in enhancing the resilience,expansion and socio-economic impact of agricultural cooperatives,thereby fostering their long-term prosperity and viability as drivers of rural development and empowerment.

Challenges of Vietnamese Agricultural Cooperatives in the 21st Century:The Link Between Efficiency and Legality

The article shows that the situation of agricultural cooperatives in the world in general and agricultural cooperatives in Vietnam in particular are facing certain challenges in the context of globalization in the 21st century.The article points out limitations on:the nature,principles of democratic member control and principles of surplus distribution of the International Cooperative Alliance,as well as Vietnamese law in cooperative management.

Determinants of cooperative pig farmers' safe production behaviour in China——Evidences from perspective of cooperatives' services

Farmers＇ production behaviour is a key to ensuring the safety and quality of their final products, and cooperatives play an important role in shaping that behaviour. This paper aims to explore the determinants of pig farmers＇ safe production behaviour, giving special focus from the perspective of cooperatives＇ services. This study adopted cross sectional survey data from 27 pig cooperatives and their 540 farmers in China to test the influence of cooperatives＇ services on farmers＇ safe production behaviour. The hypotheses were tested using a logit regression model. The findings indicated that although the number of services is not a key determinant of farmers＇ safe production behaviour, service quality matters. When a cooperative is strongly capable of involving more farmers in certain services, and provides certain services in more frequency, member farmers behave more safely. The results also show that veterinarian and pig-selling services play an important role in ensuring farmers＇ safe production behaviour. For this study, the quality of cooperatives＇ services is implied to have a positive impact on farmers＇ safe production behaviour. Leaders/managers of cooperatives must try to improve the quality of their services instead of merely attempting to provide a large number of services. For government officials and policy makers, designing policies that encourage cooperatives to improve their service quality is important. This research contributes to the scant literature on how cooperative services could help farmers engage in safer production behaviour, which would improve the safety of pork products in the future.

Farmers using insurance and cooperatives to manage agricultural risks: A case study of the swine industry in China

Purchasing agricultural insurance and joining agricultural cooperatives are two prevalent instruments used by farmers in China for dealing with agricultural risks. Data from 443 swine farmers in Jiangsu and Henan provinces of China were collected. Factors affecting the farmers’ decision to purchase agricultural insurance and join agricultural cooperatives were assessed. The possibility of simultaneous use of both instruments and the potential correlation between these two decisions was considered as well. Results showed that the farmers’ decision to use agricultural insurance and cooperatives was positively correlated, indicating that farmers who purchased agricultural insurance which mainly used to mitigate production risks were more likely to join agricultural cooperatives which more used to share market risks, and vice versa. Farmers’ knowledge of swine insurance and trust in the local government positively impacted the purchase of agricultural insurance, while education, years involved in swine production and scale of swine production positively impacted farmers joining agricultural cooperatives.

Current Situation of Farmers' Specialized Cooperatives in Hainan Province and Development Strategies

This paper introduces the distribution, membership structure and industrial structure of farmers' specialized cooperatives in Hainan Province, and points out some problems in farmers' specialized cooperatives in Hainan Province, such as small scale, low ability to resist risks, lack of standardization in operation, and generally low quality of cooperative members. Finally the following development strategies are put forth: promoting the large scale and standardized development of farmers' specialized cooperatives; enhancing institutionalized education and training for members; encouraging university graduates to work in the cooperatives; providing conventional credit support to cooperatives; increasing fiscal efficiency to support cooperatives.

The Obstacles,Paths and Mechanisms of the Sustainable Development of Farmers' Cooperatives in Hebei Province

Based on the description of the major role played by famers' cooperatives in developing rural economy and in increasing the income of farmers,the obstacles of the sustainable development of famers' cooperatives in Hebei Province are introduced.Firstly,the cooperative mechanism is imperfect;secondly,the development is substandard;thirdly,the coverage of preferential policy is limited;fourthly,the capitals and financing problem are difficult;fifthly,the operation is single;sixthly,the construction of marketing channels is the weak;seventhly,the professional talents are scarce.The sustainable development paths of famers' cooperatives in Heibei Province are analyzed.Firstly,conducting value-added processing and taking the way of materialized development,industrialized operation and enterprise-style management;secondly,implementing agricultural quality and brand strategy and moving into the high level market;thirdly,constructing modern agricultural marketing and taking the road of supermarket agriculture;fourthly,enforcing the management of information and getting efficiency from information;fifthly,developing recycling agriculture and taking the way of improving resource efficiency.There are five ways for establishing the operational mechanism of sustainable development of farmers' cooperatives in Heibei Province.The government should innovate the cooperation mechanism;innovating training and education mechanism;innovating production mechanism;innovating financial mechanism;innovating marketing mechanism.

Comparative Analysis on Farmers' Specialized Cooperatives from the Perspective of Agricultural Industry Chain

Taking three typical farmers' specialized cooperatives in Jingyuan County of Gansu Province as example,this paper compared with the operating mode of three cooperatives and their position in the agricultural industry chain,and analyzed operating characteristics,problems,and similarities of three cooperatives and their functions in the agricultural industry chain.The study indicated that the farmers' specialized cooperatives can accurately find their position in the agricultural industry chain.This is helpful for raising their comprehensive competitiveness and it is very important to manage the survival and development of farmers' specialized cooperatives,which is of utmost importance to their effective operation.According to this study,the government should strengthen its support,speed up the cultivation of new-type professional farmers,while farmers' specialized cooperatives should grasp the operating characteristics,locate themselves and integrate multi-resources.These are effective measures for promoting healthy operation of farmers' specialized cooperatives.

SWOT Analysis and Development Strategies for Chinese Farmers' Professional Cooperatives

With the development of China＇s market economy, the agricultural products＇ market has changed from the seller＇s market into the buyer＇s market. Therefore, the limitations of the household contract responsibility system gradually appeared. The farmers professional cooperatives not only covered the limitations but also effectively connected the small-scale farmers with the competitive market by increasing the farmers＇ organizational degree. However, during the development process of farmers＇ professional cooperatives, many problems were exposed. By using SWOT analysis belonging to the field of enterprise strategic management, this paper discussed the opportunities and threats of the external environment, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the internal environment of Chinese farmers＇ professional cooperatives. Thereby, it proposed some development strategies for Chinese farmers professional cooperatives in the current stage .

Comprehensive Evaluation on Demonstration Farmers' Specialized Cooperatives on the Basis of AHP Model

On the basis of AHP method,this paper establishes comprehensive evaluation model of demonstration farmers' specialized cooperatives,uses the Delphi method and AHP software to assign scientific and objective weight to 7 criteria in criteria layer and 27 indices in index layer,and evaluate the overall level of 153 farmers' specialized cooperatives whose main business is fruits and vegetables in Region R.The results show that the overall operation level of farmers' specialized cooperatives is common;democratic and financial management is open;the information-based level and social sensation are not insufficient;the marking results of questionnaire is basically scientific and objective.This paper discusses the new way to evaluate operation level of farmers' specialized cooperatives,and puts forward relevant countermeasures and suggestions as follows:promote the information-based level of demonstration cooperatives;strengthen the service capacity of demonstration cooperatives;use means of science and technology to promote product quality;amplify social sensation of farmers' specialized cooperatives.

Willingness of Farmers Joining Professional Cooperatives——Based on the Questionnaire Survey of Nanjing

Based on the questionnaire survey of farmers in Nanjing City,the research analyzes the influencing factors of farmers' willingness joining professional cooperatives with Binary Logistic model.Results show that variable factors such as:labors,degrees of education,levels of awareness,development of judgments,have positive relation to the willingness of farmers joining professional cooperatives;gender and financial demands are negative related to willingness of farmers joining professional cooperatives;variable factors,such as ages,degrees of education,numbers of farmers,scale of land,generation experience,specific investment and fluctuations of prices,the estimated parameters of which are not significant.At last,the paper points out that the 2 important ways in accelerating the development of professional cooperatives are:the first is to accelerate the capital accumulation of advanced farmers and strengthen the scaled degrees of agricultural management.The second is to promote the information and techniques accumulation speed of professional farmers to strengthen people's awareness and confidence.

Research on the Problem Investigation and Standardized Improvement Paths of Farmers’ Cooperatives

Farmers’cooperatives are an important force to promote agricultural and rural modernization and rural revitalization.From an investigation,it is found that the development of some farmers’cooperatives is not standardized.Prominent problems are as follows:firstly,the operating mechanism is not standardized,and there is a contradiction between democratic decision-making and management efficiency;secondly,the supervision and management are not standardized,and some cooperatives even resort to deceit to obtain financial subsidies;thirdly,the distribution mechanism is not standardized,and core members invade the interests of small peasant households,so the motivation of ordinary peasant households to participate in cooperatives is not high.It is recommended to strengthen the assessment and supervision of cooperatives,implement the"late funding"model,improve the efficiency of financial support,strengthen the training of farmers,establish a interest linkage mechanism of farmers and cooperatives,protect the rights of members,and promote the standardized development of farmers’cooperatives.

Operation Mechanism of Farmers' Professional Cooperatives from the Point of Low-Carbon Agricultural Products

We firstly take a look at internal logic of cluster development of low-carbon agricultural products.In combination with operation features of farmers' professional cooperatives and actual requirements for cluster development of low-carbon agricultural products;we elaborate establishing benefit allocation mechanism,bearing education and training functions,forming low-carbon value,building low-carbon identification system,as well as realizing low-carbon value.According to these situations,we systematically analyze operation mechanism of farmers' professional cooperatives suitable for cluster development of low-carbon agricultural products.To promote cluster development of low-carbon agricultural products,we put forward following suggestions,including government guidance and encouragement,social acceptance and active cooperation,and integration into global low-carbon development system to share benefit of low-carbon development.

Advantages,Difficulties and Countermeasures of Farmers’ Professional Cooperatives Guaranteeing the Quality and Safety of Agricultural Products

Food safety concerns the health of consumers,while quality and safety of agricultural products are the source of food safety,and it is of great significance to ensure the quality and safety of agricultural products.The decentralized production mode of Chinese farmers is the main threat to the source of food production safety in China.In this paper,the advantages of Chinese farmers'professional cooperatives in controlling quality of agricultural products and difficulties in the quality and safety assurance of agricultural products are analyzed.Finally,the guaranteeing measures of the quality and safety of agricultural products by Chinese farmers'professional cooperatives are proposed.

Do cooperatives participation and technology adoption improve farmers’welfare in China?A joint analysis accounting for selection bias

This study examines the impact of farmers’cooperatives participation and technology adoption on their economic welfare in China.A double selectivity model(DSM)is applied to correct for sample selection bias stemming from both observed and unobserved factors,and a propensity score matching(PSM)method is applied to calculate the agricultural income difference with counter factual analysis using survey data from 396 farmers in 15 provinces in China.The findings indicate that farmers who join farmer cooperatives and adopt agricultural technology can increase agricultural income by 2.77 and 2.35%,respectively,compared with those non-participants and non-adopters.Interestingly,the effect on agricultural income is found to be more significant for the low-income farmers than the high-income ones,with income increasing 5.45 and 4.51%when participating in farmer cooperatives and adopting agricultural technology,respectively.Our findings highlight the positive role of farmer cooperatives and agricultural technology in promoting farmers’economic welfare.Based on the findings,government policy implications are also discussed.