Understanding small-scale farmers in developing countries: Sociocultural perspectives on agronomic farm trials

1984 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-68
Author(s):  
Robert E. Rhoades
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Sociocultural Perspectives ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

MECHANIZATION OF POTATO GRADING ON SMALL-SCALE FARMS: A CASE STUDY FROM PERU

2005 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. P. BUTLER ◽  
T. BERNET ◽  
K. MANRIQUE
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Market Integration ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Agricultural Products ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Critical Aspect ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Important Cash Crop

Potatoes are an important cash crop for small-scale producers worldwide. The move away from subsistence to commercialized farming, combined with the rapid growth in demand for processed agricultural products in developing countries, implies that small-scale farmers and researchers alike must begin to respond to these market changes and consider post-harvest treatment as a critical aspect of the potato farming system. This paper presents and assesses a low cost potato-grading machine that was designed explicitly to enable small-scale potato growers to sort tubers by size for supply to commercial processors. The results of ten experiments reveal that the machine achieves an accuracy of sort similar to commercially available graders. The machine, which uses parallel conical rollers, has the capacity to grade different tuber shapes and to adjust sorting classes, making it suitable for locations with high potato diversity. Its relatively low cost suggests that an improved and adapted version of this machine might enhance market integration of small-scale potato producers not only in Peru, but in other developing countries as well.

scholarly journals How Information Communication Technology Can Enhance Evidence-Based Decisions and Farm-to-Fork Animal Traceability for Livestock Farmers

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
G. Mwanga ◽  
E. Mbega ◽  
Z. Yonah ◽  
M. G. G. Chagunda
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Data Management ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Analytical Models ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Livestock Sector ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

Due to changes in the livestock sector and the rise of consumer demand for comprehensive and integrated food security and safety, there has been a concern on the use of farm data in enhancing animal traceability and decision-making by farmers and other decision-makers in the livestock sector. To ensure high production through effective decision-making and auditable standards, producers are required to have better traceability and record systems. Therefore, this study aimed at (1) reviewing the current recording/data management and animal traceability systems used by small-scale farmers in developing countries and (2) analyzing how data management systems should be designed to enhance efficient decision-making and animal traceability from farm to fork. This study found that, still, a majority of small-scale farmers do not keep records leading to poor decision-making on the farm and policymaking. We also found that those who keep records do not store their data in electronic format, which again poses another challenge in data analysis. Moreover, this study found that the majority of traceability tools used by farmers in developing countries do not meet international standards based on tools they use for tracing animals; farmers were reported to use tools like branding and ear tagging, which provide very little information about the animal. Such tools lack the capability to keep track of useful information about an animal, e.g., information about feeding and animal health. In conclusion, this study recommended a better electronic system to be used at the farm level to facilitate data analysis, hence promoting informed decision-making and adherence to the international animal traceability standards. Otherwise, there is a need for researchers to conduct more studies in developing different analytical models for exploring on-farm data in order to improve the decision-making process by farmers and other stakeholders.

Does weather matter? How rainfall affects credit risk in agricultural microfinance

2015 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 194-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niels Pelka ◽  
Oliver Musshoff ◽  
Ron Weber
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Credit Risk ◽  
Weather Data ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Weather Index ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Linear Probability ◽  
Two Step Estimation

Purpose – Small-scale farmers in developing countries are undersupplied with capital. Although microfinance institutions (MFIs) have become well established in developing countries, they have not significantly extended their services to farmers. It is generally believed that this is partly due to the riskiness of lending to farmers. The purpose of this paper is to combine original data from a Madagascan MFI with weather data to estimate the effect of rainfall on the repayment performance of loans granted to farmers. Design/methodology/approach – The basis of the empirical analysis is a unique data set of a commercial MFI in Madagascar and weather data provided by the German Meteorological Service. The repayment performance of loans granted to small-scale farmers is estimated using a two-step estimation approach based on linear probability models (LPMs) and a sequential logit model (SLM). Findings – The results reveal that an excessive amount of rain in the harvest period of rice increases the credit risk of loans granted to small-scale farmers in Madagascar. Furthermore, the results confirm that credit features affect the repayment performance of loans. Research limitations/implications – Since the returns from weather index-based insurance (at least as a future contract) are perfectly correlated with weather events, the authors can set the effect of weather events on the repayment performance of loans equal to the effect of the returns of weather index-based insurance on the repayment performance of loans. Thus, the results imply that weather index-based insurance might have the potential to mitigate a certain part of the risk in agricultural lending. Practical implications – The focus and results of the present study are very relevant for MFIs, potential providers of weather index-based insurances as well as for farmers. The results confirm that weather events are a primary reason for the risk perception of lenders in developing countries toward small-scale farmers. Future research should, hence, concentrate on the development of index-based insurances in agricultural lending and consider interventions on different levels, e.g., insurance on the farm and the bank level. Originality/value – To the knowledge, this is the first study that combines original loan repayment data from a Madagascan MFI with weather data in order to estimate the effect of weather events on the repayment performance of loans granted to farmers. Furthermore, to the knowledge, this is the first study that uses a two-step estimation approach based on LPMs and a SLM to investigate the repayment performance in agricultural lending.

scholarly journals Development and performance of a motorized cowpea threshing machine for small scale farmers in Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 001-007
Author(s):  
Fawohunre Ademola Jerome ◽  
Olajide Omotayo Gabriel
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Throughput Capacity ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Cleaning Efficiency ◽  
Grain Damage ◽  
Fan Speed ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

A motorized cowpea threshing machine was developed and evaluated to meet the need of small – scale farmers in the developing countries especially Nigeria. A power rating of 0.75 kW, fan speed of 826 rpm, beater speed of 418 rpm were used for the design. The driver and driven pulleys of 59 mm and 198 mm were used respectively. Two varieties of cowpea were used to evaluate the performance of the machine. The evaluation results showed that average threshing efficiency, cleaning efficiency, percentage of grain damage and throughput capacity were determined to be 83.6, 71.1, 4.4%, and 74.5 kg/hr respectively for Ife brown variety and 84.9, 68.5, 4.7%, and 73.0 kg/hr respectively for IAR 48 variety. The investigation was conducted at three levels of moisture content of 13.5, 14.5 and 15.5% wet basis. Based on the performance of the machine, effective threshing of different varieties of cowpea with minimum grain loss, improved threshing capacity cleaning and efficiency were achieved and yet good quality products was achieved.

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