Meeting the Demand for Local Food in West Virginia: An analysis of factors influencing producers' market participation and expansion decisions

Smallholder farmers face numerous constraints that restrict their access to markets and prevent them from taking advantage of market opportunities. This research aimed to examine the factors affecting the market participation of smallholder farmers and find ways to improve the income and livelihood of smallholder farmers, focusing on Myothit Township in Magway Region, Central Dry Zone of Myanmar. For the primary data, we surveyed 150 smallholder rice farmers which were selected using a random sampling technique. Using the Heckman two-stage selection model, we analyzed the factors influencing smallholder rice farmers’ decisions regarding participation in the agricultural market. This study revealed that the decision to participate in the rice market was dependent on different factors such as the household head age, education status, household size, total produce of rice, price of rice, household income, ownership of livestock, membership of farmer organization, access to roads, distance to market, access to extension services, and market information. The results of this study have implications as to what factors need to be addressed to encourage smallholder rice farmers to participate in the market. We suggest that Myanmar government and policymakers need to establish balanced policies for small-scale farmers and manage them in an appropriate way so that agricultural development can be induced, contributing to poverty reduction, food security, and economic development.

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Abiotic Factors Influencing Deer Browsing in West Virginia

Northern Journal of Applied Forestry ◽

10.1093/njaf/23.1.20 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 20-26 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Tyler A. Campbell ◽

Benjamin R. Laseter ◽

W. Mark Ford ◽

Richard H. Odom ◽

Karl V. Miller

Keyword(s):

West Virginia ◽

Abiotic Factors ◽

Woody Species ◽

Surface Shape ◽

Relative Importance ◽

Deer Browsing ◽

Mature Forest ◽

Central Appalachians ◽

Factors Influencing ◽

Forested Ecosystem

Abstract We present a comparison of woody browse availability and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) use among clearcut interiors, skidder trail edges, and mature forest and an evaluation of the relative importance of aboitic factors in predicting browsing pressure within regenerating clearcuts in the central Appalachians of West Virginia. We sampled 810 1-m2 plots in or adjacent to nine regenerating clearcuts (8–19 ha) during the summer of 2001. Availability and use of woody browse did not differ between clearcut interior and skidder trail plots for any species observed. Plots in the adjacent mature forest had less woody browse availability and higher utilization. Overall use of available woody browse in clearcuts was >15%. Combining all woody species, elevation (wI = 0.618) and distance to mature forest (wI = 0.379) were more important than landform index, plot surface shape, aspect, and slope in predicting deer browsing pressure in regenerating clearcuts. We believe that without management activities aimed at reducing deer browsing, in many parts of this region the ability of forest managers to regenerate stands will be jeopardized and the forested ecosystem will be compromised.

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