This study in Ethiopia's Rift Valley tested two hypotheses: integrating solar-based irrigation with vermicompost would considerably increase crop yields and soil moisture retention; and smallholder farmers would perceive solar irrigation as contributing positively to livelihood diversification, household income, food security, livestock feed availability and environmental co-benefits. Participatory on-farm trials and key informant interviews were conducted to address these research questions. The trial used cabbage and pepper as test crops and employed a randomized complete block design with three treatments: Treatment 1/Control (solar-based irrigation with farmers' current practices); Treatment 2 (Treatment 1plus 4 t ha−1 of vermicompost); and Treatment 3 (Treatment 1 plus 8 t ha−1 of vermicompost). The first hypothesis was confirmed: bundling vermicompost with solar-based irrigation increased yields (pepper +78.6%, cabbage +14.3%) and improved soil moisture retention. These yield gains were economically viable, with benefit–cost ratios ranging from 0.38 to 2.46 across sites. The second hypothesis was supported: 88% of farmers adopted 2–5 new crops (75% citing improved water access), shifting toward vegetables, fruits and fodder, with reported gains in income, food security, nutrition, dry-season fodder and environmental co-benefits. Solar irrigation therefore delivers greater agronomic and livelihood benefits when integrated with vermicompost, supporting the scaling of bundled interventions.
Agricultural cooperatives (ACs) are known for their extensive economic and social contributions. Meanwhile, ACs in Thailand suffer from declining participation in agribusiness operations. Therefore, this research identified the drivers shaping agribusiness participation by ACs in terms of agribusiness volume in the northeastern and southern regions of Thailand using primary data collected from 334 ACs. The Tobit regression results showed that the number of members, level of participation, operating capital, number of product types, average payback, goods sold on credit, daily produce collection, and agribusiness network have a positively significant influence on the cooperatives’ participation in terms of agribusiness volume. The study results revealed that agribusiness volume is approximately 12.02 million THB higher in ACs that offer credit sales opportunities and 13.84 million THB higher in ACs that maintain agribusiness networks, compared to ACs that do not provide these services. The findings provide policy direction for the promotion of ACs.
Conservation agriculture (CA), which emphasizes minimal soil disturbance, residue retention, and diversified rotations, enhances sustainability but faces adoption barriers among smallholders due to uncertainties in nutrient use efficiency (NUE). A three-year field study across various agroecological zones (AEZ) assessed NUE and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in rice‒maize rotations under CA (strip tillage, 30% residue retention) versus traditional agriculture (TA; conventional tillage, no residues). Both systems received full NPKZn fertilization and individual nutrient omission treatments. GHG emissions were measured using the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security Mitigation Options Tool (CCAFS-MOT). The maize and rice grain yields under CA were consistently approximately 5% higher than those under TA, with no significant tillage × fertilizer interaction. The partial factor productivity (PFP) increased under CA because of nutrient release from retained residues, while the agronomic efficiency of nutrients (AEn) remained unchanged. CA reduced the total global warming potential (GWP) by 20% in maize and 26% in rice, and the emission intensity (EI) by 26% and 30%, respectively, mainly through increased carbon sequestration, reduced diesel use, and higher yields. This study indicates that current fertilizer recommendations remain suitable under CA, while residue retention supplies additional nutrients, providing a simple, cost-effective strategy to enhance productivity and promote CA among smallholder farmers.
Green finance is a key mechanism for alleviating agricultural financing constraints and achieving a green transition in agriculture. Drawing on provincial panel data for 2011-2022, this paper measures agricultural green total factor productivity (AGTFP) using the super-efficiency SBM approach with the GML index, incorporating data elements among the inputs. It then examines the impact and mechanisms of Green Finance Reform and Innovation Pilot Zones (GFRIPZs) on agricultural green development, using double machine learning (DML) and a generalized random forest. The results show the following. (1) The establishment of GFRIPZs considerably fosters agricultural green development, and this finding remains robust under various tests; (2) GFRIPZs benefit agricultural green development most in the eastern and central regions, and also in provinces with lower agricultural green development and financial deepening and intermediate marketization, and the policy improves AGTFP mainly through managerial catch-up; (3) These GFRIPZs advance agricultural green development primarily by fostering green technology innovation in agriculture, reducing resource misallocation, and enhancing large-scale agricultural operations. This paper suggests refining the policies linked to these pilot zones, promoting green technology innovation and large-scale production in agriculture, reducing resource misallocation and tailoring measures to local conditions.
Farmer research networks are collaborative platforms where farmers, researchers, extension workers, and NGOs co-create knowledge, experiment with innovations, and tackle local challenges through joint learning and action. Although interest in these networks is growing, there remains a limited understanding of how learning occurs within them. This study draws on qualitative data from nine networks active between 2015 and 2024 in Kenya, Malawi and Uganda. It reveals that these networks foster individual and collective transformation. The process is dynamic, multi-dimensional, technical, relational, and emotional, shaped by diverse knowledge systems and social interactions. Emotional engagement , enhanced motivation, deepened reflection, and prompted identity shifts. Networks function not only as sites of knowledge co-creation and learning but also as cultural and emotional spaces where agricultural visions and identities are negotiated and reshaped. Farmers assumed roles as researchers and educators, adapting agroecological innovations and experimenting with solutions to ecological and livelihood challenges. The key enabling factors were trust among members, inclusive facilitation, institutional memory, and strong local leadership. Progress was constrained by entrenched gender norms, hierarchical extension practices, and rigid social structures. Sustaining transformative learning calls for continued investment in facilitation capacity, inclusive leadership and institutional structures that embed networks within broader innovation systems.
