Henny Osbahr

The biodegradable plastic mulch (BDM) was advanced as a promising alternative to address the environmental and management issues associated with conventional polyethylene mulch. However, its uptake remains low, and empirical evidence on the sociopsychological drivers of BDM adoption among farmers in Egypt is limited. This study incorporates an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) to predict farmers’ intention to adopt BDM. Three hundred and sixty farmers were selected in three governorates using a multistage sampling technique. Data analysis involved using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicated that the extended TPB model accounted for 51% of the total variation in predictive power. Three variables, including subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and perceived self-identity, positively affected farmers’ intentions to adopt BDM, with the influence of attitudes being not statistically significant. The most critical barriers to adopting BDM from farmers’ perspectives encompassed limited local availability (71%), limited knowledge (56%), elevated cost (46%), field durability (39%), and limited use among other farmers (34%). These findings underscore the importance of broadening the focus beyond the technical benefits of BDM to urge and accelerate adoption. Accordingly, policymakers should focus on reducing adoption barriers and emphasize sociopsychological factors more through well-designed interventions to promote the adoption of BDM in agriculture.

In 2018, the state of Himachal Pradesh in north India launched an initiative to convert all its farmers to natural farming (NF), an agroecological approach. The aim was to address multiple challenges related to rural livelihoods, high input costs, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. This paper is based on a qualitative case study of the state programme to transition farmers to NF. It seeks to understand how its mechanisms support and empower small and marginal women farmers. In addition to identifying mechanisms that facilitate the effective uptake of NF, the case study sought women’s views on whether these mechanisms increased spaces for decision making and developed capabilities and autonomy. Framed within the vision of reclaiming food sovereignty, various mechanisms such as training in villages, participating in NF groups and networks, visits to model farms, and adopting leadership roles offered new pathways for women farmers to gain confidence and capabilities. Women began to participate in spaces that had been culturally and structurally denied to them. This case study demonstrates how agroecology initiatives, with a particular emphasis on gender, can offer women various opportunities for decision making, income generation, and creative expression. These initiatives also expand community agency and enable the acquisition of knowledge necessary for sustainable ecosystems.

In 2018, the state of Himachal Pradesh in north India launched an initiative to convert all its farmers to natural farming (NF), an agroecological approach. The aim was to address multiple challenges related to rural livelihoods, high input costs, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. This paper is based on a qualitative case study of the state programme to transition farmers to NF. It seeks to understand how its mechanisms support and empower small and marginal women farmers. In addition to identifying mechanisms that facilitate the effective uptake of NF, the case study sought women's views on whether these increased spaces for decision-making and developed capabilities and autonomy. Framed within the vision of reclaiming food sovereignty, various mechanisms such as training in villages, participating in NF groups and networks, visits to model farms and adopting leadership roles offered new pathways for women farmers to gain confidence and capabilities. Women began to participate in spaces that had been culturally and structurally denied to them. This case study illustrates how agroecology efforts with a specific focus on gender have the potential to provide women with creative outlets and a variety of decision-making and income-generating roles, spaces for community learning and knowledge needed for sustainable ecosystems.

It has been claimed that Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), a burgeoning practice of farming in India based on low-inputs and influenced by agro-ecological principles, has the potential to improve farm viability and food security. However, there is concern that the success of the social movement fueling the adoption of ZBNF has become out of step with the science underpinning its performance relative to other farming systems. Based on twenty field plot experiments established across six districts in Andhra Pradesh (SE India), managed by locally based farmer researchers, we present the first ‘on the ground’ assessment of ZBNF performance. We show that there is no short-term yield penalty when adopting ZBNF in small scale farming systems compared to conventional and organic alternatives. In terms of treatment response, we observed differences between agro-climatic zones, but in this initial evaluation we cannot recommend specific options tuned to these different contexts.

This paper examined the relevance of the Vulnerability to Food Insecurity Index (VFII) in practice for households in South-South region of Nigeria. The main objectives were to verify the result of the VFII with real life experience and to understand why households are vulnerable to food insecurity using qualitative insight. The paper applied both quantitative and qualitative methods. The main findings reveal that the indictors of the index were able to reflect real-life experiences on the ground. However, applying the index to local community requires greater consideration of the heterogeneous population and relative importance of indicators. Thus flexible weight system is recommended when the index depends on local conditions.