African Journal of Soil Science

African Journal of Soil Science ISSN 2375-088X Vol. 11 (1), pp. 001-013, January, 2023. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Poverty-environmental links: The impact of soil and water conservation and tenure security on household welfare in Kenya

Jane Kabubo-Mariara¹*, Vincent Linderhof², Gideon Kruseman², Rosemary Atieno³ and Germano Mwabu¹

¹School of Economics, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.

²Agricultural Economics Research Institute (LEI), The Hague, The Netherlands.

³Institute for Development Studies, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.

Accepted 08 December, 2022

Abstract

This paper investigated the impact of investment in soil and water conservation strategies and tenure security on household welfare in Kenya. The paper used survey data collected from a sample of about 450 households in 2004. The paper estimated reduced form models to test the hypothesis that investments in soil and water conservation affect household welfare. The results showed that strong land rights are directly related to household welfare when welfare is measured through livestock wealth but not when measured through expenditures and incomes. We also found that the number of conservation structures in place and the willingness to invest are important determinants of household welfare. Further, presence and membership in village institutions, soil quality and topography are important determinants of household welfare. The impact of soil and water conservation as well as agro-ecological potential on household welfare suggests the existence of a poverty-environment link. The results call for policies that improve environmental conservation and strengthen land tenure security in order to alleviate household poverty.

Key words: Household welfare, soil and water conservation, tenure security, factor analysis, Kenya.

African Journal of Soil Science ISSN 2375-088X Vol. 11 (1), pp. 001-015, January, 2023. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Linkage between rural poverty and agricultural productivity across the districts of Uttar Pradesh in India

Prabha*, Kishor Goswami and Bani Chatterjee

Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal 721 302, India.

Accepted 15 November, 2022

Abstract

Improvement in agricultural productivity can reduce rural poverty in a major way. In India, various studies inferred that rural poverty is inversely related to the agricultural productivity and argued that agricultural productivity growth reduces rural poverty effectively as it generates income for poor farmers. Indian states are characterized by high variations in rural poverty levels, particularly, in Uttar Pradesh which is the most populous state of India. The economy of the state is rural-based, predominantly agrarian, with 80% of population living in villages. The incidence of rural poverty in the state is very high as compared to most of the other states of India. It demands for an in- depth analysis of rural poverty in Uttar Pradesh and the role of agricultural productivity in reducing rural poverty. Present study attempts to estimate rural poverty and disparity in it within the state. The linkage between rural poverty and agricultural productivity has also been examined. The study analyses that there exists no significant differences in the incidence, depth and severity of rural poverty across the regions, while variations are significant across the districts. The linkage between agricultural productivity and rural poverty are found to be significant in the state. This shows that as agricultural productivity increases, the incidence, depth and severity of rural poverty decreases in all the districts. The findings of regression analysis further provide evidences that the negative impact of agricultural productivity on the incidence, depth and severity of rural poverty is statistically significant across the districts of Uttar Pradesh.

Key words: Rural poverty, agricultural productivity, districts, Uttar Pradesh.

African Journal of Soil Science ISSN 2375-088X Vol. 10 (4), pp. 001-008, April, 2022. © International Scholars Journals

African Journal of Soil Science ISSN 2375-088X Vol. 10 (3), pp. 001-012, March, 2022. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

GM technology and sustainable agriculture future: Empirical evidences from Bt cotton farmers in Maharashtra and Gujarat in India

P. K. Viswanathan* and N. Lalitha

Gujarat Institute of Development Research, Ahmedabad, India.

Accepted 15 September, 2021

Abstract

World agriculture is passing through a distinct phase of transformation, called the ‘second Green Revolution’ or Gene Revolution, in which modern biotechnology enables the production of genetically modified (GM) crops/ foods that are claimed to help resolve the pressing problems of food security, malnutrition and abject poverty in different parts of the world . However, there are apprehensions the world over that the GM technology as it unveils may have harmful consequences on sustainable livelihoods in view of the potential threats to food security and subsequent environmental and health challenges. Set in this broader context of GM tech induced agrarian transformation, this paper tries examining some of the potential challenges emerging from the unscrupulous expansion of GM crops in India with reference to Bt cotton. In doing so, the paper draws useful insights from the empirical evidences of the dynamics of Bt cotton adoption in the dominant cotton rowing states of Maharashtra and Gujarat in India. The analysis is based on farm household data gathered from five leading cotton growing districts in the two states. The paper observes that there is no clear way forward to sustain the initial dynamism cast by the introduction of Bt technology in India. A bright future for Indian agriculture with the presence of GM technology in general and Bt technology in particular, would essentially call for many reforms, development strategies and institutional and policy interventions covering a wide spectrum of activities ranging from restructuring the input markets to the output markets. India need also to learn from the experiences of other countries with respect to the performance of GM technology and evolve carefully devised strategies and action plans, which presuppose creation of new institutional or regulatory regimes or reinventing the existing ones so as to make a sustainable impact of the technology on the livelihoods of millions of cotton farmers as well as the century old cotton production sector in India

Key words: GM technology, Bt cotton, sustainable agriculture, yield.

African Journal of Soil Science ISSN 2375-088X Vol. 10 (1), pp. 001-005, January, 2022. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Income and factor analysis of sweet potato landrace production in Ikom agricultural zone of Cross River state, Nigeria

M. C. Ogbonna¹*, H. N. Anyaegbunam¹, T. U. Madu¹ and R. A. Ogbonna²

¹National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Abia state, Nigeria.

²Home Economics Department, College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu, Abia state, Nigeria.

Accepted 25 August, 2021

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the income generation level and constraints of sweet potato landrace production in Ikom agricultural zone of Cross River state, Nigeria. The multi-stage sampling procedure was followed. The first stage involved the selection of Ikom agricultural zone out of Calabar and Ogoja agricultural zones, which was purposively selected. The reason is that there are a lot of farm settlements in the zone that engages in the Otere- two variety production. The second stage involved the selection of Ikom local agricultural area out of six other local government areas, which was done purposively. The area is known for the production of Otere two, a white local variety of sweet potato. Third stage involved the selection of Otere site and field crop settlement area which was done purposively because the two areas are known for the cultivation of Otere-two variety of sweet potato. There were about 120 farmers in the two areas and 75 of them were randomly selected and interviewed with semi-structured questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed with descriptive statistics, profitability and Cobb Douglas production function Model. On the aspect of profit maximization by Otere-two farmers, it was found that a profit of N2.71 was realized for each N1.00 invested in the production of the crop. The Cobb Douglas regression model results showed that costs of planting material and other inputs were positive and significantly related with gross return from Otere-two variety production. While human labour was found to have negative but significant relationship with gross return from Otere-two variety production. It was also found that factors like cost of fertilizer and transport cost were positive and negative but has no significant relationship with gross return from Otere-two variety production. Finally, it was found from the regression that the production of Otere-two variety of sweet potato by the farmers was decreasing suggesting that the production is within subsistence level.

Key words: Income, factor, sweet potato (Otere-two variety), Cross River state, Nigeria.

African Journal of Soil Science ISSN 2375-088X Vol. 9 (3), pp. 001-005, March, 2021. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Female work participation in the emerging labour market- Case study of Sarhali village of Tarn-Taran district

Seozy Bhatia¹ and Paramjeet Kaur Dhindsa²

¹Junior Research Fellow, Punjab School of Economics, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India.

²Professor, Punjab School of Economics, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India.

Accepted 27 August 2020

Abstract

The work participation scenario is changing in case of women workers due to changing living standards and growth of consumerism more and more women are joining the work force and opt for either jobs or self employment. Women are working because of gross economic necessity, to raise standard of living, to make use of their qualification, to pass their idle time or to earn their livelihood. This article takes into consideration three aspects of working women: their social characteristics, working characteristics and how work affects their livelihood and decision making power. This study has tried to examine the socio- economic conditions of the women workers. The primary data had been collected through questionnaire from 60 respondents of village Sarhali of Taran-Taran district of Punjab state. The main purpose of the study was to examine the socio-economic background of the women workers and to assess the empowerment of women workers through their economic independence.

Key words: Women workers, economic independence, decision making power, self employment