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This study explored the economic dynamics of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production in Msilale village, Chato District, Tanzania. The experiment utilized a factorial design with sowing dates on November 25th, December 15th, and January 4th, and phosphorus levels at 0, 20, 40, and 60 kg P ha-1, replicated three times. Results indicated significantly higher cotton yields (6.1 t ha-1 and 6.3 t ha-1) for November and December sowings compared to January (3.8 t ha-1). This is a 61% and 66% increase in cotton yields for November and December sowings, respectively relative to January sowing. Though not significant, 20 kg P ha-1 and 40 kg P ha-1 applications yielded 5.8 t ha-1 and 5.4 t ha-1, respectively, while 60 kg P ha-1 yielded 5.3 t ha-1. This is a 9.4% and 1.9% increase in cotton yields at 20 and 40 kg P ha-1, respectively relative to absolute control and 60 kg P ha-1 application. Economic analysis revealed that late sowing (January) had the lowest net profit (Tshs. 3,723,400 ≈ USD 1,486) and benefit-to-cost ratio (BCR) of 11.2. Early sowings recorded higher net profits (Tshs. 6,679,527 ≈ USD 2,666 and Tshs. 6,861,283 ≈ USD 2,738) and BCRs (18.4 and 18.8, respectively). This is a 79% (BCR = 64%) and 84% (BCR = 68) increase in net benefits from early sowings compared to late sowing. Applications of 20, 40, and 60 kg P ha-1 resulted in net benefits of Tshs. 5,452,572 ≈ USD 2,176 (BCR = 19.2), Tshs. 5,209,904 ≈ USD 2,079 (BCR = 15.1), and Tshs. 5,748,786 ≈ USD 2,294 (BCR = 14.1), respectively, with a significant (p = 0.017) BCR at 20 kg P ha-1 indicating cost-effectiveness. This is a 36% and 7.1% economic benefit at 20 and 40 kg P ha-1, respectively compared to 60 kg P ha-1 application. Optimizing sowing dates and P levels can boost economic returns in cotton production and promote sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agricultural Outlook (1673-3908) is the property of Institute of Agricultural Information, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study explored the economic dynamics of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production in Msilale village, Chato District, Tanzania. The experiment utilized a factorial design with sowing dates on November 25th, December 15th, and January 4th, and phosphorus levels at 0, 20, 40, and 60 kg P ha-1, replicated three times. Results indicated significantly higher cotton yields (6.1 t ha-1 and 6.3 t ha-1) for November and December sowings compared to January (3.8 t ha-1). This is a 61% and 66% increase in cotton yields for November and December sowings, respectively relative to January sowing. Though not significant, 20 kg P ha-1 and 40 kg P ha-1 applications yielded 5.8 t ha-1 and 5.4 t ha-1, respectively, while 60 kg P ha-1 yielded 5.3 t ha-1. This is a 9.4% and 1.9% increase in cotton yields at 20 and 40 kg P ha-1, respectively relative to absolute control and 60 kg P ha-1 application. Economic analysis revealed that late sowing (January) had the lowest net profit (Tshs. 3,723,400 ≈ USD 1,486) and benefit-to-cost ratio (BCR) of 11.2. Early sowings recorded higher net profits (Tshs. 6,679,527 ≈ USD 2,666 and Tshs. 6,861,283 ≈ USD 2,738) and BCRs (18.4 and 18.8, respectively). This is a 79% (BCR = 64%) and 84% (BCR = 68) increase in net benefits from early sowings compared to late sowing. Applications of 20, 40, and 60 kg P ha-1 resulted in net benefits of Tshs. 5,452,572 ≈ USD 2,176 (BCR = 19.2), Tshs. 5,209,904 ≈ USD 2,079 (BCR = 15.1), and Tshs. 5,748,786 ≈ USD 2,294 (BCR = 14.1), respectively, with a significant (p = 0.017) BCR at 20 kg P ha-1 indicating cost-effectiveness. This is a 36% and 7.1% economic benefit at 20 and 40 kg P ha-1, respectively compared to 60 kg P ha-1 application. Optimizing sowing dates and P levels can boost economic returns in cotton production and promote sustainability.

This article explores household-level social dynamics of change and their causal effects on future agricultural practices and food security. It does this by employing a place-specific qualitative research methodology in two rural settlements in Shamva District, Mashonaland Central Province. It reveals how these changes have impacted negatively on farm households' command of assets, including draft power, labour and social networks. Households that had a long history of agricultural excellence started to experience declines in their agriculture, while new households encountered new vulnerabilities. The article concludes by cautioning against any policy that ignores the household as a production unit in Zimbabwe's agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is widely recognized as a solution to food insecurity and poverty, especially in rural areas. However, 75% of the world's poor live in rural areas, and agriculture is the primary source of their livelihood. One may wonder if the observed correlation between agriculture and poverty also suggests causation. If that is the case, then what such causal relationship might exist? Is agriculture a vehicle for poverty alleviation or a source of poverty trap? The role of climate change is rather undisputed: associated extreme weather phenomena cause severe negative impacts on agriculture, exacerbating rural poverty. However, climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is acclaimed to potentially reverse the situation by eliminating poverty and food insecurity. Against this backdrop, the paper investigates whether smallholder farmers who adopt CSA could achieve food security and better income. This aim was approached through three key research objectives (i) to examine the effects of climate change on smallholder farmers, (ii) to examine the extent to which smallholder farmers adopt CSA and the barriers to adoption, and (iii) to investigate empirically the effects of CSA practices in terms of food security and poverty alleviation. The Upper West and Upper East regions in Ghana were selected purposively for the case study, and the data collected were analyzed using inferential and descriptive techniques. The results revealed no statistically significant positive relationship between the adoption of CSA with food security and income. Poor socioeconomic and market conditions marred the expected positive effects of CSA, hence the need for the provision of agricultural infrastructures and inputs as well as the creation of market for commodities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multifunctionality in agriculture is defined as the flux that is product of specific dynamics of subsystems in the farm scope, a condition, that in turn, is not usually explained in biophysical, social or economic contexts of reference. The purpose of this investigation is to design an indicator that allows to identify, make magnitude measurements and assess the multifunctionality of traditional production systems in the farm scope; in this case, assessment takes place in the traditional systems of the Antioquia's near west, under the referred contexts. To this end, a diversity index is proposed, which was adapted to identify and assess the multifunctionality in agriculture in the farm scope. Results suggest that the traditional production systems fulfill important environmental, socioeconomic, and cultural functions in the region of study. The assessed farms show diversity index values greater than one (1), which points out a high multifunctionality, however, each one of them reveal different magnitudeslso corresponds to each farm's particular characteristics. It is reasonable to conclude that the assessment of multifunctionality can become a way to acknowledge the relevance of traditional farms, as a consequence of the economic inefficiency that they apparently reflect when assessed from a conventional economic model that does not align with its logic. The multifunctionality approach explains, simultaneously, the continuity of these farms through flux diversification strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revue d'Économie Régionale & urbaine is the property of Librairie Armand Colin and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

At the intersection of climate change and rural development, wildfire has emerged as a threat to agriculture in the Western United States. This nexus is particularly problematic for the rapidly developing cannabis industry in California, which includes farms located outside of traditional agricultural zones and within landscapes potentially more prone to wildfire. With the goal of determining whether cannabis is uniquely vulnerable to direct wildfire impacts (in terms of crop loss to burning), we integrated fire hazard severity zone (FHSZ) data, wildfire perimeters, and future burn regime projections in relation to the location and cultivated area of cannabis farming. We then applied descriptive statistics and generalized additive models (GAMs) to compare the location of licensed cannabis farms to other agricultural types in California, including grapes, pasture, and all other general crops combined. We found cannabis farming was located more often in high and very high FHSZs and closer to wildfire perimeters than any other agricultural type. GAM estimates of likelihood of occurrence in high and very high severity zones were highest for cannabis, even after accounting for spatial clustering of farm types, although there was no reliable difference in predicted distances to wildfire. Cannabis more often occurred in projected (from 2020 to 2100) wildfire hotspots than all other agricultural types, with GAM estimates affirming a reliably higher likelihood of cannabis in future hotspots than pasture or general crops. Our findings highlight cannabis' particular vulnerability to wildfire in California and may in fact underestimate wildfire risks given the potential indirect impacts of smoke to crops and farmworkers, which were not evaluated in this study. In light of the sector's growing economic importance in the state, these vulnerabilities should be considered in future cannabis and rural development policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on relationship between demand for broadband to enable smart agriculture and the availability of broadband for nearby rural communities. It mentions onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the planning committee to rethink the strategy for surfacing and addressing key research and Extension questions. It also mentions visibility of the digital divide during the pandemic drove unprecedented investments in rural broadband.

Abstract At the intersection of climate change and rural development, wildfire has emerged as a threat to agriculture in the Western United States. This nexus is particularly problematic for the rapidly developing cannabis industry in California, which includes farms located outside of traditional agricultural zones and within landscapes potentially more prone to wildfire. With the goal of determining whether cannabis is uniquely vulnerable to direct wildfire impacts (in terms of crop loss to burning), we integrated fire hazard severity zone (FHSZ) data, wildfire perimeters, and future burn regime projections in relation to the location and cultivated area of cannabis farming. We then applied descriptive statistics and generalized additive models (GAMs) to compare the location of licensed cannabis farms to other agricultural types in California, including grapes, pasture, and all other general crops combined. We found cannabis farming was located more often in high and very high FHSZs and closer to wildfire perimeters than any other agricultural type. GAM estimates of likelihood of occurrence in high and very high severity zones were highest for cannabis, even after accounting for spatial clustering of farm types, although there was no reliable difference in predicted distances to wildfire. Cannabis more often occurred in projected (from 2020 to 2100) wildfire hotspots than all other agricultural types, with GAM estimates affirming a reliably higher likelihood of cannabis in future hotspots than pasture or general crops. Our findings highlight cannabis' particular vulnerability to wildfire in California and may in fact underestimate wildfire risks given the potential indirect impacts of smoke to crops and farmworkers, which were not evaluated in this study. In light of the sector's growing economic importance in the state, these vulnerabilities should be considered in future cannabis and rural development policies.

Smallholder farmers across rural landscapes remain trapped in a vicious cycle of endemic poverty where interconnected challenges limit their ability to improve their livelihoods. Our study of smallholder farmers' relationships with suppliers and several stakeholders across the Tanzanian rural agro-input supply chain offers an extended perspective on the persistence of endemic poverty and broadens the discussion on the future of sustainable food production and smallholder livelihoods. Through interviews and focus groups, we use a grounded theory methodology to develop a systemic approach to understanding the complexities of this landscape as related to smallholder agro-input sourcing activities. Our causal loop diagram framework provides a unique perspective on the poverty trap experienced by smallholder farmers in this context. Our findings may be useful in targeting practical and sustainable directions towards overcoming the poverty trap, ultimately enabling smallholders to increase wealth and improve their livelihoods through sustainable practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Illicit water use for irrigated agriculture can have substantial impacts on the environment and complicates water management decision-making. Water demand for illicit cannabis farming in California has long been considered a threat to watershed health, yet an accounting of cannabis irrigation has remained elusive, thereby impeding effective water policy for the state’s nascent legal cannabis industry. Using data obtained from both permitted and unpermitted cultivation operations, the current study applies novel water-use models to cannabis farms in Northern California to estimate their cumulative and relative water footprints. Our results indicated substantial variation in total water extraction volumes for cannabis farming between watersheds and that most cannabis water use was concentrated in a subset of watersheds, rather than evenly spread across the landscape. Water extraction volumes for unpermitted cannabis were consistently greater than permitted cannabis in the dry season, when streams are most vulnerable to impacts from water diversions. Results from scenario modeling exercises indicated that if all existing unpermitted farms were to become permitted and comply with regulations that prohibit surface water diversions in the dry season, nearly one third (34 of 115) of the study watersheds would experience a 50% reduction in dry season water extraction. In comparison, modest expansion of off-stream storage by all cannabis farms could reduce dry season extraction by 50% or greater in more than three quarters (96 of 115) of study watersheds. Combining diversion limits with enhanced storage could achieve dry season extraction reductions of 50% or greater in 100 of 115 watersheds. Our findings suggest that efforts to address the environmental impacts of unpermitted cultivation should focus on watersheds with greatest water demands and that programs that support expansion of off-stream storage can be helpful for reducing pressures on the environment and facilitating the transition of unpermitted farms to the regulated market.

The acceleration of out-migration from rural to urban areas has a negative impact on the productivity and development of rural agriculture in developing countries. This is because out-migration hinders surplus labour and engenders low rural agricultural income. This study reviews literature on the impact and implications of out-migration on rural agriculture in South Africa, a developing country. The study is qualitative and applies the principles of case-study research for design purposes. The research is underpinned by Lee’s (1966) PushPull Theory. Lee’s Push-Pull Theory has been effective in guiding arguments and discussions on the impact and implications of out-migration on rural agriculture. The findings reveal that the loss of human capital through out-migration results in low rural agricultural productivity in developing countries. The changing climate conditions also constitute a primary push factor for people’s out-migration from rural areas, resulting in rural agriculture’s loss of human capital. This is because people involved in rural agriculture lack alternative strategies that they can use to cope with the consequences of climate change. Nonetheless, outmigration could contribute positively to rural agriculture through remittances that people could use to purchase agricultural inputs. Hence, rural dwellers need to be provided with appropriate financial literacy concerning the relationship between migration and remittances. This could increase rural households’ savings and thus enable them to invest in rural agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil nutrients move from soil to elsewhere through several processes. The present study is based on secondary data sources to estimate how much soil nutrient was transported from rural to urban areas through food consumption of urban people in Bangladesh. Nine soil nutrients such as N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn and Na and about 15 food items were considered to estimate how much soil nutrient was transported through consumption. Rural areas are the major sources of foods transported from local land to cities to meet growing food demands of urban dwellers. Annually around total 332883 t nutrients were moved from rural to urban areas through food of urban people. The consumption of macronutrients was more than those of micronutrients. The movement of N (224135 t yr-1) was nearly twice to other nutrients, among them crops contributed to remove 141444 t N. Among other macronutrient, the maximum amount of N (79192 t) was moved through rice. Fish removed 45193 t N which was 8000 t more compared to livestock. Around 24712, 50766, 17807, 9118 t P, K, Ca and Mg removed annually by food respectively. The movement of micronutrient was 402, 58, 238 and 5644 t from Fe, Cu, Zn and Na respectively. This continuous nutrient movement process is causing rural soil nutrients loss and needs attention from policy makers and scientists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates smallholder farmers’ perceived impact of climate variability on subsistence agriculture. The study further explores household food security from access perspective and the factors that influence food accessibility in the rural Adansi North District of Ghana. The study randomly selected 378 smallholder farm households while 41 key informants were purposively selected. Questionnaire survey and semi-structured interview were employed to collect primary data. Descriptive and inferential analysis were computed for quantitative data while qualitative data was analyzed thematically. Results show that climate variability greatly affects subsistence agriculture, as a result of the reduction in agriculture yields, thereby leading to household food insecurity. It also emerged that the majority of households (58%) experienced food anxiety while 62% were unable to access their preferred quantity and quality food. Household food security is significantly influenced by gender, household size, years of farming experience, access to forest and adaptation. The implications of the study have been teased out alongside the recommendations.

This study focuses on improving rural agriculture through agricultural extension services. A survey was carried out in the rural area of in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 96 farmers from 10 rural communities who participated in the study. Questionnaire was the instrument for data collection. Likert scale which indicated levels of agreement, such as strongly agree (SA), designated as 4; agree (A), designated as 3; disagree (D), designated as 2 and strongly disagree (SD), designated as 1. Data analysis involved simple percentage, frequencies and correlation analysis. The result shows among other things that majority (65.6%) of the farmers had over 10 years of farming experience, with a large majority (60.4%) without access to extension services in the last one year, and as much as 11.5% who never had access to extension services. The result of negative correlation coefficient suggests that extension services or otherwise information provided by extension workers do not seem to 'significantly' improve agriculture in the rural area in terms of improved crop yield. In view of these findings, the study recommends among others the provision of comprehensive agricultural extension programmes in all rural areas, while extension agents should be better trained and motivated to provide comprehensive, practical and relevant services to rural farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ThisImpactsarticle proposes strategies for mitigating negative impacts of urbanization in rural locations in the United States. Issues addressed include impacts of population growth and development, loss of agricultural lands, and impacts of climate change on agriculture and rural communities. Conclusions are supported by stakeholder survey data, geographic information systems-based data, and desktop reviews of research journal publications. We propose a sustainable, diversified approach that supports mitigation of issues, including increasing demand on food production and decline of rural communities. A key issue that we address is where we will find suitable landscapes to reduce enough food for 9.6 billion people living in 2050. Urban and rural development planners are grappling with solutions to escalating impacts global populations, stresses on food production, and effects of climate change. Solutions are identified, including strengthening rural and urban contexts by establishing connected and interdependent links that support diversification of rural and urban contexts as viable solutions to these issues. Diversified rural-to-urban sustainable agriculture production is a promising approach to addressing climate change impacts. Organic agriculture principles exhibit strong diversity and are accredited by United States Department of Agriculture as the only federally certified sustainable agriculture practice in the United States. Sustainable agriculture practices are evolving into profitable diversified alternative food sources. We offer substantiated alternative solutions for remediating impacts of urbanization on rural agriculture and communities. Collectively, these solutions can strengthen symbiotic relationships between sustainable agriculture and rural communities, addressing our growing population issues and preserving our dwindling farmlands and rural communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current models of adaptation to climate change focus on common causes of vulnerability among individuals and communities in an attempt to improve their capacity to adapt. These models tend to neglect the impact on vulnerability of local relationships that include political and economic power structures. We use social network analysis to examine the connectivity and positions of vulnerable rural households and their capacity to adapt. We collected empirical data from a community of 58 smallholders in upper west Ghana on external relations with 'local actors' that are independent, operate beyond the community yet have direct relations with the community. These connections provide important resources and knowledge to build adaptive capacity that would not be generated from within the community. Our results highlight that certain external relations expose households to knowledge and other forms of capital, which in turn strengthen their ability to access and mobilise resources to respond to environmental change. However, not all external relations offer equal opportunities, which results in a stratified community and variation in the households’ capacity to adapt. The network approach also identifies points where local actors can link communities and households to remote agencies crucial for planning and implementing effective adaptation. Keywords: Adaptation; Adaptive capacity; Rural agriculture; Climate change; Rural community, Social network analysis; Vulnerability [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban and peri-urban agriculture plays an important role in meeting the food and nutrition needs of those living in the increasingly urbanised cities in Africa. The extent and scope of the practise of urban and peri-urban agriculture differs from one city to another depending on the economic, environmental, socio-political, and contextual conditions at play. Using household data drawn from urban Techiman and Tamale in the Brong Ahafo and Northern regions of Ghana respectively, this paper descriptively analyses the contribution of households' engagement in agriculture on urban households' food security. The results show that, nearly half (43%) of urban residents are involved in the production of food either in the urban or rural areas or both, primarily for household consumption and sale of surplus produce. Households who do not engage in agriculture raise their cash incomes through engagement in informal businesses. The picture is however different for households that engage in urban and rural agriculture. For such households, income raised from agriculture (rural and urban combined) is the highest in both cities contributing nearly half (43%) and about a third (33%) of total cash incomes in Techiman and Tamale respectively. The results underscore the need to place the discussion on the contribution of urban agriculture to urban food security in the broader context of the different food production arrangements available to urban households, both in urban and rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper combines qualitative and quantitative research methods in an exploratory study of borrowing and debt in rural southern Ethiopia in order to understand the complexities of the rural finance system and frequency of borrowing and debt in rural, smallholder settings. By comparing geospatial location in relation to access to infrastructure, markets and services within a single agroecological setting, we explore the ways in which these factors influence the frequency of borrowing, sources, amounts and interest rates involved, as well as the duration and extent of borrowing and debt. We find great variation amongst the communities studied, highlighting the importance of the localized nature of borrowing and debt and identify barriers and opportunities that will support the (re)adjusting of policies and programs that would enable smallholder households to overcome cycles of borrowing and debt, and build assets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The underutilization of agriculture in Nigeria with attendant low yield per hectare is generally attributed to lack of innovation to cope with the challenges of climate change and land degradation. In this study, using information from 326 farmers in Southwest Nigeria, we examined the relative impact of cooperative membership compared with the effects of other socioeconomic factors on farmers' adoption of technological innovations. Cooperative membership has a high impact compared to other socioeconomic factors such as land access, gender, and educational status. It is recommended that intervention programs in the agricultural sector should focus more attention on strengthening and expanding farmers' cooperatives for better diffusion and use intensity of innovations and better linking social capital with extension agencies, banks, markets, and agricultural value chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study is a qualitative exploratory analysis of the communities of Turrialba, Siquirres and Guácimo, which border the Parismina River of Costa Rica. The main purpose of this study is to identify the structural weaknesses that are present in the enterprises and the impact of these weaknesses on the capacity for raising the sustainable development competitiveness for the area. The study used semi-structured interviews and focal interviews as instruments of data collection. In addition, the study used the community of Los Santos, located in the Central Valley of Costa Rica, as a reference for comparison. The results indicate weaknesses related to the capacity of organization, financial knowledge, and low technological innovation that demonstrates that the enterprises have a greater direction towards spurious competitiveness. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Farming among urban dwellers in Sub-Saharan Africa is a common phenomenon. The present study, carried out in a medium-sized town in Kenya, not only confirmed this but also showed that farming by urban dwellers in the rural areas was even more important for these households’ livelihoods than farming in town. However, those who could benefit most from farming, i.e. the urban poor, appeared to be underrepresented among urban farming households and those urban poor who did farm, either in urban or in rural areas, performed worse than the farming non-poor. The importance of farming as a livelihood source is illustrated by the fact that in years with very little or no harvest due to drought, many of the poor farming households faced food shortages. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article examines biofuel development in Indonesia initiated by the government through a presidential instruction issued in January 2006. Three layers of analysis are presented. One is related to the politics of oil during the Suharto era that shaped Indonesian energy policy for decades. The second layer looks at current political and economic situations in Indonesia, which has been much affected by a crisis of energy resulting from previous regimes. A biofuel initiative thus got underway to solve three major problems, namely, the energy crisis, high unemployment, and poverty. Finally, this paper observes how the biofuel policy impacts people in a village in West Java. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This briefing interrogates ways in which approaches to reduce rural poverty through agriculture in what has been called the 'second green revolution' will affect rural farmers, especially women. As African governments face pressure to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), there are growing fears that the proposed technological approaches to poverty reduction may be implemented too hastily, without taking into account lessons learnt during the 'first green revolution'. Experts fear that irreversible harm will be caused to both the environment and farmers, especially due to the expected accelerated use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in rural agriculture. This briefing suggests that introduction of changes to rural agriculture should take cognisance of the fact that rural communities are socio-cultural systems in which farmers have extensive knowledge of their ecosystems and developed farming techniques accordingly. External factors may not necessarily bring positive change to rural agriculture unless farmers are included in planning and implementation processes from the beginning. Of concern also are issues of violation of farmers' human rights, particularly those of women farmers, low skills levels and inadequate access to resources and information to make informed decisions. If these are not corrected, the 'second green revolution' will not succeed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study whether rural households in Vietnam allocate their factor inputs efficiently. Factor returns and technical rates of substitution (TRS) between production activities are compared. We estimate two translog production functions and conduct three tests: First we test the equality of bootstrapped returns. Second, we use a bootstrappedt-test comparing the equality of TRS. Finally, we derive a set of nonlinear restrictions on our estimated parameters, which, if held, would imply that we cannot reject efficiency. The article concentrates on the allocation of factors between the cultivation of the two most important agricultural crops—sugar cane and rice. We cannot reject the possibility that households are efficient in their input allocation. These results are consistent and stable over different estimation techniques and support the assumption of profit maximization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates smallholder farmers' perceived impact of climate variability on subsistence agriculture. The study further explores household food security from access perspective and the factors that influence food accessibility in the rural Adansi North District of Ghana. The study randomly selected 378 smallholder farm households while 41 key informants were purposively selected. Questionnaire survey and semi-structured interview were employed to collect primary data. Descriptive and inferential analysis were computed for quantitative data while qualitative data was analyzed thematically. Results show that climate variability greatly affects subsistence agriculture, as a result of the reduction in agriculture yields, thereby leading to household food insecurity. It also emerged that the majority of households (58%) experienced food anxiety while 62% were unable to access their preferred quantity and quality food. Household food security is significantly influenced by gender, household size, years of farming experience, access to forest and adaptation. The implications of the study have been teased out alongside the recommendations., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2021 The Author(s).)