Risk and sustainable crop intensification: The case of smallholder rice and potato farmers in Uganda

To feed a growing and increasingly urbanized population, Uganda needs to increase crop production without further exhausting available resources. Therefore, smallholder farmers are encouraged to adopt sustainable crop intensification methods such as inorganic fertilizer or hybrid seeds. However, the...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Van Campenhout, Bjorn, Bizimungu, Emmanuel, Birungi, Dorothy
Formato: Artículo preliminar
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: International Food Policy Research Institute 2016
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/148230
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author Van Campenhout, Bjorn
Bizimungu, Emmanuel
Birungi, Dorothy
author_browse Birungi, Dorothy
Bizimungu, Emmanuel
Van Campenhout, Bjorn
author_facet Van Campenhout, Bjorn
Bizimungu, Emmanuel
Birungi, Dorothy
author_sort Van Campenhout, Bjorn
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description To feed a growing and increasingly urbanized population, Uganda needs to increase crop production without further exhausting available resources. Therefore, smallholder farmers are encouraged to adopt sustainable crop intensification methods such as inorganic fertilizer or hybrid seeds. However, these farmers perceive these new technologies as risky hence adoption will depend on how well they can manage this additional risk. This paper documents patterns observed in socioeconomic data that suggest risk is an important barrier to sustainable crop intensification practices among Ugandan smallholder rice and potato farmers. In particular, we find that households that engage in risk management strategies, such as investing in risk-reducing technology or engaging in precautionary savings, are more likely to practice intensified cropping. However, our data also show only limited yield risk associated with the use of fertilizers or pesticides, suggesting part of the problem is related to perception. We also discuss the consequences for policy.
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spelling CGSpace1482302025-11-06T07:18:45Z Risk and sustainable crop intensification: The case of smallholder rice and potato farmers in Uganda Van Campenhout, Bjorn Bizimungu, Emmanuel Birungi, Dorothy potatoes technology adoption fertilizers rice sustainability smallholders intensification pesticides risk To feed a growing and increasingly urbanized population, Uganda needs to increase crop production without further exhausting available resources. Therefore, smallholder farmers are encouraged to adopt sustainable crop intensification methods such as inorganic fertilizer or hybrid seeds. However, these farmers perceive these new technologies as risky hence adoption will depend on how well they can manage this additional risk. This paper documents patterns observed in socioeconomic data that suggest risk is an important barrier to sustainable crop intensification practices among Ugandan smallholder rice and potato farmers. In particular, we find that households that engage in risk management strategies, such as investing in risk-reducing technology or engaging in precautionary savings, are more likely to practice intensified cropping. However, our data also show only limited yield risk associated with the use of fertilizers or pesticides, suggesting part of the problem is related to perception. We also discuss the consequences for policy. 2016-04-15 2024-06-21T09:24:07Z 2024-06-21T09:24:07Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/148230 en https://hdl.handle.net/10568/147761 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/150323 Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Van Campenhout, Bjorn; Bizimungu, Emmanuel; and Birungi, Dorothy. 2016. Risk and sustainable crop intensification: The case of smallholder rice and potato farmers in Uganda. IFPRI Discussion Paper 1521. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://hdl.handle.net/10568/148230
spellingShingle potatoes
technology adoption
fertilizers
rice
sustainability
smallholders
intensification
pesticides
risk
Van Campenhout, Bjorn
Bizimungu, Emmanuel
Birungi, Dorothy
Risk and sustainable crop intensification: The case of smallholder rice and potato farmers in Uganda
title Risk and sustainable crop intensification: The case of smallholder rice and potato farmers in Uganda
title_full Risk and sustainable crop intensification: The case of smallholder rice and potato farmers in Uganda
title_fullStr Risk and sustainable crop intensification: The case of smallholder rice and potato farmers in Uganda
title_full_unstemmed Risk and sustainable crop intensification: The case of smallholder rice and potato farmers in Uganda
title_short Risk and sustainable crop intensification: The case of smallholder rice and potato farmers in Uganda
title_sort risk and sustainable crop intensification the case of smallholder rice and potato farmers in uganda
topic potatoes
technology adoption
fertilizers
rice
sustainability
smallholders
intensification
pesticides
risk
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/148230
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AT birungidorothy riskandsustainablecropintensificationthecaseofsmallholderriceandpotatofarmersinuganda