Heterogeneous preferences and the effects of incentives in promoting conservation agriculture in Malawi
Malawi faces significant challenges in meeting its future food security needs because there is little scope for increasing production by simply expanding the area under cultivation. One potential alternative for sustainably intensifying agricultural production is by means of conservation agriculture...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Artículo preliminar |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
International Food Policy Research Institute
2015
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/149502 |
| _version_ | 1855515551764316160 |
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| author | Ward, Patrick S. Bell, Andrew R. Parkhurst, Gregory M. Droppelmann, Klaus Mapemba, Lawrence |
| author_browse | Bell, Andrew R. Droppelmann, Klaus Mapemba, Lawrence Parkhurst, Gregory M. Ward, Patrick S. |
| author_facet | Ward, Patrick S. Bell, Andrew R. Parkhurst, Gregory M. Droppelmann, Klaus Mapemba, Lawrence |
| author_sort | Ward, Patrick S. |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Malawi faces significant challenges in meeting its future food security needs because there is little scope for increasing production by simply expanding the area under cultivation. One potential alternative for sustainably intensifying agricultural production is by means of conservation agriculture (CA), which improves soil quality through a suite of farming practices that reduce soil disturbance, increase soil cover via retained crop residues, and increase crop diversification. We use discrete choice experiments to study farmers’ preferences for these different CA practices and assess willingness to adopt CA. Our results indicate that, despite many benefits, some farmers are not willing to adopt CA without receiving subsidies, and current farm-level practices significantly influence willingness to adopt the full CA package. Providing subsidies, however, can create perverse incentives. Subsidies may increase the adoption of intercropping and residue mulching, but adoption of these practices may crowd out adoption of zero tillage, leading to partial compliance. Further, exposure to various risks such as flooding and insect infestations often constrains adoption. Rather than designing subsidies or voucher programs to increase CA adoption, it may be important to tailor insurance policies to address the new risks brought about by CA adoption. |
| format | Artículo preliminar |
| id | CGSpace149502 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publishDateRange | 2015 |
| publishDateSort | 2015 |
| publisher | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| publisherStr | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1495022025-11-06T05:15:43Z Heterogeneous preferences and the effects of incentives in promoting conservation agriculture in Malawi Ward, Patrick S. Bell, Andrew R. Parkhurst, Gregory M. Droppelmann, Klaus Mapemba, Lawrence technology adoption food production sustainability conservation agriculture food security subsidies experimental design zero tillage Malawi faces significant challenges in meeting its future food security needs because there is little scope for increasing production by simply expanding the area under cultivation. One potential alternative for sustainably intensifying agricultural production is by means of conservation agriculture (CA), which improves soil quality through a suite of farming practices that reduce soil disturbance, increase soil cover via retained crop residues, and increase crop diversification. We use discrete choice experiments to study farmers’ preferences for these different CA practices and assess willingness to adopt CA. Our results indicate that, despite many benefits, some farmers are not willing to adopt CA without receiving subsidies, and current farm-level practices significantly influence willingness to adopt the full CA package. Providing subsidies, however, can create perverse incentives. Subsidies may increase the adoption of intercropping and residue mulching, but adoption of these practices may crowd out adoption of zero tillage, leading to partial compliance. Further, exposure to various risks such as flooding and insect infestations often constrains adoption. Rather than designing subsidies or voucher programs to increase CA adoption, it may be important to tailor insurance policies to address the new risks brought about by CA adoption. 2015-05-01 2024-08-01T02:49:27Z 2024-08-01T02:49:27Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/149502 en https://hdl.handle.net/10568/154495 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/153510 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/153894 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2016.02.005 Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Ward, Patrick S.; Bell, Andrew R.; Parkhurst, Gregory M.; Droppelmann, Klaus and Mapemba, Lawrence. 2015. Heterogeneous preferences and the effects of incentives in promoting conservation agriculture in Malawi. IFPRI Discussion Paper 1440. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/149502 |
| spellingShingle | technology adoption food production sustainability conservation agriculture food security subsidies experimental design zero tillage Ward, Patrick S. Bell, Andrew R. Parkhurst, Gregory M. Droppelmann, Klaus Mapemba, Lawrence Heterogeneous preferences and the effects of incentives in promoting conservation agriculture in Malawi |
| title | Heterogeneous preferences and the effects of incentives in promoting conservation agriculture in Malawi |
| title_full | Heterogeneous preferences and the effects of incentives in promoting conservation agriculture in Malawi |
| title_fullStr | Heterogeneous preferences and the effects of incentives in promoting conservation agriculture in Malawi |
| title_full_unstemmed | Heterogeneous preferences and the effects of incentives in promoting conservation agriculture in Malawi |
| title_short | Heterogeneous preferences and the effects of incentives in promoting conservation agriculture in Malawi |
| title_sort | heterogeneous preferences and the effects of incentives in promoting conservation agriculture in malawi |
| topic | technology adoption food production sustainability conservation agriculture food security subsidies experimental design zero tillage |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/149502 |
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