| Sumario: | Smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa face complex and interrelated constraints that hinder the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. Studies have shown that product and service bundles could serve as a solution to overcome multiple barriers smallholders face simultaneously, if designed appropriately. This study aims to design product and service bundles to incentivise the adoption of Mbili Mbili, a maize-legume intercropping practice, in Kasungu, Malawi. Using a smallholder-centric design approach grounded in design thinking and affordance theory, the research followed a three- step qualitative methodology process: identifying driver and barriers to adoption, mapping existing products and services, and co-developing and refining bundle prototypes with farmers. In doing so, this study extends the bundling literature by applying it to the adoption of agricultural practices rather than individual artefacts. Design thinking provided a structured, participatory framework for bundle development, while affordance theory served both as an analytical lens and a design tool, ensuring that bundle components aligned with farmers’ resources, constraints, and everyday realities.
The findings reveal that smallholders face a range of key constraints, most notably the impacts of climate change, limited access to inputs, labour shortages, and restricted market access which are also highly interrelated and shaped by the local context. Although a variety of products and services are available, they remain fragmented, poorly coordinated, and in some cases entirely absent, leaving critical gaps. Bundling offers a strategic approach to reconfigure these components into coherent packages that reduce risk, improve accessibility, and increase the perceived feasibility of adopting Mbili Mbili. Farmers consistently valued bundles that included farm inputs, training, and finance mechanisms as essential, with livestock and market access serving as strong enhancers when aligned with their needs.
Overall, the research demonstrates that thoughtfully designed bundles can positively influence farmer perceptions, reduce adoption barriers, and contribute to more inclusive and sustainable agricultural transitions.
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