The Influence of Conservation Agriculture Adoption On Input Demand and Maize Production in Butha Buthe, Lesotho

Author

Eric BisangwaFollow

Date of Award

8-2013

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Agricultural Economics

Major Professor

Dayton M. Lambert

Committee Members

William M. Park, Roland K. Roberts, Neal S. Eash, Michael D. Wilcox Jr.

Abstract

This thesis examines the factors influencing adoption of conservation agriculture (CA) technologies and the effects adoption has on input demand, maize production, and farm profit in the province of Butha Buthe, Lesotho. In Lesotho, conventional agricultural practices such as plowing and brush burning for land preparation continue to cause soil erosion and reduce yields. Conservation agriculture technologies have been promoted by various organizations to improve soil structure, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, improve farmer household wellbeing, and increase food security. However, adoption of CA by smallholder farmers in Lesotho and other sub-Saharan countries has been relatively slow.

Using data from a survey of 432 households, this thesis applies regression analysis to determine the factors influencing farmer adoption decisions of CA. Findings suggest that the use of CA practices is related to a number of household, farm and farmer characteristics, and the presence of extension efforts in the surveyed region. Agricultural training, farm size, education, access to fertilizer, distance to fields, household demographic structure, livestock ownership, and input prices played an important role in the decision to use CA. Results from the adoption model suggested that CA adoption was positively associated with farm profits and labor demand for crop production. Maize production and other input demands were not associated with CA adoption.

Farmers were not responsive to prices as would be expected by profit maximizers. Farmers in Butha Buthe may not be maximizing profit with respect to input decisions for producing maize. Rather, their primary concerns may be growing maize for subsistence. The presence of non-government organizations, extension services and government efforts to promote CA in Butha Buthe may also explain the relative unresponsiveness of farmers to maize prices and input costs. Further research isolating these causes is warranted to understand what role input prices play in determining production and inputs demand decisions given the promotion of this technology by NGOs and other extension services, and the potential role CA may play in the wellbeing of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.

Recommended Citation

Bisangwa, Eric, "The Influence of Conservation Agriculture Adoption On Input Demand and Maize Production in Butha Buthe, Lesotho. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 2013.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/2391