Factors Contributing to Adoption of Improved Agricultural TechnologiesPuri, Peshal.K, Sharma, Sriju, Dhungana, Tri Bikram and Rokka, Minakshi

USAID’s Sabal Project, Save the Children

Background:

Methodology:

Conclusion:

USAID Disclaimer:

Objective:

Results :

Sabal is a five-year USAID-funded Sustainable Action for Resilience and Food Security (Sabal) project running from 2014 through 2020. The goal is to improve resilience and food security of targeted populations in 11 districts of Nepal. Save the Children and its partners implemented a multi-sectoral project that includes activities relating to agriculture, livelihood diversification, nutrition, and disaster risk reduction. Sabal adopted a group approach and formed different community groups such as Farmers’ groups, Enhanced Homestead Food Production (1000-days mothers) groups and Community Disaster Management Committees. To increase adoption of improved agriculture technologies and management practices, the project provided various capacity building trainings, inputs/material support and technical/coaching support to the group members. During Sabal’s baseline survey, only about 32.6% of the farmers were adopting improved agriculture practices, where female-headed household participation was 29.9%, 6% lower than the male-headed households. Variation was also observed in adoption of sustainable agriculture practices across ethnic groups, 47.4% in Brahmin/Chhetri and 33.8% in Newars as compared to 27.3% in Janajatis and 25.5% in Dalits.

y Survey - As a part of routine monitoring, Sabal conducted Annual Monitoring Surveys (AMS). This paper is based on the findings of FY17 and FY18 AMS.

y Sampling - The AMS used a two-stage beneficiary-based cluster sampling approach to select 900 households in FY17 and 570 households in FY18.

y Clustering - Clusters were selected using the probability proportional to size method, resulting the selection of 38 wards (1 ward=1 VDCs). Respondent households within these wards were selected randomly from a beneficiary database.

y Analysis - Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation analysis, and logistic regressions were used to explain the differences in improved agriculture and management practice between ethnic groups, age and education. All analyses were conducted with Stata® SE version 15.

Identify factors associated with increased adoption of improved agriculture technology and management practices.

y in land-use under improved technologies by more than double, y HHs are adopting improved agricultural practices such as improved seeds, mulching, composting, hedge row planting & extending land for improved technology practices. y adoption of improved technologies from 95% to 98%. - Adoption is higher in beneficiaries with higher education. - 90% adoption by Brahmin/Chhetri. - 67% adoption by marginalized ethnic groups.y Adoption of improved practices is significantly higher among youths (<40 years). - 59% are planting basins. - 48% are using improved seeds. - 46% are using contour planting for soil conservation. y Female-headed households are also more likely to adopt improved practices (FY17 vs FY18). - pen/stall feeding by 28%. - deworming by 21%. - homemade animal feed making by 20%. y % of women adopting six or more improved practices. y % of disadvantage groups adopting improved practices.

Figure 1: Gender of Beneficiaries

38%62%

Female Male

Figure 2: Age Group of Beneficiaries

20%

80%

Below 40 40 and above

Factors Contributing to Adoption of Improved Agricultural Technologies Puri, Peshal.K1, Sharma, Sriju1, Dhungana, Tri Bikram1 and Rokka, Minakshi1

USAID’s Sabal Project, Save the Children

Background: Sabal is a five-year USAID-funded Sustainable Action for Resilience and Food Security (Sabal) project running from 2014 through 2020. The goal is to improve resilience and food security of targeted populations in 11 districts of Nepal. Save the Children and its partners implemented a multi-sectoral project that includes activities relating to agri-culture, livelihood diversification, nutrition, and disaster risk reduction. Sabal adopted a group approach and formed different community groups such as Farmers’ groups, En-hanced Homestead Food Production (1000-days mothers) groups and Community Disaster Management Committees. To increase adoption of improved agriculture tech-nologies and management practices, the project provided various capacity building trainings, inputs/material support and technical/coaching support to the group mem-bers. During Sabal’s baseline survey, only about 32.6% of the farmers were adopting improved agriculture practices, where female-headed household participation was 29.9%, 6% lower than the male-headed households. Variation was also observed in adoption of sustainable agriculture practices across ethnic groups, 47.4% in Brahmin/Chhetri and 33.8% in Newars as compared to 27.3% in Janajatis and 25.5% in Dalits.

Objective: Identify factors associated with increased adoption of improved agriculture technology and management practices.

Methodology: Survey - As a part of routine monitoring, Sabal con-ducted Annual Monitoring Surveys (AMS). This paper is based on the findings of FY17 and FY18 AMS.

Sampling - The AMS used a two-stage beneficiary-based cluster sampling approach to select 900 house-holds in FY17 and 570 households in FY18.

Clustering - Clusters were selected using the proba-bility proportional to size method, resulting the selec-tion of 38 wards (1 ward=1 VDCs). Respondent house-holds within these wards were selected randomly from a beneficiary database.

Analysis - Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation analysis, and logistic regressions were used to explain the differences in improved agriculture and management practice between ethnic groups, age and education. All analyses were conducted with Stata® SE version 15.

Results : in land-use under improved technologies by more than double, HHs are adopting improved agricultural practices such as improved seeds, mulching, composting, hedge row planting & extending land for improved technology practices.

adoption of improved technologies from 95% to 98%. - Adoption is higher in beneficiaries with higher education. - 90% adoption by Brahmin/Chhetri. - 67% adoption by marginalized ethnic groups. Adoption of improved practices is significantly higher among youths (<40 years). - 59% are planting basins. - 48% are using improved seeds. - 46% are using contour planting for soil conservation. Female-headed households are also more likely to adopt improved practices (FY17 vs FY18).

- pen/stall feeding by 28%. - deworming by 21% - homemade animal feed making by 20% % of women adopting six or more improved practices. % of disadvantage groups adopting improved practices.

Conclusion: Education and age play an important role in adoption of post harvest management and marketing practices.

Therefore, targeting educated youths or females is more effective to achieve anticipated outcomes.

Discussion: 1.Youths and female headed households are more likely to adopt improved agriculture practices.

2.Youths are more likely to adopt improved technolo-gies than any other age groups.

3.Females and educated groups are more likely to turn knowledge and skills from trainings into practice.

Improved Agriculture Technologies

Sex Age Group

Education Status

Coef. P>|t| Co-ef. P>|t| Coef. P>|t|

Improved/certified seeds 0.51 ***

1.15 ***

0.48

Seedling production of im-proved crop/vegetable va-rieties

0.97 ***

1.47 *** 0.82 **

Planting basins 0.79 ***

1.13 *** 0.48

Mulching 0.84 ***

1.59 *** 0.83 *

Integrated Pest Manage-ment

0.87 ***

1.69 *** 0.91 **

Integrated bio pesticides management

0.78 ***

1.49 *** 0.69 *

Compost use 0.80 ***

1.32 *** 0.64 *

Contour planting 0.70 ***

1.40 *** 0.62 *

Hedge-row planting 0.32 ***

0.20 *** 0.15

Micro-irrigation 0.20 ***

0.10 *** 0.20

Crop rotation 0.63 ***

0.14 *** 0.19

Improved livestock Man-agement

0.66 ***

0.13 *** 0.10

At least one Improved Technology

0.69 ***

0.14 *** 0.19 *

* p>0.05, **p>0.01, ***p>0.001

Tika Adhikary, a farmers’ group member, tilling her farm in Nuwakot @ Grishma Shrestha for Sabal

Improved Technologies and Management Practices by Age, Sex and Education

% increase from FY17 to FY18 Sex Category Age Category Education Category

Male Female 40 and below Above 40 Grade

1 - 10

Grade 11 and

above

Informal Pre–

school

FY18 N (N=432) (N=110) (N=208) (N=333) (N=280) (N=14) (N=88)

FY17 N (N=400) (N=113) (N=186) (N=327) (N=277) (N=15) (N=51)

Improved/certified seeds 37% 45% 48% 33% 42% 72% 35%

Seedling production of improved crop/vegetable varieties 10% 5% 9% 8% 8% 26% -13%

Planting basins 52% 42% 59% 23% 51% 87% 50%

Mulching 18% 11% 17% 16% 16% 27% 19%

Integrated Pest Management 3% 5% 5% 3% 4% 13% 2%

Compost use 17% 18% 17% 17% 13% 31% 8%

Contour planting 43% 45% 46% 42% 55% 60% 31%

Hedge-row planting 32% 42% 41% 31% 35% 39% 43%

Micro-irrigation 25% 19% 27% 22% 25% 47% 18%

Crop rotation 68% 77% 71% 69% 70% 72% 62%

Note: Out of 14 practices, improvement observed in above 10 practices. Higher change in each category

Table 2: Regression Analysis of Improved Agriculture Tech-nologies and Practices by Sex, Age and Education

Table 1: Comparative Analysis on Adoption of Improved Technologies and Management Practices by Age, Sex and Education

Factors Contributing to Adoption of Improved Agricultural Technologies Puri, Peshal.K1, Sharma, Sriju1, Dhungana, Tri Bikram1 and Rokka, Minakshi1

USAID’s Sabal Project, Save the Children

Background: Sabal is a five-year USAID-funded Sustainable Action for Resilience and Food Security (Sabal) project running from 2014 through 2020. The goal is to improve resilience and food security of targeted populations in 11 districts of Nepal. Save the Children and its partners implemented a multi-sectoral project that includes activities relating to agri-culture, livelihood diversification, nutrition, and disaster risk reduction. Sabal adopted a group approach and formed different community groups such as Farmers’ groups, En-hanced Homestead Food Production (1000-days mothers) groups and Community Disaster Management Committees. To increase adoption of improved agriculture tech-nologies and management practices, the project provided various capacity building trainings, inputs/material support and technical/coaching support to the group mem-bers. During Sabal’s baseline survey, only about 32.6% of the farmers were adopting improved agriculture practices, where female-headed household participation was 29.9%, 6% lower than the male-headed households. Variation was also observed in adoption of sustainable agriculture practices across ethnic groups, 47.4% in Brahmin/Chhetri and 33.8% in Newars as compared to 27.3% in Janajatis and 25.5% in Dalits.

Objective: Identify factors associated with increased adoption of improved agriculture technology and management practices.

Methodology: Survey - As a part of routine monitoring, Sabal con-ducted Annual Monitoring Surveys (AMS). This paper is based on the findings of FY17 and FY18 AMS.

Sampling - The AMS used a two-stage beneficiary-based cluster sampling approach to select 900 house-holds in FY17 and 570 households in FY18.

Clustering - Clusters were selected using the proba-bility proportional to size method, resulting the selec-tion of 38 wards (1 ward=1 VDCs). Respondent house-holds within these wards were selected randomly from a beneficiary database.

Analysis - Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation analysis, and logistic regressions were used to explain the differences in improved agriculture and management practice between ethnic groups, age and education. All analyses were conducted with Stata® SE version 15.

Results : in land-use under improved technologies by more than double, HHs are adopting improved agricultural practices such as improved seeds, mulching, composting, hedge row planting & extending land for improved technology practices.

adoption of improved technologies from 95% to 98%. - Adoption is higher in beneficiaries with higher education. - 90% adoption by Brahmin/Chhetri. - 67% adoption by marginalized ethnic groups. Adoption of improved practices is significantly higher among youths (<40 years). - 59% are planting basins. - 48% are using improved seeds. - 46% are using contour planting for soil conservation. Female-headed households are also more likely to adopt improved practices (FY17 vs FY18).

- pen/stall feeding by 28%. - deworming by 21% - homemade animal feed making by 20% % of women adopting six or more improved practices. % of disadvantage groups adopting improved practices.

Conclusion: Education and age play an important role in adoption of post harvest management and marketing practices.

Therefore, targeting educated youths or females is more effective to achieve anticipated outcomes.

Discussion: 1.Youths and female headed households are more likely to adopt improved agriculture practices.

2.Youths are more likely to adopt improved technolo-gies than any other age groups.

3.Females and educated groups are more likely to turn knowledge and skills from trainings into practice.

Improved Agriculture Technologies

Sex Age Group

Education Status

Coef. P>|t| Co-ef. P>|t| Coef. P>|t|

Improved/certified seeds 0.51 ***

1.15 ***

0.48

Seedling production of im-proved crop/vegetable va-rieties

0.97 ***

1.47 *** 0.82 **

Planting basins 0.79 ***

1.13 *** 0.48

Mulching 0.84 ***

1.59 *** 0.83 *

Integrated Pest Manage-ment

0.87 ***

1.69 *** 0.91 **

Integrated bio pesticides management

0.78 ***

1.49 *** 0.69 *

Compost use 0.80 ***

1.32 *** 0.64 *

Contour planting 0.70 ***

1.40 *** 0.62 *

Hedge-row planting 0.32 ***

0.20 *** 0.15

Micro-irrigation 0.20 ***

0.10 *** 0.20

Crop rotation 0.63 ***

0.14 *** 0.19

Improved livestock Man-agement

0.66 ***

0.13 *** 0.10

At least one Improved Technology

0.69 ***

0.14 *** 0.19 *

* p>0.05, **p>0.01, ***p>0.001

Tika Adhikary, a farmers’ group member, tilling her farm in Nuwakot @ Grishma Shrestha for Sabal

Improved Technologies and Management Practices by Age, Sex and Education

% increase from FY17 to FY18 Sex Category Age Category Education Category

Male Female 40 and below Above 40 Grade

1 - 10

Grade 11 and

above

Informal Pre–

school

FY18 N (N=432) (N=110) (N=208) (N=333) (N=280) (N=14) (N=88)

FY17 N (N=400) (N=113) (N=186) (N=327) (N=277) (N=15) (N=51)

Improved/certified seeds 37% 45% 48% 33% 42% 72% 35%

Seedling production of improved crop/vegetable varieties 10% 5% 9% 8% 8% 26% -13%

Planting basins 52% 42% 59% 23% 51% 87% 50%

Mulching 18% 11% 17% 16% 16% 27% 19%

Integrated Pest Management 3% 5% 5% 3% 4% 13% 2%

Compost use 17% 18% 17% 17% 13% 31% 8%

Contour planting 43% 45% 46% 42% 55% 60% 31%

Hedge-row planting 32% 42% 41% 31% 35% 39% 43%

Micro-irrigation 25% 19% 27% 22% 25% 47% 18%

Crop rotation 68% 77% 71% 69% 70% 72% 62%

Note: Out of 14 practices, improvement observed in above 10 practices. Higher change in each category

Table 2: Regression Analysis of Improved Agriculture Tech-nologies and Practices by Sex, Age and Education

Table 1: Comparative Analysis on Adoption of Improved Technologies and Management Practices by Age, Sex and Education

Table 1: Comparative Analysis on Adoption of Improved Technologies and Management Practices by Age, Sex and Education

Table 2: Regression Analysis of Improved Agriculture Technologies and Practices by Sex, Age and Education

Figure 3: Adoption of Improve Technologies and Management Practices

Improved Technologi..

26%

29%

10%

5%

8%

91%

81%

44%

12%

70%

95% 98%

87%

3%

89%

89%

95%

FY-17 FY-18

Climatemitigation

Calturalpractices

IntegratedPestmanagement

LivestockManagement

Post-harvestHandling &Storage

Soil-relatedfertility andconservation

Climateadaptation

Other

Total withone or moreimproved te..

Crop genetics

Irrigation

Val

ue

1.0

0.5

0.0

Val

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1.0

0.5

0.0

Val

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0.5

0.0

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0.5

0.0

Val

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1.0

0.5

0.0

Val

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0.5

0.0

Val

ue

1.0

0.5

0.0

Val

ue1.0

0.5

0.0

Val

ue

1.0

0.5

0.0

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ue

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0.5

0.0

Val

ue

1.0

0.5

0.0

32%

9%

68%

66%

91%

Measure NamesFY-17FY-18

Tika Adhikary, a farmers group member, tilling her farm in Nuwakot

@ G

rish

ma

Shre

stha

for

Sab

al

y Education and age play an important role in adoption of post harvest management and marketing practices.

y Therefore, targeting educated youths or females is more effective to achieve anticipated outcomes.

This poster is made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID.) The contents of this poster are the sole responsibility of Sabal Project and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government