Smallholder Farmers’ Challenges and Opportunities: Implications for Agricultural Production, Environment and Food Security
33 Pages Posted: 28 May 2024
Abstract
In an era of growing environmental, socioeconomic, and market uncertainties, understanding the adaptive strategies of smallholder farmers is paramount for sustainable agricultural productivity and environmental management efforts. We adopted a mixed-methods approach to investigate the adaptive strategies of smallholders in response to changes in the environment, socioeconomics and technology. We began with statistical analysis of downscaled climate projections to better understand future climate conditions and scenarios. We then interviewed farm households to gather demographic and socioeconomic insights, monitored crop growth, and documented farm inputs to evaluate farming productivity and profitability. We finally conducted semi-structured interviews to identify major constraints and adaptation mechanisms among smallholder farmers. Our household typology analysis reveals the diverse livelihood strategies and economic dependencies of farming communities. From young, small landholding farmers reliant on leased lands to affluent households with large, irrigated farmland, each cluster represents a distinct socio-economic profile and level of agricultural engagement. The prevalence of part-time farming and migration highlights the precarious nature of rural livelihoods in these communities, with some households reliant on remittances for income and to supplement farming. Additionally, our crop production investigation across household clusters uncovers the trade-offs between intensive farming practices and environmental sustainability, offering opportunities to introduce environmentally friendly practices into smallholder farmers' agricultural systems. Examining farmers' coping mechanisms and adaptive capacity in the face of diverse challenges and risks reveals their innovative strategies and flexibility in navigating complex challenges and difficult circumstances. However, despite their efforts, many farmers continue to face significant hardships and vulnerabilities. This underscores the urgent need for targeted policies and interventions that enhance farmers' adaptative capacity and sustainability in responding to the diverse challenges and vulnerabilities. Our study contributes evidence-based recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders that target and enhance agricultural productivity, improve environmental conditions, alleviate poverty, and bolster food security.
Keywords: Climate projections, Household typology, Farmer challenges, Adaptive capacity, food security
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