Water, Land and Ecosystems - Thesis

Impact evaluation of an innovation platform on improvement of crop and livestock productions in four villages of Yatenga province, Northern Burkina Faso

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

TypeThesis

Languageen

Authors

Teno, G.

This study is linked to Volta2 project, launched in December 2010 for 3 years. Volta2 project has used innovation platforms as its principal development tool to achieve integrated management of rainwater for crop-livestock agroecosystems in 2 West African countries (Burkina Faso and Ghana). The aim of our study is to assess the impact of structure of innovation platform members, their conduct, and the consequence on the improvement of performance of crop and livestock production in four focal villages of Yatenga province, northern Burkina Faso (Ziga, Koura Bagre, Pogoro Silmimosse and Bogoya). The study was conducted from April to September 2013 with 2 months of field surveys between mid-May and mid-July 2013 in the four villages. This study was conducted through one approach borrowed from socio-economic theory: the model of “Structure – Conduct – Performance (SCP)”. The improvement in crop and livestock production was measured by asking farmers for their perception of this improvement. For data collection, focus group discussions and individual surveys with different stakeholders were used. Data analysis was carried through SPSS software, firstly for factor analysis to identify the dominant constructs of what makes innovation platform successful. And then, for regression analysis to determine the relationships between structure of innovation platform, the conduct of its members and whether they are achieving the objectives they set themselves in terms of improvement of crop and livestock production. Qualitative data was also interpreted to complete and interpret the results obtained through the analysis of quantitative data. Our study shows a positive impact of innovation platform, set up by Volta2 project, on IP member’s practices in Yatenga province. Innovation platform have contributed to the change of mentalities and conduct of its members in their activities. Indeed, through IP, its members have benefited from different support in their activities that have contributed to their capacity development, mainly by the reinforcement of their human and social capacity. The human capacity was improved through different trainings and advice received by IP members from different facilitators of innovation platform, such as training in animal and crop production, training in access to market, training in management of rainwater for crop and livestock production, etc. The social capacity of IP members was improved through new contacts and new partners that IP members have got in their activities. Indeed, through innovation platform, IP members of one village have entered in contact with IP members of other villages. Innovation platform have contributed to closer working relationships among IP members within the same village and to villagers gaining easier access to some organisations such as micro-credit organisations, animal husbandry and phytosanitary services of agricultural ministry, etc., which can help them to improve their activities. This improvement of human and social capacity of IP members has resulted in the improvement of crop and livestock production through a better exchange of information and knowledge between different stakeholders and a better access to different support services. Thus, our study shows a positive impact of innovation platform set up by Volta2 project for improvement of crop and livestock production in Yatenga province. These findings justify the necessity to support this kind of project in the perspective of reinforcing food security and reducing poverty in rural areas around the world.

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Citation

Teno, G. 2013. Impact evaluation of an innovation platform on improvement of crop and livestock productions in four villages of Yatenga province, northern Burkina Faso. MSc thesis. Montpellier, France: University of Montpellier 1.

Accessibility

Open Access

Research Themes

Land and Water Solutions for Sustainable Agriculture

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/41890

Agrobiodiversity and nutrition in traditional cropping systems - Homegardens of the indigenous Bakiga and Banyakole in southwestern Uganda.

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

TypeThesis

Subjects

Food Security

Languageen

Authors

Whitney, C.W.

In Uganda many farmer households have diverse agroforestry systems known as homegardens, which have been adapted over generations to supply a year-round harvest of nutritious foods. The work presented in this dissertation sought to identify the factors that influence the agrobiodiversity of these homegardens and to assess the effects of that agrobiodiversity on the health of the households that keep them. Households (n=102) were identified via stratified, random selection across three distinct regional ecological zones of southwestern Uganda (forest-edge, deforested areas, and wetland-edge). Their homegardens contained 209 (mean 26.8 per homegarden) useful crop species (excluding weeds and ornamentals). Crop diversity response variables regressed against socio-economic and bio-physical predictor variables, indicated weak but significant relationships (Adjusted R2 between 12 to 42%, p<0.001), the significant predictors included elevation, location, garden size, distance to market, additional land ownership (beyond the homegarden) and livestock ownership. Elevation, location and garden size also differed between four garden types, identified by cluster analysis (39 ‘Diverse tree gardens’, 10 ‘Small forest-edge gardens’, 10 ‘Large, old, species-rich gardens’, and 43 ‘Large, annual-dominated herb gardens’). Further agrobiodiversity studies with quantitative ethnobotany of 225 useful plant species (including ornamentals and weeds with secondary uses) revealed 3,961 use reports, 54% for food, 15% for economic uses and 11% for medicine. During related surveys of flora throughout the country, the baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) was recorded in a homegarden in the east, changing the current scientific knowledge of homegarden agrobiodiversity in Uganda. The agrobiodiversity data from homegardens in southwestern Uganda were compared with multiple- pass 24-hour recalls, anthropometric measurements and food insecurity questionnaires of households (n=589, 325 and 95 respectively). Results indicated positive relationships between homegarden agrobiodiversity and health outcomes. Regression models explained between 16 and 50% of variance in dietary diversity and between 21 and 75% in anthropometric measurements. Probabilistic Monte Carlo analysis was used to predict the nutrition implications of the country’s development plan to industrialize agriculture, versus maintaining homegardens. Results revealed that industrial farms produce more carbohydrate-based food energy, but that homegardens produce more key vitamins and micronutrients. The holistic and uncertainty-embracing approaches presented in this dissertation should be used to inform agricultural development decisions, especially given the data scarcity in East Africa.

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Whitney, C. W. 2018. Agrobiodiversity and nutrition in traditional cropping systems -Homegardens of the indigenous Bakiga and Banyakole in southwestern Uganda.

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Open Access

Research Themes

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https://hdl.handle.net/10568/102240

Socio-economic tipification of farmers located in the irrigation system of the Caquinal sector, Fomeque, Colombia. Thesis. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Bogota, Colombia

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

Regions

Latin America

TypeThesis

Subjects

Socio-economics
Smallholders
Irrigation

Languageen

Authors

Martínez, J.

Citation

Martinez, J. 2012. Socio-economic tipification of farmers located in the irrigation system of the Caquinal sector, Fomeque, Colombia. Thesis. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Bogota, Colombia. 58

Accessibility

Limited Access

Research Themes

Variability, Risks and Competing Uses

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34689

Solutions

Impacto econimico de potenciales cambios en el flujo de agua del rio Quijos sobre la actividad de canotaje en el cantin El Chaco. .Catilica. Quito, Ecuador

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

TypeThesis

Subjects

Ecosystems
River basins
Impact
Socio-economics
Poverty/food security/livelihoods

Languagees

Authors

Mantilla, D.

Citation

Mantilla, D. 2012. Impacto economico de potenciales cambios en el flujo de agua del rio Quijos sobre la actividad de canotaje en el cantin El Chaco. . Pontificia Universidad Catilica. Quito, Ecuador.

Accessibility

Limited Access

Research Themes

Variability, Risks and Competing Uses

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34691

Solutions

Social equity

Communication tools for Improved knowledge sharing in Rainwater management: Case study of Nile Basin Development Challenge Project.

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

TypeThesis

Subjects

Communication/extension/adoption
River basins
Agricultural water management

Languageen

Authors

Damtew, Elias

The technical, economic, and ecological aspects of rainwater management are interlinked and spatially bounded. Developing, scaling-out, and targeting rainwater management innovations as adaptive strategies to upgrade rainfed agriculture are therefore preferably best approached through integrated innovations and recommendation domains as a paradigm. At the level of scenario development, the integrated innova-tions paradigm helps to understand and address integrity between technical, economic, and ecological issues that affect technology adoption, impact, and sustained use. At the level of scaling-out and targeting, recom-mendation domains provide the spatial dimension that embraces the economic, institutional, biophysical,and agro-ecological conditions in which integrated rainwater management innovations can be accommodat-ed to address heterogeneity. This paper reviews Ethiopia's experience in rainwater management (adoption,performance, and impact) to get insights about the proposed paradigm and the factors entering the para-digm. The endings suggest that integrated innovations and the conditions of success embraced in a recom-mendation domain provide the necessary and sufficient conditions for a successful rainwater management intervention at a landscape level.

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Damtew, E. 2012. Communication tools for Improved knowledge sharing in Rainwater management: Case study of Nile Basin Development Challenge Project.,Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia

Accessibility

Limited Access

Research Themes

Variability, Risks and Competing Uses

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34665

Solutions

Productivity

Economic valuation of surface water for the agricultural sector of the Canete valley. A case study for corn growers

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

TypeThesis

Subjects

Agricultural water management
Socio-economics

Authors

Pareja, P.

Citation

Pareja, Piedad. 2012. Economic valuation of surface water for the agricultural sector of the Canete valley. A case study for corn growers.B.Sc. Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina (Peru).

Accessibility

Limited Access

Research Themes

Variability, Risks and Competing Uses

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34692

Solutions

What are the main drivers behind Ethiopian farmers soil and water conservation practices

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

TypeThesis

Subjects

Ecosystems
Soils
Agricultural water management

Languageen

Authors

Dufourny N.

The present report describes the internship done at the ILRI Research Center of Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) from May 2011 to August 2011. This internship was required for the fulfillment of a Masters degree in Economics at the Universit Catholique de Louvain (Belgium). This report is structured in three sections, a description of the host organization along with the internship topics and objectives and the methods solicited. The analysis related to the economical question about the drivers of soil and water conservations adoption and a personal evaluation of the experience are then presented. The internship project was formally reviewed and redesigned based on work embodied in the Nile Basin Development Challenge (NBCD).

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Dufourny N. 2012. What are the main drivers behind Ethiopian farmers soil and water conservation practices.

Accessibility

Open Access

Research Themes

Variability, Risks and Competing Uses

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34667

Solutions

Evaluation of biomass enhancing practices in the Yatenga region of Burkina Faso

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

TypeThesis

Subjects

Agricultural production
Food Security
Food systems
Livelihoods

Languageen

Authors

Bremer, J.

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Citation

Bremer, J.2016.Evaluation of biomass enhancing practices in the Yatenga region of Burkina Faso:Plant Production Systems.Msc thesis.Wageningen, Netherlands: Wageningen University.104p.

Accessibility

Open Access

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/77487

Solutions

Communication tools for improved knowledge sharing in rainwater management: A case study of the Nile Basin Development Challenge

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

TypeThesis

Languageen

Authors

Damtew, Elias

Communication and knowledge sharing among stakeholders working in rainwater management has a paramount importance to create shared understanding and to narrow the gap between research and action. Even though various rainwater management initiatives have been undertaken in Ethiopia in the last thirty years, there has been limited opportunity to share experience, to take valuable lessons and avoid duplication of efforts. This paper attempted to describe NBDC stakeholders’ understanding on concepts and practices of RWM. It then assessed knowledge sharing challenges in RWM and finally went to evaluating and identifying communication and knowledge sharing tools for stakeholders in NBDC. By stratifying stakeholders as Policy Makers, Development Actors, Research Institutes and farmers, multi-stage sampling was used at organizational and individual levels to draw 129 respondents from selected stakeholders which were MoA, GIZ, Holleta Research Center and Farmers in Jeldu Woreda. Both probabilistic and non probabilistic sampling techniques were used in the process. More of qualitative and some quantitative data were collected using interview schedule, FGD and key informant interviews. Narrative Analysis, Triangulation and RAAKS tools for qualitative analysis and simple descriptive statistics for quantitative analysis were employed. The result showed that there were different perceptions and understanding on basic concepts and practices of RWM. Farmers were found to have limited knowledge and practical know-how on scientific RWM concepts and practices whereas; professionals focused more on technological aspects of RWM than on enabling institutional innovation. Difficulty of knowledge transfer from model farmers, luck of constant follow up and resources to translate knowledge into practice among farmers and luck of commitment, different professional approaches, varying interest, lack of strong network and lack of enabling technologies and knowledge management professionals were among the major challenges for improved knowledge sharing in rainwater management among other stakeholders. The study revealed that communication and knowledge sharing tools used by training facilitators were not suitable to the majority of farmers. Farmers preferred a more practical oriented training sessions with demonstrations and field visits and with audio-visual tools like video, films and radio programs as teaching aids. Ease of understanding and permanence of acquired knowledge were among the major reasons for farmers’ preference. Professionals from Holleta research Center preferred tools and methods that allow both face-to-face and virtual communications justifying the importance at different levels of engagements. Respondents from GIZ have shown more interest to virtual communication through web-based applications whereas, experts from MoA voted for face-to-face communications and knowledge sharing through workshops, conferences, seminars and trainings as these provides a better opportunity to deal with ambiguous and unstructured tasks as policy makers. To improve knowledge sharing success in RWM, more investment in time and money for integration, deeper understanding of the barriers to knowledge sharing and use of appropriate tools and methods is required among stakeholders.

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Citation

Damtew, E. 2012. Communication tools for improved knowledge sharing in rainwater management: A case study of the Nile Basin Development Challenge. MSc thesis in Agricultural Information and Communication Management. Haramaya, Ethiopia: Haramaya University.

Accessibility

Open Access

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/16981

Economic valuation of surface water for the agricultural sector of the Canete valley. A case study for corn growers

wle_admin — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 00:55:04 +0000

Authors

Pareja, P.

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Accessibility

Limited Access

Date Available

December 18, 2013

Last Updated

February 02, 2014

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34692

Citation

Pareja, Piedad. 2012. Economic valuation of surface water for the agricultural sector of the Canete valley. A case study for corn growers.B.Sc. Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina (Peru).

Regions

South America

TypeThesis