Revisiting innovation practices in subsistence farming: The net effects of land management, pesticide, herbicide and fungicide practices on expected crop harvest in Ethiopia
Abstract
To settle inconsistent findings in the farming innovation and productivity nexus, this inquiry examines the land management practices of 7,625 households in rural Ethiopia. Specifically, the net effects of (1) improved seeds, (2) mixed cropping and (3) row planting on the use of (4) pesticides, (5) herbicides and (6) fungicides are assessed. Using a structural equation technique, the study probes how these six practices predict households’ expected harvest. It is found that while improved seeds increase pesticide, herbicide and fungicide use, mixed cropping and row planting generally reduce these practices. Moreover, mixed cropping moderately increases expected harvest while improved seeds and row planting have the reverse effect. The interrelations of these factors increase knowledge in contingency-driven agronomics, and provoke reflection on the sustainability of land management practices. Particularly, opposed to prevailing views, it is demonstrated that sowing traditional seeds will reduce households’ reliance on pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. The inherent findings speak to policy-makers tasked with supporting peasant life in rural Ethiopia and similar contexts.Citation
Onjewu, A-K., Jafari-Sadeghi, V. and Hussain, S. (2022) Revisiting innovation practices in subsistence farming: The net effects of land management, pesticide, herbicide and fungicide practices on expected crop harvest in Ethiopia, International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development, 14(1/2), pp.23 - 51Publisher
Inderscience PublishersJournal
International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and DevelopmentAdditional Links
https://www.inderscience.com/info/inarticle.php?artid=121477Type
Journal articleLanguage
enDescription
This is an accepted manuscript of an article to be published by Inderscience Publishing in International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development on 10/03/2022, available online: https://www.inderscience.com/info/inarticle.php?artid=121477 The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.ISSN
1753-1942EISSN
1753-1950ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1504/IJTLID.2022.121477
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