1 Department of Agricultural Resource Management, University of Embu, P.O. Box 6-60100, Embu, Kenya. 2 Department of Agricultural Resource Management, Kenyatta University, P.O. Box 43844-00100, Nairobi, Kenya. 3 Department of Environmental Sciences, Kenyatta University, P.O. Box 43844-00100, Nairobi, Kenya. 4 Department of Land and Water Management, University of Embu, P.O. Box 660100, Embu, Kenya.

Adoption of Soybean by Smallholder Farmers in the Central Highlands of Kenya

The high productivity together with hypoxic conditions in sediments enables wetlands to accumulate large amounts of soil organic carbon (SOC). However, natural tropical freshwater wetlands are increasingly being converted into other land uses, mainly rice cultivation. In this study, we investigated the impact of conversion of a natural tropical freshwater wetland into a rice paddy wetland on SOC, by determining SOC content, density and storage potential in the natural section (under different vegetation communities dominated by Cyperus papyrus [Papyrus], Typha latifolia [Typha] and Phragmites mauritianus [Phragmites]) and in the converted section (under rice cultivation). The SOC contents (g kg−1) and densities (kg m−2) of the 3 vegetation communities (Papyrus; 123.7 ± 2.6 [SE] and 7.22 ± 0.11, Typha; 85.3 ± 1.1 and 6.71 ± 0.12, and Phragmites; 78.2 ± 3.4 and 6.20 ± 0.06, respectively) of the natural section of the wetland were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those (39.7 ± 0.7 and 3.90 ± 0.06, respectively) of the converted section. Similarly, for the entire sampled soil depth (0–50 cm), SOC storage potentials (Mg ha−1) of Papyrus (361.18 ± 5.53), Typha (335.31 ± 6.18) and Phragmites (310.17 ± 3.16) significantly exceeded (p < 0.05) that obtained in the converted section by nearly 46%, 42% and 38%, respectively. Soil physico-chemical characteristics: bulk density, salinity, pH and temperature, showed comparably significant correlations (p < 0.05) with SOC in both the natural and converted sections of the wetland. We strongly believe that exploration of alternative options for increasing rice production outside wetlands is paramount if natural tropical freshwater wetlands are to remain important ecosystems in climate change mitigation.

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A natural tropical freshwater wetland is a better climate change mitigation option through soil organic carbon storage compared to a rice paddy wetland

http://www.cell.com/article/S2405844022006624/pdf

Analysis and health risk assessments of some trace metals in Ethiopian rice (white and red) and imported rice

The objective of the study was to analyze the factors that determine the use of free pollination varieties of sorghum in the north of the state of Sinaloa, in order to characterize the type of producers that use this type of seeds. A discrete choice model was utilized to identify the factors that influence the adoption of sorghum by 199 farmers. Later, adopters (n= 11) and non-adopters (n= 188) of the technology were characterized based on non-parametric tests. The results show that 5.5 % of the producers have adopted sorghum varieties. The number of years with technical assistance and milk production were significant ( P <0.05) for the adoption. Also, the characterization of the farmers showed that those who have more resources—infrastructure, machinery, livestock, land, wages and technical assistance, —were the ones who adopted the varieties of sorghum. It is concluded that the adoption of seeds is low and requires public goods, such as agricultural outreach programs, for the dissemination of its benefits to allow greater appropriation by farmers in the region of study.

/pdf/factores-determinantes-del-uso-de-sorgo-para-alimentacion-de-3rliqxngsa.pdf

Factores determinantes del uso de sorgo para alimentación de ganado bovino en el noroeste de México

Rice planting technologies and farm performance under different production systems in Ghana

Rice cultivation is a new practice to Tselemti district of Tigray region, Ethiopia. Adoption of rice technologies is very slow in spite of its potential in the area. This research intended to identify factors affecting adoption of rice technologies. A multistage sampling technique was employed to select 150 sample households for this study. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were employed to see mean and percentage differences between adopter and non-adopter categories. Besides, binary logistic regression model was employed to identify the factors affecting adoption of rice technology. Result of the descriptive and inferential analysis showed that adopters had better farm size, livestock holding, farm income, labor availability, education level, perception on rice yield, access to credit service, contacts with extension agents, participation in off-farm activities, participation in training and field days as compared to non-adopters. Moreover, the binary logistic regression model result showed that the level of education, perception on rice yield, access to credit service, participation in off-farm activities, participation on field day and participation in training were found to positively and significantly influence the adoption decision of rice technology at 1%, 5% and 10% significant level. However, market distance influences rice technology adoption negatively and significantly at 10% significant level. The variables education, rice yield, access to credit, off-farm activities, market distance, participation on field day and training determine the farmers’ continued adoption decision behavior of rice technology. Therefore, the adoption of rice technology should be sustained by paying attention and moving along with those variables which influenced the adoption significantly.

/pdf/factors-affecting-adoption-of-upland-rice-in-tselemti-gjzzj1b8qc.pdf

Hadush Hagos

Papers

Factors affecting adoption of upland rice in Tselemti district, northern Ethiopia