Transformation towards Organic Cassava Production in Yasothon Province, Thailand
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
With the marked increase in consumer and commercial demand for organic foods and products, organic cassava production has become a viable alternative for small growers because it can lead to the sustainability of the agriculture and food production system. However, few studies have been conducted to enable a more comprehensive understanding of the factors that contribute to the transformation from chemical into organic cassava production systems. This study quantitatively aimed to identify socioeconomic, cassava profitability, and institutional factors that influence the cultural practice transformation towards organic cassava production in a district of Yasothon province, Thailand. We used a structured interview schedule to collect data from 283 sampled cassava growers comprising 236 chemical cassava growers and 47 organic cassava growers in the district during the period from August 2020 to November 2020. Quantitatively, we used the binary logistic regression method to identify the positive and negative factors contributing to the transformation of cassava production systems including growers’ motivations for the transformation. The study findings indicated that income from organic cassava was taken as the main motivation for growers’ decisions to transform (40.3%). We found that organic cassava farm gate price, access to formal credit, labor used and membership in growers’ organizations were positive significant factors that affected the cultural practice transformation. Finally, small cassava growers as well as stakeholders should systemically be considered by policymakers and in strategic intervention through relevant institutions.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright Transfer Statement
The copyright of this article is transferred to Current Applied Science and Technology journal with effect if and when the article is accepted for publication. The copyright transfer covers the exclusive right to reproduce and distribute the article, including reprints, translations, photographic reproductions, electronic form (offline, online) or any other reproductions of similar nature.
The author warrants that this contribution is original and that he/she has full power to make this grant. The author signs for and accepts responsibility for releasing this material on behalf of any and all co-authors.
Here is the link for download: Copyright transfer form.pdf
References
Akyüz, N. C., & Theuvse, L. (2020). The impact of behavioral drivers on adoption of sustainable agricultural Practices: The case of organic farming in Turkey. Sustainability, 12(17), Article 6875. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12176875
Agresti, A. (2007). An Introduction to Categorical Data Analysis. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Ang, J. B. (2015). Agricultural transition and the adoption of primitive technology. Economic Inquiry, 53(4), 1818-1838. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecin.12210.
Andres, C., Mandloi, L. S., & Bhullar, G. S. (2016). Sustaining the supply of white gold: The case of Sys Com innovation platforms in India. In I. Dror, J. J. Cadilhon, M. Schut, M. Misiko & S. Maheshwari (Eds). Innovation Platforms for Agricultural Development: Evaluating the Mature Innovation Platforms Landscape (pp. 133-150). Routledge.
Arellanes, P., & Lee, D. R. (2003). The determinants of adoption of sustainable agriculture technologies: Evidence from the hillsides of Honduras. Proceedings of the 25th International Conference of Agricultural Economists (IAAE) (pp. 693-699). Durban, South Africa.
Awotide, B. A., Karimov, A. A., & Diagne, A. (2016). Agricultural technology adoption, commercialization and smallholder rice farmers’ welfare in rural Nigeria. Agricultural and Food Economics, 4(3). Article 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40100-016-0047-8
Barghouti, S., Kane, S., Sorby, K., & Ali, M. (2004). Agricultural diversification for poor: Guidelines for practitioners. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Agriculture and Rural Development Department.
BOI. (2017, September 30). Leading the world in cassava production. https://www.boi.go.th/upload/content/TIR-SEP2017_81650.pdf
Carney, D. (1996). Farmers organisations: Meeting the needs of resource-poor farmers? Land and Agriculture Policy Centre.
Cerilles, A. W. E. (2015). Gahung-Gahung organic cassava farming system: A climate change adaptive and poverty-alleviating farming strategy. Journal of Agricultural Technology, 11(8), 1669-1675.
Conteh, A. M. H., Moiwo, J. P., & Yan, X. (2016). Using a logistic regression model to analyze alley farming adoption factors in Sierra Leone. Small-scale Forestry, 15(1), 109-125. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11842-015-9311-0
Dankyi, A. A., & Adjekum, A. A. (2007). Determinants of the adoption of improved cassava varieties in Southern Ghana-logistic regression analysis. In Proceedings of the 13th Symposium of the International Society for Tropical Root Crops (ISTRC) (pp. 641-647). The Arusha International Conference Centre in Tanzania.
Danso-Abbeam, G., Bosiako, J. A., Ehiakpor, D. S., & Mabe, F. N. (2017). Adoption of improved maize variety among farm households in the northern region of Ghana. Cogent Economics and Finance, 5(1), Article 1416896. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2017.1416896
Effa, E. B., Okweche, S. I., Nwaogu, C., & Oko, P. A. (2024). Cassava production and products: Potential sustainable utilization strategies for environmental security. In M. C. Ogwu, S. C. Izah, A. A. C. Alves & S. C. Babu (Eds). Sustainable cassava: Strategies from production through waste management (pp. 40-54). Elsevier.
FAO. (2018). Transition towards sustainable development. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Hall, A., & Mogyorody, V. (2001). Organic farmers in Ontario: An examination of the conventionalization argument. Sociologia Ruralis, 41, 399-422. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9523.00191
Jerumeh, T. R., & Omonona, B. T. (2020). Determinants of transition in farm size among cassava-based farmers in Nigeria. Kasetsart Journal of Social Science, 41(1), 97-103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.kjss.2018.02.008
Karki, L., Schleenbecker, R., & Hamm, U. (2011). Factors influencing a conversion to organic farming in Nepalese tea farms. Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics, 112(2), 113-123.
Khapayi, M., & Celliers, P. R. (2016). Factors limiting and preventing emerging farmers to progress to commercial agricultural farming in the King William’s town area of the Eastern Cape province, South Africa. South Africa Journal of Agricultural Extension, 44(1), 25-41. https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3221/2016/v44n1a374
Kidane, T. T., & Zwane, E. F. (2022). Smallholder farmers’ attitude towards organic farming and factors influencing their attitude: The case of Kwazulu-Natal province, South Africa. International Journal of Agricultural Extension, 10(1), 55-60. https://doi.org/10.33687/ijae.010.01.3746
Kulshreshtha, S. (2024). Access to information and adoption of new farming practices: A spatial analysis. GLO Discussion Paper, No. 1435. Global Labor Organization.
Lapar, M. L. A., & Ehui, S. K. (2004). Factors affecting adoption of dual-purpose forage in the Philippine uplands. Agricultural Systems, 81(2), 95-114. https://doi.org//10.1016/j.agsy.2003. 09.003
Lee, S., Nguyen, T. T., Poppenborg, P., Shin, H., & Koellner, T. (2016). Conventional, partially converted and environmentally friendly farming in South Korea: Profitability and factors affecting farmers’ choice. Sustainability, 8(8), 704-812. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8080704
Li, X., Yadav, R., & Siddique, K. H. M. (2020). Neglected and underutilized crop species: the key to improving dietary diversity and fighting hunger and malnutrition in Asia and the Pacific. Frontiers in Nutrition, 7(11), Article 593711. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2020.593711
Madala, G. S. (2005). Introduction to Econometrics (3rd ed). Wiley.
Mattila, T. E. A., Heikkinen, J. M., Koivisto, A. M., & Rautiainen, R. H. (2012). Predictors for interest to change from conventional to organic horticultural production. Agricultural and Food Science, 27, 217-226. https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.65392
McCallum, E. J., Anjanappa, R. B., & Gruissem, W. (2017). Tackling agriculturally relevant diseases in the staple crop cassava (Manihot esculenta). Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 38(8), 50‐58. https://doi.org/10.1177/2515690X231206227
Minetos, D., & Polyzos, S. (2009). Multivariate statistical methodologies for testing hypotheses of land use change: A review and evaluation. Journal of Environmental Protection and Ecology, 10(3), 834-866.
Mmbando, F. E., & Baiyegunhi, L. J. (2016). Socio-economic and institutional factors influencing adoption of improved maize varieties in Hai district, Tanzania. Journal of Human Ecology, 53(1), 49-56. https://doi.org/10.1080/09709274.2016.11906955
Moser, C. M., & Barrett, C. B. (2006). The complex dynamics of smallholder technology adoption: the case of SRI in Madagascar. Agricultural Economics, 35(3), 373-388. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-0862.2006.00169.x
Muiruri, S. K., Ntui, V. O., Tripathi, L., & Tripathi, J. N. (2021). Mechanisms and approaches towards enhanced drought tolerance in cassava (Manihot esculenta). Current Plant Biology, 28(12), Article 100227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpb.2021.100227
Mustapha, S., Tanko, M., & Abukari, I. (2017). Application of multinomial logistic to smallholder farmers’ market participation in northern Ghana. International Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2(3), 55-62. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20170203.12
Neill, S. P., & Lee, D. R. (2001). Explaining the adoption and dis-adoption of sustainable agriculture: The case of cover crops in northern Honduras. Economic Development and Cultural Change, 49(4), 793-820. https://doi.org/10.1086/452525
National Statistical Office. (2021, September 30). Demography population and housing statistics. http://statbbi.nso.go.th/staticreport/page/sector/en/01.aspx
Ntshangase, N. L., Muroyiwa, B., & Sibanda, M. (2018). Farmers’ perceptions and factors influencing the adoption of no-till conservation agriculture by small-scale farmers in Zashuke, KwaZulu-Natal province. Sustainability, 10(2), Article 555. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10020555
Ogwu, M. C., & Kulkarni, S. (2024). Sustainable cassava: An overview. In M. C. Ogwu, S. C. Izah, A. A. C. Alves & S. C. Babu (Eds). Sustainable cassava: Strategies from production through waste management (pp. 2-11). Elsevier.
Okeyo, S. O., Ndirangu, S. N., Isaboke, H. N., Njeru, L. K., & Omeda, J. A. (2020). Analysis of the determinants of farmer participation in sorghum farming among small-scale farmers in Siaya County, Kenya. Scientific African, 10, Article e00559. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2020.e00559
Oluwasola, O. (2010). Stimulating rural employment and income for cassava (Manihot spp.) processing farming households in Oyo State, Nigeria through policy initiatives. Journal of Development and Agricultural Economics, 2(2), 18-25. https://doi.org/10.5897/JDAE.9000122
Othman, M. S., Oughton, E., & Garrod, G. (2020). Significance of farming groups for resource access and livelihood improvement of rural smallholder women farmers. Development in Practice, 30(5), 586-598. https://doi.org/10.1080/09614524.2020.1764502
Ouédraogo, M., Zougmoré, R., Moussa, A. S., Partey, S. T., Thornton, P. K., Kristjanson, P., Ndour, N. Y. B., Somé, L., Naab, J., Boureima, M., Diakité, L., & Quiros, C. (2017). Markets and climate are driving rapid change in farming practices in Savannah, West Africa. Regional Environmental Change, 17, 437-449. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-016-1029-9
OAE. (2019). Agricultural statistics of Thailand 2018. Office of Agricultural Economics.
OAE. (2020). Agricultural statistics of Thailand 2019. Office of Agricultural Economics.
OAE. (2021).Thailand foreign agricultural trade statistics 2020. Office of Agricultural Economics.
OAE. (2022). Organic Agriculture Action Plan 2023-2027. Office of Agricultural Economics.
ONESDC. (2022). The 13th national economic and social development plan (2023-2027). Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council, Office of the Prime Minister.
Pannell, D. J., Marshall, G. R., Barr, N., Curtis, A., Vanclay, F., & Wilkinson, R. (2006). Understanding and promoting adoption of conservation practices by rural landholders. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 46(11), 1407-1424. https://doi.org/10.1071/EA05037
Piyachomkwan, K., & Tanticharoen, M. (2011). Cassava industry in Thailand: Prospects. The Journal of the Royal Institute of Thailand, 3, 160-170.
Pushpalatha, R. & Gangadharan, B. (2020). Is cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) a climate “smart” crop? A review in the context of bridging future food demand gap. Tropical Plant Biology, 13(3), 201‐211. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12042-020-09255-2
Riar, A., Mandloi, L. S., Poswal, R. S., Messmer, M. M., & Bhullar, G. S. (2017). A diagnosis of biophysical and socio-economic factors influencing farmers’ choice to adopt organic or conventional farming system for cotton production. Frontiers in Plant Science, 8, Article 1289. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2017.01289
Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of Innovations (5th ed). Free Press.
Sarker, A., & Itohara, Y. (2008). Factors influencing the extent of practice of organic farming technologies: A case study of Tangail district in Bangladesh. American Journal of Agricultural and Biological Sciences, 3(3), 584-590. https://doi.org/ 10.3844/ajabssp.2008.584.590
Sartas, M., Shut, M., Proietti, C., Thiele, G., & Leeuwis, C. (2020). Scaling readiness: Science and practice of an approach to enhance impact of research for development. Agricultural Systems, 183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2020.102874
Sodjinou, E., Glin, L. C., Nicolay, G., Tovignan, S., & Hinvi, J. (2015). Socioeconomic determinants of organic cotton adoption in Benin, West Africa. Agricultural and Food Economics, 3(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40100-015-0030-9
TDRI. (1992). Food situation outlook in Asia: Case study of Thailand. Thailand Development Research Institute.
Teklewold, H., Kassie, M., & Shiferaw, B. (2013). Adoption of multiple sustainable agricultural practice in rural Ethiopia. Journal of Agricultural Economics, 64(3), 597-623. https://doi.org/10.1111/1477-9552.12011
Thornton, P. K., Kristjanson, P., Förch, W., Barahona, C., Cramer, L., & Pradhan, S. (2018). Is agricultural adaptation to global change in lower-income countries on track to meet the future production challenge? Global Environmental Change, 52, 37-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2018.06.003
Thrupp, L. A. (2000). Linking agricultural biodiversity and food security: The valuable role of agrobiodiversity for sustainable agriculture. International Affairs, 76(2), 265-281. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2346.00133
Trabelsi, M., Mandart, E., Grusse, P. L., & Bord, J. P. (2016). How to measure the agroecological performance of farming in order to assist with the transition process. Environment Science and Pollution Research, 23(1), 139-156. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5680-3
Ullah, R., Shivakoti, G. P., & Ali, G. (2015). Factors affecting farmers’ risk attitude and risk perceptions: The case of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 13, 151-157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2015.05.005
Ugwumba, C. O. A., & Okechukwu, E. O. (2014). Adoption of improved maize production technologies in Enugu State, Nigeria. International Journal of Agriculture Innovations and Research, 3(1), 259-261.
Wigboldus, S., Klerkx, L., Leeuwis, C., Schut, M., Muilerman, S., & Jochemsen, H. (2016). Systemic perspectives on scaling agricultural innovations: A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 36, Article 46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-016-0380-z
Yamane, T. (1967). Statistics: An Introductory Analysis (2nd ed). Harper and Row.
Yee, J., Ahearn, M. C., & Huffman, W. (2004). Link among farm productivity, off-farm work and farm size in the Southeast. Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 36(3), 591-603. https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.43450
Yigezu, Y. A., Mugera, A., El-Shater, T., Aw-Hassan, A., Piggin, C., Haddad, A., Khalil, Y., & Loss, S. (2018). Enhancing adoption of agricultural technologies requiring high initial investment among smallholders. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 134, 199-206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2018.06.006
Ziegel, E. R., & Menard, S. (2012). Applied logistic regression analysis. Technometrics, 38(2), Article 192. https://doi.org/10.2307/1270433