Suchergebnisse

Seed systems for vegetatively propagated crops (VPCs) are frequently governed by a regulatory blueprint designed for major cereal crops. This approach tends to disregard the distinct biological characteristics of VPCs, in turn limiting farmers' access to high-quality planting material and increasing the risk of pest and disease transmission. In this paper, we ask what type of regulatory framework is appropriate for improving farmers' access to quality VPC planting material, and what the costs, benefits, risks, and unintended consequences are of alternative regulations. We explore this in the context of cassava and potato in Vietnam through secondary data and document analysis, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. Findings indicate that despite a regulatory regime that imposes strict rules on the production and trade of planting material for VPCs, the market is largely unregulated due to weak enforcement capacity. In the absence of regulatory enforcement, however, producers and traders of VPC planting material signal quality to farmers through trust, reputation, and long-term relationships. Though effective at a small and localized scale, these informal systems are unlikely to accommodate the plans for rapid expansion of the cassava and potato sectors outlined in the Government of Vietnam's strategy for growth and development. Nor are they likely to prove effective in managing increases in pest and disease pressures that result from cross-border trade, climate change, or other factors. We discuss alternative policy approaches and argue that the most appropriate policy regime requires that a careful balance be struck between a permissive regime at the local level and strict regulatory surveillance and enforcement at the national and regional level.

Seed systems for vegetatively propagated crops (VPCs) are frequently governed by a regulatory blueprint designed for major cereal crops. This approach tends to disregard the distinct biological characteristics of VPCs, in turn limiting farmers' access to high-quality planting material and increasing the risk of pest and disease transmission. In this paper, we ask what type of regulatory framework is appropriate for improving farmers' access to quality VPC planting material, and what the costs, benefits, risks, and unintended consequences are of alternative regulations. We explore this in the context of cassava and potato in Vietnam through secondary data and document analysis, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. Findings indicate that despite a regulatory regime that imposes strict rules on the production and trade of planting material for VPCs, the market is largely unregulated due to weak enforcement capacity. In the absence of regulatory enforcement, however, producers and traders of VPC planting material signal quality to farmers through trust, reputation, and long-term relationships. Though effective at a small and localized scale, these informal systems are unlikely to accommodate the plans for rapid expansion of the cassava and potato sectors outlined in the Government of Vietnam's strategy for growth and development. Nor are they likely to prove effective in managing increases in pest and disease pressures that result from cross-border trade, climate change, or other factors. We discuss alternative policy approaches and argue that the most appropriate policy regime requires that a careful balance be struck between a permissive regime at the local level and strict regulatory surveillance and enforcement at the national and regional level. ; IFPRI5; CRP2; CRP3.4; 1 Fostering Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Food Supply; 3 Building Inclusive and Efficient Markets, Trade Systems, and Food Industry ; DSGD; PIM ; Non-PR ; CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM); CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tuber, and Bananas (RTB)

This article provides a description of an agricultural household survey data of rice growers collected in Ecuador between October 2014 and March 2015. The household survey was implemented using a structured questionnaire administered among 1028 households in the main rice production areas of Ecuador (i.e. Guayas, Los Rios, Manabi, and El Oro provinces). Information collected was provided by household heads (male or female) and included household and plot level data. The survey information includes household socio-demographic characteristics (e.g. age, education, gender, main economic activity, etc.), farm characteristics (e.g. farm land size, assets ownership, other crops planted, etc.), rice management practices (e.g. variety and input use, production costs, etc.), and rice production and utilization (e.g. yields, prices, sales, etc.). Additional socio-economic context variables were also recorded such as government subsidies to rice production, participation in rural organizations, and food security related questions. The dataset contains a total of 6288 variables among numeric, categorical and string variables. The dataset is shared publicly on the Harvard dataverse site and provide access to questionnaires, the complete data and a brief report.

Rice production has increased significantly with the efforts of international research centers and national governments in the past five decades. Nonetheless, productivity improvement still needs to accelerate in the coming years to feed the growing population that depends on rice for calories and nutrients. This challenge is compounded by the increasing scarcity of natural resources such as water and farmland. This article reviews 17 ex-post impact assessment studies published from 2016 to 2021 on rice varieties, agronomic practices, institutional arrangements, information and communication technologies, and post-harvest technologies used by rice farmers. From the review of these selected studies, we found that stress-tolerant varieties in Asia and Africa significantly increased rice yield and income. Additionally, institutional innovations, training, and natural resource management practices, such as direct-seeded rice, rodent control, and iron-toxicity removal, have had a considerable positive effect on smallholder rice farmers' economic well-being (income and rice yield). Additional positive impacts are expected from the important uptake of stress-tolerant varieties documented in several Asian, Latin American, and African countries.

This article provides a description of an agricultural household survey data of rice growers collected in Ecuador between October 2014 and March 2015. The household survey was implemented using a structured questionnaire administered among 1,028 households in the main rice production areas of Ecuador (i.e. Guayas, Los Rios, Manabi, and El Oro provinces). Information collected was provided by household heads (male or female) and included household and plot level data. The survey information includes household socio-demographic characteristics (e.g. age, education, gender, main economic activity, etc.), farm characteristics (e.g. farm land size, assets ownership, other crops planted, etc.), rice management practices (e.g. variety and input use, production costs, etc.), and rice production and utilization (e.g. yields, prices, sales, etc.). Additional socio-economic context variables were also recorded such as government subsidies to rice production, participation in rural organizations, and food security related questions. The dataset contains a total of 6,288 variables among numeric, categorical and string variables. The dataset is shared publicly on the Harvard dataverse site and provide access to questionnaires, the complete data and a brief report. ; Peer Review

Rice production has increased significantly with the efforts of international research centers and national governments in the past five decades. Nonetheless, productivity improvement still needs to accelerate in the coming years to feed the growing population that depends on rice for calories and nutrients. This challenge is compounded by the increasing scarcity of natural resources such as water and farmland. This article reviews 17 ex-post impact assessment studies published from 2016 to 2021 on rice varieties, agronomic practices, institutional arrangements, information and communication technologies, and post-harvest technologies used by rice farmers. From the review of these selected studies, we found that stress-tolerant varieties in Asia and Africa significantly increased rice yield and income. Additionally, institutional innovations, training, and natural resource management practices, such as direct-seeded rice, rodent control, and iron-toxicity removal, have had a considerable positive effect on smallholder rice farmers' economic well-being (income and rice yield). Additional positive impacts are expected from the important uptake of stress-tolerant varieties documented in several Asian, Latin American, and African countries.

Few longitudinal studies link agricultural biodiversity, land use and food access in rural landscapes. In this paper, we test the hypothesis that, in a context of economic change, cash crop expansion is associated with deforestation, reduced agrobiodiversity and changes in food access. For this purpose, we analysed data collected from the same 53 upland and floodplain mestizo households in Ucayali, Peru, in 2000 and 2015. We found an emerging transition towards less diversified food access coupled with loss of forest cover and reduced agricultural biodiversity. In 2015, diets appeared to rely on fewer food groups, fewer food items, and on products increasingly purchased in the market compared to 2000. Wild fruits and plants were mentioned, but rarely consumed. Agricultural production systems became more specialised with a shift towards commercial crops. Peak deforestation years in the 15-year period appeared linked with incentives for agricultural expansion. Our results suggest an overall trend from diversified productive and "extractive" systems and more diverse food access, towards specialized productive systems, with less diverse food access and stronger market orientation (both in production and consumption). The assumption in the food and agricultural sciences that increased income and market-orientation is linked to improved food security, is challenged by our integrated analyses of food access, agrobiodiversity, land use and forest cover. Our results highlight the importance of longitudinal, multidimensional, systemic analyses, with major implications for land use, food and health policies. The potential risks of parallel homogenisation of diets and agricultural production systems require interdisciplinary research and policies that promote integrated landscape approaches for sustainable and inclusive food systems.