@article{JhaKaecheleSieber2019, author = {Jha, Srijna and K{\"a}chele, Harald and Sieber, Stefan}, title = {Factors Influencing the Adoption of Water Conservation Technologies by Smallholder Farmer Households in Tanzania}, series = {Water}, volume = {11}, journal = {Water}, number = {12}, publisher = {MDPI}, issn = {2073-4441}, doi = {10.3390/w11122640}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-3320}, pages = {18}, year = {2019}, abstract = {In Tanzania, the increasing population coupled with climate change amplifies issues of food insecurity and negatively impacts the livelihoods of smallholder farmer households. To address these issues a range of water conservation techniques (WCTs) have been useful. However, the adoption of these WCTs in Tanzania has been limited due to many reasons. With the objective to better understand and identify the factors that significantly influence the adoption of WCTs in Tanzania, the study uses survey data from 701 smallholder farmer households and a bivariate logistic regression, to provide, for the first time, a comprehensive model for the adoption of WCTs in Tanzania that includes a range of individual, household, socio-economic, and farmer perception related variables (factors). The evaluation shows that 120 farmers (17.12\%) adopted WCTs and finds the farmer perceptions of rainfall instability, household wealth, and food security to be crucial. The results suggest that policy interventions should encourage conservation behavior (especially when the rainfall is perceived to be uncertain), emphasize the economic and food security-related benefits of adopting WCTs, include strategies that make adoption of WCTs attractive to female-led households, attempt to reach greater number of farmers via social networks and provide better access to public funds for farmers.}, language = {en} } @article{MahmoodArshadKaecheleetal.2020, author = {Mahmood, Nasir and Arshad, Muhammad and K{\"a}chele, Harald and Shahzad, Muhammad Faisal and Ullah, Ayat and Mueller, Klaus}, title = {Fatalism, Climate Resiliency Training and Farmers' Adaptation Responses: Implications for Sustainable Rainfed-Wheat Production in Pakistan}, series = {Sustainability}, volume = {12}, journal = {Sustainability}, number = {4}, publisher = {MDPI}, issn = {2071-1050}, doi = {10.3390/su12041650}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-3338}, pages = {21}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Climate change is a severe threat to the agricultural sector in general and to rainfed farming in particular. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that can potentially affect the adaptation process against climate change. This study focused on wheat farmers and farming systems in the rainfed agroecological zone of Pakistan. Farmers' data related to climate change fatalism, the availability of climate-specific extension services, socioeconomic and institutional variables, and farm characteristics were collected. A logit model to assess farmers' decisions to adopt an adaptation measure and a multinomial logit model to assess their choice of various adaptation measures were used. The results showed that fatalistic farmers were unlikely to implement climate change adaptation measures. The variables related to the climate-specific extension services, including farmers' participation in training on climate-resilient crop farming and the availability of mobile communication-based advisory services, had highly significant and positive impacts on farmers' decisions and their choice of adaptation measures. Input market access and tractor ownership also had positive and significant impacts on farmers' decisions to adapt and their choice of adaptation measures. This study highlights the need to improve rainfed-wheat farmers' education levels to change their fatalistic attitudes towards climate change. Furthermore, government action is needed to provide climate-specific extension services to ensure sustainable production levels that will ultimately lead to food and livelihood security under a changing climate.}, language = {en} } @article{JhaKaecheleLanaetal.2020, author = {Jha, Srijna and K{\"a}chele, Harald and Lana, Marcos and Amjath-Babu, T.S and Sieber, Stefan}, title = {Exploring Farmers' Perceptions of Agricultural Technologies: A Case Study from Tanzania}, series = {Sustainability}, volume = {13}, journal = {Sustainability}, number = {3}, publisher = {MDPI}, issn = {2071-1050}, doi = {10.3390/su12030998}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-3340}, pages = {21}, year = {2020}, abstract = {The low agricultural productivity of key crops and food insecurity continue to be key issues in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and Tanzania. The growing population, depleting resources, and changing climate further amplify these issues. Globally, many agricultural technologies (AgTs) are available as pathways for improved agricultural productivity and food security, however, they have had relatively little success in SSA and Tanzania. This is because the uptake of AgTs is a complex process, which is highly localized, involving multiple actors, stages, and spatial and time dimensions. Smallholder farmers often experience issues of sustainability, constraints for adoption, and scaling-up throughout the uptake process of AgTs, all of which vary by region. This indicates a need for a systematic and simultaneous understanding of sustainability, constraints for adoption, and scaling-up of AgTs to better guide agricultural strategy and policy interventions in SSA and Tanzania. Moreover, in order to understand the local settings better, a consideration of the perceptions of the farmers themselves, who are the primary actors in the uptake process of AgTs, is key. Acknowledging this, the study takes on a case study approach, using the scaling-up assessment (ScalA) method and three focus group discussions with a total of 44 smallholder farmers to systematically and simultaneously assess the sustainability, constraints for adoption, and scaling-up of three AgTs (use of fertilizers, improved seeds, and small-scale irrigation) in Tanzania. The study finds that the farmers perceive all three AgTs to be sustainable for the study region. Adoption rates are perceived to be medium for use of fertilizers, high for improved seeds, and low for small-scale irrigation. The most significant constraints for adoption experienced by the farmers are lack of technical physical inputs, marketing facilities, and know-how. Scaling-up is perceived to be well fulfilled for use of fertilizers and improved seeds, but only partially fulfilled for small-scale irrigation, which is the most limited of the three AgTs. The most significant constraints for scaling-up experienced by farmers are a lack of confidence in the added value of the AgTs beyond project activities, marketing facilities, and technical physical inputs. The overall success potential is high for the use of fertilizers and improved seeds, and the average for small-scale irrigation. The farmers' perceptions partially indicate why the bundle of AgTs is lacking in the study region and provide a basis for discussing targeted agricultural and policy interventions in Tanzania.}, language = {en} } @article{UllahSaqibKaechele2022, author = {Ullah, Ayat and Saqib, Shahab E. and K{\"a}chele, Harald}, title = {Determinants of Farmers' Awareness and Adoption of Extension Recommended Wheat Varieties in the Rainfed Areas of Pakistan}, series = {Sustainability}, volume = {14}, journal = {Sustainability}, number = {6}, publisher = {MDPI}, issn = {2071-1050}, doi = {10.3390/su14063194}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-3496}, pages = {18}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Scientific evidence suggests that there is room for eradicating poverty and hunger by increasing food production through the adoption of modern agricultural practices by farmers. This study aimed, first, to explore the relationship between the farmers' awareness and adoption of improved wheat varieties. Second, it aimed to find the key factors that govern the farmers' awareness and adoption of extension-recommended innovations in the rainfed cropping system of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Data were collected from 395 respondents. A binary logit model was used to analyze the effect of the farmers' socioeconomic and farm-specific characteristics on their awareness and adoption of the extension-suggested wheat varieties. Moreover, qualitative data from 40 key informants were collected for in-depth analysis. The results show a strong association between the farmers' awareness of a technology (improved wheat varieties) and its adoption. The results of the logit model show that their extension contacts, income from agriculture, and access to credit positively affected the farmers' awareness, whereas their education and household sizes negatively affected their awareness. Moreover, the factors that positively influenced the farmers' decision to adopt the technology included the extension contact, the confidence in the extension, the risk-bearing attitude, and the credit access, whereas the household size and education negatively affected it. The results of the key informant interviews reveal that the high incidence of poverty, the low soil fertility, the farmers' inability to make effective decisions, the lack of accurate weather predictability in the rainfed farming system, the lack of government interest, and the asymmetric information in the inputs markets contributed to the farmers' low levels of awareness and to their poor adoption of improved agricultural technologies. These results indicate that any intervention aimed at the awareness and adoption by farmers of improved technologies, such as new wheat varieties, should recognize the heterogeneity in the farmers' socioeconomic and farm-specific characteristics.}, language = {en} } @article{BilandZebUllahetal.2021, author = {Biland, Mazhar and Zeb, Alam and Ullah, Ayat and K{\"a}chele, Harald}, title = {Why Do Households Depend on the Forest for Income? Analysis of Factors Influencing Households' Decision-Making Behaviors}, series = {Sustainability}, volume = {13}, journal = {Sustainability}, number = {16}, publisher = {MDPI}, issn = {2071-1050}, doi = {10.3390/su13169419}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-3441}, pages = {17}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Using survey information of 150 randomly selected households across 21 villages of the forest-rich district of Swat, Pakistan, this study assessed households' decision-making behaviors in depending on income from nearby forested land using socio-economic attributes. The evidence from the study may aid in making the existing policies be better targeted toward families that depend on the forest for income. Descriptive statistics and econometric techniques such as logit and tobit were used to analyze the data. Respondent households obtained the highest share of their income from off-farm activities (37\%) and least from forest activities (16\%). Fuelwood constitutes the biggest share (66\%) of forest income, followed by medical plants (20\%) and fodder (13\%). We found that households with more physical assets, more family members working in off-farm jobs, and households earning more income from off-farm jobs were significantly and negatively associated with households' decision to depend on forest income and total income obtained. We also found that households with less distance to the market and membership to joint forest management committees (JFMCs) were significantly and negatively associated with households' total income obtained. However, household size was significantly and positively related to households' decision of forest dependency. The study recommends the creation of off-farm opportunities and inclusion of local people in the management of forests through establishment of JFMCs, particularly for large and poor families.}, language = {en} } @article{UllahMahmoodZebetal.2020, author = {Ullah, Ayat and Mahmood, Nasir and Zeb, Alam and K{\"a}chele, Harald}, title = {Factors Determining Farmers' Access to and Sources of Credit: Evidence from the Rain-Fed Zone of Pakistan}, series = {Agriculture}, volume = {10}, journal = {Agriculture}, number = {12}, publisher = {MDPI}, issn = {2077-0472}, doi = {10.3390/agriculture10120586}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-3419}, pages = {13}, year = {2020}, abstract = {This study investigates the factors that affect farmers' access to agricultural credit and its role in adopting improved agricultural technologies in the rain-fed zone of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. Using logistic models, we assess and compare the relative role of farmers' socioeconomic attributes in their access to credit and adoption strategies. The results indicate a moderate positive association between farmers' access to agricultural credit and their adoption of improved agricultural technologies. The binary logit model's results indicate that farmers with a large-sized farm, high farm income, better access to information, and large physical asset ownership showed a positive influence on credit access. However, farming experience showed a negative effect on farmers' access to agricultural credit. Regarding farmers' credit sources, this study found that asset-rich farmers with more farming experience and better access to information relied more on banks than on input providers and informal credit sources. Similarly, older farmers with more education, larger farm sizes and high farm income were more likely to have borrowed from input providers than banks. We conclude that the role of the effective provision of information on credit and agricultural technology is imperative and requires separate policies that are specifically aimed at different groups of farmers with different socioeconomic and farm-related characteristics.}, language = {en} } @article{KandelBavorovaUllahetal.2023, author = {Kandel, Giri Prasad and Bavorova, Miroslava and Ullah, Ayat and K{\"a}chele, Harald and Pradhan, Prajal}, title = {Building resilience to climate change: Examining the impact of agro-ecological zones and social groups on sustainable development}, series = {Sustainable Development}, volume = {31}, journal = {Sustainable Development}, number = {5}, publisher = {Wiley}, issn = {0968-0802}, doi = {10.1002/sd.2626}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-8226}, pages = {3796 -- 3810}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Nepal is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, which is negatively affecting agricultural production and food security. However, the role of agro-ecological zones and social groups in climate change adaptation (CCA) and its impact on smallholder farmers in Nepal remains unexplored. To fill this gap, this study aimed to identify the effect of agro-ecological zones and social groups on smallholder farmers' adaptation to climate change using the multivariate probit model. Multistage sampling was used to collect data from 400 households in three agro-ecological zones of Nepal. These zones were highland (mountainous region), midland (hilly region) and lowland (terai/plain region). The results of our study showed that farmers in the Mountain region are more likely to adopt off-farm activities and temporary migration as a CCA strategy than those in the Terai/plain agro-ecological zone. In the Terai/Plain, farmers mainly adopt small-scale irrigation and agroforestry. In terms of social groups, the Brahmin group was more likely to adopt new crop varieties and small-scale irrigation than the Sudra group. The Sudra farmers preferred temporary migration and off-farm activities more than the Brahmins. Our study shows that policies to promote the adoption of CCA strategies need to take into account location and social group differences in order to improve the adaptive capacity of the most vulnerable farmers. Mountain and Sudra farmers need support to adapt to climate change and sustain agriculture.}, language = {en} } @article{MadakiLehbergerBavorovaetal.2023, author = {Madaki, Mustapha Yakubu and Lehberger, Mira and Bavorova, Miroslava and Igbasan, Boluwatife Teniola and K{\"a}chele, Harald}, title = {Effectiveness of pesticide stakeholders' information on pesticide handling knowledge and behaviour of smallholder farmers in Ogun State, Nigeria}, series = {Environment, Development and Sustainability}, journal = {Environment, Development and Sustainability}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, doi = {10.1007/s10668-023-03332-8}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-8213}, pages = {20}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Although pesticides ensure the quality and quantity of agricultural produce, they have adverse effects on farmers, their families, and consumers. Therefore, in order to reduce the unpleasant effects of pesticide use, stakeholders would be well advised to extend guidance and precautions to end users. The objective of this study was to determine the pesticide handling behaviour and the effectiveness of pesticide information on pesticide handling knowledge and personal protective equipment (PPE) use among farmers in southwest Nigeria. One hundred and fifty-six farmers were interviewed using a structured questionnaire in December 2019 and January 2020. The results revealed that a one-third of the farmers dispose their pesticide residues on the field, only 3\% of the farmers dispose the hazardous pesticide waste at a collection point, and 65\% of them dispose the empty containers indiscriminately. The majority of farmers never use respirators (79\%), hats (60\%), and boots (57\%) when applying pesticides. Knowledge of pesticide application and waste management is low (58\% of respondents scored less than 10 on a knowledge scale of 0-14). The result of the regression model shows that information from pesticide labels and farmer-to-farmer exchanges significantly increase farmers' knowledge of pesticide handling and PPE use. Our results suggest that the effectiveness of current information provision to smallholder farmers on the correct use of pesticides is not sufficient. Therefore, we highlight the need for pesticide companies, distributors, and government agencies to intensify and further develop their efforts to empower smallholder farmers to improve their knowledge and use of pesticides.}, language = {en} } @article{UllahZebSaqibetal.2022, author = {Ullah, Ayat and Zeb, Alam and Saqib, Shahab E. and K{\"a}chele, Harald}, title = {Constraints to agroforestry diffusion under the Billion Trees Afforestation Project (BTAP), Pakistan: policy recommendations for 10-BTAP}, series = {Environmental Science and Pollution Research}, journal = {Environmental Science and Pollution Research}, number = {29}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, doi = {10.1007/s11356-022-20661-9}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7419}, pages = {68757 -- 68775}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Effective agroforestry diffusion under the newly started 10-Billion Trees Afforestation Project (10-BTAP) needs a thorough understanding of the policy and implementation shortfalls of the already completed BTAP. This study examines the factors that affected the diffusion of the agroforestry in the Hindu-Kush Himalayan (HKH) region of Pakistan under BTAP. The data were gathered through in-depth interviews with Village Development Committee (VDC) members, Forest Department (FD) officials, and local farmers. Important factors positively affecting agroforestry diffusion included locations of crop fields on the river sides, community dependency on firewood, and market value of agroforestry timber. The logistic regression model shows that household head's age, access to information, and area under cropland positively affected household level adoption of agroforestry under BTAP; forest cover was negatively related. In-depth interviews show that key barriers to FD in diffusion of agroforestry included provision of false information by farmers to monitoring teams, non-availability of extension staff, lack of communication among project staff and community, as well as a lack of sufficient budget for activities. Primary barriers to community adoption of agroforestry included no participation of VDCs in planning and monitoring of agroforestry programs, lack of plant need assessments on the part of the project staff, poor quality of plants distributed by FD, farmers' poor know-how of plantations, lack of trust among community and project staff, as well as the waste of plants by farming community. Thus, this study recommends that policy-makers and project designers should consider these factors when planning agroforestry diffusion under 10-BTAP to improve its success.}, language = {en} } @article{SusanSamAbbasSurendranPadmajaetal.2021, author = {Susan Sam, Anu and Abbas, Azhar and Surendran Padmaja, Subash and Raghavan Sathyan, Archana and Vijayan, Dhanya and K{\"a}chele, Harald and Kumar, Ranjit and M{\"u}ller, Klaus}, title = {Flood vulnerability and food security in eastern India: A threat to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals}, series = {International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction}, volume = {66}, journal = {International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction}, number = {66}, publisher = {Elsevier}, issn = {2212-4209}, doi = {10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102589}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7383}, year = {2021}, abstract = {The food security situation in India has improved due to economic growth, increased agricultural productivity, public policies and hunger eradication programmes. Nevertheless, much of India's population still suffers from hunger and poverty. Floods obstruct agricultural production; destroy infrastructure; and disrupt livelihoods, normal services, health care, etc. In this way, floods ultimately affect households' food security. We examined household food security in flood-prone rural areas of India in a more extensive way than in previous studies by constructing an index that incorporates various factors of the food security dimensions. Factors determining the level of flood-prone households' food security were also analyzed. By polychoric principal component analysis, an aggregate food security index was constructed. The food security score was regressed on different explanatory variables to evaluate their effect on the overall food security situation in the study area. Our results showed that three-fourths of the respondent households faced food security issues to varying degrees. Family type, physical assets and employment scheme showed positive impacts on the level of food security of the respondents. In contrast, households with female household heads and those suffering losses of property due to floods were adversely affected in terms of negative impacts on overall food security. The results suggest the need for the adoption of integrated strategies to effectively address food security issues amidst the increased severity of flood events. The study findings are useful for policy makers in India and countries with similar backgrounds to tackle the food insecurity brought about by flood hazards.}, language = {en} } @article{UllahZebSaqibetal.2022, author = {Ullah, Ayat and Zeb, Alam and Saqib, Shahab E. and K{\"a}chele, Harald}, title = {Landscape co-management and livelihood sustainability: Lessons learned from the billion trees afforestation project in Pakistan}, series = {Land Use Policy}, journal = {Land Use Policy}, number = {115}, publisher = {Elsevier}, issn = {1873-5754}, doi = {10.1016/j.landusepol.2022.106034}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7407}, year = {2022}, language = {en} } @article{MehmoodArshadKaechele2022, author = {Mehmood, Yasir and Arshad, Muhammad and K{\"a}chele, Harald}, title = {Effects of wastewater reuse on perceived health risks of farmers in Pakistan: Application of the Zero-Inflated Poisson regression model}, series = {Journal of Cleaner Production}, journal = {Journal of Cleaner Production}, number = {369}, publisher = {Elsevier}, issn = {1879-1786}, doi = {10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.133430}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7423}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Not only is the reuse of wastewater, particularly for irrigation purposes, an increasingly common practice in developing countries, it is also encouraged by many governments and official entities. Although exposure to wastewater has noteworthy hazardous effects on human health and the environment, this is poorly understood by farmers who reuse wastewater for crop production. Using household-level survey data of 321 respondents, this study investigates the effects of wastewater reuse on farmers' perceived health risks and the determinants of farmers' reuse of wastewater for vegetable production in Punjab, Pakistan. A Zero-Inflated Poisson (ZIP) regression model shows that wastewater irrigation has a significant positive effect (P < 0.05) on farmers' perceived health risks. Farmers using wastewater have relatively little knowledge of its negative effects on human health compared to their counterparts using freshwater. Around 85\% and 80\% of farmers who used wastewater state that water scarcity and decreased production costs were the key reasons why they use wastewater for vegetable production, respectively. A logit regression model indicates that farmer age, household size, irrigation experience, income, access to institutional credit, awareness of health risks, access to canal water, ownership of tube well, and perceived health risks are the key determinants of wastewater reuse. The findings of this study and subsequent recommendations may guide policymakers in educating and updating farmers' knowledge about the hazardous effects of wastewater through frequent training and workshops. Installation of plants for wastewater treatment by collecting a pollution premium from farmers seems to be a viable option for sustainable agricultural development.}, language = {en} } @article{UllahMishraBavorovaetal.2022, author = {Ullah, Ayat and Mishra, Ashok K. and Bavorova, Miroslava and K{\"a}chele, Harald}, title = {The effect of COVID-19 pandemic on market integration: Evidence from vegetable farmers in Pakistan}, series = {International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction}, journal = {International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction}, number = {80}, publisher = {Elsevier}, issn = {2212-4209}, doi = {10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103220}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7430}, pages = {14}, year = {2022}, abstract = {The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the agriculture sector and farming communities to unprecedented risks. This study investigates the impact of the pandemic, identifying the suggestions of community elders for effective resilience via in-depth interviews (IDIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). We also examine determinants of vegetable farmers' inputs and outputs market participation using a binary logit model. The findings reveal poor business owners' support, difficulties accessing inputs and outputs markets, non-availability/shortage of inputs recommended by extension services, and poor access to mechanizations. Labor shortages, lack of access to agricultural credit, and lack of information on innovations and markets are also barriers to market integration of farming communities in Pakistan. Results of the logit model show that farming experience and support from market owners drive the participation of both the inputs and outputs market. Similarly, ownership of personal vehicles and the availability of farm machinery drive the participation of farmers in outputs markets. Various strategies are suggested to mitigate the risks of the Covid-19 pandemic, including the establishment of inputs and outputs markets, strategies for transportation, access to information, and farm machinery at the local level.}, language = {en} } @article{VijayanKaecheleGirindranetal.2021, author = {Vijayan, Dhanya and K{\"a}chele, Harald and Girindran, Renoy and Chattopadhyay, Srikumar and Lukas, Martin C. and Arshad, Muhammad}, title = {Tropical forest conversion and its impact on indigenous communities Mapping forest loss and shrinking gathering grounds in the Western Ghats, India}, series = {Land Use Policy}, journal = {Land Use Policy}, number = {102}, publisher = {Elsevier}, issn = {1873-5754}, doi = {10.1016/j.landusepol.2020.105133}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7395}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Conversions of natural forests to forest plantations threaten ecosystems and forest-dependent indigenous populations in many parts of the world. It is crucial to understand the scale and nature of such forest conversions and how they affect forest-dependent communities as a basis for prudent forest management and protection of indigenous livelihoods. This study analyses natural forest conversions and their impacts on tribal communities in the southern Western Ghats, a globally significant biodiversity hotspot. It focuses on two tribal settlements in protected forests within the catchment of the Achankovil River. The study involves time series analysis of forest cover change, based on a historical map and satellite images, field mapping of changes in the tribal communities' areas of operation, household surveys, and focus group discussions. The analysis shows that the area of protected forest decreased by 53 \% from 1978 to 2015. As a result, the size of the tribal communities' gathering areas considerably shrunk, resulting in a decline in their collection of non-timber forest products and increased dependency on forest plantations labour for their livelihood. This is especially critical as the tribal communities still prefer to depend on natural forests for their sustenance. Preservation of natural forests is hence crucial not only for biodiversity conservation, but also to protect socio-economic and cultural traits of tribal populations.}, language = {en} } @article{MahmoodArshadMehmoodetal.2021, author = {Mahmood, Nasir and Arshad, Muhammad and Mehmood, Yasir and Faisal Shahzad, Muhammad and K{\"a}chele, Harald}, title = {Farmers' perceptions and role of institutional arrangements in climate change adaptation: Insights from rainfed Pakistan}, series = {Climate Risk Management}, volume = {32}, journal = {Climate Risk Management}, publisher = {Elsevier}, issn = {2212-0963}, doi = {10.1016/j.crm.2021.100288}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7375}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Rainfed farmers are among the most vulnerable farming communities to climate change in Pakistan because of the heavy reliance of crop farming on rain and of farmers' livelihoods on crop farming. The best and most timely responses against climate change are suitable adaptation measures. Accurately perceiving the risks associated with climate change is an essential factor for planning and then implementing adaptations. Using farm household-level data of 400 rainfed farmers collected through a well-designed and field-tested questionnaire, this study examines the association between various adaptation stages (climate risk perceptions, adaptation planning, and implementation of adaptation) and their determinants using a multivariate probit (MVP) model. The findings indicate that farmers' perceptions of climatic changes are in line with historical climatic data. Climate risk management (CRM) trainings and digital agriculture extension and communication (DAEC) services (indicators of formal institutional arrangements) show a highly significant impact on all adaptation stages. Input market distance, farmer cooperative meetings (an indicator of informal institutional arrangement), off-farm income, education, and number of male family members are among the other key determinants. A highly significant association between various adaptation stages indicates that accurate climate risk perceptions lead to planning and implementation of adaptations. When risk perceptions are underestimated or lacking, then adaptations do not occur. The results further indicate that the timely availability of reliable information on advanced agricultural inputs, weather parameters, crop farming advisory services, and market information could help rainfed farmers devise sound adaptations to minimize risks associated with climate change. The study recommends the provision of CRM trainings and DAEC services to provide a better understanding and promote sound adaptation planning through the adaptive capacity enhancement of rainfed farming communities for sustainable production and livelihood security.}, language = {en} } @article{UllahSamSathyanetal.2021, author = {Ullah, Ayat and Sam, Anu Susan and Sathyan, Archana Raghava and Mahmood, Nasir and Zeb, Alam and K{\"a}chele, Harald}, title = {Role of local communities in forest landscape restoration: Key lessons from the Billion Trees Afforestation Project, Pakistan}, series = {Science of The Total Environment}, journal = {Science of The Total Environment}, number = {772}, publisher = {Elsevier}, issn = {1879-1026}, doi = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145613}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7326}, year = {2021}, abstract = {The Billion Trees Afforestation Project (BTAP) was launched in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province of Pakistan to conserve existing forests and to increase the area under forest cover. It also aimed to restore environmental conditions, promote rural livelihoods and reduce poverty. To improve the effectiveness of afforestation projects, it is essential to know the role of various factors and their impacts on community participation in landscape restoration. However, these factors and their impacts remain unexplored for the BTAP. This study identifies the factors that influenced rural household participation in the BTAP in Pakistan. The data were collected from participants and nonparticipants in the BTAP as well as from various officials. We employed both qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze the data. The results of the focus group discussions and the professional evaluation of the BTAP revealed that participant farmers enjoyed all the benefits of the project at the individual and community levels. However, the project provided only partial benefits to nonparticipant farmers at both levels. The household-level results showed that age, income from forest resources, a friendly relationship with forest department staff, a risk-bearing attitude and membership or involvement in village development committee activities had positive and significant effects on farmer participation, while disputes over land and forest resources, household size and experience with/dependence on livestock farming had negative and significant impacts on farmer participation in the BTAP. Our results suggest that policymakers and project designers should pay more attention to the factors that hindered farmer participation in the BTAP. The participation of landless and disadvantaged groups in the 10-BTAP should be increased to ensure equal and widespread benefits for all users and to ensure a win-win situation of sustainable management of the forest, the environment and livelihood opportunities for all types of forest users.}, language = {en} } @article{JhaKaecheleSieber2021, author = {Jha, Srijna and K{\"a}chele, Harald and Sieber, Stefan}, title = {Factors influencing the adoption of agroforestry by smallholder farmer households in Tanzania: Case studies from Morogoro and Dodoma}, series = {Land Use Policy}, journal = {Land Use Policy}, number = {103}, publisher = {Elsevier}, issn = {1873-5754}, doi = {10.1016/j.landusepol.2021.105308}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7340}, year = {2021}, abstract = {The adoption of agricultural innovations is a critical adaptation mechanism for smallholder farmers to prepare and deal with potential shocks and uncertainty. Agroforestry is proven to be highly impactful at improving the adaptive capacity of farmers, the resilience of local farming systems and in providing diversified livelihood benefits. The adoption of agroforestry in Tanzania is generally uneven, with some successes and some failures and could be better supported. To do so, understanding the most significant factors influencing the adoption of agroforestry is key. Logistic regression (logit model) is used to analyse household survey data collected from 697 smallholder farmers. Results indicate that only 71 farmers (10.19 \%) report planting new trees and actively practicing agroforestry. Farmers who are part of a project, are able to rent land and have a source of seedlings are more likely to adopt agroforestry. When farmers perceive rainfall to be changing, their land rights to be only moderately secure and their right to plant trees to be dependent on obtaining permission from the land owner or family members, they are less likely to adopt agroforestry. If the farmer perceives the land to be relatively fertile and has the intention to improve or maintain the fertility of his plot in the future then the likelihood of adopting agroforestry increases. Policy interventions ought to promote the participation of farmers in agroforestry projects to facilitate knowledge and experience building. Policy interventions should provide a reliable source of agroforestry inputs, such as seedlings to ensure that the resource requirements for agroforestry are well fulfilled. Farmer perceptions of land and agroforestry rights must be emphasized, clarified and streamlined to facilitate better policies. Farmer perceptions related to rainfall and soil fertility highlight a lack of awareness concerning the soil and water conservation benefits of agroforestry. Therefore, these must be better addressed through improved education and extension services. Consideration of farmer perceptions is crucial for the adoption of agroforestry.}, language = {en} } @article{ArshadAbbasKaecheleetal.2022, author = {Arshad, Muhammad and Abbas, Faisal and K{\"a}chele, Harald and Mehmood, Yasir and Mahmood, Nasir and Mueller, Klaus}, title = {Analyzing the Impact of Government Social Spending, Population Growth and Foreign Remittances on Human Development in Pakistan: Implications for Policy}, series = {The European Journal of Development Research}, journal = {The European Journal of Development Research}, number = {34}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, issn = {0957-8811}, doi = {10.1057/s41287-021-00435-8}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7314}, pages = {1607 -- 1626}, year = {2022}, abstract = {To achieve sustainable future for all, United Nations' (UNs') Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs-2030) reinforced the formulation of social, economic and human development policies. Pakistan is a country with high population growth rate, among top ten recipients of foreign remittances but facing an acute problem of stagnant human development outcomes over the years. Of note, Pakistan's economic growth is considered as growth without human face (see Easterly in The political economy of growth without development: A case study of Pakistan, 2001). It is, therefore, important from public policy point of view to understand the short-and long-run dynamics of the relationships between important social, demographic and economic factors. Accordingly, this paper investigates the short-and long-run relationships between population growth, government social spending, foreign remittances inflow and aggregate level of human development in Pakistan using Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach of cointegration and error correction models. The cointegration test results showed that there is cointegration among the variables to proceed with the estimations of long-run relationships. Our empirical results confirm the existence of short-and long-run relationships between population growth, remittances inflow and human development in Pakistan. Population growth inversely while remittances inflow positively influenced Pakistan's human development status both in the short-and long-run. The empirical findings of our study call for designing and implementing robust development policies—that result in effective and sustainable human development—mainly towards viewing population from a more humanitarian and equitable perspective in Pakistan.}, language = {en} } @article{UllahZebLiuetal.2021, author = {Ullah, Ayat and Zeb, Alam and Liu, Jinlong and Mahmood, Nasir and K{\"a}chele, Harald}, title = {Transhumant pastoralist knowledge of infectious diseases and adoption of alternative land use strategies in the Hindu-Kush Himalayan (HKH) region of Pakistan}, series = {Land Use Policy}, journal = {Land Use Policy}, publisher = {Elsevier}, issn = {1873-5754}, doi = {10.1016/j.landusepol.2021.105729}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7338}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Pastoralists' awareness of infectious disease outbreaks depends on their socioeconomic characteristics and considerably affects their land use strategies. This study aimed to identify the factors that affect transhumant communities' awareness of recently emerged Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in humans and foot and mouth disease (FMD) in animals. This study also investigated the key factors that govern the adoption of alternative land use strategies by nonmigrating transhumants to avoid seasonal migration in the Hindu-Kush Himalayan (HKH) region of Pakistan. To link the awareness of disease spread to the adoption of alternative land use strategies, a focus group discussion and a socioeconomic survey were conducted in the study area. A total of 300 households were randomly selected from a nonmigrating transhumant community. The results of the binary logit model showed that landholding size, good relationships with extension field staff, and extension contact were positively related, whereas household education was negatively related to pastoralists' awareness of infectious disease outbreaks. In the case of adopting alternative strategies to avoid future long-distance migration, our model showed that pastoralists' awareness of infectious disease outbreaks significantly and positively affected pastoralists' adoption of these strategies. The other variables that were positively associated with the pastoralists' adoption of these strategies included good relationships with extension field staff, household size and primary dependence on pastoral-based livelihood, whereas the education level of the head of the household, lack of financial resources and disputes over agricultural lands/forests were negatively associated with the pastoralists' adoption of these strategies. We conclude that to avoid infectious disease spread and promote adoption of alternative strategies, the government should pay attention to creating awareness among transhumant communities. Communicating the latest scientific research on infectious disease outbreaks and effective control measures that are translated in an understandable (pictographic) manner could be an effective policy intervention.}, language = {en} } @article{MehmoodArshadMahmoodetal.2021, author = {Mehmood, Yasir and Arshad, Muhammad and Mahmood, Nasir and K{\"a}chele, Harald and Kong, Rong}, title = {Occupational hazards, health costs, and pesticide handling practices among vegetable growers in Pakistan}, series = {Environmental Research}, journal = {Environmental Research}, number = {200}, publisher = {Elsevier}, issn = {1096-0953}, doi = {10.1016/j.envres.2021.111340}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7366}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Disregarding protective measures when handling pesticides in agricultural production imposes increased health risks and health costs on farmers as well as degrades the natural ecosystem. In Pakistan, where agriculture is the prime occupation in rural communities, there is overwhelming evidence of indiscriminate use of hazardous pesticides by farmers without taking adequate precautions. Using cross-sectional data, we examined personal protection and health costs to vegetable growers due to pesticide exposure and determinants of farmers' pesticide handling practices. The theory of averting behavior was used, and the possible factors affecting farmers' adoption of safety equipment and of disposal methods for pesticide containers were estimated using a logit model. Health effects (P < 0.05) and farmers' protection and health costs (P < 0.01) are found as important determinants of farmers' adoption of safety equipment and of disposal methods for pesticide containers. The mean protection and health cost of pesticide exposure per farmer per vegetable season in 2019 was US \$3.60. Analytical outcomes indicate that safe and recommended pesticide handling practices are needed to be introduced through adequate integrated pest management (IPM) training programs and by improving farmers' formal education. Thus, creating awareness through IPM training programs among vegetable growers and enhancing formal education to encourage the adoption of precautionary measures and safe disposal methods for pesticide containers may reduce health risks and health costs. Findings imply that adoption of adequate pesticide handling practices would further help reduce occupational hazards and promote sustainable agriculture in Pakistan.}, language = {en} } @article{KhaliliArshadKaecheleetal.2021, author = {Khalili, Niloofar and Arshad, Muhammad and K{\"a}chele, Harald and Farajzadeh, Zakariya and M{\"u}ller, Klaus}, title = {Drought shocks and farm household consumption behaviour: Insights from Fars province of Iran}, series = {International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction}, journal = {International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction}, number = {66}, publisher = {Elsevier}, issn = {2212-4209}, doi = {10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102625}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7359}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Drought is one of the most important shocks that has affected many farm households in rural Iran. This paper presents cross-sectional quantitative research with a micro-level analysis of the impacts of drought shocks on food and non-food expenditures of smallholders in rural Iran. Quantile regression model was applied to analyse the data obtained from 300 small farmers in the county of Marvdasht in Fars province, Iran. The results show that households who experience moderate and severe drought, apply a combination of different strategies, which are usually used to deal with idiosyncratic shocks and covariate shocks. A reduction in consumption expenditures is not the only and the first choice coping strategy but is one of the main strategies used by most drought-affected households. Our results further indicate that the non-food expenditures of smallholders in severe drought-affected villages are negatively affected by drought, however, food expenditures are not significantly affected. Non-food expenditures of households with overall lower consumption level were significantly affected. These findings point out the importance of the provision of compensation schemes for smallholders and the designing and implementation of coping mechanisms including non-agricultural job opportunities in drought-affected areas of Fars, Iran.}, language = {en} } @article{MahmoodArshadKaecheleetal.2020, author = {Mahmood, Nasir and Arshad, Muhammad and K{\"a}chele, Harald and Ullah, Ayat and M{\"u}ller, Klaus}, title = {Economic efficiency of rainfed wheat farmers under changing climate: evidence from Pakistan}, series = {Environmental Science and Pollution Research}, journal = {Environmental Science and Pollution Research}, number = {27}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, issn = {1614-7499}, doi = {10.1007/s11356-020-09673-5}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7287}, pages = {34453 -- 34467}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Rainfed wheat farming directly depends upon climatic indicators and is mostly at the mercy of climatic extremes. This study analyzed the relationship between the economic efficiency of rainfed wheat farmers and indicators of climate variability in Pakistan employing a two-stage methodological framework. We used farm household level crop input-output and management data and secondary data on climate. In the first stage, a stochastic production frontier (SPF) approach was used to calculate economic efficiency. Then, in the second stage, the calculated economic efficiency scores were regressed against the temperature threshold, temperature anomaly, and total rainfall, in addition to socioeconomic, institutional, and farm variables, using OLS and quantile regression models. The results showed that temperature anomaly and the number of days when temperatures exceed 30 °C have negative and significant impacts on the economic efficiency of rainfed wheat farmers. Total rainfall showed positive and significant impacts across both OLS and quantile regression models. Further, we modeled a novel and very important variable in the context of rainfed wheat production in Pakistan, that is, farmers' participation in trainings in climate-resilient crop farming. This variable showed a positive and highly significant impact on economic efficiency of wheat farmers across all regression models. Our findings call for important policy implications, including developing up-to-date climate resilient adaptation strategies that are particularly focused on rainfed wheat farming. Establishing strong linkages between extension departments and rainfed wheat farmers could help sustain and improve the efficiency of rainfed wheat farmers and hence food and livelihood security.}, language = {en} } @article{UllahArshadKaecheleetal.2020, author = {Ullah, Ayat and Arshad, Muhammad and K{\"a}chele, Harald and Khan, Ayesha and Mahmood, Nasir and M{\"u}lle, Klaus}, title = {Information asymmetry, input markets, adoption of innovations and agricultural land use in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan}, series = {Land Use Policy}, volume = {90}, journal = {Land Use Policy}, publisher = {Elsevier}, issn = {0264-8377}, doi = {10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104261}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7240}, year = {2020}, abstract = {This paper presents empirical evidence on the effects of information asymmetry in input markets on the adoption of innovations and agricultural land use in rainfed districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Farmers' input market integration may contribute to innovation and adoption among farmers, which may in turn positively influence the sustainable use of agricultural land. To examine this hypothesis, we conducted a study of farmers and input providers to assess the potential constraints on quality inputs, prices, and extension information. We used a multistage random sampling technique to collect data from 395 respondents. We then compared differences among adopters and non-adopters using the Mann-Whitney U test and Mood's median test. Our results indicate that there is a significant difference between the adopters and non-adopters when considering their perceptions of asymmetric market information. Non-adopters are suspicious of exaggerated prices, the non-availability of price lists, adulteration of agricultural inputs, unbalanced input weight and the supply of low-quality alternate commodities (e.g., fertilizers and pesticides) in place of the recommended commodities in the markets. Our results call for the reformulation and implementation of appropriate policies to ensure transparent and equal information sharing among farmers engaged in input markets and for the provision of timely and quality inputs assured by regulatory checks and price checks. Free availability of information on innovations and appropriate oversight over markets appear not only to motivate farmers to adopt agricultural technologies but also to influence more sustainable land use practices.}, language = {en} } @article{HossainArshadQianetal.2020, author = {Hossain, Md. Shakhawat and Arshad, Muhammad and Qian, Lu and K{\"a}chele, Harald and Khan, Imran and Islam, Md Din Il and Mahboob, M. Golam}, title = {Climate change impacts on farmland value in Bangladesh}, series = {Ecological Indicators}, journal = {Ecological Indicators}, number = {112}, publisher = {Elsevier}, issn = {1872-7034}, doi = {10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.106181}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7278}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Many studies have examined the effects of climate change on farmland value in developed countries, but our understanding of the impact of climate change on farmland value is still very limited, especially in developing countries. In this study, we aimed to assess the effects of climate change on farmland value in Bangladesh using the Ricardian model. Household-level data collected from seven selected agroecological zones in Bangladesh were used to estimate the relationships among farmland value and long-term climate, farm household, and policy variables. The results showed that the current land values of farmers are sensitive to climate. A new variable called "flooding" was added to the Ricardian model, and the results indicated that floods are responsible for reductions in farmland value, especially in lowland areas. Among the socio-economic variables, the availability of extension services and access to irrigation facilities were positively correlated with farmland value. The estimated marginal impact results suggested that increases in temperature were associated with losses in small farmland value, whereas the precipitation levels in both seasons positively influenced farmland value. Selected global climate models predicted that climate change would have a negative impact on land value depending on the climate model and source of farm income. The empirical findings obtained from this study are expected to contribute to the formulation of sustainable adaptation strategies to maintain farm productivity and farmland value in Bangladesh in the context of climate change.}, language = {en} } @article{SamPadmajaKaecheleetal.2020, author = {Sam, Anu Susan and Padmaja, Subash Surendran and K{\"a}chele, Harald and Kumar, Ranjit and M{\"u}ller, Klaus}, title = {Climate change, drought and rural communities: Understanding people's perceptions and adaptations in rural eastern India}, series = {International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction}, volume = {44}, journal = {International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction}, publisher = {Elsevier}, issn = {2212-4209}, doi = {10.1016/j.ijdrr.2019.101436}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7269}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Household's adaptation to drought risk consists of two steps. First step is acquiring knowledge on drought from previous drought experiences. Second step is formulation of local adaptation measures that can reduce drought risk. Lack of knowledge regarding households' perception about droughts and local adaptation measures are identified as barriers in formulating effective adaptation strategies and polices. Therefore, this paper aims to gather information on households' perceptions about drought impacts and local adaption and coping measures. We also analysed the potential determinants that affect the household's preferences for future adaptation and coping strategies. Data for the study was collected from 157 drought prone rural households of Odisha state in India. We employed both qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze the data. The major impacts of drought reported by rural people were the yield reduction/loss and issues of various diseases during drought. Although more than half of rural households reported adverse effects of drought, it was not their predominate concern. The most common coping measure adopted by the rural people during drought was reduction in the consumption of rice/cereals. The results indicate that rural people prefer to follow reduction in the food consumption strategy in future also. Family size, gender and education of household head and distance to nearby town influenced the preference of adaptation and coping strategies. This research can stand as one mainstay in providing insights to researches and policy makers in formulating strategies and policies for vulnerability reduction in rural India.}, language = {en} } @article{KhaliliArshadFarajzadehetal.2020, author = {Khalili, Niloofar and Arshad, Muhammad and Farajzadeh, Zakariya and K{\"a}chele, Harald and M{\"u}ller, Klaus}, title = {Effect of drought on smallholder education expenditures in rural Iran: Implications for policy}, series = {Journal of Environmental Management}, journal = {Journal of Environmental Management}, number = {260}, publisher = {Elsevier}, issn = {1095-8630}, doi = {10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110136}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7250}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Drought is a major global environmental challenge. It affects the livelihoods of many people, mainly in developing countries. Iran is one of the most affected and vulnerable countries in the Middle East to drought. In this paper, we present a microlevel analysis by employing the Tobit multiplicative heteroscedasticity regression to examine the effects of drought on small farm household education expenditures in rural Iran. We collected primary data from a sample of 300 smallholders in Marvdasht County in Fars Province of Iran. The results revealed a negative relationship between the farm income and education expenditures. This means that the farm households in rural Iran that were affected by the drought increased their expenditures on education for their children. The analysis of income elasticity indicated that a one percent decrease in farm income led to a 0.86\% increase in education expenditures, which indicated that the education expenditures were necessary. Furthermore, we observed that in drought-affected families, girls were more likely to be pulled out of university education than were boys; however, for school education, there were no significant differences between the boys and girls. Our findings revealed the need to provide improved facilities and further finances for education expenditures, especially for female university students, and to formulate environmental management policies that include the provision of education facilities by the government of Iran in drought-affected villages. Our findings also shed light on the presence of positive externalities and the important role of education in helping rural households better cope with the negative repercussions of drought on their livelihoods.}, language = {en} } @incollection{NautiyalSmithaKaechele2020, author = {Nautiyal, Sunil and Smitha, K. C. and K{\"a}chele, Harald}, title = {Medicinal Plant Biodiversity in India: Harnessing Opportunities for Promoting Livelihood and Food Security}, series = {Socio-economic and Eco-biological Dimensions in Resource use and Conservation - Strategies for Sustainability}, booktitle = {Socio-economic and Eco-biological Dimensions in Resource use and Conservation - Strategies for Sustainability}, editor = {Roy, Niranjan and Roychoudhury, Shubhadeep and Nautiyal, Sunil and Agarwal, Sunil K. and Baksi, Sangeeta}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, isbn = {978-3-030-32462-9}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-030-32463-6_7}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7306}, publisher = {Hochschule f{\"u}r nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde}, pages = {135 -- 169}, year = {2020}, abstract = {India's rich biodiversity is distributed across its ecological regions. Traditional medicinal plants are recognised for their value and they constitute source of livelihood and food security for large Indian population. Cultivation of medicinal plants is also a source of income; thereby improve the standard of living for local communities and reduce poverty. Yet, today Indian medicinal habitat and ecosystem are going through tremendous pressure for meeting the requirement of various pharmaceutical and aroma-chemicals related industries. The objective of this paper is to synthesis the existing information on current status; explore the potential opportunities and constraints in medicinal plant cultivation in India. Based on the documentation of two cases i.e., Bhotiya tribe of Central Himalayan Region and Soliga tribe of Biligiri Ranga-swamy Temple Tiger Reserve (BRTTR), an attempt has been made to suggest a framework for harnessing medicinal plant cultivation for promoting food security in India. Finally, SWOT analysis of medicinal plants and food security in India has been presented.}, language = {en} } @article{KhaliliArshadFarajzadehetal.2021, author = {Khalili, Niloofar and Arshad, Muhammad and Farajzadeh, Zakaria and K{\"a}chele, Harald and M{\"u}ller, Klaus}, title = {Does drought affect smallholder health expenditures? Evidence from Fars Province, Iran}, series = {Environment, Development and Sustainability}, journal = {Environment, Development and Sustainability}, number = {23}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, issn = {1573-2975}, doi = {10.1007/s10668-020-00608-1}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7294}, pages = {765 -- 788}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Drought is one of the most frequently occurring natural disasters and results in long-term social, economic and environmental impacts that affect large areas and populations. Over the past decade, Iran has experienced a very severe drought that has affected millions of people. In this paper, we employ a standard consumption regression model to perform a microlevel analysis of the effects of drought on small-farm household health expenditures in rural Iran. We surveyed a sample of 300 small-farm households in the Marvdasht County in Fars Province, Iran. The results showed that drought significantly negatively affects smallholder health spending. Farm households that are affected by severe drought decrease their health expenditures more than less-affected households. Further, for drought-affected farmers, health expenditures are a necessity, as the income elasticity of health expenditures is as low as 0.15. Our findings indicate the importance of designing and implementing a health policy that includes the provision of healthcare services in drought-affected villages by the government, which plays an important role in coping with the health effects of drought.}, language = {en} } @article{NautiyalKaecheleUmeshBabuetal.2020, author = {Nautiyal, Sunil and K{\"a}chele, Harald and Umesh Babu, M. S. and Imran Khan, Y. D. and Dutta, Himangshu}, title = {Avian conservation under two management regimes: a case study from the viewpoint of governance and social dimension}, series = {Environment Systems and Decisions}, journal = {Environment Systems and Decisions}, number = {40}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, issn = {2194-5403}, doi = {10.1007/s10669-019-09745-z}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7229}, pages = {148 -- 169}, year = {2020}, abstract = {The tropical regions of the world are highly vulnerable to the loss of biodiversity and the biodiversity of various ecologically important ecosystems in the tropics seems to be in jeopardy. The protected areas alone cannot conserve all the species and, hence, there is the need to expand the conservation approach beyond the boundaries of the protected areas. A study was carried out in two areas known for the conservation of bird species in India, viz. Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary (RBS) and Kokkare Bellur Village Ecosystem (KBV) in the state of Karnataka in South India. In RBS, the top-down approach is followed and bird species are conserved through policy instruments, whereas KBV is a rural ecosystem in which the social instrument has been introduced for the conservation of bird species. Two near-threatened birds Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis) and the Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala) are conserved in KBV. KBV is one of the five last breeding sites for the globally threatened bird species, the Spot-billed in India. A study was conducted to document the avifaunal diversity using standard methods and understand various important aspects of bird conservation in both the sites. It revealed that both RBS and KBV efficiently conserved several important bird species and had completely different mechanisms to do so. This helped to develop a proper understanding on different facets of top-down and bottom-up approaches of wildlife conservation.}, language = {en} } @article{MehmoodArshadKaecheleetal.2021, author = {Mehmood, Yasir and Arshad, Muhammad and K{\"a}chele, Harald and Mahmood, Nasir and Kong, Rong}, title = {Pesticide residues, health risks, and vegetable farmers' risk perceptions in Punjab, Pakistan}, series = {Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal}, volume = {27}, journal = {Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal}, number = {3}, publisher = {Taylor \& Francis}, doi = {10.1080/10807039.2020.1776591}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7218}, pages = {846 -- 864}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Extensive use of pesticides in agricultural production results in increased health risks and health costs, productivity loss, and degradation of the environment. Farmers' risk perceptions of pesticide residues can help mitigate these issues. This paper applies an ordered probit model to analyze farmers' perceptions of pesticide residues using a cross-sectional dataset of 209 vegetable cultivators in Punjab, Pakistan. Important determinants of farmers' perceptions include their educational level, family labor, ratio of self-consumed foodstuffs, health effects, integrated pest management (IPM) training, knowledge, and awareness. Among these determinants, farmers' awareness and IPM training programs are the principle indicators of risk perception. These results have significant implications for policymakers because farmers' perceptions including overuse of pesticides tend to worsen if supported by the internalization of social norms, which, in turn, is restricted by farmers' awareness and knowledge. The study findings suggest that special attention should be given to farmers who are limited to receiving information directly from agricultural extension officers. Moreover, intensive IPM training programs should be designed with the aim of conveying precautionary measures for human health and a sustainable agro-ecosystem.}, language = {en} } @article{UllahArshadKaecheleetal.2020, author = {Ullah, Ayat and Arshad, Muhammad and K{\"a}chele, Harald and Zeb, Alam and Mahmood, Nasir and M{\"u}ller, Klaus}, title = {Socio-economic analysis of farmers facing asymmetric information in inputs markets: evidence from the rainfed zone of Pakistan}, series = {Technology in Society}, volume = {63}, journal = {Technology in Society}, number = {101405}, publisher = {Elsevier}, issn = {1879-3274}, doi = {10.1016/j.techsoc.2020.101405}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7235}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Information asymmetry plays an important role in the non-adoption of modern agricultural inputs like improved seeds, pesticides and fertilizers etc. Therefore, this study investigated the role of farmers' socio-economic attributes and farm level characteristics in avoiding asymmetry of information in agricultural input markets (i.e. exaggerated prices and low quality). The approach captures the farm level heterogeneity and complexity that may help the authorities in strengthening existing market regulations to control price and quality disparities. We analysed 395 randomly selected farm households using multinomial logit model. We found that farmers with large landholding size are less likely to face quality and more likely to face price information asymmetry. Farmers with higher education, more physical assets and better access to other sources of information are less likely to face both quality and price information asymmetry. Borrowers as compared to purchasers are more likely to face information asymmetry on prices of agricultural inputs. Non-adopters of improved agricultural technologies are more suspicious of information asymmetry than adopters. The paper thus provides evidence that the socio-economic dynamics of information asymmetry can have an important influence on wide spread adoption of technology. Paying more attention to farm level heterogeneity and complexity would help to develop general market management plan and improve the adoption of technology by farmers.}, language = {en} }