@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{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{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{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{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} } @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{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{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{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{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} }