Factors influencing the adoption of sustainable rice farming practices in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Ullah Z, Han J, Anwar A, Sajjad A
Climate Adaptation
Every bag of rice on the shelf is shaped by whether smallholder farmers thousands of miles away can afford to rotate their crops and skip synthetic inputs — and this study shows they can, if they get training and credit.
Researchers surveyed rice farmers in a mountainous region of Pakistan to understand why some switch to gentler, more sustainable growing methods while others stick to conventional ones. They found that farmers who used practices like planting different crops in rotation, using natural fertilizers, and conserving water grew more rice and made more money. The biggest hurdles weren't the farming techniques themselves — they were lack of education, limited access to loans, and not enough support from agricultural advisors.
Key Findings
56.2% of surveyed farmers adopted at least one sustainable farming practice, with education, farm size, credit access, and training as top predictors of adoption.
Sustainable practice adopters yielded approximately 430 kg/ha more rice than non-adopters, a statistically significant difference (P < 0.01).
Cost-benefit analysis and propensity score matching both confirmed that sustainable systems produced stronger profitability and higher household income than conventional approaches.
chevron_right Technical Summary
A study of 283 rice-farming households in Pakistan found that farmers who adopted sustainable practices like crop rotation, natural fertilizers, and water-saving methods produced about 430 kg/ha more rice and earned greater profits than those who didn't. Education, access to credit, and farmer training were the biggest drivers of adoption.
Abstract Preview
Rice is a major staple crop and an important source of income for rural households in Pakistan. Its production in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) is challenged by rising input costs, climate variability, ...
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