Uptake determinants of climate-smart agricultural practice for greening smallholder groundnut value chain: Evidence from Malawi

Abstract

Crop value chain greening projects can increase sustainability amidst the numerous difficulties facing agroecosystems due to degradation caused by overuse and climate change. Over the last few decades, external aid/support has been the main driver of food value chain greening efforts. One such initiative is the Sustainable Agriculture Production and Marketing for Rural Transformation (SAPMaRT) project, implemented to green Malawi's groundnut value chain. There is limited evidence on determinants of project participation and uptake of innovative practices among groundnut smallholders in Malawi. What determines agricultural project participation and the uptake level and intensity of promoted greening practices? We collected data from 244 households that participated in two SAPMaRT project districts, Kasungu and Mzimba. The binary probit and poisson regression models were used to assess the factors influencing project participation and groundnut greening practices (GPs) uptake. We found project participation's positive and significant effect on GPs’ uptake level and intensity. Education level, household size, climate awareness, and extension positively influenced project participation. Project participation, education level, age, and extension positively influenced the uptake level of GPs. However, the age of the household head was a negative determinant of the uptake level of GPs. The key determinants of uptake intensity were household head project participation, education level, land size, and extension. Our findings suggested that funded project participation enhances the uptake of agricultural interventions among smallholders.