Understand farmers’decision-making in peanut area allocation and management practices in a Sub-Sahelian region

Peanut is a crucial cash crop across numerous West African countries, especially in Senegal, where small-scale family farms frequently rotate it with millet. Despite significant research on yield enhancement, the drivers behind farmers’ choices have been largely ignored. Recognizing that effective agricultural recommendations must be tailored to the specific context of individual farms, this study aimed for the first time, to understand the decision-making of peanut farmers in a typical rainfed region of the central-western Senegalese peanut basin. We surveyed 46 farmers, gathering data on their resources, perceptions, peanut area allocation, and management practices, as well as socio-economic outcomes. High-peanut farmers, with an average of 28% of their cultivated area allocated to peanut, had more resources than low-peanut farmers, which allocated only 3%. The former enhanced their peanut management by employing farm-saved seeds, hiring labor, and utilizing both manure and synthetic fertilizers. Their average peanut unshelled grain yield (625 kg ha⁻¹) was the highest, although largely under the achievable yield. Their return on investment, which included the value of their own consumption, was also the highest (974%). Medium-peanut farmers presented intermediate characteristics. A widespread high level of self-consumption and investment in watermelon as a new cash crop suggested weak market opportunities for peanut. Low-peanut farmers identified lack of equipment and finance as major constraints, while high-peanut farmers cited lack of finance and quality seeds. All categories recognized peanut’s ecological advantages. These results highlight that limited peanut cultivation and unsustainable practices do not stem from farmers lacking technical knowledge or undervaluing peanut advantages but rather from the socio-economic constraints they face. Solutions for high-peanut farmers may not suit or be adopted by low-peanut farmers. Addressing this disparity requires multi-faceted research and innovations targeting both external and internal farm constraints, shifting from mere inputs provision to co-designing innovations directly with farmers.