QAToCA - a qualitative expert assessment tool for CA adoption in Africa. Hycenth Tim Ndah

Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Germany

QAToCA
a Qualitative expert Assessment Tool for
CA adoption in Africa
- selected applications in Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia

Ndah, HT1; Schuler, J1; Uthes, S1; Zander, P1; Triomphe, B2; Apina, T3;
Corbeels, M2

1 Leibniz-Centrefor Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Institute of
Socio-Economics, Germany.
2 Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour
le Développement (CIRAD), France.
3 African Conservation Tillage Network (ACT), Kenya


Introduction
In spite of the large amount of available literature on constraints to CA
adoption in Africa,

a comprehensive self-assessment tool is lacking that allows a
systematic evaluation of the determinants in the CA adoption
process from field, farm to regional scale and for use in a variety
of regional contexts.

This knowledge gap motivated us to develop a Qualitative expert
Assessment Tool for the assessment of CA adoption (QAToCA),

QAToCA, pronounced [ka:toka:])

Developed in EU-funded project ‘CA2Africa’ (www.ca2africa.eu).


CA2Africa scales of implementation
and QAToCA Coverage

Source: adapted from Corbeels et al (2009) CA2Africa DoW


Overall goal of QAToCA
QAToCA is designed to assess in a semi-qualitative manner
conditions under the following three themes that promote or hinder
the adoption of CA in the heterogeneous farming contexts of Africa.

Institutional
conditions

Cultural
QAToCA
conditions

Socio-economic
conditions


Specific questions of QAToCA

The following issues are considered through cross
comparison amongst the CA2Africa case studies:
Which region(s) have higher or lower CA adoption
potential?
Which thematic area within the CA innovation
system or component of a particular case study is
likely to be influencing the adoption status?
What are some of the key determinants of the
observed adoption status?


Further use of outcomes

Outcomes can be used as a basis for restitutions
and discussions with stakeholders of the case
studies as this will assist in….

providing new insights into the specific CA
development and diffusion programs and
projects, and in

providing entry points for planning /adjusting
some of the on-going and future CA-related
actions.


Material and methods
-Origin and development of QAToCA-

The following steps have assisted in the development of the tool:
A review of selected adoption theories and conceptual models of
innovation systems
Inspiration from the ScalA –Tool: Tool for the assessment of
sustainability, climate relevance and scaling-up potential of project
approaches (Bringe et al (2006)
used by GTZ (http://www.gtz.de/) and Sustainet
(http://wwww.sustainet.org/)
CA2Africa experts evaluation and feedback. Pretesting and feedback in
CA2Africa 1st regional workshops with CA experts and stakeholders
(Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Morocco, Madagascar, Zimbabwe)


Theories and concepts used as
framework
A list of adoption theories and conceptual models have
acted as a framework for this tool, e.g.:
The adoption and diffusion theories put forward by Hruschka
(1994); Rogers (2003); Hoffmann (2005) and Triomphe et al
(2007)
The conceptual models of innovation proposed by Lundvall
(2004); World Bank (2006); OECD (1997); Callon and Latour
following Law and Hassard (1999)

NB: For a more detailed and comprehensive list and
description of these theories and concepts, see deliverable
report D2.2 of CA2Africa: An inventory of bio-physical,
socioeconomic and conceptual models of innovation systems
for assessment of agricultural (Innovative) practices


Structure of QAToCA
Questions are grouped under specific thematic areas

Consideration is given to differerent scales of implementation of
a project from Farm level to Village/Local and Regional levels:

 Object of Adoption (CA)

 Capacity of implementing organisation

 Attributes of Scaling up

 Political/Institutional framework at Regional Level

 Political/Institutional framework at Village level

 Economic Conditions

 Community’s attitude towards CA


Object of Adoption (CA)
 Issues relating to the characteristics of CA as an
object of adoption. Subjective measurement of
issues such as:

Trialability of CA, complexity, compatibility with
societal norms and customs, observability
Divisibility
Financial requirements of CA
Knowledge intensive nature


Capacity of implementing organization

 Targets the CA implementing organizations

Checks on the overall philosophy of the
organization
The type and quality of staff
Leadership quality
Connectivity of the institution or the level of
network


Attributes of Scaling up
 Measurement of the diffusion strategy of the
promoting organizations is the main focus of this
theme

Overall objective of diffusion
Organization’s level of documentation
Monitoring and evaluation
Type and quality of communication channels;
organization’s level of involvement in capacity
building
Use of incentives in stimulating adoption


Political/Institutional framework at
regional level

 This theme is focused on subjectively checking on
the political or institutional frame conditions of the
region

Level of political stability
Tolerance level of the civil society towards CA
The system of administration and its effect on CA
promotion
Nature of administrative set up
Type of policies as well as their possible
influence on the CA adoption


Political/Institutional framework at village
level

 Questions under this theme are focused on
assessing:

Compatibility of CA as an emerging innovation
with local customs and traditions
Issues of land access and
Land ownership


Economic Conditions

 The theme addresses issues related to

Market availability and access
Availability of basic infrastructures such as farm
to market roads and irrigation possibilities
Level of other economic actors’ engagement in
CA promotion
Availability of quality control measures and
implementation


Community’s attitude towards CA

 Questions that fall in this theme check issue of
acceptability of CA by:

The entire community,
Village leaders and
Other influential persons in the decision making
process of the village
Young farmers vs. elderly farmers
Measure of the dynamic and innovative level of
the CA community under consideration


Procedure


Evaluation Scale for QAToCA

Three possible statements for each operational question

The scale from 0-2 indicates the strength of the suggested
statements

with respect to their influence on the potential of adoption

With:

0 = not influential, has no/negative effect on adoption likelihood

1 = little influence, has limited positive effect on adoption,

2 = highest influence, has maximum positive effect on adoption
likelihood

N = if non of the statements is appropriate [including a comment]


Example: decision rule

Step 3 Step 4
Step 5 Step 6
Step 1 Step 2

2


Target group for QAToCA

Who should fill in the tool to ensure a
reasonable degree of scientific quality?
Ideally, one QAToCA file should be filled in by
several experts for one case study, assuming that
no single expert has knowledge about all levels
considered by the tool. The best selection would be
 a researcher,
 an extensionist/promoter of CA,
 a farmer (with appropriate knowledge), who
adopted, and
 if possible a farmer, who adopted, but stopped
practicing, or who considered adoption, but then
didn't go for it.


Results and Discussion: CA-SARD project
Region Bungoma, Kenya Karatu, Tanzania
CA-SARD case studies
Location Western Kenya Arusha Region, northern part of
Tanzania
Elevation 1200 – 2000 m 1000 - 1900 m
Rainfall 1250 - 1800 m 400 – 1200 mm
Temperature 20.0-22.5 C in the 15 C (forest) to 24 C at the
southern part to about level of Lake Eyasi
5.0-10.0 C
farming subsistence agriculture maize, beans and paddy (rice),
systems with Maize, Sunflower, also wheat, barley, beans,
Sugarcane, Coffee, maize, coffee, flowers, pigeon
Tobacco, Potatoes, Beans pea, sorghum, finger millet and
and cotton sunflower.
CA systems cover crops, dolichos cover crops, (mucuna, lablab,
lablab, pigeon peas sunn hemp, pigeon peas)
sub-soiler, rippers and sub-soiler, rippers and direct
direct seeders or seeders or planters
planters


Results and Discussion

For Bungoma (Kenya):
Attributes of scaling up (C=100%),
Political and institutional frame conditions at village and
regional levels (D and E=100% each) and
Community’s attitude towards CA (G=100%)
were all observed to have outstanding positive influence
on CA adoption potential
but...:
Characteristics of CA as an object of adoption (A=59%) and
CA inputs plus market conditions (F=80%)
were seen to be negatively influencing CA adoption
potential


Results and Discussion

Some results from Tanzania:
For Karatu (Tanzania)
Capacity of implementing institutions (B=100%)
was observed to have a major positive influence over
CA adoption potential in the region.
but..:
Attributes of scaling up (C=79%) and
Characteristics of CA (A=79%)
were observed as having negative influence over CA
adoption potential for the region.


Visualisation of results from Kenya and
Tanzania

Bungoma, Kenya


Overview of supporting and hindering factors to
CA adoption in Kenya and Tanzania
Results for thematic area A:
Case study regions
Thematic area ID Indicator Karatu, Ndindikuru,
Kenya Tanzania
A Object of A01 Cost of CA and liquidity issues - -
Adoption (CA) A02 Availability of CA knowledge - -
A03 Complexity of CA - -
A04 Labour requirements vs. endowments - -
A05 Availability of social networks/org. - -
A06 Residue and seeds requirements vs. availability + -
A07 Machinery + fuel requirement and availability - -
A08 Land requirement and availability + +
A09 Observability of CA + +
A10 CA yield response and time - -
A11 Relative economic risk + -
A12 Trialability + +
A13 Flexibility/adaptability + +
A14 CA and social status + prestige of farmers + -
A15 CA and conflict over resources + -
B Capacity of the B1 Concept of organisation + +
implementing B2 Availability and quality of human resources + +
Legend: +Supporting factor; -
organisation B3 Hinderingand reputation
Leadership factor + +
B4 Organisational linkage to other CA organisations+ -
in the region
* a close look reveals a certain dominance of supporting factors over hindering +
B5 Organisational linkage with target group +
B6 Organisational linkage with stakeholders in the + +
factors hence a much better chance for CA adoption in the region.
CA innovation systems
* C Attributes of needed basic infrastructures :target groups and and roads, credit +
improving on the C01 Scaling up area, market access characteristics facilities and adapted CA
+
equipments to this region are key Clarity of scaling up strategy
Scaling up C02 measures to effecting a scaling up of the technology
+ +
C03 State and level of documentation, monitoring and - +


Conservation Farming Units case study

Region Zambia
Location Most provinces of Zambia

Elevation 1000 - 1900 m
Rainfall 800 – 1000 mm
farming systems Focus on maize and cotton
CA systems hand hoe planting basin systems
dry-season ripping
mechanized minimum tillage methods with
leguminous crop rotations


Some results from Zambia
[Conservation framing Unit (CFU-Zambia)]

Thematic contribution to CA adoption potential in Zambia

Thematic areas with significant positive influence over adoption potential in Zambia

Percentage Percentage
achieved achieved
(unweighted) (weighted
Thematic area (A….G)
Maximum (Points with equal
possible Total points achieved/total strength for
points achieved points) each level)
A Object of Adoption (CA) (ObjofAdoptFarmVillLev) 30 23 77% 77%
B Capacity of implementing institution (CapacityofImplInstVillRegLev) 12 11 92% 92%
C Attributes of dissemination strategy (AttrOfDissemStraVillRegLev) 20 17 85% 85%
D Political/Institutional framework (PolInstFramRegLev) 12 9 75% 75%
E Political/Institutional framework (PolInstFramVillLev) 10 5 50% 50%
F CA products & inputs Market conditions (ProInpMarkCondVillRegLev) 10 6 60% 60%
G Perception of community towards CA (PercepCommVillRegLev) 12 9 75% 75%
Total 106 80 75% 73%

Thematic areas with significant negative influence over adoption potential in Zambia


Results from Zambia cont.
Main supporting factors to CA adoption potential (QAToCA analysis)
Organisational linkage of CFU to other CA organisations in the region
CFU leadership and Reputation
Availability and quality of human resources employed by the CFU
Concept, philosophy and organisational structure of the CFU
CFU’s diffusion strategy and use of CA champions (lead farmers)
An existing enabling environment and good linkage of CFU experts with CA
farmers
CFU’s involvement in capacity building

Main hindering factors to CA adoption potential (QAToCA analysis)

Scattered settlement pattern in farming communities hence, negative effect on
CA dissemination activities
Limited land access, ownership and used especially for women
No compatibility of CA to local customs and/or norms and rules in some cases
e.g. the use of herbicides for weeding is not welcomed by some communities.
Limited availability and accessibility of markets for CA products


We wish to thank especially:
• all the CFU team-Zambia for the moral and logistic support
during the field visit and
• all stakeholders of CA2Africa for their contributions during
the QAToCA workshops

Have fun with QAToCA!!

Photo by: Ndah HT; Basins preparation in Kafue district (Zambia)


For more insight and references, see:

• Ndah, HT.; Schuler, J.; Uthes, S.; Zander, P.; Triomphe, B.; (2010): The concept of the
Qualitative expert Assessment Tool for CA Adoption (QAToCA). Manual/working paper;
ZALF Muencheberg, CIRAD France

• Uthes, S.; Ndah, HT.; Triomphe, B.; Schuler, J.; Zander, P. (2011): D2.2 Report on inventory
of bio-physical and bio-economic models and conceptual models of innovation systems for
assessment of agricultural (innovative) practices. ZALF Muencheberg, CIRAD France

Thank you for your attention!

QAToCA - a qualitative expert assessment tool for CA adoption in Africa. Hycenth Tim Ndah

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