This study examined the influence of extension methods on the adoption of agroforestry practices in Zambia. The researchers collected data through surveys of 388 smallholder farmers across four districts. Their analysis found that over 90% of farmers were aware of agroforestry but trialing and adoption rates remained low. Farm demonstration plots and farmer-to-farmer exchanges were the most effective extension approaches for increasing adoption. The researchers concluded that more consistent extension efforts, a unified training method, and partner training could help realize the benefits of agroforestry for smallholder farmers.

1. Influence of extension methods
and approaches on adoption of
agroforestry practices in Zambia
Gillian Kabwe, Hugh Bigsby, Ross Cullen
Presented at the World Congress of Agroforestry
10-14 February, 2014

2. Outline of presentation

Background

Methods of data collection and analysis

Key findings

Conclusions

3. Background
 Agroforestry
technologies have potential to address
smallholder farmer challenges
(Sanchez, 1995; Cooper et al., 1996; Kang & Akinnifesi, 2000; Franzel et al., 2001;
Garrity, 2006; Race, 2009)
 Low land productivity
 Low crop yields
 inadequate fodder for domestic animal feed
 Insecure household energy
 Lack of cash to meet basic needs
 Trialling
has been found to low; those adopting
often make this part of their operation

4. Trialling and adoption of agroforestry

5. Study methods
Multi-stage sampling for selecting farmers
Purposeful

sampling of districts and agricultural camps
Eight (8) agricultural camps from four (4) districts:

Chadzombe and Kumadzi (Chadiza)

Feni and Kapita (Chipata)

Chilembwe and Mwanamphangwe (Katete)

Chataika and Mondola (Petauke)
Random

sampling of households
388 farm families: 57 percent male and 43 percent females

6. Analysis of the data
 Adoption
measurement at 2 levels
 Trialing
 Adoption (continued use)
 Statistical
tools employed
 Descriptive
statistics
 Chi-square tests of independence
 Logistic regression analysis
 ANOVA

7. Results

8. Information sources
[93 percent of farmers (N = 388) were aware of agroforestry]

9. Training in agroforestry

10. Extension approaches
(bars represents standard errors of the means according to
Bonferroni test, LSD = 0.1814)

11. Extension agents
(bars represents standard errors of the means according to
Bonferroni test, LSD = 0.1814)

12. Mean score ratings of extension
approaches and agents by
adopters of improved fallows and
biomass transfers

13. To realize agroforestry benefits
 More
consistent extension effort
 Development
 Training
of unified method
of partners in agroforestry
 Appropriate
programs and policies required