Marshall Makate and Clifton Makate
The role of increased schooling on teenage childbirth has been expansively studied especially in developed countries. However, caveats remain in the case of low-income countries…
Abstract
Purpose
The role of increased schooling on teenage childbirth has been expansively studied especially in developed countries. However, caveats remain in the case of low-income countries especially Sub-Saharan Africa. The purpose of this paper is to ascertain the impact of increased schooling on the probability of first childbirth at 15 years or younger, 16-17, 18-19, and 20 years or older, in the important context of Uganda – a country with one of the highest adolescent fertility rates in Africa.
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical analysis uses recent data from the nationally representative Demographic and Health Survey for Uganda conducted in 2011. The authors then adopt a fuzzy regression discontinuity design, estimated using instrumental variables techniques that exploit the exogenous change in schooling impelled by the universal primary education policy enacted in 1997 in Uganda. The empirical approach compares the fertility outcomes for women born in 1984-1992 (i.e. exposed to the policy) to those born in 1973-1981 (i.e. non-exposed).
Findings
The authors find that a one-year increase in schooling lowers the probability of first childbirth at age the age of 15 years or younger, 16-17, 18-19, and 20 years or older by nearly 8.2, 9.2, 9.4, and 9.5 percentage points, respectively. Also, pathways through which education impacts teenage motherhood included information access through the media, increased literacy, prenatal care utilization, marital status, and unhealthy sexual behavior.
Originality/value
The paper uses nationally representative survey data to scrutinize the causal influence of schooling on the probability of first childbirth using the 1997 universal primary education in Uganda as a natural experiment to identify the impact of schooling. The study recommends that expanding primary schooling opportunities for girls may be an effective strategy toward accelerated reductions in teenage fertility in Uganda.
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Siphesihle Myeni, Marshall Makate and Nyasha Mahonye
Mobile money, a service permitting monetary value to be digitally stored in a mobile phone and transacted to others through text messaging, is increasingly becoming available in…
Abstract
Purpose
Mobile money, a service permitting monetary value to be digitally stored in a mobile phone and transacted to others through text messaging, is increasingly becoming available in several African countries including Eswatini. This study examines the factors associated with mobile money usage and the extent to which mobile money accelerates financial inclusion in Eswatini.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from the nationally representative FinScope Consumer Survey for Eswatini conducted in 2014. The authors use a quasi-experimental method in propensity score matching (PSM) with bootstrapped standard errors to alleviate the possibility of selection bias associated with mobile money use and bank account ownership. As a sensitivity check, the authors calculate the average treatment effect (ATE) using kernel-based matching methods, as well as estimate a multilevel model that accounts for the hierarchical structure of data.
Findings
The authors found that higher education, entrepreneurship, being female, improvement in work situation in the past year and living in urban area and in the Lubombo region all positively influence the probability to use mobile money. The results also show that individuals who use mobile money are 19% more likely to own a bank account at a formal financial institution with a higher probability estimate observed amongst rural residents.
Originality/value
This study examines whether mobile money accelerates financial inclusion in Eswatini. On analysing data from the 2014 FinScope Consumer Survey, the results show that mobile money does not seem to be accelerating the reach of financial services to those who are structurally excluded from the formal financial system and suggest the need for ongoing review of the financial inclusion strategies of the country to enhance access to financial services in underserved areas.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at:https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-12-2019-0723
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Clifton Makate, Marshall Makate and Nelson Mango
Improving the adoption rates of proven innovative practices in bean farming and their impacts on livelihoods requires persistent promotion of practices, complemented by rigorous…
Abstract
Purpose
Improving the adoption rates of proven innovative practices in bean farming and their impacts on livelihoods requires persistent promotion of practices, complemented by rigorous socioeconomic analysis that recognises the diversity of smallholder farmers. The purpose of this paper is to typify farm households in Angonia district of Mozambique, based on their socioeconomic characteristics prompting the adoption of proven innovative practices in bean production, management, and marketing.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use a multivariate statistical analysis approach that combines principal component analysis, and cluster analysis to clearly identify five distinctive farm household types with respect to the adoption of proven innovative practices in smallholder bean farming using socio-economic factors.
Findings
The study findings show that various socioeconomic factors define clusters and can be associated with the adoption and use of innovative practices in smallholder bean farming. The five farm types identified are: female landowners with small farm sizes (29.52 per cent); educated farmers with access to credit (6.63 per cent); relatively rich male land owners with large farm sizes and low education (8.73 per cent); youthful, inexperienced and poor male farmers (6.33 per cent); and experienced female farmers with high labour endowments (8.43 per cent). The respective farm types seemed to have different patterns in the adoption of proven innovative practices in bean farming.
Originality/value
The authors recommend that policy makers promote strategies meant to raise adoption of innovative practices in bean production, management and marketing in Mozambique that takes into account household diversity. The farm types identified by this study can be a good starting point for guiding such future efforts.
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Eka Rastiyanto Amrullah, Hironobu Takeshita and Hiromi Tokuda
The agricultural extension system in Indonesia has experienced its ups and downs in line with the sociopolitical dynamics of the country. This study examines the impact of access…
Abstract
Purpose
The agricultural extension system in Indonesia has experienced its ups and downs in line with the sociopolitical dynamics of the country. This study examines the impact of access to agricultural extension on the adoption of technology and farm income of smallholder farmers in Banten, Indonesia.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a quasi-experimental research design to estimate the impact outcomes at the farm level, with methods that form part of the counterfactual framework.
Findings
Estimation results show that farming experience, off-farm income, irrigation, group membership, mobile phones and livestock ownership significantly affect extension access. The results of this main study show the important role of extension access to technology adoption and agricultural income. These studies found consistently positive and statistically significant effects of access to extension services on technology adoption and farm income.
Research limitations/implications
The consistent positive and significant effect of extension access implies that public investment by the government in agricultural extension can optimize the potential impact on technology adoption and agricultural income, which also affects the distribution of the welfare of rural smallholder farmers.
Originality/value
Agricultural extension as a key to increasing technology adoption. However, the impact of access to agricultural extension in Indonesia has received less attention in terms of adoption and farm income.
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Tessa Withorn, Jillian Eslami, Hannah Lee, Maggie Clarke, Carolyn Caffrey, Cristina Springfield, Dana Ospina, Anthony Andora, Amalia Castañeda, Alexandra Mitchell, Joanna Messer Kimmitt, Wendolyn Vermeer and Aric Haas
This paper presents recently published resources on library instruction and information literacy, providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper presents recently published resources on library instruction and information literacy, providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of publications covering various library types, study populations and research contexts.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper introduces and annotates English-language periodical articles, monographs, dissertations, reports and other materials on library instruction and information literacy published in 2020.
Findings
The paper provides a brief description of all 440 sources and highlights sources that contain unique or significant scholarly contributions.
Originality/value
The information may be used by librarians, researchers and anyone interested in a quick and comprehensive reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.
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Stephen Prah, Bright Owusu Asante, Godfred Holaena Dagbatsa, Camillus Abawiera Wongnaa, Seth Etuah and John N. Ng’ombe
This paper examines the nexus between input credit access, farm performance and food nutrition in Ghana.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper examines the nexus between input credit access, farm performance and food nutrition in Ghana.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a random sample of 239 smallholder rice farmers, we utilized the endogenous switching regression model to address the self-selection issue and estimate the impact of input credit access on farm performance and food nutrition and further analyze the heterogenous impacts.
Findings
The results show that socioeconomic (age, education, sex, off-farm activity and farm size), institutional (extension contact and farmer-based organizations) characteristics and location variable significantly influence the decision to access input credit. After adjusting for both observed and unobserved factors, our findings reveal that access to input credit significantly improves rice yield, net profit and food nutrition of smallholder rice farmers in Ghana. Furthermore, results reveal that the effects of input credit access on rice yield, net profit and food nutrition are heterogeneous and subject to farmers’ propensity to access input credit. Specifically, we find that those with a higher inclination to access input credit experience larger positive impacts, indicating a positive selection process.
Research limitations/implications
Access to agricultural input credit is essential for the adoption of modern and climate-smart technologies in agricultural production. However, the persistent lack of access to input credit hampers agricultural productivity and constrains investment in farm input resources in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our study calls for proper targeting of input credit interventions to incentivize the uptake of farm input credit such as improved seeds and fertilizers to improve overall crop production and achieve food security.
Originality/value
The study utilized rigorous econometric methods to analyze the impact of input credit access on smallholder rice farmers' farm performance and food nutrition in Ghana. The findings provide valuable guidance for policymakers and future research on agricultural development in Ghana.
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Hemant Kumar, Saradindu Bhaduri, Abhinandan Saikia, Mohd Ali and Gautam Sharma
Agriculture innovation systems (AIS) examine the complex socio-technical and institutional aspects affecting sustainable agriculture. However, it is predominantly constrained to…
Abstract
Purpose
Agriculture innovation systems (AIS) examine the complex socio-technical and institutional aspects affecting sustainable agriculture. However, it is predominantly constrained to the formal sector activities in the high-income countries (HICs). The informal sector actors play a major role in the agricultural sector of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), such as India, by innovating and disseminating grassroots innovations (GI). This study aims to explore the role of different GI, both by the informal and formal sectors, within an emerging AIS focused on seabuckthorn in Ladakh, India.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used a qualitative methodology, using semi-structured interviews and focused group discussions to gather data from the stakeholders involved in seabuckthorn value chain. The data was analysed using the AIS framework’sa priori themes and was validated through data triangulation with secondary sources.
Findings
This study reveals the existence of GI, by both the formal and informal sector actors, and their complex interaction within the seabuckthorn value chain. It highlights the importance of co-existence of these GI to make it a sustainable seabuckthorn AIS.
Practical implications
This study offers noteworthy perspectives for governments, policymakers and agricultural practitioners with respect to the assimilation of GI into AIS. These insights could help improve agricultural sustainability and viability, particularly in LMICs where the informal sector plays a significant role.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first to explore the role of GI within AIS and opens up research avenues for further inquiry in both LMICs and HICs.
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Zenal Asikin, Derek Baker, Renato Villano and Arief Daryanto
The purpose of this paper is to guide commercial and policy action to improve smallholder Indonesian cattle systems.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to guide commercial and policy action to improve smallholder Indonesian cattle systems.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey (n = 304) of smallholder cattle farms in six villages in two districts of Nusa Tenggara Barat, Indonesia. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) were employed to classify cattle farms into business models according to observed innovation. Differences between business models were identified using a one-way-analysis-of-variance (ANOVA).
Findings
Four business models were identified, representing profiles of innovation adoption and elements of business models, socio-economic characteristics, farming system and performance variables including revenue, cost and profit. The business models display a range of orientation to buyer requirements and a range of approaches to production, indicating a need to promote in a variety of ways the change from supply-push to demand-pull in the cattle value chain.
Research limitations/implications
This study offers guidance on how business models might be strengthened over time, by using simple indicators of performance and the models' linkage to innovation in the context of each business model. The business models developed here, and refinements to them based on localised conditions, offer a targeted and accelerated pathway to improved performance in smallholder systems.
Originality/value
This study proposed a novel approach to the recognition of business models based on innovation.