@article{Nyanga:231353,
      recid = {231353},
      author = {Nyanga, Progress H.},
      title = {Factors Influencing Adoption and Area under Conservation  Agriculture: A Mixed Methods Approach},
      journal = {Sustainable Agriculture Research},
      address = {2012},
      number = {526-2016-37812},
      year = {2012},
      abstract = {Adoption of conservation agriculture (CA) is quite low in  most parts of Africa. However, Zambia has been quite  successful in increasing adoption of CA among smallholder  farmers. Few studies using both quantitative and  qualitative approaches have been conducted in Zambia to  determine factors influencing adoption of CA. This study  uses mixed methods approach to document factors influencing  adoption of CA among smallholder farmers under the  Conservation Agriculture Project (CAP) in Zambia. From a  random sample of 415 smallholder farmers, results showed  that 71% had adopted CA. Quantitative analysis indicated  that CA trainings, previous experience in minimum tillage,  membership in farmer organisations, and ownership of CA  tillage equipment significantly increased the likelihood of  CA adoption. Number of CA trainings attended, farm size,  number of rippers owned and use of herbicide had a  significant positive influence on area under CA.  Qualitative approaches showed that good rapport with  farmers, trust, reciprocity and altruism, monitoring and  evaluations, extension strategy, quality and extent of  technical knowledge in CA within CFU, and artificial  incentives positively influenced adoption of CA.  Traditional leadership was reported to enhance adoption of  CA in most cases. Prestige was reported to withhold some  men from adopting CA basins. Women were very involved in CA  basins while men were mostly involved in ADP ripping. Some  worldviews of farmers had negative influence on adoption of  CA. Donor support and collaboration with the Zambia  National Farmers Union and private sector were other  contextual factors for the high adoption of CA among  sampled smallholder farmers. In the promotion of CA it is  important to pay attention to both quantitative and  qualitative factors influencing adoption. A mixed methods  approach thus can lead to a better understanding of the  adoption of CA than a single research strategy approach.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/231353},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.231353},
}