Current issue No 2/2025, June | Agris on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics

Analysis of Determinants of Maize Farmers Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change in South-South Nigeria

Adeyinka Richard Aroyehun Anthony Ojonimi Onoja Vivian Chinelo Ugwuja DOI: 10.7160/aol.2025.170201
No 2/2025, June
pp. 3 - 23

ABSTRACT

Adaptation to climate change is critical for sustainable livelihood in developing countries like Nigeria where agriculture production depends majorly on rainfall. This research examined the analysis of determinants of maize farmers’ adaptation strategies to climate change in South-South Nigeria. Multistage sampling techniques were used for the selection of 260 maize farmers from 36 communities in the study area. Primary data were collected using a set of questionnaires and an interview schedule. The result of the Variance Inflating Factor (VIF) and Tolerance level revealed that multicollinearity does not exist. The majority (96.9%) of the maize farmers adopted the use of adaptation techniques. The majority (81.9%), (81.5%), and (78.5%) adopted the use of improved crop species, planting of drought tolerant crop species, and changing in planting dates respectively. The multivariate probit (MVP) model results show that among all determinants, access to information on climate change was the most important influencing factor that enabled farmers to adopt different adaptation strategies because it was statistically significant in all the dependent variables used in the analyses. The research, recommends collaboration among the tiers of institutions to improve access to credit/ finance facilities, avail affordable farm inputs, adequate extension service delivery, eliminate the risk of maize pests and disease, and provide necessary and timely information for the maize farmers.

KEYWORDS

Adaptation, climate change, diversification, mixed farming, MVP

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The Transformation From Agronomic Experiment to Practical Advice For Farmers: A Case Study with Maize in the Southern Guinea Savannah Region of Nigeria

Temitope Seun Babalola Oluwadamilola Fasina Olubunmi Samuel Shittu Samuel Ojo Ajayi Augustus Oludotun Akinmayowa Ilori DOI: 10.7160/aol.2025.170202
No 2/2025, June
pp. 25 - 35

ABSTRACT

The development of recommendations that are adoptable by farmers to meet their goals is key to the introduction of improved crop management practices to farmers. An on-farm experiment was conducted to evaluate maize production under farmers (M1) and improved (M2) cultivation and management in three locations (Kabba, Ejiba, and Anyigba) of the southern Guinea Savannah zone of Nigeria. A land suitability evaluation, an evaluation of the yield of maize, and an economic analysis of the two management practices were carried out. Kabba has a potential suitability index of 32.76 and was rated S3 (marginally suitable); Ejiba and Kabba are 84 and 95, respectively; they were rated S1 (highly suitable). The yield performance of maize is in the order of Ejiba>Anyigba>Kabba for location and M2>M1 for management practices. For every $1.00 invested in the adoption of improved cultivation and management practices, the farmer will recover the $1.00 and get an additional $0.4285, $0.6850, and $0.9349 in Kabba, Ejiba, and Ayingba, respectively. The improved management practices are recommended to farmers in the agro-ecological zone. This study established that agronomic experiments should not be limited to field experimentation levels, and the importance of the economic implications of agronomic research findings was emphasized.

KEYWORDS

Soil, suitability, evaluation, production, economics

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Economic Development and Diet Composition: Cross-Continental Insights into Bennett's Law

Bartłomiej Bajan Magdalena Piechocka DOI: 10.7160/aol.2025.170203
No 2/2025, June
pp. 37 - 49

ABSTRACT

The study assesses Bennett's Law, which posits that higher incomes lead to reduced consumption of starchy staples in favor of more diverse, nutrient-dense diets, and its relevance across various global regions. Using regression models, the research examines the relation between GDP per capita and the share of starchy staple foods in caloric intake across continents. The findings indicate significant regional variations in adherence to Bennett's Law. For instance, while South America aligns with Bennett's predictions, Europe deviates, showing increased starchy staple consumption with rising incomes, potentially due to cultural and eco-conscious dietary trends. Africa and parts of Asia display limited dietary diversification, often due to structural barriers and economic constraints. Contrarily, Oceania and North America exhibit a mixed relationship, influenced by income inequality and health trends. These results suggest that Bennett's Law's applicability is region-specific and influenced by socioeconomic, cultural, and policy factors, underscoring the complexity of dietary transitions and cautioning against one-size-fits-all assumptions about the impacts of economic development on food consumption.

KEYWORDS

Food consumption patterns, diet composition, Bennett’s Law

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The Impact of Governance and Digital Competitiveness on Agriculture Sectors Amid Global Uncertainty

Ernawati Muhammad Syarif Mansyur Asri DOI: 10.7160/aol.2025.170204
No 2/2025, June
pp. 51 - 62

ABSTRACT

In the last five years, the world has faced several events that have driven global uncertainty, namely pandemics and geopolitical events. Governments in various countries determine strategic policies to face global uncertainty. Governance has a crucial role in dealing with economic conditions amidst uncertainty. On the other hand, digital developments since the pandemic have also increased, which is expected to have positive externalities for society and the government in making economic decisions under uncertainty. This research examines the impact of governance and digital competitiveness on economic performance. This research uses secondary data from IMD publications for 2019–2023, covering a total of 58 countries. The data were analyzed using panel data regression. The research results show that there are disparities in digital competitiveness and governance in the group of countries with GDPs of more than $20,000 and less than $20,000, respectively. This difference leads to differences in economic performance between the two groups of countries. The governance dimension that affects macroeconomic performance is government governance, while for the agricultural sector it is business governance. The digital competitiveness dimension that worsens macroeconomic performance is future readiness, while for the agricultural sector it is the digital technology dimension. In a period of global uncertainty, infrastructure variables can drive economic performance, but on the other hand, they actually reduce the share of the agricultural sector. The more flexible anticipatory business behavior (due to more complete information) in the face of global uncertainty restrains the motivation for business expansion, which ultimately reduces economic performance. This research recommends to the government the importance of developing a strategy for handling future readiness and digital technology to support economic and agriculture stimulus policies in conditions of global uncertainty.

KEYWORDS

Digital, technology, economic, government, agriculture

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Bridging Digital Gaps: Optimizing Marketing Strategies and Branding for Sustainable Growth in Farmers' Household Businesses

Nurliza Siti Sawerah Morteza Muthahhari Tatang Abdurrahman DOI: 10.7160/aol.2025.170205
No 2/2025, June
pp. 63 - 77

ABSTRACT

Farmers’ household enterprises in developing economies often operate under structural constraints such as limited digital literacy, scarce resources, and entrenched socio-cultural norms—factors that collectively hinder market access and brand development. This study investigates the interplay between entrepreneurial traits, digital marketing practices, socio-cultural context, and branding strategies in shaping business sustainability and competitiveness. Drawing on data from 98 rural enterprises in West Kalimantan, Indonesia—where internet access lags behind the national average and cultural identities of Dayak and Malay communities influence business behavior—a mixed-methods approach was employed, combining surveys with qualitative interviews to capture both patterns and lived realities. The findings reveal that while traits like age, gender, and digital platform preferences guide strategic decisions, adoption is often constrained by low digital proficiency, outdated technologies, and vague performance indicators; yet, these businesses persist with resilience, underscoring the urgent need for culturally attuned marketing, digital infrastructure investment, and targeted capacity-building initiatives.

KEYWORDS

Digital marketing, branding, farmers' household businesses, sustainable agriculture

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The Size of Czech Agricultural Enterprises: Implications for Economic Efficiency

Radka Redlichová Vojtěch Tamáš Kristina Somerlíková Jana Hlaváčková DOI: 10.7160/aol.2025.170206
No 2/2025, June
pp. 79 - 93

ABSTRACT

This study analyses the economic efficiency and size structure of agricultural enterprises in the Czech Republic, focusing on differences between organic and conventional farming systems during the 2016-2022 period. Key objectives include evaluating farm size distribution, profitability, and efficiency under varying conditions. Results reveal that organic farms are generally smaller and more reliant on subsidies, achieving lower production per hectare compared to conventional farms. However, their profit becomes comparable when subsidies are included. Conversely, conventional farms demonstrate greater efficiency, particularly among larger enterprises. These insights are pivotal for shaping agricultural policy with respect to production efficiency and food self-sufficiency.

KEYWORDS

Farm structure, farm size, farm results, profitability, organic agriculture, conventional agriculture

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Does Biological Assets´ Tangibility Matter from the Profitability and Cost of Debt Perspective for Agricultural Firms?

Zdeněk Toušek Jana Hinke Barbora Gregor Martin Prokop DOI: 10.7160/aol.2025.170207
No 2/2025, June
pp. 95 - 106

ABSTRACT

The research aim is to identify specific production factors (biological assets) and target potential profitability and cost of external debt dependency on these biological assets (as an anticipated essential driving forces) due to relative scarcity of this topic coverage. Underlying unbalanced data set consist of 229 agricultural firms managing their business operations from 2011 till 2019 in the Czech Republic. The paper is innovative based on its combination of several different factors including incorporation of biological assets’ variables influencing firm’s profitability and by assessing determinants concerning cost of external debt using a panel regression analysis with fixed effects. Biological assets tangibility is relatively low with declining trend. Contrary to it land tangibility experienced exactly opposite development caused by "skyrocket" land price appreciation. It has been proven that cost of debt is depending only on the short/long-term leverage levels, thus primarily the total indebtedness is essential and relevant driving force.

KEYWORDS

Cost of debt, leverage, return on assets, tangibility, variables

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Economic Analysis of Grain Product Metrics

Valentin Uteulin Gulnar Lukhmanova Olessya Lemechshenko Kulzhamal Bleutayeva Baglan Murzabekova DOI: 10.7160/aol.2025.170208
No 2/2025, June
pp. 109 - 123

ABSTRACT

The study aims to analyse the key factors affecting grain production in Kazakhstan to develop recommendations for improving the efficiency and sustainability of the agricultural sector. Statistical methods and econometric modelling techniques were used, including the least squares method with heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation robust errors and autoregression with external factors for time series analysis. These methods were used to estimate the impact of various internal and external factors on the gross grain harvest. The analysis demonstrated that grain yields depend on a variety of factors, such as innovations in agricultural technology, climatic conditions and economic policy. The identified factors were grouped with measurable indicators for each, which became the basis for building models. The study determined that the autoregressive model is more suitable for describing the impact on the dependent variable – grain harvest. The most influential indicators are yields and research and development costs. The results of the study can be used to adjust agricultural policy and strategies for agricultural development in Kazakhstan. Proposals for optimising land use and integrating modern agricultural technologies will increase productivity and reduce the impact of negative factors.

KEYWORDS

Yield, sown area, gross harvest, fertiliser, multiple regression model, food security

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The Impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Bank Credit on Agricultural Performance in Uzbekistan: An Econometric Analysis

Fozil Xolmurotov Xolilla Xolmuratov DOI: 10.7160/aol.2025.170209
No 2/2025, June
pp. 125 - 134

ABSTRACT

This study examines the dynamic effects of information and communication technology (ICT) penetration and bank credit on agricultural performance in rural Uzbekistan using an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model. Based on data from the World Bank and the State Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for the period 2000-2022, this study examines the important role of ICT and financial resources in improving agricultural productivity. Descriptive statistics show moderate variability in agricultural performance, with strong positive correlations between agricultural output and variables such as education, internet access, and mobile phone penetration. Unit root tests confirm the stationarity of all variables after first differencing, confirming the application of the ARDL model. The results of the paired test indicate a significant long-run equilibrium relationship between the variables under study. The short-run results of the ARDL model show that changes in bank credit have a significant impact on agricultural performance, with a robust adjustment mechanism to correct deviations from the long-run equilibrium. The long run results show that while ICT variables do not significantly affect agricultural performance, bank credit has a negative effect on it and education has a strong positive effect.

KEYWORDS

Agricultural performance, ICT penetration, bank credit, ARDL model, rural development, agriculture

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Innovation in Agriculture: Driving Economic Development through EU Knowledge-Based Economy

Tatia Zarkua Wim Heijman Irena Benešová DOI: 10.7160/aol.2025.170210
No 2/2025, June
pp. 135 - 148

ABSTRACT

Innovation in agriculture is vital for enhancing sustainability, productivity, and economic development, especially in light of global challenges such as population growth, resource scarcity, and climate change. This study, adopting a quantitative cross-sectional approach, investigates the relationship between agricultural innovation and productivity within the EU. By employing multiple regression analysis with a log-log transformation, the study explores how R&D expenditure in agriculture and various control variables impact agricultural productivity across EU-27 countries from 2000 to 2019. To address potential endogeneity concerns, the Instrumental Variables (IV) approach was applied, using the Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS) method, which reduced bias in the estimation. The results revealed that a 1 % increase in R&D spending in agriculture corresponds to an approximate 0.33% increase in total crop output, indicating a strong positive link between innovation and agricultural productivity. The model residuals confirm a satisfactory fit, highlighting the robustness of the findings. This study provides valuable insights into how agricultural innovation can drive productivity, offering important implications for policymakers and researchers aiming to optimise agricultural output through increased investment in innovation.

KEYWORDS

Innovation, agriculture, R&D expenditure, KBE, economic development

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