Evaluating the perception, adoption, and impacts of climate-smart agriculture practices on paddy production in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam | |
| Author | Nguyen Huu Loi |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.NR-23-02 |
| Subject(s) | Agricultural innovations--Evaluation--Mekong River Delta (Vietnam and Cambodia) Rice farming--Mekong River Delta (Vietnam and Cambodia) |
| Note | A thesis submitted in patial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Natural Resources Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Adaptation through climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is an important response to reduce vulnerability and ensure food security. However, there is limited research on the psychological factors that can motivate or impede farmers' adoption of CSA practices and their effect on production output. This study aimed to explore the psychological motivators and barriers to farmers' adoption of CSA practices, evaluate their effect on production outputs, and provide policy recommendations for promoting effective responses. This study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods to survey and interview 393 rice farmers and key informants. An ordered logistic model was used to analyze the factors influencing farmers' perceptions of climate change (CC) and their responses. Based on the theory of planned behavior, structural equation modeling was used to explain the motivations and behavior of farmers toward the adoption of CSA. The technical and economic efficiency of rice farming was evaluated using the frontier model, while the factors influencing inefficiencies were explored. The effects of CSA on rice farming outcomes were assessed through the propensity score matching approach. The study indicates that information sources were a major factor in shaping farmers' perceptions of the impacts of CC. Moreover, access to water sources, beliefs on CC, and trust in public adaptation were important for influencing farmers' perceptions of CC impacts and responses. The results of the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) showed that farmers' intention to adopt CSA was affected by their perception of CC response, their self-efficacy, norms, and their trustworthiness in public adaptation strategies. Additionally, both motivational and non-motivational factors were identified as influencing farmers' adoption behavior. As for production efficiency, the mean surveyed farmers' score was 0.806 and 0.849 for technical and economic efficiency, respectively. It was discovered that the adoption of CSA practices and adaptation to CC had a positive influence on technical efficiency, indicating that farmers who adopted these practices had better yields compared to conventional farmers, holding other observable characteristics constant. In addition, a positive relationship was observed between technical efficiency and access to water sources, education level, and irrigation with collective management. Besides, the results of economic efficiency model showed that managing fertilizer and labor costs, as well as adopting CSA practices, are effective v strategies for improving economic efficiency. The mean score of economic efficiency among the surveyed farmers indicates their ability to efficiently convert inputs into outputs. Education, experience, collective irrigation methods, and CSA adoption all had positive effects on economic efficiency, while the presence of family laborers had a negative impact. Finally, the study revealed that CSA practices had a positive effect on technical efficiency, economic efficiency, and profit, whereas the effect on yield was insignificant. The findings of this research suggest that local governments and institutions should prioritize the development and implementation of targeted information and training programs to effectively respond to CC in rice farming in the Mekong Delta. Secondly, policies should address contextual barriers, such as limited access to inputs and resources, policy and institutional barriers, socioeconomic barriers, and climate variability and unpredictability. Finally, income diversification can be promoted by providing resources and supporting and encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing among farmers, local governments, and other stakeholders. |
| Year | 2023 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Natural Resources Management (NRM) |
| Chairperson(s) | Tsusaka, Takuji W.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Sasaki, Nophea;Zulfiqar, Farhad; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD), Germany; |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2023 |