Smallholder farmers’ perception of agro-ecological practices and its determinants: Insights from RIPAT project in Ruangwa District, Tanzania

Abstract

It is recognized that using agro-ecological practices can guarantee sustained agricultural production, which satisfies the necessary amount of food demand. To persuade farmers to adopt agro-ecological practices, it is imperative first to understand their perception of agro-ecology approach. This study aimed to analyze farmers' perceptions of agro-ecological practices and their determinants, using data that were collected from 126 RIPAT and 126 non-RIPAT farmers who were randomly selected in Ruangwa District, Tanzania. Results revealed a significant difference in perception between RIPAT and non-RIPAT farmers. Most RIPAT farmers perceived agro-ecological practices more likely than their counterpart due to training that increased their awareness. The majority in both groups of farmers perceived the relative advantage of agro-ecological practices, particularly in environmental protection and human health and nutrition, but also considered its implementation as labor-intensive and time-consuming. Unlike non-RIPAT farmers, RIPAT farmers perceived agro-ecological practices as compatible with their social values, farming experience, and demands, and farmers can try to implement them to enhance agricultural production. The results of binary logistic regression showed that exposure to the RIPAT approach, access to information, income, and access to credit were significantly influencing farmers’ perception of agro-ecological practices. Awareness of agro-ecological practices, which could be brought about by training, increases the likelihood of positive perception of the same. Therefore, the study recommends more agro-ecological training programs to enhance farmers’ awareness and knowledge which in turn could influence their perception resulting in enhanced adoption of agro-ecological practices for sustainable food production.