Open AccessInstitutional Analysis of Adoption of Agroforestry Practices in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa
Author(s) -
Mulatu Fekadu Zerihun
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
southern african journal of environmental education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2411-5959
pISSN - 0256-7504
DOI - 10.4314/sajee.v36i1.9
Subject(s) - livelihood , incentive , agriculture , business , cape , land tenure , urbanization , agricultural extension , geography , economic growth , agricultural economics , agroforestry , environmental planning , economics , archaeology , microeconomics , biology
Agroforestry practices are innovations developed in response to problems associated with inappropriate land use practices. The latter refers to the use of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes because of an increase in urbanisation, rapidly developing industry, and investments, and, finally, gaps in laws and regulations (Cengiz, 2013). Agroforestry practices are land-based economic development strategies with a perceived positive role in supporting rural livelihoods. Using a logistic regression model with cross-sectional data, this study explores the impact of institutional factors and incentive mechanisms that affect the adoption of agroforestry innovations. The study finds that a larger number of extension services, access to credit, access to extension, information exchange among farmers, trust in local institutions, active participation in social groups and organisations, and prior exposure to agricultural technologies are the variables that positively affect the adoption of agroforestry innovations in the study area. These findings have policy implications in promoting integrated rural development in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.