Environmental discounting behaviour of smallholder farmers in Chibombo District,Central Zambia |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Geography, Center for Environmental Studies (CFES), University of Pretoria, South Africa;2. Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia;3. Forest Resources Management, University of Ilorin, Nigeria;4. Forest Science Postgraduate Programme, University of Pretoria, 5-15 Plant Sciences Complex, Pretoria, South Africa;1. Graduate School of Economics, Ryukoku University, 67 Tsukamoto-cho, Fukakusa, Fushimi-ku, 612-8577, Kyoto, Japan;2. College of Economics, Qufu Normal University, Yantai Road 80#, 276826, Rizhao, Shandong province, China;3. Research Center for Food Safety and Agricultural Green Development, Qufu Normal University, Shandong, China;4. Facultat D’Economia I Empresa, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain;1. University of Zambia, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, P. O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia;1. Economics Research Branch, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast, UK;2. Department of Agri-Food Economics, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznan, Poland;3. United Nations – International Fund for Agricultural Development, Abuja, Nigeria;4. North-West University, Mafikeng, South Africa;5. Rothamsted Research, West Common, Harpenden, UK |
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| Abstract: | This study utilised 158 semi structured interviews, three focus group discussions and two key informant interviews to achieve its aim of investigating environmental discounting by smallholder farmers in Chibombo, Zambia. Results suggest that most smallholder farmers were willing to continue using mineral fertilisers in the short to medium term even when they were told there could be potentially negative effects as a result. This result was attributed to the farmers’ experience with neutralising soil acidity through lime application and crop rotations. The proportions of smallholder farmers who would continue using pesticides increased with the period it takes for pesticide induced soil infertility to manifest. The respondents seemed more concerned about effects on the soil that would manifest in five years. Smallholder farmers preferred soil improving practices with short term benefits, and low risk. The proportions of smallholder farmers willing to plant fertiliser trees reduced from 68.5 % when the benefits accrue in five years to about 38 % when said benefits accrue to the next generation. Study recommends that agricultural development interventions should focus on low risk, locally available technologies with shorter term benefits and minimal future costs. Study recommends that agricultural development interventions include innovation of practices with shorter term benefits, minimal future costs and farmer sensitisation on the benefits of sustainable agriculture. |
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| Keywords: | Agroforestry Soil conservation Time preference Risk aversion Low adoption |
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