Investigated in this work is the impact of contract farming participation on smallholder farmers’ income and food security in rice crop production in Northern Benin using 400 randomly selected rice farmer households. Unlike previous studies, we corrected for both observed and unobserved biases by combining propensity score matching (PSM) and the local average treatment effect parameter (LATE). The results showed significant negative consequences of partaking in rice contract farming. We found evidence of significant negative effects on rice production income at a 1% level. The more the rice farmers join in contract farming, the lower the farm income became. Decreased food consumption was also a result of contract farming participation for potential participants by a score of 60.64, placing their households at the food security status level of poor food consumption because the quantity and nutritional quality of the food consumed were inadequate. Contract farming is, therefore, not a reasonable policy instrument that can help farmers increase their income and improve their food security level in the Alibori Department, Benin if farmers do not diversify their crops. The necessary resources and economic environment are not yet in place to allow contract farming to take full advantage of its potential benefits. To prevent the wasting of scarce public resources, expanding contract farming would not be appropriate in marginal areas with markets and other infrastructure. Additional measures are needed for contract farming to be profitable for contracting actors and to ensure sustainability and the large-scale participation of farmers.

Background and Objective: Black cuminseed for local consumption and other importance, such as oil and oil rosin for medicinal purposes, export market, crop diversification, income generation, reducing the risk of crop failure and others made it as a best alternative crop under Ethiopian smaller land holdings. The objectives of this study were to examine factors affecting farmer perception of the Black cumin production importance, and assess the crop utilization purpose by smallholder farmers and its income potential for the farmers in two Districts of Bale zone of Oromia regional state in Ethiopia. Materials and Methods: The survey was conducted from January to May 2018 in two Districts of Oromia region. Questionnaires, focus group discussion and field observation were used to collect data. A total of 180 Black cumin producers were selected randomly from 8 Kebele’s. The responses were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and Probit model in Stata version 13. Results: The survey result indicated that the majority (95.56%) of the households perceived that production of Black cumin crop is important. The crop used as source of better income, medicinal crop and spice in the study area. From the total mean of agriculture income, Black cumin production contributes about 39.88% to the income the respondents. The  Probit model shows that producers perception of the importance of Black cumin production was found to be statistically and significant affected by age of households, education level, availability of labor for farm activities, access to credit facilities, average income from Black cumin, and its productivity level through time. Conclusion: The agricultural policy should give emphases at all operational level to exploit more benefit from this crop and on the production enhancement strategies, so as to bring foreseen change in the lives of the producers.

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Beekeeping delivers the rural people with sources of income, dietary use, pollination service and social benefit. In spite of the benefits obtained from beekeeping, farmer’s resistivity to adopt the recommended modern beekeeping technological components (packages) is among the major problem. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to examine the intensity of adoption of beekeeping technology package, and identify factors influencing adoption and intensity of adoption of beekeeping technology package in Sheko district. Stratified sampling procedure was used to select sample households. A total of 200 household heads were selected randomly from adopters and non-adopters categories of four potential beekeeping localities. Date was collected by using household survey and key informant interview and analyzed by using censured Tobit model. From sampled households 68% of respondents who have bee hive; the majority of them fall under medium adopters’ category. Variations in intensity of adoption of bee hive components were observed among adopter category. The output of censured Tobit model was indicate that six variables such as total livestock unit, apiary site visit by farmer, perceived cost of technology by farmer, distance of market center from home, knowledge of farmers for bee management and availability of bee hive technology were found to have significant influence on adoption and intensity of adoption of bee hive technological package. Therefore, agricultural policy and development interventions should give emphasis to the improvement of institutional support system so as to achieve wider adoption and intensity of adoption for small scale farmers.