Does the joint adoption of improved soybean varieties and their complementary agronomic practices enhance household food and nutritional security among smallholder farmer in Malawi?
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Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources
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Malawi's persisting efforts to improve smallholder productivity and diversification have only translated into moderate improvements in food security outcomes. Soybean is one of the key legume crops that provide both financial and food-security benefits to farming households in Malawi. Hence, the study aims to assess the food security effects of joint
adoption of improved soybean varieties and their complementary agronomic practices among smallholder farmers in Malawi. Data was collected from 1510 respondents from six districts; Kasungu, Lilongwe, Ntchisi, Mzimba, and Dedza districts. The study employed endogenous switching regression to assess factors/drivers that influence farmer’s decision to adopt improved soybean varieties and agronomic practices. Further, treatment effects were used to assess the impact of adoption on food security. In addition, the Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess factors leading to farmers dis-adopting soybean varieties. The study's findings indicate that having a bicycle as a form of transportation, having access to formal markets, owning land on a medium slope and being a farmer in the Ntchisi district influences a farmer's decision to use improved soybean varieties and their complementary agronomic practices. Further, the results indicate that adopting improved soybean varieties and agronomic practices decreases household food insecurity access scale and increases food consumption and household dietary diversity scores. A Cox hazard proportion model indicates that farmers are less likely to dis-adopt soybean varieties if they own a bicycle, access formal markets, have fertile land, or are from Lilongwe, Ntchisi, or Dedza districts. The study suggests strengthening formal market links and enhancing extension services for soybean production to promote better practices and improve technical expertise in crop management.
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smallholders, soybeans, malawi, adoption, food security