Identifying determinants, pressures and trade-offs of crop residue use in mixed smallholder farms in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia

摘要

Crop residues (CR) have become a limited resource in mixed crop-livestock farms. As a result of the\udincreasing demand and low availability of alternative resources, CR became an essential resource for\udhousehold activities, especially for livestock keeping; a major livelihood element of smallholder farmers\udin the developing world. Farmers’ decisions on CR use are determined by farmers’ preferences, total crop\udproduction, availability of alternative resources and demand for CR. Interaction of these determinants can\udresult in pressures and trade-offs of CR use. Determinants, pressures and trade-offs are shaped by the specific\udsocio-economic and agro-ecological context of these mixed farms. The objective of this paper is to\udprovide a comparative analysis of the determinants of CR use and to examine some options to cope with\udpressures and trade-offs in 12 study sites across Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Drawing on socioeconomic\uddata at household and village level, we describe how cereal intensification and livestock feed\uddemand influence use, pressures and trade-offs of CR use across study sites, specifically cereal residue.\udOur results show that in low cereal production and livestock feed demand sites, despite a low demand\udfor CR and availability of alternative biomass, pressures and trade-offs of CR use are common particularly\udin the dry season. In sites with moderate cereal production, and low–moderate and moderate livestock\udfeed demand, alternative biomass resources are scarce and most residues are fed to livestock or used\udto cover household needs. Subsequently, pressures and potential trade-offs are stronger. In sites with\udlow cereal production and high livestock feed demand, pressures and trade-offs depend on the availability\udof better feed resources. Finally, sites with high cereal production and high livestock feed demand\udhave been able to fulfil most of the demand for CR, limiting pressures and trade-offs. These patterns show\udthat agricultural intensification, better management of communal resources and off-farm activities are\udplausible development pathways to overcome pressures and trade-offs of CR use. Although technologies\udcan largely improve these trends, research and development should revisit past initiatives so as to\uddevelop innovative approaches to tackle the well-known problem of low agricultural production in many\udsmallholder mixed systems, creating more sustainable futures.