Economic Assessment of Maize-Legume Soil Health Options for Maize Productivity in Malawi: A Case of the Legume Best Bets Project in Ntcheu District
Creators: name: Mwale, Berta Kadawayula
Publisher: name: Unknown
Year: 2023
Subjects: Crop Production/Industries
Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies

description: Soil fertility loss significantly affect crop yield leading to economic losses. This is most prevalent in smallholder farming as land is continuously cultivated. A number of technologies and practices have been promoted to improve soil fertility for maize among smallholder farmers in Malawi. One such practice is maize-legume innovations. In this study, an economic analysis of the maize-legume soil health options from a sample of 197 households were identified in Ntcheu district using the probability proportion to size principal among the beneficiary (92) and non-beneficiary (105) farmers’ household in September 2021. Analytically, Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA), logit regression and Propensity Score Matching were applied to analyse data factors influencing the practice maize-legume soil health and crop productivity options. Based on the analysis, mean maize production costs was relatively higher than after sale revenue generated for all rotations under (the rotations of maize sole. Groundnuts - maize, soyabean – maize, pigeon pea -maize, cowpea – maize, groundnuts + soyabean – maize, groundnuts +Pigeon Pea – maize, cowpea+ groundnuts – maize) study (MWK 470,640.10 per ha). In addition, sole legumes plots in 2019/2020 growing season resulted in higher maize yield in the 2020/21 growing season compared to double-up legume plots. Furthermore, all the legumes managed to breakeven and have a positive Net Present Values. In addition, the logit regression outcome showed that inadequate information access was significant at 1%(-.3307653 and p-value of 0.006 was less than 1%), which means that it decreased the influence of effective participation by 33%. Gender was also significant at 1% (p-value of 0.002&lt;1%), hence being female increased the probability of participation by 25%. Marital status was also significant at 1% (p- value of 0.002&lt;1%), hence being married influenced participation by 25%. Lastly, farm size of the households was significant at 5% (p-value of 0.034 is greater than 1, but is vi less than 5, hence an increase in farm size increased participation by 14%. On the contrary, the study noted that non-participants households had more income relative to those within the project which was noted through little variation between mean agricultural related income earned (MWK159,301.52 with a t-value of -1.62), even after Propensity Score Matching treatment. Qualitatively, there was an increase in maize yield, multiplication of improved legume seeds and easy access to proteins through the legumes they produced. However, some used the residues as firewood and feed for livestock instead of leaving them in the field to decompose. Based on the socio economics characteristics that were significant (being female, married, owning a farmland and not having access to extension information), the study recommends that scaling out these maize-legume options will likely succeed if women are targeted as shown from the results in the study. In addition, instead of meeting just project farmers only all the time. The Bunda and local extension workers should also target other non- project farmers with the knowledge on how to produce these soil health and crop productivity. In terms of the cost benefit analysis. The study recommends that there should be a conscious policy that can enhance the practice of maize-legume intercrop or rotations in a manner that can sustainably improve soil structure while increasing yield. Nonetheless, I recommend that there should be another study assessing why non- project farmers have a higher agricultural income compared to project farmers.