Working Paper Series

Our division conducts research on social and institutional aspects of agricultural development and natural resource management. To encourage scientific discussion and critical comments for revisions and make our research results available to the public, we publish some of our work as “Hohenheim Working Papers on Social and Institutional Change in Agricultural Development”.

WP 020-2024: Governance challenges of Agricultural Carbon Projects

This study examines governance challenges in agricultural carbon projects in Kenya, highlighting complexities due to various stakeholder interests and power dynamics. Despite the potential of digital tools in addressing agricultural challenges, their role in carbon projects remains unexplored. The findings underscore the need for participatory project design, local capacity building, and integration of digital tools to enhance efficiency and benefits for smallholder farmers.

WP 020-2024 Governance challenges of Agricultural Carbon Projects

WP 018-2023: Is Community-Supported Agriculture a case of real utopia? The case of Germany

In the global debate about agri-food systems transformation, community-supported agriculture (CSA) has received attention. CSA is based on a critique of the prevailing industrialised agri-food system, and seeks fair, direct partnerships between consumers and producers, jointly carrying risks and rewards of farming. This paper uses the concept of real utopia by Erik Wright to study the potential of CSA in Germany to move out of its niche position and the role CSA can play in a transformation that challenges capitalist structures. Can CSA be understood as a real utopia?

WP 018-2023: Is Community-Supported Agriculture a case of real utopia? The case of Germany

WP 017-2023: Smallholder Agriculture Takes Root in Climate Action: Evaluating Soil Organic Carbon Monitoring

This study illuminates the potential of smallholder farmers in the global carbon market by examining nine innovative monitoring approaches to measure soil organic carbon (SOC) in smallholder agricultural projects. Drawing from secondary literature and primary data collected during a case study in Western Kenya, the research dives into the nuanced challenges of SOC monitoring, taking into account key criteria that mirror the diverse needs of stakeholders in carbon schemes, including accuracy, standardization, costs, adoptability, and community benefits. Can remote sensing technology offer a promising solution?

WP 017-2023: Smallholder Agriculture Takes Root in Climate Action: Evaluating Soil Organic Carbon Monitoring

WP 016-2023: Agricultural Input Use in Nigeria: Consistency, Complementarity, and Credit

There are various potential agronomic synergies between modern inputs such as improved seeds, fertilizers, and herbicides. This working paper explores the complementarity and consistency of input use among farmers in Nigeria, utilizing data from three waves of the LSMS-ISA survey (Living Standards Measurement Survey – Integrated Surveys on Agriculture) by the World Bank. The results reveal limited complementarity and consistency in the utilization of modern inputs, implying untapped potential for agricultural development.

WP 016-2023: Agricultural Input Use in Nigeria: Consistency, Complementarity, and Credit

WP 015-2023: Making land rehabilitation projects work in small-scale mining areas: Insights from a case study in Ghana

Illegal small-scale mining has caused widespread degradation and contamination in many countries of the Global South. With the lack of effective state mechanisms to enforce sustainable mining and post-mining practices, there is an increasing need to consider alternative solutions for restoring these lands. This paper examines the potential of community-based approaches for restoring mined lands, based on a unique case of an NGO-led project in Ghana. Using a combination of qualitative methods, such as net-maps, and quantitative stated preferences methods, the paper investigates the factors that influence local communities' decisions to participate in mined land restoration.

WP 015-23: Making land rehabilitation projects work in small-scale mining areas: Insights from a case study in Ghana

WP 014-2022: Made in Africa – How to make local agricultural machinery manufacturing thrive

Local manufacturing can contribute to economic development in Sub-Saharan Africa, enabling job creation and poverty reduction. Agricultural machinery manufacturing can play a key role in driving overall manufacturing development, given the huge number of gradually mechanizing African farmers and the demand from the rapidly growing agro-food processing sector. The paper explores the characteristics, opportunities, and challenges for local agricultural machinery manufacturers in Africa, focusing on four countries: Benin, Kenya, Mali, and Nigeria.

WP 014-2022: Made in Africa – How to make local agricultural machinery manufacturing thrive

WP 013-2022: Do African livestock policies address sustainability trade-offs? Evidence from Kenya, Zambia, and Burkina Faso

The livestock revolution has the potential to reduce poverty and (hidden) hunger but can also be associated with a range of sustainability trade-offs. As livestock development is high on the agenda of policymakers across Africa this report reviews the flagship livestock policies of three African countries, Kenya, Zambia, and Burkina Faso, to assess the extent to which such trade-offs have been incorporated.

WP 013-2022: Do African livestock policies address sustainability trade-offs? Evidence from Kenya, Zambia, and Burkina Faso

WP 012-2022: Animal traction, two-wheel tractors, or four-wheel tractors? A best-fit approach to guide farm mechanization in Africa

There are heavy - at times dogmatic - debates on which technological pathway toward farm mechanization - animal traction, two-wheel tractors, four-wheel tractors - should be supported by African governments and development partners. This paper introduces a novel “best-fit” framework that allows for assessing the comparative advantages and disadvantages of the three technological pathways depending on the agro-ecological and socio-economic context.

WP 012-2022: Animal traction, two-wheel tractors, or four-wheel tractors? A best-fit approach to guide farm mechanization in Africa

WP 011-2021: Is there Unrecognized Potential in Neglected Livestock Species?

Picture Credits: Unsplash, Juliet Kariuki and Suleman Issifu

Drawing parallels with neglected or “orphan” crops, this paper provides a systematic review of the literature on opportunities and constraints related to the use of five neglected livestock species, which could play a larger role in Africa: grasscutter, guinea fowl, guinea pig, rabbit, and donkey.

WP 011-2021: Is there Unrecognized Potential in Neglected Livestock Species?

WP 010-2021: Mechanization, digitalization, rural youth: Stakeholder perceptions on mega-topics for African agricultural transformation

The paper explores local stakeholder perceptions on three megatrends occupying policymakers focused on agricultural transformation across Africa: agricultural mechanization, digital agriculture, and rural youth engagement. Understanding local stakeholder perspectives is key to choose and design the most promising policies and ensure their implementation on the ground.

WP 010-2021: Mechanization, digitalization, rural youth: Stakeholder perceptions on mega-topics for African agricultural transformation

WP 009-2021: The farming question: Intergenerational linkages, gender and youth aspirations in rural Zambia

The paper takes a unique “whole-family” approach to study the actors shaping youth aspirations towards farming in Zambia, highlighting the influential role of parents and their farm characteristics and revealing important gender differences.

WP 009-2021: The farming question: Intergenerational linkages, gender and youth aspirations in rural Zambia

WP 008-2021: Connected cows and cyber chickens? Stocktaking and case studies of digital livestock tools in Kenya and India

The paper assesses the potential and challenges of digital tools for livestock development by presenting a classification framework, taking stock of digital tools in India and Kenya and providing insights from three on-the-ground case studies: Herdman, a tool for Indian dairy organizations working with small-scale livestock keepers; Farmtree, a tool supporting medium-scale livestock keepers in India to manage their herds, and iCow, an e-extension tool for farmers in Kenya.

WP 008-2021: Connected cows and cyber chickens? Stocktaking and case studies of digital livestock tools in Kenya and India

WP 007-2021: Edible weeds and food and nutrition security in the face of the herbicide revolution. A case study from Zambia

Against the background of the “herbicide revolution”, the paper examines the role of edible weeds for rural diets in Zambia and explores how herbicides affect the consumption of edible weeds.

WP 007-2021: Edible weeds and food and nutrition security in the face of the herbicide revolution. A case study from Zambia

WP 006-2020: Between pandemics and famines: Towards nutrition-sensitive lockdowns during Covid-19 and beyond

The paper disentangles the effects of different Covid-19 lockdown measures – such as movement restrictions, workplace closures, and banning public events – on different dimensions of food and nutrition security. The results highlight both the need and scope to design nutrition-sensitive lockdowns, which are effective from an epidemiological perspective but minimize trade-offs with food and nutrition security.

WP 006-2020: Between pandemics and famines: Towards nutrition-sensitive lockdowns during Covid-19 and beyond

WP 005-2020: ‘We would rather die from Covid-19 than from hunger´ - Exploring lockdown stringencies in five African countries

Facing Covid-19, developing countries were confronted with large trade-offs between the containment of the Covid-19 pandemic (“flatten the curve”) and food and nutrition security. In this paper, we explore how five African countries - Zambia, Ghana, Benin, Kenya, and Uganda - maneuvered between these trade-offs when designing their policy responses to the first wave of the pandemic.

WP 005-2020: ‘We would rather die from Covid-19 than from hunger´ - Exploring lockdown stringencies in five African countries

WP 004-2020: Governance challenges of small-scale gold mining in Ghana: Insights from a process net-map study

Small scale gold mining in Ghana increasingly comprises the use of large machinery and hazardous chemicals, which can affect human and environmental health. The paper examines the legal framework
and governance challenges of small-scale gold mining in Ghana and proposes solutions for better governance.

Governance challenges of small-scale gold mining in Ghana: Insights from a process net-map study

WP 003-2020: Impacts of agricultural mechanization: Evidence from four African countries

The paper explores how the rise of agricultural mechanization changes the face of African farming and which policies can ensure that mechanization unfolds in an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable way.

Impacts of agricultural mechanization: Evidence from four African countries

WP 002-2020: The Myth of the Market Queens: A Case Study of Women and Power in Ghanaian Markets

Studying “market queens” in Ghana, this paper busts several widespread myths in the development literature, which often portrays women as powerless.

The myth of the Market Queens: A Case Study of Women and Power in Ghanaian Markets

WP 001-2020: Uber for tractors? Opportunities and challenges of digital tools for tractor hire in India and Nigeria

Photo credit: Alvaro Dominguez, www.alvarodominguez.com

Based on case studies on Hello Tractor in Nigeria and EM3 Agri-Services in India, the paper assesses how Uber-type solutions for tractor hire address the challenges of rural markets and help smallholder farmers to mechanization.

Uber for tractors? Opportunities and challenges of digital tools for tractor hire in India and Nigeria