Does the adoption of minimum tillage improve sorghum yield among smallholders in Kenya? A counterfactual analysis

Abstract

Climate change is a major drawback to food security in most developing countries. Promoting minimum tillage and climate-smart crops is essential in mitigating and adapting to climate shocks. However, information on the impacts of minimum tillage on crop productivity under farmers' conditions is limited in Western Kenya. We assessed the effects of minimum tillage adoption on sorghum productivity among smallholder sorghum farmers in Western Kenya. We used household survey data collected from 300 smallholder farmers and performed an endogenous switching regression model to analyze the effects of minimum tillage adoption on sorghum yields. The results revealed that the adoption of minimum tillage increased sorghum yields by 11%, from 1163 to 1146 kg ha−1. The occupation of the household head, acreage, soil fertility perception, and farm credit significantly and positively determined minimum tillage adoption. The remittance, agricultural associations, weather information, and site negatively and significantly determined minimum tillage adoption. Our findings suggest that minimum tillage adoption under drought-tolerant crops such as sorghum could improve community wellbeing through increased crop productivity, notwithstanding the changing climate and associated weather shocks.