What do we already know about the effectiveness of agriculture interventions on smallholder farming in Africa? A systematic review of reviews.Campbell Colloquium: Loyola University, Chicago
Centre for Anthropological Research (CfAR)University of Johannesburg
23 May 2013Ruth Stewart, Marcel Korth, Hazel Zaranyika, Natalie Rebelo Da Silva , Laurenz Langer, Nolizwe
Madinga
Brief overview of smallholder farming Methodology adopted in this review of
systematic reviews What areas do the available reviews
cover? What do we already know about
smallholder farming? What are the gaps in the systematic
review evidence? What next?
Outline
Significance of smallholder farming in Africa◦ Produce 80% food in developing
countries◦ Majority of Africa’s farmers◦ Increasingly recognized by donors and
governments as important
Definitions of smallholder farming◦ Family farms ◦ Size based (2 hectares)◦ Resource poor ◦ Mix of commercial and subsistence
production◦ Lack of consensus
Brief overview of smallholder farming
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Systematic review funded by CIDA - which interventions work best for smallholder farmers in Africa, especially young farmers?
3 stage review: 1) Review of reviews 2) Map of impact studies 3) Focused synthesis
Searched for systematic reviews:◦ 7 Databases◦ 6 Systematic Review Libraries
Screened them using inclusion criteria:◦ Study design: systematic reviews with structured
methodology◦ Population: smallholder farmers (noting studies
targeting young farmers & female farmers)◦ Region: included or focused on Africa
(Also captured individual impact studies from within reviews for our map of impact studies)
Methodology for our review of reviews http://secure.worldbank.org/photolibrary/servlet/m
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Coded included reviews using our framework Extracted findings from each review and did a simple narrative
synthesis Framework for describing systematic reviews
Training Innovation / new technology
Infrastructure
Finance
Investment
Innovation
Yield / Productivity
Income / wealth
Food security / Nutrition
Methodology for our review of reviews
Included 14 relevant systematic reviews◦ One review on training ◦ Nine reviews on innovation
and new technology◦ One review on agricultural
infrastructure◦ Four reviews on finance for
farmers
(one review is about both innovation and about infrastructure)
What were the included reviews about?
What were the included reviews about? Framework for describing systematic reviews
Training Innovation / new technology
Infrastructure
Finance
Investment Innovation
Yield / Productivity Waddington et al Bayala et al. Bennet & Franzel IOB Rusinamhodzi et al.
IOB Cole et al
Income / wealth Waddington et al Hall et al. Cole et al. Duvendack et al. Stewart et al. a.Stewart et al. b.
Food security / Nutrition Berti et al. Girad et al. Gunaratna et al. IOB Masset et al.
These are findings from the reviews with relevance to smallholder farming
In our map of impact studies we will explore in more detail interventions which focused specifically on farmers
We haven’t conducted quality appraisal of these reviews – we are trusting what the review authors reported
What do we already know about what works from these completed reviews?
What do we already know about training interventions?
Training: farmer field schools
One systematic review
Yield / Productivity Productivity increasedImproved agricultural outputs
Income / wealth Reduction in pesticide costsIncreased income and revenue
But, we don’t know how sustainable these positive outcomes are
What do we already know about innovation and new technology interventions?
Innovation / new technology
Nine systematic reviews
Yield / Productivity
Conservation agriculture increases crop yieldOrganic and Resource Conserving Agriculture increases yield
Income / wealth
Certification for organic crops increases incomes GM crops have mixed results on economic impacts
Food security / Nutrition Biofortification has mixed results on nutrition impacts
What do we already know about infrastructure interventions?
Infrastructure
One systematic review
Yield / Productivity Generally positive, particularly for land reform
What do we already know about finance interventions?
Finance
Four systematic reviews
Income/wealth Microcredit and microsavings have a positive impact on savings, expenditure and accumulation of assets – but only limited evidence
Commitment savings improve levels of non-financial assets
Microcredit encourages the poor to engage in economic activities
No improvement in income and wealth
Index based insurance increases the use of agricultural inputs i.e. fertilizers
Food security and Nutrition
Microcredit and microsavings have positive effects on food security and nutrition
Another way of thinking about the gaps in the current systematic review evidence base
Training Innovation & new tech.
Infrastructure Finance0123456
Investment Innovation Food securityIncome Yield/productivity
Interventions
Num
ber
of r
evie
ws
3 stage review: ◦ 1) Review of reviews ◦ 2) Map of impact studies conducted in Africa ◦ 3) Focused synthesis
Our (pre)protocol for this map has just been peer reviewed through 3ie◦ We’re now re-focusing the scope of our map◦ And revising the framework◦ Currently searching and screening for impact studies
Map completed in July to inform decisions about where to focus our full synthesis (our 3rd stage)
Prepare full Campbell protocol Draft report of our full Campbell review will be ready in
early 2014
What next?
Thank you.Feel free to contact me if you have [email protected] +27 11 559 1909
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Bayala J, SileshiGW, Coe R, Kalinganire A, Tchoundjeu Z, Sinclair F, Garrity D (2012) Cereal yield response to conservation agriculture practices in drylands of West Africa: A quantitative synthesis. Journal of Arid Environments (78): 13-25.
Bennett M and Franzel S (2009) Can organic and resource-conserving agriculture improve livelihoods? A meta-analysis and conceptual framework for site-specific evaluation.ICRAF Occasional Paper No. 11. Nairobi: World Agroforestry Centre.
Berti RP, Krasevec J, FitzGerald F (2004) A review of the effectiveness of agriculture interventions in improving nutrition outcomes. Public Health Nutrition,7 (5): 599-609.
Cole S, Bastian G, Vyas S, Wendel C, Stein D (2012) The effectiveness of index based micro-insurance in helping smallholders manage weather-related risks. London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London.
Duvendack M, Palmer-Jones R,Copestake JG, Hooper L, Loke Y, Rao N (2011) What is the evidence of the impact of microfinance on the well-being of poor people? London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London.
Gunaratna NS, De Groote H, Nestel P, Pixley KV, McCabe GP (2010) A meta-analysis of community-based studies on quality protein maize, Food Policy, (35): 202–210
Girard AW, Self JL, McAuliffe C, Oludea O (2012) The Effects of Household Food Production Strategies on the Health and Nutrition Outcomes of Women and Young Children: A Systematic Review. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology 26(Suppl. 1), 205–222.
List of included studies
Hall C, Knight B, Ringrose S, Knox O (2012) What have been the farm-level economic impacts of the global cultivation of GM crops?Systematic Review No.CEE 11-002.
IOB (2011) Improving food security.A systematic review of the impact of interventions in agricultural production, value chains, market regulation, and land security.IOB Study No 363.
Masset E, Haddad L, Cornelius A and Isaza-Castro J (2011) A systematic review of agricultural interventions that aim to improve nutritional status of children. London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London.
Rusinamhodzi L, Corbeels M, van Wijk MT, Rufino MC, Nyamangara J and GillerKE (2011) A meta-analysis of long-term effects of conservation agriculture on maize grain yield under rain-fed conditions. Agronomy Sustainable Development, (31): 657–673.
Stewart R, van Rooyen C, Dickson K, Majoro M, de Wet T (2010) What is the impact of microfinance on poor people? A systematic review of evidence from sub-Saharan Africa. Technical report. London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, University of London.
Stewart R, van Rooyen C, KorthM, Chereni A, Rebelo Da Silva N, de Wet T (2012) Do micro-credit, micro-savings and micro-leasing serve as effective financial inclusion interventions enabling poor people, and especially women, to engage in meaningful economic opportunities in low- and middle-income countries. A systematic review of the evidence. London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London.
Waddington H,Snilstveit B, Hombrados J, Vojtkova M, White H (in press) Farmer Field Schools for improving farming practices and farmer outcomes in low and middle-income countries: a systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews.
List of included studies