The Role of Social Capital in the Adoption of Conservation Agriculture:

The Case of likoti in Lesotho

Laura Silici, Theodor Friedrich and Amir Kassam

5th World Congress of Conservation Agriculture incorporating 3rd Farming Systems Design

Conference, 26-29 September 2011 Brisbane, Australia

Outline

• Lesotho: socio-economic and environmental constraints • The practice of Likoti• Materials and methods: source of the data, variables and

statistical tools (Bayesian Networks) • Results and discussion: impacts on sustainable crop

intensification • Results and discussion: the role of social capital and the

importance of participatory training • Conclusions and policy implications

Lesotho: Country Overview• High unemployment• Internal and external migrations• High rate of HIV/AIDS• Extensive land degradation• Low agricultural productivity• Recurrent food crisis

Reduced livelihood base (including farming) and high

vulnerability

Depleting social capital

The Practice of Likoti

Materials and Methods: Source of the Data• Two stratified sample populations of farmers (117 CA + 112

conventional) interviewed on socio-demographic features, food security status, wealth, social capital and community organization, farming and agricultural production

• Workshops and open interviews with key informants

• 123 composite soil samples tested for soil fertility and soil texture

• Yields recorded from a sub-sample of farmers

Results and Discussion: Impacts on Sustainable Crop Intensification

• Higher agricultural productivity, due to improved efficiency in the use of inputs and other resources

• Greater environmental sustainability due to improved soil structure and enhanced fertility

• Higher social sustainability• Accessibility to the technology by all social categories,

including the most vulnerable• Improved food security status

Results and Discussion: Determinants of the Adoption of CA in Lesotho

• Degree of trust and cooperation, especially when combined with a participatory approach pursued by committed trainers

• Economic incentives provided to vulnerable households in the very early stages of adoption

• Literacy and education (especially relevant in case of female adopters)

Conditional dependence among social capital and CA variables, adopter sub-sample

SOCIAL CAPITAL

ADOPTION OF CA

SOCIO-ECONOMIC

Conditional dependence among social capital and CA variables, evidence in the Location node (Lowland sites: poor participation lower CA knowledge)

Conditional dependence among social capital and CA variables, evidence in the Location node (Mountain sites: high participation better CA knowledge)

Conclusions and Policy Implications

• Social capital plays a significant role in the adoption and the performance of sustainable agricultural practices

• But... how “to invest” in social capital?– The choice of the most appropriate technology critically

depends on the preliminary assessment of social capital dimensions

– Social capital ‘enabling factors’ (e.g. education, capable agency of committed leaders, meso-institutions) can be consistently included in policy interventions

Thank you!

Laura Silici l.silici@btinternet.comAmir Kassam kassamamir@aol.com