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Low adoption of agroforestry and other sustainable agriculture practices presents a pressing issue for both policy makers and practitioners in Sub-Saharan Africa. The inefficiency of extension advisory services partly contributes to low adoption of these practices in this region. Using survey data collected from Mzimba and Dedza districts in Malawi, this study applies an Ordered Probit model to assess the effect of ICT-enabled knowledge acquisition on the adoption of multipurpose tree species (MPTS). The results show that radio and WhatsApp messenger are key ICT-based platforms facilitating MPTS adoption. On the other hand, community-based farmer advisors (CBFAs) are an important form of face-to-face extension approach for promoting the adoption of MPTS. From a gender perspective, the results indicate that women farmers might be more inclined to adopt MPTS than their male counterparts, although this effect is not statistically significant. The findings highlight the importance of strengthening ICT-enabled extension advisory services to complement in-person extension services in an era when the number of extension agents is dwindling and the available extension officers are constrained to reach millions of farmers. Additionally, there is a need to scale digital extension services by developing appropriate content suitable for specific digital platforms and the type of agroforestry practices being promoted.

Globally, agriculture is experiencing sustainability challenges including excessive use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, synthetic inputs, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, climate change, etc. In countries like China, farmers have experienced changes in the rainfall pattern and extreme heat and cold. Accordingly, agricultural sustainability policies support sustainable practices like integrated pest management, improved nutrient management, agroforestry systems, crop rotation, no tillage, conservation efforts, and the use of organic manure and fertilizer, as well as sustainable technologies, inputs, and innovations as a mitigation measure. However, there is little information available on farmers practices, and the concept of sustainable farming is dimly understood, resulting in divergent views among numerous stakeholders, particularly farmers, about what exactly defines sustainable agriculture. As a result, the necessity for sustainable agriculture is becoming a problem. The study therefore aims to measure smallholder farmers' adherence to sustainable agricultural practices and assess the factors that influence farmers' adherence to sustainable practices. Survey approach was adopted to collect data from 405 smallholder farmers using sustainable agricultural technologies to measure farmer's adherence to the practices. Using multivariate probit analysis, the study discovered that whereas gender had no significant impact on farmers' adherence, age had a substantial impact. Income had favourable correlation with the sustainable practices, but not significant with overall adherence. Remarkably, farmers' commitment to adhere was encouraged by their neighbours' activities, organic farming methods, and farmers who had engaged in organic farming. Farmers' adherence was affected by farmers' concern about facing penalties from market regulators or the government, but not for monitoring and regulation. Lastly, even though the smallholder farmers thought that implementing sustainable practices was essential to achieving sustainable agriculture, this did not alter their will to do so.

The results of study of relevant indicators of mortality and biomass after γ-irradiation of the terrestrial mollusk F. fruticum M. in a dose of 10–300 Gy are presented. Mollusks of the second age group were selected. The age of the mollusks was determined by the number of revolutions of the shell. The conditions of keeping the mollusk in the laboratory were experimentally selected in such a way that the survival rate in the control group was 100%. The duration of the experiment (210 days) and the range of radiation doses (10–300 Gy) made it possible to establish the LD 50/60 index for a terrestrial mollusk of the second age group. It is 115.6 ± 33.8 Gy. LD 50/60 was determined by the calculated method of probit analysis using the least squares method. Three dose ranges (10–100, 110–170, and 180–300 Gy) of changes in the studied relevant indicators were established. For each time range, starting from 60 days after irradiation, a linear threshold dependence with three dose ranges was established: a dose-independent plateau at low radiation doses, a dose-dependent range with an increase in the radiation dose, and a dose-independent plateau when absolute mortality occurs.

Comprising the largest population cohort on this planet, Gen Z presents a future-oriented consumer segment driven by climate change and food. This study sought to investigate Gen Z’s perceptions toward plant-based foods and diets and explore the relationship that attitude components, meal preparation involvement, personal and lifestyle factors, and perceived barriers in adopting a plant-based diet have with willingness to adopt green-eating practices. Using cross-sectional data from university students in Greece, India, and the UK, various tools were employed to determine the factors influencing youths’ consumer behavior toward animal-protein substitutes. PCA indicated the underlying dimensions of students’ viewpoints on plant-based foods, whereas hierarchical and k-means clustering provided the cluster structure. An ordered probit model was estimated to delineate Gen Z’s willingness to adopt plant-based diets and distinguish among mostly unwilling, somewhat willing, and mostly willing youths. Our findings identified two consumer segments, namely proponents and opponents of plant-based foods and diets, with statistically significant differences in the perceived health benefits of plant-based diets, attachment to animal-based proteins, perceived exclusion of animal-based foods, dissatisfaction with plant-based foods’ attributes, and demand for ensuring adequate protein intake. The ordered probit model estimates showed that there is a “homogeneity” in the factors influencing youths’ intention to adopt plant-based diets, with attitude components, meal preparation indicators, perceived barriers to eating “green”, and personal factors, such as self-assessed knowledge of healthy eating and physical activity, being strongly associated with students’ willingness to switch to plant-based diets in all three countries. Mapping potential obstacles and enablers in terms of shifting to more green-eating behaviors, our findings could add information to better understand the factors affecting food choice and youths’ transition to a more sustainable lifestyle.

Vegetable production is mainly practiced by smallholder farmers in Ethiopia and it is their main source of income, employment opportunities and improving food security. Although farmers are producing more surplus vegetables, they are not much linked with markets and thus their opportunity to diversify their livelihoods from vegetable production is very much limited. Thus, this study was required to identify factors affecting market participation among smallholder vegetable farmers in southwest Ethiopia. To get the sample respondents two-stage sampling procedures were employed and finally, 240 vegetable producers were selected. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from primary and secondary sources. To achieve the stated objective probit model was used and its result indicates that age of household head, household family size, education level of household head, labour market, market information and distance from the market place were statistically influencing market participation among smallholder vegetable producers. To enable smallholder's participation in vegetable marketing government interventions is needed to strengthening institutional service, communication and infrastructure facilities. This study may be valuable input for smallholder farmers, policymakers and other stakeholders in revealing the gab in the performance of the current vegetable production system to realize the national development policy.

In order to clarify the comfort temperature and to investigate the behavioral adaptation in Japanese houses, we have conducted a thermal comfort survey and occupant behavior survey in 30 living rooms during the hot and humid season in the Kanto region of Japan. We collected 3991 votes from 52 subjects. The comfort temperature was predicted by Griffiths’ method. They are analyzed according to humidity levels and compared with the adaptive model. The logistic regression analysis was conducted in order to understand occupant behavior. The mean comfort temperature in naturally ventilated mode is 27.6 °C which is within the acceptable zone of the adaptive model. The comfort temperature is related with skin moisture sensation. The results showed that the residents adapt to the hot and humid environments by increasing the air movement using behavioral adaptation such as window opening and fan use.

Climate change is a significant threat to agriculture-related livelihoods, and its impacts amplify prevailing gender inequalities. Climate information services (CIS) are crucial enablers in adapting to climate change and managing climate-related risks by smallholder farmers. Even though various gender groups have distinct preferences, understandings, and uses of CIS, which affect adaptation decisions differently, there is little research on gender perspectives of CIS. This study employs a novel intra-household survey of 156 married couples to evaluate the gender-differentiated effects of CIS access on the adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) technologies in Kenya. The findings reveal gender differences in access to CIS, with husbands having significantly more access to early warning systems and advisory services on adaptation. In contrast, wives had better access to weather forecasts. About 38% of wives perceived that CIS meets their needs, compared to 30% of husbands. As for CIS dissemination pathways, husbands preferred extension officers, print media, television, and local leaders, whereas wives preferred radio and social groups. Recursive bivariate probit analysis shows that trust in CIS, a bundle of CIS dissemination pathways, access to credit, and membership in a mixed-gender social group, affected access to CIS for both genders. Access to early warning systems and advisory services positively affected decisions to adopt CSA by both genders. Still, access to seasonal forecasts influenced husbands’ decisions to adopt CSA but not wives. Besides, there were gender differences in how CIS affected each CSA technology based on gendered access to resources and roles and responsibilities in a household. It is necessary to disseminate CIS through gender-sensitive channels that can satisfy the needs and preferences of different gender groups to encourage the adoption of climate-smart technologies.

Pakistan is ranked among the most climate change adversely affected countries of the world due to facing higher frequency of extreme natural hazards events as floods, drought, and earthquakes. Inadequate mitigation measures regarding severity and consecutive events of floods have badly affected millions of households’ livelihoods. Pakistan has experienced five consecutive floods in the current decade from 2010 to 2015. These floods severely affected the mostly districts of Punjab province among these three most flood-affected districts Rahim Yar Khan, Muzaffargarh, and Rajanpur were selected for this research work. This study used the cross-sectional data of 840 flood-affected households from these three districts. Empirical estimates indicated the study area households major adaptation measures were foundation strengthen, elevated ground floor, precautionary saving, and construction of the house with reinforced material. Probit model estimates signified age, gender, location, and family size; monthly income, physical disability, education, and house ownership were major factors influencing mitigation strategies of households’ level. Limited resources, inadequate planning for land use, lack of advanced and early warning system, and inadequate sound financial status were major obstacles regarding households’ level adaptation of mitigation strategies. In addressing household level obstacles regarding advanced adaptation measures, development requires for local disaster policies such as ample spatial planning, codes of house building, practices of building infrastructure, propagation and forecasting updated flood information, and advanced and updated early warning system.

Fertilizer, though one of the most essential inputs for increasing agricultural production, is a leading cause of nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture, contributing significantly to global warming. Therefore, understanding factors affecting farmers’ use of fertilizers is crucial to develop strategies to improve its efficient use and to minimize its negative impacts. Using data from 2528 households across the Indo-Gangetic Plains in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, this study examines the factors affecting farmers’ use of organic and inorganic fertilizers for the two most important cereal crops – rice and wheat. Together, these crops provide the bulk of calories consumed in the region. As nitrogen (N) fertilizer is the major source of global warming and other environmental effects, we also examine the factors contributing to its overuse. We applied multiple regression models to understand the factors influencing the use of inorganic fertilizer, Heckman models to understand the likelihood and intensity of organic fertilizer (manure) use, and a probit model to examine the over-use of N fertilizer. Our results indicate that various socio-economic and geographical factors influence the use of organic and inorganic fertilizers in rice and wheat. Across the study sites, N fertilizer over-use is the highest in Haryana (India) and the lowest in Nepal. Across all locations, farmers reported a decline in manure application, concomitant with a lack of awareness of the principles of appropriate fertilizer management that can limit environmental externalities. Educational programs highlighting measures to improving nutrient-use-efficiency and reducing the negative externalities of N fertilizer over-use are proposed to address these problems.

Like the rest of the world, African countries are reeling from the health, economic and social effects of COVID-19. The continent’s governments have responded by imposing rigorous lockdowns to limit the spread of the virus. The various lockdown measures are undermining food security, because stay at home orders have among others, threatened food production for a continent that relies heavily on agriculture as the bedrock of the economy. This article draws on quantitative data collected by the GeoPoll, and, from these data, assesses the effect of concern about the local spread and economic impact of COVID-19 on food worries. Qualitative data comprising 12 countries south of the Sahara reveal that lockdowns have created anxiety over food security as a health, economic and human rights/wellbeing issue. By applying a probit model, we find that concern about the local spread of COVID-19 and economic impact of the virus increases the probability of food worries. Governments have responded with various efforts to support the neediest. By evaluating the various policies rolled out we advocate for a feminist economics approach that necessitates greater use of data analytics to predict the likely impacts of intended regulatory relief responses during the recovery process and post-COVID-19.