Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology

Association Between Permanent Zero-Grazing and Reported Farmer–Herder Conflict Reduction in Ngozi Commune, Burundi

Viator Nkeshimanav — 2026-11-04

Background: In areas of intensive crop–livestock interaction, uncontrolled livestock movement may damage cultivated fields and contribute to disputes. Burundi has adopted legislation promoting permanent animal confinement. This study examined associations between reported zero-grazing use and household perceptions of reduced farmer–herder conflicts in Ngozi Commune.

Methods: A cross-sectional household survey conducted in 2025 included 384 respondents from seven administrative zones and 19 localities. Study information was obtained through questionnaires, interviews with officials and observations. Descriptive summaries, association measures and exploratory logistic regression were used. Historical accounts of animal straying and changes in conflict were elicited retrospectively rather than obtained from independently observed longitudinal records.

Results: Among 384 respondents, 363 (94.5%) reported that zero-grazing had helped reduce conflict; 107 (27.9%) reported personal involvement in farmer–herder conflicts. Animal straying was retrospectively reported at 85.4% for the earlier period and 9.4% for the later period, a 76.0-percentage-point descriptive contrast. In exploratory regression summaries, adoption was associated with perceived conflict reduction (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 11.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.21–31.9), while reported access to livestock buildings (aOR = 20.3; 95% CI 8.45–48.8) and fodder (aOR = 4.76; 95% CI 1.62–14.0) were associated with adoption. Positive views of the system were reported by 88.0%; fodder shortage (88.8%) and theft (85.7%) were prominent perceived constraints.

Conclusion: Zero-grazing was associated with favourable perceptions of conflict reduction and livestock confinement in this surveyed population. The cross-sectional, self-reported evidence does not establish the causal effect of legislation or confinement on conflict incidence. Improving access to fodder and practical livestock infrastructure warrants consideration alongside further prospective evaluation.

Factors Influencing Farmers’ Utilization of Custom Hiring Centre (CHC) Services in Karnataka, India

M. S. Nagaraja — 2026-11-09

Agricultural mechanisation plays a vital role in improving farm productivity, reducing labour dependency, and ensuring the timely completion of agricultural operations. However, the high cost of farm machinery limits its accessibility, particularly among small and marginal farmers. Custom Hiring Service Centres (CHSCs), established under the Krishi Yantradhare scheme in Karnataka, provide farmers with access to modern agricultural machinery at affordable hiring charges. In this context, the present study was conducted to assess the adoption of CHSC services and identify the factors influencing the adoption of CHSC services. Primary data were collected from adopters and non-adopters associated with eleven selected CHSCs, comprising seven centres in Zone 9 and four centres in Zone 10. Information was collected on socioeconomic characteristics, landholding, income, sources of information, awareness of services, machinery utilisation, transaction costs, and farmers’ perceptions. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics and graphical methods. The findings indicated that farmers adopting CHSC services had smaller average family sizes but larger cultivable areas under both rainfed and irrigated conditions and generated higher average net incomes from agriculture and allied activities. Non-governmental organisations, particularly the Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP), Rehman Engineering Works, and Varsha Associates, were the major sources of information, accounting for approximately 82 per cent of the information received by farmers. Farmers demonstrated greater awareness of the location of hiring centres and machinery-hiring procedures, whereas awareness regarding repair and maintenance conditions, operator availability, and payment procedures was comparatively limited. Travelling costs constituted the largest component of transaction expenditure. Land preparation was the most frequently reported operation undertaken using CHSC services (25%), followed by harvesting (20%) and planting (19%). Regarding hiring charges, 72 respondents perceived them as moderate, 18 as high, and 13 as low, while 21 expressed no opinion. The study highlights the importance of strengthening awareness programmes, improving service accessibility, and ensuring transparent hiring procedures to enhance the effectiveness of CHSCs and promote farm mechanisation among small and marginal farmers in Karnataka.

Association between BAZNAS Beef Cattle Farming Program Scores and Livestock Business Sustainability among Participating Farmers in Galung Village Barru Regency Indonesia

Harifuddin — 2026-11-09

Aims: To investigate the association between National Zakat Agency (BAZNAS) beef cattle farming programme scores and livestock business sustainability scores among participating farmers in Galung Village, Indonesia.

Study Design: A quantitative cross-sectional survey comprising a census of programme participants.

Place and Duration of Study: Galung Village, Barru Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, June 2022.

Methodology: All 20 participating livestock farmers were surveyed. Data were collected using questionnaires, observation and documentation. Questionnaire item correlations were assessed against the reported critical value, and internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha. Simple linear regression was undertaken using SPSS version 20.0, with the BAZNAS programme score as the predictor and the livestock business sustainability score as the outcome.

Results: Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were 0.876 for the programme score and 0.904 for the sustainability score. The programme score was positively associated with the sustainability score (B = 0.653, standard error = 0.185, t = 3.530, P = .002). The fitted equation was Y = 16.145 + 0.653X. The correlation coefficient was 0.640; the model explained 40.9% of the observed variation in sustainability scores (R² = 0.409; adjusted R² = 0.376).

Conclusion: Among these participants, higher programme scores corresponded to higher livestock business sustainability scores. Because the analysis was cross-sectional, limited to 20 participants and unadjusted for other characteristics, the findings should be interpreted as a local association, not evidence that the programme caused improved sustainability or demonstrated long-term enterprise continuity.

A Study of the Perception of Rural Youth Regarding Adaptation of Agripreneurship in Bundelkhand, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abhijeet — 2026-11-09

Background: Agripreneurship is increasingly discussed as a livelihood option for rural youth, but perceived opportunities differ across enterprises and socioeconomic circumstances. This study assessed rural youths’ perceptions of agricultural entrepreneurship in two districts of the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh, India.

Methods: An observational, ex post facto survey was conducted with 240 respondents from 12 villages in four blocks of Lalitpur and Banda districts. The districts were purposively chosen, with random selection at subsequent sampling stages. Respondents were interviewed using a pre-tested, structured schedule. Item means, overall perception categories and bivariate correlations were summarised.

Results: Livestock farming obtained the highest item mean (4.60), followed by digital marketing (4.45) and agricultural technology (4.42); the lowest item means concerned renewable energy in farming (2.36) and organic farming (2.39). The overall perception score had a reported mean of 76.89 (standard deviation of 7.38). Most respondents were classified as having medium perception (159/240; 66.25%), while 39 (16.25%) and 42 (17.50%) were classified as low and high, respectively. Reported correlations with overall perception were positive and modest, including economic motivation (r = 0.236), education (r = 0.217) and extension contact (r = 0.212).

Conclusion: Respondents expressed comparatively favourable views of livestock, digital marketing and agricultural technology, but lower ratings for several other activities. The findings identify topics for locally tailored information and enterprise-support initiatives. Interpretation is constrained by purposive district selection, incomplete documentation of instrument properties and the clustered sampling design.