In the rolling hills of Uganda, where coffee cultivation is a lifeline for countless smallholder farmers, a novel approach to training is brewing a storm of change. This isn’t just any training; it’s a sequenced, climate-smart agricultural program called Stepwise, and it’s turning heads in the world of sustainable farming. The research, led by Manuela Kristin Günther from the Adam Smith Business School at the University of Glasgow, has been published in the International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, which translates to “Journal of Sustainable Agriculture” in English.
The Stepwise program, a collaborative effort between public and private sectors, is a four-step training approach designed to introduce climate-smart and good agricultural practices to coffee farmers. The goal? To help farmers adapt to the ever-changing climate and boost their yields. But how effective is it really?
To find out, Günther and her team conducted a mixed-method study, surveying 915 Robusta and Arabica coffee farmers. They found that adoption levels were around 46%, with relatively uniform uptake among treated, spillover, and comparison farmers. However, regional variations suggested differing benefits across coffee varieties.
“Adoption levels were not uniform across all regions, which suggests that the benefits of the Stepwise program may vary depending on the type of coffee being cultivated,” Günther explained. “This is an important finding, as it highlights the need for tailored approaches in agricultural training.”
Despite the relatively low uptake, the study revealed that adoption of more than half of the Stepwise practices was associated with substantial gains. Inverse probability weighted regression adjustment showed a 23% increase in yield and a 32% increase in revenue. This is a significant finding, especially considering the sustainability challenges that coffee cultivation faces due to climate change.
But the journey isn’t without its hurdles. The study identified several barriers to adoption, including financial and labor constraints, suboptimal training delivery, and market imperfections. These findings add to the existing literature on adoption, which often highlights limited uptake.
So, what does this mean for the future of climate-smart agriculture? The research suggests that strengthening producer organizations, delivering targeted training, and innovative solutions for access to inputs and fair pricing could hold considerable potential to increase the adoption of climate-smart practices, particularly among resource-constrained farmers.
As we look ahead, the Stepwise program and studies like Günther’s could shape the future of agricultural training and sustainability. By understanding the barriers to adoption and the benefits of climate-smart practices, we can work towards a more sustainable and productive future for coffee farmers in Uganda and beyond. After all, every cup of coffee starts with a seed of change.