Robert B Richardson | Michigan State University (original) (raw)

Papers by Robert B Richardson

Agricultural Systems, 2021

Across southern Africa (SA), significant maize yield losses are attributed to invasive and parasi... more Across southern Africa (SA), significant maize yield losses are attributed to invasive and parasitic weeds. Abundance of Striga (Striga asiatica) has become more frequent in smallholder farms (<2 ha) in the past decade. Various Striga control practices (SCPs) have been disseminated across SA, yet often, without decision support tools to inform extension officers and researchers which ones are most appropriate for smallholder contexts. System dynamics modeling (SDM) provides an opportunity to evaluate the efficacy of SCPs across multiple seasons in different agroecosystems and their associated environments. We developed a SDM to evaluate the long-term efficacy of four SCPs popularly used in maize-based cropping systems. Observations from studies outlining local soil seedbanks, emergence and flowering rates in farmer fields were used to calibrate the SDM. Model simulations indicate that while a combination of SCPs are necessary to manage the weed, future research should focus on developing smallholder-adapted SCPs that address the attachment stage of the weed's lifecycle (e.g., timely manure application) rather than its germination, emergence or flowering stages. Given the devastating effects S. asiatica has had on food security in Malawi and across SA, it is imperative to develop decision support tools like systems models to evaluate SCPs for smallholders. Models that do not capture the underlying mechanisms driving S. asiatica infestations may provide extension officers with potentially misleading information , and subsequently, the delivery of ineffective SCPs.

Journal of Forest Economics, 2017

The study uses a nationally representative dataset of smallholder farmers in Zambia to determine ... more The study uses a nationally representative dataset of smallholder farmers in Zambia to determine the effect of agricultural productivity on households' participation in charcoal production. An instrumental variable probit approach is applied to account for the endogeneity of agricultural productivity in house-hold's charcoal participation decision. We find a negative and significant effect of agricultural productivity on household's likelihood of participation in charcoal production. Results also show that higher education, income, asset value, and participation in off-farm employment opportunities reduce the likelihood of participation in charcoal production. Therefore, interventions seeking to reduce charcoal production in rural Zambia could benefit from improving smallholder agricultural productivity, incomes, asset base, and off-farm employment creation. However, interventions need not lose sight of other important macro-level factors.

Environment and Development Economics, 2014

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) support livelihoods in rural communities through provision of ... more Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) support livelihoods in rural communities through provision of food, fuel, materials, medicines and income from sales. We estimated the contribution of NTFPs to rural household income in Zambia, and used a two-stage tobit alternative model to identify the factors associated with participation in NTFP markets. NTFPs accounted for 35 per cent of household income for participating households, second only to trading. Human capital variables and the value of assets were found to be significant determinants of both participation in business activities related to NTFPs and the associated household income, and the poor were more dependent on NTFPs than wealthier households. The effect of average rainfall underscores the role that NTFPs play in providing a safety net during periods of low crop yields. Rural development policies should recognize the role played by NTFPs in rural livelihoods and the need to balance welfare improvement and sustainable forest management.

Journal of Environmental Management, 2013

Choices among environmental management alternatives involve tradeoffs where, for example, the ben... more Choices among environmental management alternatives involve tradeoffs where, for example, the benefits of environmental protection may be offset by economic costs or welfare losses to individual agents. Understanding individual or household-level preferences regarding these tradeoffs is not always straightforward, and it often requires an analysis of choices under alternative scenarios. A household survey was used to gather data for a choice experiment, where respondents were asked to choose among pairs of alternative management scenarios about pineapple production in Costa Rica. The experimental design consisted of six attributes that varied on between two and five attribute levels, and the experiment and accompanying survey were administered orally in Spanish. The results show that respondents are willing to make tradeoffs with respect to the management attributes in order to see an overall improvement in environmental quality. Respondents were willing to accept a moderate level of pesticide application, presumably in exchange for paying a lower cost or seeing a gain in another area, such as monitoring or soil conservation. Buffer zones were significant only in the case of large farms. The results have implications for policy decisions that aim to reflect public attitudes, particularly the aspects of pineapple production that matter most to people living near pineapple plantations. The study also highlights the effectiveness of the choice experiment approach in examining household preferences about environmental management in a rural development context.

International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 2017

In Malawi, population growth has reduced opportunities for farmers to expand and cultivate new la... more In Malawi, population growth has reduced opportunities for farmers to expand and cultivate new land. The country’s primary farming population is comprised of smallholders, many who cultivate monocultures of maize (Zea mays). To reduce negative outcomes from this practice, intercropping maize with legumes has been promoted. The sustainable intensification (SI) practice was once widely used, but has declined in recent decades. Little is known about the determinants of intercropping or its role in agricultural development. The objective of this study was to examine the drivers of intercropping among smallholders. We used multiple logistic regression analysis to estimate the determinants of intercropping based on a survey of 324 households. Smallholders who sold legumes were more likely to intercrop, contrary to literature positing intercropping as a practice primarily intended to enhance food security. In addition, complementary SI practices such as fertilizer, manure and compost application were more likely to have occurred on intercropped fields relative to sole maize fields. Furthermore, smallholder farmers appeared to apply more fertilizer to their intercropped fields relative to their sole maize fields. The study highlights the value of including field-level characteristics and household socioeconomic survey data to understand farming practices as a means to inform agricultural policy.

Experimental Agriculture, 2018

Smallholder farmers in Malawi are faced with the challenge of managing complex and dynamic farmin... more Smallholder farmers in Malawi are faced with the challenge of managing complex and dynamic farming systems while also adapting to change within volatile agroecological conditions. Moreover, management decisions are influenced by a combination of local knowledge, expert recommendations and on-farm experimentation. Although many smallholder farmers actively experiment with new crops and technologies, little is known about the prevalence of experimentation or the types of experiments farmers conduct. This study examined the decision-making processes of experimenting farmers to explore the drivers of on-farm experimentation. Using a mixed-methods design that incorporated field observations, survey data and in-depth interviews, we identified numerous examples of experiments with new crops, varieties and techniques that had been executed either independently or through participation in an agricultural development project. Results of quantitative and qualitative analysis reveal that smallholder farmers in Malawi across a range of socioeconomic characteristics are inclined to experiment, and gender roles in agricultural experimentation vary widely. While experimental methods differ between farmers, there are commonalities in the drivers of experimentation, including adapting to climate change, improving soil health, improving nutrition and generating income. Smallholders have a great capacity for experimentation, and their knowledge, experience, preferences and priorities – if properly understood and incorporated – could ultimately benefit both future agricultural development projects and their participants.

Food Security, 2016

Adoption rates of leguminous crops remain low in sub-Saharan Africa despite their potential role ... more Adoption rates of leguminous crops remain low in sub-Saharan Africa despite their potential role in improving nutrition , soil health, and food security. In this study we explored Malawian farmers' perceptions of various legume attributes and assessed how these perceptions affected allocation of land to legume crops using a logit link model. We found high regional variation in both consumption-and production-related preferences , but relatively consistent preferences across samples. While scientific understanding and farmer perceptions were aligned on some topics and for some legumes, there were discrepancies elsewhere, particularly in terms of soil fertility and nutrition. Understanding why these discrepancies exist and where there were potential biases are critical in explaining the extent of adoption. In many cases perceptions of legume attributes may be influenced by the cultural role of the crop in the household, particularly in terms of food security or market-orientation. The findings also suggest that researchers need to look beyond both the agronomic properties and farmers' preferences to fully understand the extent of adoption. Socioeconomic factors , biases, and marketing concerns may also influence integration of legumes into maize-based cropping systems.

Ecological Economics, 2018

Changing climatic conditions present new challenges for agricultural development in sub-Saharan A... more Changing climatic conditions present new challenges for agricultural development in sub-Saharan Africa. Sorghum has proven to be an adaptable and resilient crop despite limited funding for crop development. Recent breeding efforts target hybrid and perennial technologies that may facilitate adaptation to climate change. Advantages of perennial crops over their annual counterparts include improved soil quality and water conservation and reduced inputs and labor requirements. In contrast, hybrid crops are often bred for improved grain yield and earlier maturation to avoid variable conditions. We use discrete choice experiments to model adoption of sorghum as a function of attributes that differ between these technologies and traditional varieties in Mali. Overall, the main perceived advantage of perennial crops is agricultural ecosystem services such as soil improvement , while adoption of hybrid crops is hampered by the inability to reuse seed. Women farmers are less concerned about higher labor requirements associated with perennial crops and the ability to reuse hybrids seeds than male farmers. Farmers prefer traditional sorghum to perennial sorghum and are indifferent between traditional and hybrid sorghum. These findings have important policy implications for understanding tradeoffs that are central to farmer decision making when it comes to breeding technologies for climate adaptation.

Tourism, Recreation, and Climate Change, 2005

The Review of Regional Studies, 2006

The effects of travel distance on visitation and associated recreation benefits are tested for a ... more The effects of travel distance on visitation and associated recreation benefits are tested for a largenational park. Visitor responses to a survey depicting various natural resource scenarios at RockyMountain National Park were used to estimate the effects of distance traveled on nature-basedtourism behavior and benefits. Distance was a significant determinant in both the visitation and contingent valuation models. Long-distance visitors were more stable in their visitation patterns in the face of natural resource changes. Marginal recreational benefits per trip increased with dis-tance but at a decreasing rate. However, in-state visitors accrued higher annual benefits because of greater trip frequency. The relative importance of visitor types can help private and public decision-makers better respond to different visitor needs. The findings also provide a unique perspective on consumer spatial tradeoffs and the national value of recreational resources.

KEY POLICY POINTS • Tourism is increasingly important in Zambia as a vehicle for economic growth,... more KEY POLICY POINTS • Tourism is increasingly important in Zambia as a vehicle for economic growth, and has been identified as a key sector for poverty reduction due to its potential to generate off-farm income and employment in rural areas. Growth in arrivals and receipts in Zambia has outpaced average growth rates for developing countries. • Tourism in Zambia relies

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) play an important role in supporting rural livelihoods and foo... more Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) play an important role in supporting rural livelihoods and food security in Zambia. NTFP-dependent households are poorer, have younger household heads with lower levels of education, and are located closer to district towns than other rural households are. NTFPs are a particularly important source of income in Luapula, Northwestern and Western provinces. • Income from woodfuel

Forests support rural livelihoods and food security in many developing countries by providing cri... more Forests support rural livelihoods and food security in many developing countries by providing critical sources of food, medicine, shelter, building materials, fuels, and cash income. The increasing demand for forest products has enhanced rural livelihoods and enabled the expansion of domestic markets, particularly in urban areas where woodfuel and other forest resources are scarce. Therefore, non-timber forest products may offer

Journal of Leisure Research, 2005

Weather conditions may affect the quality of an outdoor recreation experience. Quality of the rec... more Weather conditions may affect the quality of an outdoor recreation experience. Quality of the recreation may be reflected in the visitor's willingness to pay or their net economic benefits of recreation. We used the contingent valuation method to measure the effects of weather on net willingness to pay (WTP) for trips to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. We used a visitor survey to elicit responses to a dichotomous-choice WTP question and to gather information about recreation activities. Results were analyzed with daily weather data to test for climate effects on recreation benefits. We found that temperature and precipitation were statistically-significant determinants of WTP. We estimated increases in recreation benefits of 4.9% and 6.7% for two climate change scenarios.

There is growing interest by development scholars to revisit the inverse farm size-productivity (... more There is growing interest by development scholars to revisit the inverse farm size-productivity (IR) hypothesis to guide policy on land and agricultural development strategies. However, it is remarkable that existing empirical studies, particularly in sub Saharan Africa (SSA), have been derived from data with few farms outside the zero to ten-hectare range, yet their findings have been extrapolated beyond this range. Moreover, the definition of productivity has mainly been limited to yield or other land productivity measures to explore this highly contested hypothesis. Using data from Zambia, this study addresses these shortcomings and explores the reasons for potential differences in productivity within and between farm size categories, so as to provide practical guidance for relevant policy formulation. Results from our carefully constructed measures of productivity -- accounting for all production costs including less commonly considered costs such as family labor and fixed costs...

Forest products play an important role in supporting rural livelihoods and food security in many ... more Forest products play an important role in supporting rural livelihoods and food security in many developing countries. Pimentel et al. (1997) found that the integrity of forests is vital to world food security, mostly because of the dependence of the poor on forest resources. Studies of the role of forest products in household welfare in Zambia have found that such products are among the top sources of household income in some rural areas. This paper uses statistical analysis to examine the role of non-timber forest products NTFPs) in rural household welfare in Zambia, with two main objectives. First, using rural household survey data, we estimate the share of NTFP income to total household income with the aim of assessing the proportion and distribution of business activities related to NTFPs. Second, we estimate the determinants of rural household participation in the extraction and trade of NTFPs, with an interest in the characteristics of households that are more dependent on fo...

Tourism Management, 2015

Shani and Arad (2014) claimed that tourism scholars tend to endorse the most pessimistic assessme... more Shani and Arad (2014) claimed that tourism scholars tend to endorse the most pessimistic assessments regarding climate change, and that anthropogenic climate change was a “fashionable” and “highly controversial scientific topic”. This brief rejoinder provides the balance that is missing from such climate change denial and skepticism studies on climate change and tourism. Recent research provides substantial evidence that reports on anthropogenic climate change are accurate, and that human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, including from the tourism industry, play a significant role in climate change. Some positive net effects may be experienced by some destinations in the short-term, but in the long-term all elements of the tourism system will be impacted. The expansion of tourism emissions at a rate greater than efficiency gains means that it is increasingly urgent that the tourism sector acknowledge, accept and respond to climate change. Debate on tourism-related adaptation and mitigation measures is to be encouraged and welcomed. Climate change denial is not.

ABSTRACT KEY POLICY POINTS • Tourism is increasingly important in Zambia as a vehicle for economi... more ABSTRACT KEY POLICY POINTS • Tourism is increasingly important in Zambia as a vehicle for economic growth, and has been identified as a key sector for poverty reduction due to its potential to generate off-farm income and employment in rural areas. Growth in arrivals and receipts in Zambia has outpaced average growth rates for developing countries. • Tourism in Zambia relies mostly on the stock of natural resources, including the protected area system which includes national parks and game management areas (GMAs). Co-management agreements between Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) and rural communities present opportunities and threats for households living in GMAs. • Households living in GMAs have lower average income than households in other rural areas. Yet we find that, for prime GMAs (those well stocked with wildlife), the GMA designation leads to higher incomes than households would otherwise be expected to achieve, based on their own characteristics and those of the areas in which they reside. • We further find that the benefits of living in a prime GMA accrue mostly to the wealthier segments of the population. • Though overall effects on households are positive, losses from crop damage by wildlife are a threat to this success: we find that such losses are statistically significant, large enough to be meaningful to households, and greatest in prime GMAs

Agricultural Systems, 2021

Across southern Africa (SA), significant maize yield losses are attributed to invasive and parasi... more Across southern Africa (SA), significant maize yield losses are attributed to invasive and parasitic weeds. Abundance of Striga (Striga asiatica) has become more frequent in smallholder farms (<2 ha) in the past decade. Various Striga control practices (SCPs) have been disseminated across SA, yet often, without decision support tools to inform extension officers and researchers which ones are most appropriate for smallholder contexts. System dynamics modeling (SDM) provides an opportunity to evaluate the efficacy of SCPs across multiple seasons in different agroecosystems and their associated environments. We developed a SDM to evaluate the long-term efficacy of four SCPs popularly used in maize-based cropping systems. Observations from studies outlining local soil seedbanks, emergence and flowering rates in farmer fields were used to calibrate the SDM. Model simulations indicate that while a combination of SCPs are necessary to manage the weed, future research should focus on developing smallholder-adapted SCPs that address the attachment stage of the weed's lifecycle (e.g., timely manure application) rather than its germination, emergence or flowering stages. Given the devastating effects S. asiatica has had on food security in Malawi and across SA, it is imperative to develop decision support tools like systems models to evaluate SCPs for smallholders. Models that do not capture the underlying mechanisms driving S. asiatica infestations may provide extension officers with potentially misleading information , and subsequently, the delivery of ineffective SCPs.

Journal of Forest Economics, 2017

The study uses a nationally representative dataset of smallholder farmers in Zambia to determine ... more The study uses a nationally representative dataset of smallholder farmers in Zambia to determine the effect of agricultural productivity on households' participation in charcoal production. An instrumental variable probit approach is applied to account for the endogeneity of agricultural productivity in house-hold's charcoal participation decision. We find a negative and significant effect of agricultural productivity on household's likelihood of participation in charcoal production. Results also show that higher education, income, asset value, and participation in off-farm employment opportunities reduce the likelihood of participation in charcoal production. Therefore, interventions seeking to reduce charcoal production in rural Zambia could benefit from improving smallholder agricultural productivity, incomes, asset base, and off-farm employment creation. However, interventions need not lose sight of other important macro-level factors.

Environment and Development Economics, 2014

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) support livelihoods in rural communities through provision of ... more Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) support livelihoods in rural communities through provision of food, fuel, materials, medicines and income from sales. We estimated the contribution of NTFPs to rural household income in Zambia, and used a two-stage tobit alternative model to identify the factors associated with participation in NTFP markets. NTFPs accounted for 35 per cent of household income for participating households, second only to trading. Human capital variables and the value of assets were found to be significant determinants of both participation in business activities related to NTFPs and the associated household income, and the poor were more dependent on NTFPs than wealthier households. The effect of average rainfall underscores the role that NTFPs play in providing a safety net during periods of low crop yields. Rural development policies should recognize the role played by NTFPs in rural livelihoods and the need to balance welfare improvement and sustainable forest management.

Journal of Environmental Management, 2013

Choices among environmental management alternatives involve tradeoffs where, for example, the ben... more Choices among environmental management alternatives involve tradeoffs where, for example, the benefits of environmental protection may be offset by economic costs or welfare losses to individual agents. Understanding individual or household-level preferences regarding these tradeoffs is not always straightforward, and it often requires an analysis of choices under alternative scenarios. A household survey was used to gather data for a choice experiment, where respondents were asked to choose among pairs of alternative management scenarios about pineapple production in Costa Rica. The experimental design consisted of six attributes that varied on between two and five attribute levels, and the experiment and accompanying survey were administered orally in Spanish. The results show that respondents are willing to make tradeoffs with respect to the management attributes in order to see an overall improvement in environmental quality. Respondents were willing to accept a moderate level of pesticide application, presumably in exchange for paying a lower cost or seeing a gain in another area, such as monitoring or soil conservation. Buffer zones were significant only in the case of large farms. The results have implications for policy decisions that aim to reflect public attitudes, particularly the aspects of pineapple production that matter most to people living near pineapple plantations. The study also highlights the effectiveness of the choice experiment approach in examining household preferences about environmental management in a rural development context.

International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 2017

In Malawi, population growth has reduced opportunities for farmers to expand and cultivate new la... more In Malawi, population growth has reduced opportunities for farmers to expand and cultivate new land. The country’s primary farming population is comprised of smallholders, many who cultivate monocultures of maize (Zea mays). To reduce negative outcomes from this practice, intercropping maize with legumes has been promoted. The sustainable intensification (SI) practice was once widely used, but has declined in recent decades. Little is known about the determinants of intercropping or its role in agricultural development. The objective of this study was to examine the drivers of intercropping among smallholders. We used multiple logistic regression analysis to estimate the determinants of intercropping based on a survey of 324 households. Smallholders who sold legumes were more likely to intercrop, contrary to literature positing intercropping as a practice primarily intended to enhance food security. In addition, complementary SI practices such as fertilizer, manure and compost application were more likely to have occurred on intercropped fields relative to sole maize fields. Furthermore, smallholder farmers appeared to apply more fertilizer to their intercropped fields relative to their sole maize fields. The study highlights the value of including field-level characteristics and household socioeconomic survey data to understand farming practices as a means to inform agricultural policy.

Experimental Agriculture, 2018

Smallholder farmers in Malawi are faced with the challenge of managing complex and dynamic farmin... more Smallholder farmers in Malawi are faced with the challenge of managing complex and dynamic farming systems while also adapting to change within volatile agroecological conditions. Moreover, management decisions are influenced by a combination of local knowledge, expert recommendations and on-farm experimentation. Although many smallholder farmers actively experiment with new crops and technologies, little is known about the prevalence of experimentation or the types of experiments farmers conduct. This study examined the decision-making processes of experimenting farmers to explore the drivers of on-farm experimentation. Using a mixed-methods design that incorporated field observations, survey data and in-depth interviews, we identified numerous examples of experiments with new crops, varieties and techniques that had been executed either independently or through participation in an agricultural development project. Results of quantitative and qualitative analysis reveal that smallholder farmers in Malawi across a range of socioeconomic characteristics are inclined to experiment, and gender roles in agricultural experimentation vary widely. While experimental methods differ between farmers, there are commonalities in the drivers of experimentation, including adapting to climate change, improving soil health, improving nutrition and generating income. Smallholders have a great capacity for experimentation, and their knowledge, experience, preferences and priorities – if properly understood and incorporated – could ultimately benefit both future agricultural development projects and their participants.

Food Security, 2016

Adoption rates of leguminous crops remain low in sub-Saharan Africa despite their potential role ... more Adoption rates of leguminous crops remain low in sub-Saharan Africa despite their potential role in improving nutrition , soil health, and food security. In this study we explored Malawian farmers' perceptions of various legume attributes and assessed how these perceptions affected allocation of land to legume crops using a logit link model. We found high regional variation in both consumption-and production-related preferences , but relatively consistent preferences across samples. While scientific understanding and farmer perceptions were aligned on some topics and for some legumes, there were discrepancies elsewhere, particularly in terms of soil fertility and nutrition. Understanding why these discrepancies exist and where there were potential biases are critical in explaining the extent of adoption. In many cases perceptions of legume attributes may be influenced by the cultural role of the crop in the household, particularly in terms of food security or market-orientation. The findings also suggest that researchers need to look beyond both the agronomic properties and farmers' preferences to fully understand the extent of adoption. Socioeconomic factors , biases, and marketing concerns may also influence integration of legumes into maize-based cropping systems.

Ecological Economics, 2018

Changing climatic conditions present new challenges for agricultural development in sub-Saharan A... more Changing climatic conditions present new challenges for agricultural development in sub-Saharan Africa. Sorghum has proven to be an adaptable and resilient crop despite limited funding for crop development. Recent breeding efforts target hybrid and perennial technologies that may facilitate adaptation to climate change. Advantages of perennial crops over their annual counterparts include improved soil quality and water conservation and reduced inputs and labor requirements. In contrast, hybrid crops are often bred for improved grain yield and earlier maturation to avoid variable conditions. We use discrete choice experiments to model adoption of sorghum as a function of attributes that differ between these technologies and traditional varieties in Mali. Overall, the main perceived advantage of perennial crops is agricultural ecosystem services such as soil improvement , while adoption of hybrid crops is hampered by the inability to reuse seed. Women farmers are less concerned about higher labor requirements associated with perennial crops and the ability to reuse hybrids seeds than male farmers. Farmers prefer traditional sorghum to perennial sorghum and are indifferent between traditional and hybrid sorghum. These findings have important policy implications for understanding tradeoffs that are central to farmer decision making when it comes to breeding technologies for climate adaptation.

Tourism, Recreation, and Climate Change, 2005

The Review of Regional Studies, 2006

The effects of travel distance on visitation and associated recreation benefits are tested for a ... more The effects of travel distance on visitation and associated recreation benefits are tested for a largenational park. Visitor responses to a survey depicting various natural resource scenarios at RockyMountain National Park were used to estimate the effects of distance traveled on nature-basedtourism behavior and benefits. Distance was a significant determinant in both the visitation and contingent valuation models. Long-distance visitors were more stable in their visitation patterns in the face of natural resource changes. Marginal recreational benefits per trip increased with dis-tance but at a decreasing rate. However, in-state visitors accrued higher annual benefits because of greater trip frequency. The relative importance of visitor types can help private and public decision-makers better respond to different visitor needs. The findings also provide a unique perspective on consumer spatial tradeoffs and the national value of recreational resources.

KEY POLICY POINTS • Tourism is increasingly important in Zambia as a vehicle for economic growth,... more KEY POLICY POINTS • Tourism is increasingly important in Zambia as a vehicle for economic growth, and has been identified as a key sector for poverty reduction due to its potential to generate off-farm income and employment in rural areas. Growth in arrivals and receipts in Zambia has outpaced average growth rates for developing countries. • Tourism in Zambia relies

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) play an important role in supporting rural livelihoods and foo... more Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) play an important role in supporting rural livelihoods and food security in Zambia. NTFP-dependent households are poorer, have younger household heads with lower levels of education, and are located closer to district towns than other rural households are. NTFPs are a particularly important source of income in Luapula, Northwestern and Western provinces. • Income from woodfuel

Forests support rural livelihoods and food security in many developing countries by providing cri... more Forests support rural livelihoods and food security in many developing countries by providing critical sources of food, medicine, shelter, building materials, fuels, and cash income. The increasing demand for forest products has enhanced rural livelihoods and enabled the expansion of domestic markets, particularly in urban areas where woodfuel and other forest resources are scarce. Therefore, non-timber forest products may offer

Journal of Leisure Research, 2005

Weather conditions may affect the quality of an outdoor recreation experience. Quality of the rec... more Weather conditions may affect the quality of an outdoor recreation experience. Quality of the recreation may be reflected in the visitor's willingness to pay or their net economic benefits of recreation. We used the contingent valuation method to measure the effects of weather on net willingness to pay (WTP) for trips to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. We used a visitor survey to elicit responses to a dichotomous-choice WTP question and to gather information about recreation activities. Results were analyzed with daily weather data to test for climate effects on recreation benefits. We found that temperature and precipitation were statistically-significant determinants of WTP. We estimated increases in recreation benefits of 4.9% and 6.7% for two climate change scenarios.

There is growing interest by development scholars to revisit the inverse farm size-productivity (... more There is growing interest by development scholars to revisit the inverse farm size-productivity (IR) hypothesis to guide policy on land and agricultural development strategies. However, it is remarkable that existing empirical studies, particularly in sub Saharan Africa (SSA), have been derived from data with few farms outside the zero to ten-hectare range, yet their findings have been extrapolated beyond this range. Moreover, the definition of productivity has mainly been limited to yield or other land productivity measures to explore this highly contested hypothesis. Using data from Zambia, this study addresses these shortcomings and explores the reasons for potential differences in productivity within and between farm size categories, so as to provide practical guidance for relevant policy formulation. Results from our carefully constructed measures of productivity -- accounting for all production costs including less commonly considered costs such as family labor and fixed costs...

Forest products play an important role in supporting rural livelihoods and food security in many ... more Forest products play an important role in supporting rural livelihoods and food security in many developing countries. Pimentel et al. (1997) found that the integrity of forests is vital to world food security, mostly because of the dependence of the poor on forest resources. Studies of the role of forest products in household welfare in Zambia have found that such products are among the top sources of household income in some rural areas. This paper uses statistical analysis to examine the role of non-timber forest products NTFPs) in rural household welfare in Zambia, with two main objectives. First, using rural household survey data, we estimate the share of NTFP income to total household income with the aim of assessing the proportion and distribution of business activities related to NTFPs. Second, we estimate the determinants of rural household participation in the extraction and trade of NTFPs, with an interest in the characteristics of households that are more dependent on fo...

Tourism Management, 2015

Shani and Arad (2014) claimed that tourism scholars tend to endorse the most pessimistic assessme... more Shani and Arad (2014) claimed that tourism scholars tend to endorse the most pessimistic assessments regarding climate change, and that anthropogenic climate change was a “fashionable” and “highly controversial scientific topic”. This brief rejoinder provides the balance that is missing from such climate change denial and skepticism studies on climate change and tourism. Recent research provides substantial evidence that reports on anthropogenic climate change are accurate, and that human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, including from the tourism industry, play a significant role in climate change. Some positive net effects may be experienced by some destinations in the short-term, but in the long-term all elements of the tourism system will be impacted. The expansion of tourism emissions at a rate greater than efficiency gains means that it is increasingly urgent that the tourism sector acknowledge, accept and respond to climate change. Debate on tourism-related adaptation and mitigation measures is to be encouraged and welcomed. Climate change denial is not.

ABSTRACT KEY POLICY POINTS • Tourism is increasingly important in Zambia as a vehicle for economi... more ABSTRACT KEY POLICY POINTS • Tourism is increasingly important in Zambia as a vehicle for economic growth, and has been identified as a key sector for poverty reduction due to its potential to generate off-farm income and employment in rural areas. Growth in arrivals and receipts in Zambia has outpaced average growth rates for developing countries. • Tourism in Zambia relies mostly on the stock of natural resources, including the protected area system which includes national parks and game management areas (GMAs). Co-management agreements between Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) and rural communities present opportunities and threats for households living in GMAs. • Households living in GMAs have lower average income than households in other rural areas. Yet we find that, for prime GMAs (those well stocked with wildlife), the GMA designation leads to higher incomes than households would otherwise be expected to achieve, based on their own characteristics and those of the areas in which they reside. • We further find that the benefits of living in a prime GMA accrue mostly to the wealthier segments of the population. • Though overall effects on households are positive, losses from crop damage by wildlife are a threat to this success: we find that such losses are statistically significant, large enough to be meaningful to households, and greatest in prime GMAs

Ecological Economics, 2018

Book Review - Worst Case Economics: Extreme Events in Climate and Finance, Frank Ackerman, Anthem... more Book Review - Worst Case Economics: Extreme Events in Climate and Finance, Frank Ackerman, Anthem Press, New York, NY, USA, 2017 (208 pp. ISBN: 978-1783087075)

Agricultural Systems, 2015

Balancing on a Planet: the Future of Food and Agriculture, David A. Cleveland (Ed.). University o... more Balancing on a Planet: the Future of Food and Agriculture, David
A. Cleveland (Ed.). University of California Press, Berkeley, CA,
USA (2014). 352 pp., $34.95, ISBN: 978-0-520-27742-7 (paperback); 70.00,ISBN:978−0−520−27741−10(hardback);70.00, ISBN: 978-0-520-27741-10 (hardback); 70.00,ISBN:978−0−520−27741−10(hardback);34.95, ISBN:
978-0-520-957084 (PDF E-Book & ePUB format)

Ecological Economics, 2017

Book Review - Pursuing Sustainability: A Guide to the Science and Practice, Pamela Matson, Willia... more Book Review - Pursuing Sustainability: A Guide to the Science and Practice, Pamela
Matson, William C. Clark, Krister Andersson, Princeton University
Press, Princeton, NJ, USA, 2016, (248 pp., ISBN: 978-0691-157610)