Faculty of Education

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Browsing Faculty of Education by Author "De Steur, Hans"

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    Economic Feasibility of Iodine Agronomic Biofortification
    (sustainability, 2021) Olum, Solomon; Gellynck, Xavier; Wesana, Joshua; Odongo, Walter; Onek Aparo, Nathaline; Aloka, Bonny; Ongeng, Duncan; De Steur, Hans
    Cost–benefit analysis of (iodine) biofortification at farm level is limited in the literature. This study aimed to analyze the economic feasibility of applying iodine-rich fertilizers (agronomic biofortification) to cabbage and cowpea in Northern Uganda. Data on costs and revenues were obtained from a survey of 100 farmers, and benefits that would accrue from using iodine fertilizers were elicited using consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for the iodine-biofortified vegetables. The cost–benefit analysis demonstrated iodine agronomic biofortification as a highly profitable effort, generating average benefit–cost ratios (BCRs) of 3.13 and 5.69 for cabbage and cowpea production, respectively, higher than the conventional production practice. However, the projective analysis showed substantive variations of economic gains from iodine biofortification among farmers, possibly due to differences in farming practices and managerial capabilities. For instance, only 74% of cabbage farmers would produce at a BCR above 1 if they were to apply iodine fertilizer. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis to estimate the effect of subsidizing the cost of iodine fertilizer showed that a higher proportion of farmers would benefit from iodine biofortification. Therefore, as biofortification is considered a health policy intervention targeting the poor and vulnerable, farmers could be supported through fertilizer subsidies to lower the production cost of iodine-biofortified foods and to avoid passing on the price burden to vulnerable consumers.
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    Farmers’ Intention to Adopt Agronomic Biofortification: The Case of Iodine Biofortified Vegetables in Uganda
    (horticulturae, 2023) Onek Aparo, Nathaline; Olum, Solomon; Atimango, Alice Onek; Odongo, Walter; Aloka, Bonny; Ongeng, Duncan; Gellynck, Xavier; De Steur, Hans
    Agronomic biofortification, the application of fertilizer to increase micronutrient concentrations in staple food crops, has been increasingly promoted as a valuable approach to alleviate micronutrient deficiencies, but its success inevitably depends on farmers’ acceptance and adoption. By using iodine fertilizers as a case, this study aimed to understand vegetable farmers’ intentions to adopt agronomic biofortification. Therefore, the focus is on the potential role of socio-psychological factors, derived from two well-established theoretical models in explaining adoption intentions. Data from a cross-sectional survey of 465 cowpea and cabbage farmers from a high-risk region of Uganda were analyzed using binary logistic regression. The findings show that 75% of the farmers are likely to adopt agronomic iodine biofortification and are willing to devote a substantial part of their land to this innovation. Farmers’ intention to adopt strongly depends on their attitude and control beliefs regarding iodine biofortification, vegetable type, access to extension services, and farmland size. This study highlights the crucial role that behavioral and attitude factors play in communities at risk for nutritional disorders’ potential acceptance and sustained implementation of vegetable biofortification. To reinforce the observed positive inclination towards iodine biofortification among vegetable farmers, it is essential to increase awareness of the benefits, potential risks, and consequences of iodine deficiency, accompanied by motivational strategies to enhance farmers’ inherent beliefs in their ability to implement this innovation.