Entrepreneurial opportunities for self-employed farmers :conservation agriculture in the Beqaa Valley -

Abstract

As the needs of the population are increasing; food production yields are declining as a consequence of the many years of damage unknowingly done to the soil. Conservation agriculture, a no-tillage practice, has become highly popular in most developed nations and in many developing ones. This popularity has even influenced some countries in the Middle East; however, Lebanon‘s agriculture sector has not been improving. The following project investigates the willingness of self-employed farmers in the Beqaa valley of Lebanon to adopt Conservation Agriculture; what incentives motivate them, and differences in criteria that vary across farmers. This project will attempt to classify the reason behind farmers’ unwillingness to adopt CA(conservation agriculture); as well as the influencing factors that convince farmers to adopt. Linkages will be made between the variables that are prevalent among different samples. A Socio-economic household survey of 150 farming households around Baalbeck in the Beqaa valley was conducted. Respondents were interviewed and selected based on answering the screening questions in the right way. Respondents were over 18 years of age, owned or rented the land they farmed (decision makers), grew wheat, and have not practiced Conservation Agriculture before. The questionnaire will include questions on: Household demographics, household expenditure and assets, characteristics of the farm (products, scale, technology), decision on whether or not CA will be adopted, and motivators that influence their decision to adopt. The ultimate goal of this study is to be able to objectively demonstrate the factors that affect self-employed farmers’ decision to adopt CA practices as an improved and more innovative alternative to advance their businesses. Once those factors are apparent, policy makers would be more effective in designing policies that would benefit the overall agriculture sector in Lebanon. This sector is one of the biggest stimuli of the Lebanese economy and roll over e