Effects of potato farming on small farmers’ food security in volcanic highlands of Rwanda
This study investigated the role of potato cultivation in food security among small‑scale farmers in the Volcanic Highlands of Rwanda. Primary data were collected from a random sample of 401 farmers. Coarsened exact matching was employed to address potential selection bias between potato and non‑pot...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Cogent Social Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2025.2467226 |
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| author | Aristide Maniriho Ferdinand Nkikabahizi |
| author_facet | Aristide Maniriho Ferdinand Nkikabahizi |
| author_sort | Aristide Maniriho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study investigated the role of potato cultivation in food security among small‑scale farmers in the Volcanic Highlands of Rwanda. Primary data were collected from a random sample of 401 farmers. Coarsened exact matching was employed to address potential selection bias between potato and non‑potato cultivators. A regression model was then estimated using maximum likelihood estimation. Results indicate potato producers are three times more likely to be food secure than other crop producers. Furthermore, potato farming demonstrated a statistically significant positive effect on food security for lower‑performing farmers, a non‑significant negative effect for moderately efficient farmers, and a non‑significant positive effect for high‑performing farmers. Specifically, lower‑performing potato farmers exhibited an eight times greater likelihood of food security compared to their counterparts cultivating other crops. This highlights the critical role of potato cultivation in ensuring food security for this subgroup. The study recommends strategies to enhance potato productivity and production, improve market access for stable agricultural prices and incomes, promote livelihood diversification to mitigate agricultural underemployment, leverage rural non‑farm income sources, and supplement farm incomes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3e1e69e012704a3098c7b59ae6489e5c |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2331-1886 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cogent Social Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-3e1e69e012704a3098c7b59ae6489e5c2025-08-20T02:38:23ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Social Sciences2331-18862025-12-0111110.1080/23311886.2025.2467226Effects of potato farming on small farmers’ food security in volcanic highlands of RwandaAristide Maniriho0Ferdinand Nkikabahizi1School of Economics, College of Business and Economics, University of Rwanda, Butare, RwandaSchool of Economics, College of Business and Economics, University of Rwanda, Butare, RwandaThis study investigated the role of potato cultivation in food security among small‑scale farmers in the Volcanic Highlands of Rwanda. Primary data were collected from a random sample of 401 farmers. Coarsened exact matching was employed to address potential selection bias between potato and non‑potato cultivators. A regression model was then estimated using maximum likelihood estimation. Results indicate potato producers are three times more likely to be food secure than other crop producers. Furthermore, potato farming demonstrated a statistically significant positive effect on food security for lower‑performing farmers, a non‑significant negative effect for moderately efficient farmers, and a non‑significant positive effect for high‑performing farmers. Specifically, lower‑performing potato farmers exhibited an eight times greater likelihood of food security compared to their counterparts cultivating other crops. This highlights the critical role of potato cultivation in ensuring food security for this subgroup. The study recommends strategies to enhance potato productivity and production, improve market access for stable agricultural prices and incomes, promote livelihood diversification to mitigate agricultural underemployment, leverage rural non‑farm income sources, and supplement farm incomes.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2025.2467226CEMfood securitypotatovolcanic highlandsRwandaI31 |
| spellingShingle | Aristide Maniriho Ferdinand Nkikabahizi Effects of potato farming on small farmers’ food security in volcanic highlands of Rwanda Cogent Social Sciences CEM food security potato volcanic highlands Rwanda I31 |
| title | Effects of potato farming on small farmers’ food security in volcanic highlands of Rwanda |
| title_full | Effects of potato farming on small farmers’ food security in volcanic highlands of Rwanda |
| title_fullStr | Effects of potato farming on small farmers’ food security in volcanic highlands of Rwanda |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of potato farming on small farmers’ food security in volcanic highlands of Rwanda |
| title_short | Effects of potato farming on small farmers’ food security in volcanic highlands of Rwanda |
| title_sort | effects of potato farming on small farmers food security in volcanic highlands of rwanda |
| topic | CEM food security potato volcanic highlands Rwanda I31 |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2025.2467226 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT aristidemaniriho effectsofpotatofarmingonsmallfarmersfoodsecurityinvolcanichighlandsofrwanda AT ferdinandnkikabahizi effectsofpotatofarmingonsmallfarmersfoodsecurityinvolcanichighlandsofrwanda |