Category Volume 5

Digitalisation And Productivity of Smallholder Farmers

Abstract – Digitalisation is an emerging global trend for the development of agriculture through information technology platforms. Small-holder farmers are central to food security and agricultural development, while globalisation and system integration continue to pose challenges in terms of sustainable outputs. Technology has become a necessity to keep farmers in the loop about the changing dynamics of agriculture productivity. A sample size was obtained using the method of empirical saturation. A participatory, deductive, and exploratory approach were employed to examine the effects of digitalisation on the productivity of small-holder farmers using a localised digital module in the Northern region of Ghana. Exploratory research was deemed suitable due to the evolving nature of the study under contention. The study revealed that small-scale farmers use digitalisation to get information about their farm management and market trends.  Digitalisation has positive impacts on the yield of the farmers and partially solved the problem of food security in the research area. The study concluded that digitalisation supports the improvement of small-scale farming productivity by increasing their access to information. It also increases the general household wellbeing in terms of improved income level but partially solves the problem of food security. The paper recommends specialised digital training for small-scale farmers who require digital information to carry out their activities. Furthermore, network operators should extend coverage to the hinterland to facilitate the operation of digital services for small-holder farmers. Keywords: digitalisation, food security, productivity, Information technology, smart phone, COVID-19 and development [Cite as: Yussif, A. H. (2023). Digitalisation And Productivity of Smallholder Farmers. Diverse Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, Vol. 5, Issue 3, Pages 1-6.]

Assessing The Relationship Between Taxation Policies and Economic Growth: A Case Study of Botswana 2008-2019

Abstract – The efficacy of fiscal policy in determining economic growth and development can be assumed to be determined by tax administration, tax policies, tax efficiency, and tax levels. Using quarterly data, this study investigates the relationship between Botswana’s tax system and economic growth between January 2008 and December 2019. Multivariate regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between various forms of taxation and Botswana GDP on a quarterly basis from January 2008 to December 2019. The research employed a multivariate regression model with Botswana’s GDP as the dependent variable while explanatory variables were; income tax (Ytax), customs tax (custax), minerals tax (min tax), export tax (xtax), property tax (protax), vehicle tax (vehtax), license tax (Litax), and VAT (Vtax). Findings revealed a weak positive relationship between all forms of taxation and Botswana’s GDP. These findings indicate that the Botswana government provides a wide range of services, including health, education, security and defense, social services, and many others. The government heavily subsidizes food and transportation. Thus, citizens in Botswana trust their government to provide basic necessities of life. The study’s findings indicate that all forms of taxation in Botswana have a weak positive relationship with GDP. As a result, direct links between taxpayers and the government should be strengthened. In this regard, it means that tax payers should be given opportunities to express their views on how they perceive the benefits of the funds they contribute to their economy through taxation. Basing on coefficient estimates, lowering the corporate tax rate by ten percentage points can raise the real annual per capita growth rate by 1.1 to 1.8 percentage points. Given an adjusted R2 of 0.89 and a statistical probability of less than 0.05 at the 5% level of test, it appears that a strong relationship exists between GDP and various…

Trend Analysis and Determinants of Maize Production in Zimbabwe: (1990-2020)

Abstract – The study analyzed the trend and determinants of maize production in Zimbabwe for the period between 1990 and 2020. In trend analysis, the study employed descriptive statistics, which revealed a downward general trend for the period under study. Based on the findings, maize production fell by around 35 percent between 1990 to 2020 owing to a combination of factors from prices, policies, and the climatic environment. Moreover, in analyzing the extent of the influence of price and non-price determinants on maize production, a Nerlovian supply response model was employed using time series data for the period under review. The findings indicated positive elasticities for both short and long runs of +0.72 and + 1.91 respectively. The results suggest that maize production was unresponsive to price changes in the short run but more responsive in the long run. The study recommends the setting up of a functional agricultural commodity market and liberalization of the maize market to make it attractive and eliminate efficiencies in the market and production. The study further recommends an amendment of the land tenure systems by making for instance 99-year leases transferable and bankable to attract capital from final institutions and boost agriculture production. Keywords: maize production, price, and non-price determinants, Nerlovian supply response model, Zimbabwe [Cite as: Chigombe, J. (2023). Trend Analysis and Determinants of Maize Production in Zimbabwe: (1990-2020). Diverse Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, Vol. 5, Issue 1, Pages 1-10.]