Assessing smallholder preferences for incentivised climate-smart agriculture using a discrete choice experiment

The promotion of climate smart agriculture (CSA) techniques to increase farmer resilience against climate change and improve their livelihoods is high on the international development agenda and aims to help achieve Sustainable Development Goals of food security (SDG 2), climate resilience and mitigation (SDG 13). We present the results of a discrete choice experiment (DCE) conducted in face-to-face interviews. In a study in Malawi, farmers responded to a series of questions about different cropping techniques and tree planting options to improve soil fertility and climate change resilience. A combination of financial and non-financial incentives was proposed to increase adoption and success rates. The results show that for different policy objectives, different climate smart packages are suitable. Our results demonstrate that farmers prefer options that secure the production of maize and include crops with both domestic use and local markets. The drought-resistant crop sorghum was unpopular among respondents; achieving SDG 13 through this CSA approach would therefore require high incentive payments. If CSA is to help achieve multiple goals e.g. poverty and inequality reduction (SDGs 1 and 10) as well as SDGs 2 and 13, a range of CSA packages, with different types of crops, rotation versus intercropping techniques and incentive levels, should be offered to smallholders.