Arable Crop Production in Transition: Constraints, Adaptation, and Sustainable Resilience in Bali Nyonga, 1994–2017
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/jhs.3460Keywords:
Sustainable Agriculture, Innovation, Arable Crop Production, Bali Nyonga, Food SecurityAbstract
Purpose: This study investigates innovative approaches to sustainable arable crop production in the Bali Nyonga Sub-Division between 1994 and 2017, focusing on how local farmers and agricultural actors adapted their practices to sustain productivity amid environmental, socio-economic, and institutional challenges. It aims to demonstrate how arable farming, central to food security and rural livelihoods, evolved under the combined pressures of colonial legacies, post-independence reforms, and neoliberal economic restructuring.
Methodology: The analysis employs a mixed-method approach, integrating qualitative and quantitative techniques. It draws on primary data, including field interviews and oral testimonies, as well as secondary documentary sources. Descriptive statistics and historical interpretation complemented these to capture long-term transformations in farming systems.
Findings: The study reveals that arable farming in Bali Nyonga underwent significant transitions, constrained by soil infertility, erratic rainfall, land pressure, and limited access to improved inputs. In response, farmers adopted a range of innovative practices such as mixed cropping, organic and compost fertilization, crop rotation, improved seed varieties, and emerging precision and conservation farming techniques supported by extension services. These innovations enhanced yields, improved soil health, reduced production costs, strengthened household incomes, and increased resilience to climate shocks. However, persistent challenges, including weak institutional support, inadequate infrastructure, and limited financing, continue to hinder broader agricultural transformation.
Contribution to Theory, Practice, and Policy: This study contributes to agrarian and environmental history by illustrating how indigenous knowledge systems and scientific interventions intersect to produce locally grounded pathways of sustainable agricultural innovation. Practically, it underscores the value of farmer-led experimentation in building resilient production systems. For policy, the study recommends strengthening farmer training programs, improving access to credit and agricultural inputs, revitalizing extension services, and fostering collaborations between research institutions and local communities. These measures are essential for consolidating existing gains and promoting a resilient, inclusive, and ecologically sustainable agrarian future for Bali Nyonga.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Gwaabe Eleanor Yeba, Aloysius Nyuymengka Ngalim, Canute A. Ngwa
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