ABSTRACT The outbreak of devastating storage pests has rendered smallholder farmers' traditional storage practices ineffective. This study used single bound dichotomous choice contingent valuation to examine factors determining smallholder farmers' willingness to pay (WTP) for a metal silo, a new and improved storage technology in Zimbabwe. Data were collected using structured questionnaires from 249 randomly selected households in Makoni and Shamva Districts. Logit results showed that storage loss, quantity of non-food crops, equipment value, vegetable income, participation in informal activities, and household head's age and marital status significantly influenced WTP for metal silos. The amount of grain lost in storage positively influenced farmers' WTP, suggesting that current storage practices are not effective against storage losses. Income variables, except the value of equipment, showed a positive influence on WTP for a metal silo implying that increasing the household's income eases financial constraints that could impede investments in the silo technology. The study recommends the adoption of metal silos to curb storage losses and improve household food security. Diversification of agriculture and provision of credit are recommended to increase WTP for metal silos. Development agents promoting the technology should target married and young households for sustainability, without marginalising their counterparts.

中文翻译：

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决定津巴布韦小农愿意支付金属筒仓费用的因素

摘要 毁灭性储藏害虫的爆发已经使小农的传统储藏方式失效。本研究使用单一边界二分选择条件估值来检验决定小农对金属筒仓支付意愿 (WTP) 的因素，金属筒仓是津巴布韦一种新的和改进的储存技术。数据是使用结构化问卷从 Makoni 和 Shamva 区的 249 个随机选择的家庭中收集的。Logit 结果表明，仓储损失、非粮食作物数量、设备价值、蔬菜收入、参加非正式活动以及户主的年龄和婚姻状况显着影响金属筒仓的支付意愿。粮食损失量对农民的支付意愿产生积极影响，表明当前的存储方法对存储损失无效。除设备价值外，收入变量对金属筒仓的 WTP 有积极影响，这意味着增加家庭收入可以缓解可能阻碍筒仓技术投资的财务限制。该研究建议采用金属筒仓来遏制储存损失并改善家庭粮食安全。建议通过农业多元化和提供信贷来提高金属筒仓的支付意愿。推广该技术的发展机构应以已婚和年轻家庭为目标，以实现可持续性，而不是边缘化他们的同行。的收入缓解了可能阻碍筒仓技术投资的财务限制。该研究建议采用金属筒仓来遏制储存损失并改善家庭粮食安全。建议通过农业多元化和提供信贷来提高金属筒仓的支付意愿。推广该技术的发展机构应以已婚和年轻家庭为目标，以实现可持续性，而不是边缘化他们的同行。的收入缓解了可能阻碍筒仓技术投资的财务限制。该研究建议采用金属筒仓来遏制储存损失并改善家庭粮食安全。建议通过农业多元化和提供信贷来提高金属筒仓的支付意愿。推广该技术的发展机构应以已婚和年轻家庭为目标，以实现可持续性，而不是边缘化他们的同行。