Source: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY submitted to
ASSESSING AGRICULTURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN RELATION TO SMALL FARMERS IN SELECTED TENNESSEE COUNTIES
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1014614
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
TENX-1827-GFSHAP
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Oct 11, 2017
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2020
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
Tegegne, FI, .
Recipient Organization
TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
3500 JOHN A. MERRITT BLVD
NASHVILLE,TN 37209
Performing Department
Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Non Technical Summary
This study focuses on agricultural entrepreneurship in relation to small farmers. Agricultural entrepreneurship is receiving increased attention as a potential tool for economic revitalization of communities that have been adversely affected by changes in the agricultural sector and globalization. This is specially the case for small farmers. There is limited knowledge of small farmers' response to changing condition in agriculture and police measures to remedy the changes. Very little is understood in regards to this factors that drive entrepreneurship or diversification activities among small farmers. It should be noted that there is trade-off between off-farm work constraints and other potential sources of on-farm income. For example, change in tobacco subsidy policy has exacerbated the situation that necessitated seeking alternative enterprises.Entrepreneurship is "the process of uncovering or developing an opportunity to create value through innovation and seizing that opportunity without regard to either resources (human and capital) or the location of the entrepreneur--in a new or existing company" (Slaughter 1996:7). Based on the survey instruments intended for small farmers and small agricultural entreprenuers, this study uses appropriate qualitative and quantitative approaches to analyze data. Results will be presented, published, and disseminated to stakeholders.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
60860303010100%
Goals / Objectives
To examine the extent of knowledge gap including entrepreneurship among small farmers.To identify and analyze factors influencing the development of agricultural entrepreneurship among small Tennessee farmers.To determine tradeoff between off-farm employment and entrepreneurship.To develop baseline database on agricultural entrepreneurship.To provide benefits of the findings to stakeholders and their policy implications.
Project Methods
Farmers to be analyzed will be selected from records maintained by the county extension offices.Collect data using face-to-face survey from agricultural producers.Develop and pretest survey instrument administered with the assistance of county extension educators.As sample of agricultural producers will be selected from a data base.Data collected will be checked and entered into the computer.The data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and appropriate quantitative method consonant with the data.

Progress 10/11/17 to 09/30/20

Outputs
Target Audience:The target groups reached by this project directly and indirectly are: researchers, extension educators, policy makers, students and various groups workingwith small farmers in Tennessee and beyond.. Findings were presented at national, state and local meetings such as small farm simposium . Changes/Problems:. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project provided opportunity for student experiential learning in the research process in general and the project focus area in particular. Other stakeholders could also benefit from training and outreach resources developed by the project. In addition, faculty could widen their knoweldge base in the study of alternative enterprise development and enterpreneurship. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The research has been disseminated through holding workshops using train trainers and best management practices. Presentations at national, regional, state and local meetings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Established the limited level of knowledge on enterpreneurship among small farmers. Identified key factors such as the influence of changes in agricultural policies on enterpreneurship, the effect of competition at national and global levels faced by small farmers, determined tradeoff between off farm employment and enterpreneuship, developed limited data base on enterpreurship among small farmers. The project generated results that considered diversification of the operation of small farmers.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Khanal, A., F. Tegegne, S. Goetz, L. Li, Y.Han, S. Tubene and A. Wetherill. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems and Community Development." Small and Minority Farmers' Knowledge and Resource Sharing Networks and Farm Sales."


Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19

Outputs
Target Audience:The target groups are small farmers in Tennessee and beyond,extension educators, policy makers andacademic institutions. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Student working on the project is getting experiential learning in the research process involving enterpreneurship and community engagement. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Project results will be dessiminsted using workshops, train the trainars and on line delivery. Relevant resources will alsobe provided to stakeholders. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporing period results of data analyses and their implications will ll beshared withstakeholders.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The major accomplishments thus far include completion of secondary data search,development of conceptual framework for the project, develoment of a survey instrument, and implementation of the survey. Objectives pertaining to data analysis are delayed due to very slow response from those being surveyed.

Publications


    Progress 10/11/17 to 09/30/18

    Outputs
    Target Audience:Extension educators who assisted in the selection offarmers to be surveyed and agreed to assist in administering the survey. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project ha provided under graduate student opportunity to learn development of survey instrument and data collection methodology. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Code, clean and enter data into the computer. This will be followed by conducting preliminary analysis.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? The above goals will be realized when the data collection is implemented in the coming spring. The data collected will be analyzed and expectedto throw light on the above goal and objectives. A cnceptual framewot for the project has been developed. IRB approval has been secured.

    Publications