Table 3 Probit estimation of factors that affect plot level adoption of minimum tillage in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania

Sex of household head (male = 1, female = 0)

0.082*

0.082*

−0.021

0.417***

0.067

0.102

(0.047)

(0.047)

(0.103)

(0.151)

(0.069)

(0.152)

Age of the household head (years)

−0.001

−0.001

−0.000

−0.000

−0.001

0.004

(0.001)

(0.001)

(0.002)

(0.004)

(0.002)

(0.004)

Education of the household head (years completed)

0.002

0.002

0.002

−0.031**

0.007

0.020

(0.004)

(0.004)

(0.007)

(0.014)

(0.007)

(0.017)

 Salaried employment (c.f. farming)

−0.158

−0.158

−0.913**

−0.092

Not estimated

−0.181

(0.128)

(0.128)

(0.394)

(0.196)

(0.257)

 Non-farm self-employment (c.f. farming)

0.028

0.028

0.015

−0.456**

−0.533*

(0.126)

(0.126)

(0.516)

(0.206)

(0.289)

 Casual labour (c.f. farming)

0.247*

0.247*

0.55

0.247

Not estimated

(0.149)

(0.149)

(0.405)

(0.183)

 Number of family members

−0.010*

−0.010*

−0.017*

−0.006

0.000

0.000

(0.006)

(0.006)

(0.010)

(0.021)

(0.012)

(0.022)

 Livestock owned (in tropical livestock equivalent (TLU))

−0.000

−0.000

−0.010**

−0.052

−0.000

0.005

(0.000)

(0.000)

(0.005)

(0.032)

(0.000)

(0.007)

 Total farm size in long rain season (ha)

0.008*

0.008*

0.112***

−0.107*

0.003

−0.065***

(0.005)

(0.005)

(0.014)

(0.059)

(0.008)

(0.020)

 Total non-livestock assets owned by the household in ‘000s US$

0.023*

0.023*

−0.035*

−0.162**

0.089***

0.023*

(0.0012)

(0.012)

(0.018)

(0.066)

(0.025)

(0.012)

 Number of grain traders from outside village known to respondent

−0.004**

−0.004**

−0.007*

0.008

−0.000

−0.059***

(0.002)

(0.002)

(0.004)

(0.008)

(0.003)

(0.015)

 Number of non-relatives outside village respondent can rely on for help

0.005***

0.005***

0.007***

−0.011*

0.005

0.019***

(0.001)

(0.001)

(0.001)

(0.006)

(0.003)

(0.007)

 Household head belongs to a farmers’ association (cooperatives etc.) 1 = yes, 0 otherwise

0.107***

0.107***

0.613***

0.129

−0.242***

0.166

(0.033)

(0.033)

(0.055)

(0.123)

(0.052)

(0.113)

 Household is credit constrained (yes = 1)

−0.218***

−0.218***

−0.267***

−0.219**

−0.062

−0.759***

(0.029)

(0.029)

(0.046)

(0.096)

(0.049)

(0.144)

 Respondent confident in skill and advice of extension provider (yes = 1)

0.064**

0.064**

0.097*

0.382***

0.044

0.145

(0.035)

(0.031)

(0.050)

(0.100)

(0.056)

(0.108)

 Medium soil fertility (c.f. poor soil fertility)

0.082

0.082

0.207**

0.437**

0.042

0.548***

(0.051)

(0.051)

(0.099)

(0.179)

(0.076)

(0.204)

 Good soil fertility (c.f. poor soil fertility)

−0.038

−0.038

0.304***

0.553***

−0.337***

0.524**

(0.051)

(0.051)

(0.100)

(0.187)

(0.075)

(0.218)

 Medium sloped plot (c.f. gentle/flat)

0.180***

0.180***

0.343***

0.231**

0.029

0.234**

(0.032)

(0.032)

(0.050)

(0.100)

(0.056)

(0.103)

 Steep sloped plot (c.f. gentle/flat)

−0.199***

−0.199***

−0.089

0.228

−0.136*

−0.854***

 Walking minutes to the nearest market

−0.001***

−0.001***

0.000

0.000

−0.002**

−0.003***

(0.000)

(0.000)

(0.001)

(0.001)

(0.001)

(0.001)

 Kenya dummy

−1.168***

(0.057)

 Malawi dummy

0.359***

(0.076)

 Tanzania dummy

−0.669***

(0.061)

 Number of extension personnel per 10,000 farmers

0.151***

(0.007)

 Percent of agricultural budget spent on subsidy

0.055***

(0.004)

 Drought perceived as a major future risk (yes = 1)

0.266**

(0.104)

 Pests and diseases perceived as a major future risk (yes = 1)

0.019

(0.104)

 High input and low crop prices perceived as a major future risk (yes = 1)

−0.018

(0.115)

 Personal health or economic situation perceived as a major future risk (yes = 1)

0.773***

(0.103)

 Constant

−0.080

−3.941***

−0.352*

−1.231***

−0.090

−0.891**

(0.099)

(0.353)

(0.182)

(0.384)

(0.167)

(0.401)