Which eggplant farming practices pay off?
Fabrice Diangoné Bi Tra, a doctoral student in the 100 Ph.D.s for Africa program of the UM6P-EPFL Excellence in Africa initiative, has published a new study in Agriculture.
A new study published in the journal Agriculture examines the eggplant farming practices in central Côte d'Ivoire and identifies the most profitable methods for local farmers. Fabrice Diangoné Bi Tra, a doctoral student, surveyed 272 producers across six towns, grouping them by their field practices rather than farm size or capital investments.
The three main practice types that emerged were intensive systems using mineral fertilizers and pesticides, combinations of organic amendments (mainly poultry manure) with mineral fertilizers, and growing a local variety of eggplant without synthetic inputs. The intensive system had the highest median yield (15 tons per hectare) and net margin (around $7,500 per hectare), but cost more than the other two methods.
The input-free group, while earning the least per hectare, had the highest return per franc invested and preserves local varieties that are no longer commonly grown in the region. The study concludes that input management, rather than farm endowments, is the primary driver of profitability and highlights the need for research on the impact of these practices on soil sustainability.
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