A Theoretical Framework for Agro-Ecological Intensification in Sub-Saharan African Smallholder Systems: Evidence from Nigeria

This study develops an original theoretical framework for agro-ecological intensification in sub-Saharan African smallholder systems, using Nigeria as the primary empirical context. Agro-ecological intensification, which seeks to increase agricultural productivity through optimisation of ecological processes rather than purely external input addition, is a contested but increasingly important concept in global food systems discourse. However, existing theoretical frameworks for agro-ecological intensification are predominantly derived from non-African agricultural systems and inadequately reflect the specific ecological, social, and economic conditions of smallholder farming in Nigeria's diverse agro-ecosystems. This study proposes a Nigerian Agro-Ecological Intensification Framework that integrates ecological principles with smallholder livelihood theory, indigenous knowledge systems, and agricultural systems analysis. The framework is developed through critical literature synthesis, expert consultation with 40 Nigerian and international agronomy researchers, and empirical grounding using data from 600 smallholder farms across all six geopolitical zones collected through the LSMS-ISA Nigeria survey augmented by original agronomic measurements. Framework predictions about the conditions under which agro-ecological practices outperform conventional intensification are tested empirically. Findings establish that agro-ecological intensification generates superior total factor productivity in contexts of high soil degradation, high external input costs, and strong social capital for knowledge sharing, which characterise large shares of Nigerian smallholder landscapes. The study contributes an original theoretical framework with novel empirical validation and recommends its adoption as the conceptual foundation for Nigeria's national agro-ecological transition policy agenda.

Keywords: agro-ecological intensification, theoretical framework, Sub-Saharan Africa, smallholder systems, Nigeria.