Characterization of cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) production systems and analysis of the adoption and economic viability of spineless cactus for animal feed in four continents

With rapid climate change, identifying resilient crops and livestock is urgent. Cactus pear is one such crop, providing both food and feed under harsh conditions. Using data from 736 farmers, this study characterizes cactus pear production systems in five countries across four continents and analyzes, using Heckman’s selection model, the adoption and economic impacts of spineless cactus. Model results showed that farmers cultivating cactus for both feed and food and those cultivating it at higher density tend to have a higher propensity for adopting spineless cactus. Adoption of spineless cactus led to higher cactus feed harvest, revenue, and gross margins. The typical farmer earned a minimum of US$ 386/ha/year from current harvest levels. The gross margins are mainly driven by the higher yields and prices of spineless cactus relative to the spiny type. This calls for policy and institutional interventions to advance cactus research, introduce spineless varieties, and scale it as a climate-smart crop. Such initiatives are vital for fostering entrepreneurship and creating job opportunities. However, small sample size, geographic heterogeneity, possible remaining selection bias after correction using the Heckman model, and reliance on self-reported data should be considered when interpreting findings. Benefit:cost analysis is beyond this study’s scope.