Marker-assisted breeding could have a major impact in relieving productivity constraints that cannot as easily or rapidly be relieved by conventional breeding alone. This paper estimates the benefits of using marker-assisted breeding, as compared to conventional breeding alone, in developing...

Agriculture has multiple functions to fulfill for the development of the sub-Saharan Africa countries. It should be a source of growth and an instrument for poverty reduction and contribute to the provision of environmental services. Yet it is still used far below its potential, with gains in...

This study assesses the ex ante economic impact of the establishment of two parasitoids, the scelionid egg parasitoid Telenomus isis Polaszek from West Africa and a virulent strain of the braconid larval parasitoid Cotesia sesamiae Cameron from western Kenya, to control stemborer. Using a...

This paper investigates the impact of tenure security and other factors on investment in soil and water conservation (SWC) in Kenya. Factor analysis, step-wise regression and reduced form model approaches are used to explain the willingness, likelihood and intensity of adoption of SWC...

Why are agricultural yields so low and growing so slowly in Africa? Using simple models, this paper proposes a research program to uncover the reasons for the low levels of input intensity and slow pace of technological innovation in African agriculture. Attention is focused on the relative...

Studies have shown that small-scale agricultural producers from developing countries do not generally obtain the potential gains of trade. To investigate what can be done to help them get better prices, we examine ways to increase their bargaining power. Using data from 1,854 cocoa transactions...

This paper analyzes the demand for meat in Egypt for the period 1990–2005 using the linearized Almost Ideal Demand System to estimate own-price, cross-price and expenditure elasticities. It found that the Marshallian own-price elasticity was the highest for fish, followed by chicken, beef...

In this study, common-pool resource experiments were carried out to analyze the efficiency of two simple, imperfectly enforced collective property-rights allocation rules. The design of the property-rights regimes in our experiment is based on both informal real-world arrangements practiced in...

A number of factors, including a recent rediscovery of the agricultural sector, growing demands for large-scale land acquisition, and economic growth, have increased demand for land registration in Africa. On the basis of a review of evidence, we argue that, in most cases, a key benefit from...

This study investigates the impact of poverty, social capital and land tenure on the adoption of soil fertility management (SFM) and conservation technologies in Uganda. Considering four land management technologies (fallowing, terracing and inorganic and organic fertilizers), the study...