This paper examines two questions: (1) what were the most important factors that led to differential rates of adoption of maize technology by farmers in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi from 1910 to 1995? and (2) what do these experiences suggest about strategic investments in institutions and...

Why do so many African governments consistently impose high tax rates and make little investment in productive public goods, when alternative policies could yield greater tax revenues and higher national income? We posit and test an intertemporal political economy model in which the government...

This paper uses non-parametric approach to measure technical innovation and productivity growth at the smallholder farm-level in dry-land sub-Saharan Africa during the initial years of the structural adjustment programmes for agriculture. Data from Kenya for two production years, 1991/2 and...

Rapid developments in information technology have exposed South African farmers to the potential benefits of using these technologies in farm decision-making. Use of computers on South African commercial farms is increasing, with three studies showing adoption rates of 48 percent (1993), 64...

Crop protection is a part of the agricultural production system. In Europe during the past century, this system has been subject to innovation, stemming from the second agricultural revolution of the Modern Time. Today we are on the crossroad of three alternative agricultural systems....

Consumer resistance is a key barrier to the diffusion of genetically modified foods (GMFs). Several studies have shown that consumers in general have a negative attitude toward GMFs. Through analysis of a survey conducted in Israel, we find consumer attitudes toward GMFs to be context specific,...