National food security in Malawi depends on improving the performance of maize markets. Ensuring that grain is consistently available at tolerable prices is crucial for consumers’ food security. At the same time, surplus producing farmers need to receive farm-gate prices consistently above...

This study is based on data collected from 141 family-type farms in the Yatenga province in Burkina Faso. A probit approach is used to analyze the effect of perception of land degradation and other factors on the adoption of zaï and stone rows. The results of the estimation show that the...

Increasing calls for an African green revolution are being made so that Africa can increase its food production; thus enhancing its ability to feed its high population while exploiting emerging opportunities in developed country markets. This will involve an increased use of agro-chemicals. Use...

Modernization and commercialization of the smallholder agricultural sector provides the stimulus and impetus to reducing food insecurity in developing countries. This study seeks to fill the gaps in the literature particularly by comprehensive conceptualization of the drivers of...

This study ascertained the effects of agricultural commercialization (agricultural net exports), deforestation as represented by exports of forestry products, economic growth and trade liberalization on the level of green house gas (CO2) emissions in Africa. It relied on World Bank data...

In this paper we examine empirically the effect of Information and Communication Technologies on the adoption of improved rice varieties and its indirect effect on productivity with focus of the rural radio in Burkina Faso. The econometrics framework adopted is the Rubin Causal Model that has...

A rather unique panel tracking more than 3300 individuals from households in rural Kagera, Tanzania during 1991/4-2010 shows that about 1 out of 2 individuals/households who exited poverty did so by transitioning out of agriculture into the rural nonfarm economy or secondary towns. Only 1 out of...

Since independence in 1956, Tunisia has experienced a significant reduction of poverty and improvement of social indicators. Yet, regional and socio-economic disparities remain significant. The issue of regional disparities was at the core of the social unrest in the Mid-East regions that are...

Agriculture constitutes a significant amount of the Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, a major characteristic of Kenyan agriculture is the predominance of primary production with a high concentration of women in the sector. Peanut production for instance is widespread in western...

This essay investigates the relationship between rural household income growth and access to electricity, extension services and roads. Following Dercon et al (2009), I outline a household income growth model that includes access to these public goods as growth conditioners. I estimate the model...