All Articles
The generalised translog cost function to estimate tariffs for potable water: The case of Tunisia
The present study aims to estimate the marginal cost of potable water supply and analyse the implications for more efficient, equitable and income-adequate tap water tariffs in Tunisia.
Read ArticleResilience capacities and implications for food security in Zimbabwe
There is an emerging body of studies assessing the influence of resilience on household food security in developing countries. Yet no study has systematically analysed this theme in Zimbabwe, an area that we address.
Read ArticleAnalyse de l’efficacité allocative des ressources utilisées dans les petites exploitations de riz de bas-fond au centre-ouest de la Côte d’Ivoire
Cette étude analyse l’efficacité des producteurs de riz dans l’allocation des ressources dont ils disposent pour la production en recueillant des données transversales auprès de 255 producteurs dans le Centre-Ouest de la Côte d’Ivoire.
Read ArticleThe influence of women’s empowerment on poverty reduction: A case of smallholder sugarcane farmers in western Kenya
This study uses primary data from smallholder sugarcane farmers in Kenya to investigate how women’s empowerment affects household poverty. Instrumental-variable tobit (IV tobit) was used to determine the causality between women’s empowerment and household poverty.
Read ArticleResponding to inefficiencies on smallholder maize farms: Can sustained adoption of sustainable agricultural practices make a difference?
This study aimed to bring forth empirical evidence of the effect of the sustained adoption of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) on the technical and profit efficiency of farmers. Previous studies remain inconclusive about whether the adoption of SAPs has any bearing on the efficiency of maize farmers.
Read ArticlePastoral livestock market integration amidst improvements in physical and communication infrastructure: Evidence from northern Kenya
This article analyses the level of integration in pastoral markets in Kenya using high-frequency data generated through a crowdsourcing endeavour. The vector error-correction model framework was used to estimate the causal relationships between the short- and long-run market price.
Read ArticleLabour-saving technologies mitigate the effect of women’s agriculture time-use constraints on stunting in rural Uganda
Women’s time allocation is a dimension of women’s empowerment in agriculture, and is recognised as a pathway through which agriculture can affect child nutritional status in developing countries. Longer hours of farm work can potentially increase women’s time constraints, reducing the time allocated to child-caring responsibilities and raising the risk...
Read ArticleThe influence of women’s empowerment on poverty reduction: A case of smallholder sugarcane farmers in western Kenya
This study uses primary data from smallholder sugarcane farmers in Kenya to investigate how women’s empowerment affects household poverty. Instrumental-variable tobit (IV tobit) was used to determine the causality between women’s empowerment and household poverty.
Read ArticleDoes Rwanda’s flagship microcredit programme boost agriculture and incomes?
One of the three components of Rwanda’s flagship anti-poverty programme, Vision 2020 Umurenge (VUP), is the provision of credit to relatively poor households, nearly all of them farmers. In this paper we estimate the impact of the programme using high-quality household survey data from 2013/2014 and 2016/2017.
Read ArticleImpact of climate-smart maize varieties on household income among smallholder farmers in Kenya: The case of Embu County
Variability in climate and debility in soil fertility affect agrarian production, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, and thus threaten food security. This has prompted the seed sector to introduce various varieties of climate-smart maize in Kenya and release them in the market. In contrast, there is little experiential insight into how...
Read ArticleAssessing the adoption rates of improved technology in traditional poultry farming: Evidence from rural Togo
Mawussi Kossivi Soviadan, Zaneta Kubik, Anselm Anibueze Enete, & Chukwuemeka Uzoma Okoye AbstractThe adoption of improved agricultural technologies is known to significantly improve incomes, create more wealth, alleviate poverty and contribute to rural development in many developing countries. The Government of Togo, through the National Programme for Agricultural Investment and...
Read ArticleEffect of targeted fertiliser subsidy on poverty reduction in Togo
The reintroduction of innovative forms of input subsidies in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) following the food crisis of 2008 raises concerns about their effectiveness in the fight against poverty. In this context, this paper examines the effect of the targeted fertiliser subsidy implemented in Togo from 2017 to 2019.
Read ArticleInfluence of proximity to and type of foraging habitat on value of insect pollination in the tropics, with applications to Kenya
Insect pollination improves the yield of most crop species and contributes to one-third of global crop production. The importance of this ecosystem service in improving agricultural production has largely been overlooked, however, in favour of practices that improve soil conditions such as fertiliser use and supplementary irrigation.
Read ArticleInfluence of agricultural extension services on technical efficiency of maize farmers in Malawi
Recognising potential selection bias due to non-randomness of the data, this study used propensity score matching on data from a nationally representative fifth Integrated Household Survey (IHS5) to investigate the effect of agriculture extension services on the technical efficiency of maize farmers in Malawi.
Read ArticleIs cowpea a ‘women’s crop’ in Mali? Implications for value chain development
Cowpea, which is produced primarily in West Africa, is valued locally for its agronomic benefits in dryland farming, nutritional content, and contribution to the livelihoods of farming families. Many feel that more investment in cowpea research and development is needed for the crop to achieve its economic potential.
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