http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/34360 Search the Channel search http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/simple-search http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9513 Title: Collaborative Masters Program in Agricultural and Applied Economics for Eastern, Central and Southern Africa <br/> <br/>Authors: Bashaasha, Bernard <br/> <br/>Abstract: Program Genesis: Since the 1970s, African economies have under-performed and incomes have declined. Similarly, the agricultural sectors have malfunctioned and agricultural production shrunk despite over two-thirds of the population being dependent on agriculture for survival subjecting them to food insecurity, reduced incomes, massive poverty, unemployment and unsustainable resource utilisation. The decline in agricultural performance was brought about by numerous factors, including markets dynamics that tended to protect the agricultural products of developed nations at the expense of developing economies; persistent institutional weakness and market failures in Africa; poor linkage of policy results to policy making and implementation; poor understanding of environmental impact assessment and management skills for sustainable agricultural development; poor understanding of smallholder agriculture; and inadequate appreciation or understanding of the role of Science, Technology and Information in promoting rapid agricultural and rural development as well as overall economic growth and development. In response to the above situation and the realisation of the changing trends in markets, there arose the need to re-examine ways and means of managing and promoting agricultural development, which forms the backbone of many African economies. It was visualised that one way of tackling the problem was through enhancing capacity for policy analysis in agriculture in order to allow effective generation and supply of relevant information on agricultural production and marketing to policymakers. IFPRI and its 2020 Vision for Food, Agriculture and Environment established a network of researchers in agricultural economics in Eastern Africa in an effort of enhancing the capacity in policy analysis and research. The Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) was established to guide the network in undertaking competitive research grants among other critical activities. After one year in operation, the RAC realised there was a great shortage of skilled manpower to undertake policy analysis research in the region and established a Steering Committee to examine the problem. With financial support from the Rockefeller Foundation, an inquiry by Norman and Obwona was conducted, which revealed there was inadequate capacity for agricultural policy analysis, formulation and implementation. This was blamed on inadequate Agricultural Economics postgraduate training scholarships to overseas universities in particular and limited Governments’ support for postgraduate training locally due to budgetary constraints. The Steering Committee suggested that a sustainable cost effective capacity building mechanism was seriously needed to help resolve problems that were being experienced in institutions of higher learning. To put the mechanism in place, a conference involving Heads of Departments of Agricultural Economics in Eastern and Southern Africa, and other participants from the private and public sectors was convened in November 2002 to examine the future challenges to agricultural economics. The conference adopted that the heads of agricultural economics departments should formulate plans for strengthening agricultural economics training in the region through a Collaborative program. After the conference, heads of departments formed the umbrella body AEEB and started working on the collaborative masters program. The vision of this collaborative program is “to train graduates with a solid foundation in economic concepts and methods for applied analysis in the public, civil society and private sectors, as well as offer opportunity for advanced academic pursuits”. The main objectives of the program are to: advance Agricultural Economics as a core disciplinary course at MSc level in Eastern & Southern Africa; produce graduates who are conversant with problems facing the agricultural sector in Africa and with the capability to provide practical solutions; set up a system for upgrading the teaching and research capacity of faculties in the participating departments; as well as enhance a collaborative network amongst the many players in agricultural economics. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9514 Title: Building a Food Security and Policy Information Portal for Africa (FSIP) <br/> <br/>Authors: Dione, Josue; Kagwanja, Joan; Weber, Michael T.; Staatz, John; Kelly, Valerie <br/> <br/>Abstract: Getting the food and agriculture system moving faster is crucial for structural transformation and poverty reduction in Africa. This requires investing in basic productive and market infrastructure, and expanding appropriate research, knowledge, and technology for increased productivity at all stages of the agricultural commodity chains. The advent of the World Wide Web and steady reductions in the cost and increases in the speed of Internet services in Africa are changing the way we must think about the development, storage, and dissemination of policy analysis and training materials, which are crucial inputs for agricultural development. Yet, much remains to be done to harness these information communication technology tools more effectively to help achieve African development goals in agricultural sciences, food security, and policy reform (UNECA/DISD). Our paper identifies opportunities and constraints facing a program being undertaken by the UNECA, several regional African policy research networks, and MSU to: (1) improve the skills of African technical and social scientists to use more effectively the wealth of scientific knowledge and experience currently available on the Internet to carry out applied policy research, outreach and training; and (2) make the work of Africans more visible to others, thereby fostering south-north and south-south learning. The paper discusses a collaborative internet-based tool being developed to achieve these objectives. The Food Security and Food Policy Information Portal for Africa gives researchers and policy makers a one-stop and multi-language location for: (a) easily accessing key data and analyses on food security and food policy for every country in Africa; (b) sharing their own work with colleagues across the world; (c) finding training materials on more effective use of the ICT, and on improved applied research and policy analysis methods, and; (d) spotlighting experiences on how to improve the effective. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9515 Title: Breaking the “Fertilizer Poverty” and Food Insecurity Traps in Smallholder Maize Based Farming System in Southern Africa: Experiences and Lessons from Soil Fertility Network/Economics and Policy Working Group (EPWG) <br/> <br/>Authors: Mekuria, Mlugetta; Waddington, Stephen; Siziba, Shephard <br/> <br/>Abstract: Smallholder farmers in southern Africa face acute food insecurity because the productive capacity of their soils has declined. These resource-poor farmers increasingly cannot afford mineral fertilizers Farmers mentioned the lack of fertilizers for their depleted soils as the most important constraint- “Empty Soils, stomachs and pockets” In response to this challenge, Soil Fert Net researchers in southern Africa have developed and promoted a range of “best-bet” soil fertility management technological (SFMT) options for farmers. This paper presents a review of financial, adoption, institutional and policy analysis undertaken by EPWG members on the use of SFMT by smallholders. Financial and risk analysis tools, selected econometric models and policy analysis matrix were employed to measure profitability, incidence and intensity of adoption and to understand the effects of policy instruments necessary to promote SFMTs. Financial analysis of ‘best bets’ indicates that (even with current unfavorable input and output prices) there are positive payoffs to investing in SFMTs. Adoption studies in Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique revealed that farmers need to make a significant initial investment in terms of labor, land and capital before they start to obtain benefits. SFMTs are also management and information intensive and farmers’ limited skills and knowledge are critical factors influencing adoption. Profitability and subsequent adoption decisions are sensitive to changes in maize grain price, crop yield and the cost of borrowing capital. The study recommend institutional and policy support and advocacy for better access to credit, input availability, market linkages to scale up the diffusion and promotion of SFMTs. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9516 Title: Priorities and Preconditions for Successful Investment in Smallholder Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa <br/> <br/>Authors: Poulton, Colin; Dorward, A.; Jowett, A.; Peacock, C.; Urey, I. <br/> <br/>Abstract: In the past couple of years, there has been resurgence in interest in smallholder agriculture as a potential driver for growth and poverty reduction in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, there remains considerable skepticism as to whether public investment in smallholder agriculture will lead to the desired growth and poverty reduction, given a general pessimism about “absorptive capacity” for (public) investment in Africa, the perception of failure of past agricultural investment and the observation that current conditions are unconducive to agricultural growth in Africa. This paper combines experiences of two UK-based NGOs dedicated to promoting smallholder agriculture and strengthening rural livelihoods in Africa with insights from academic literature on African agriculture and rural markets to set out an agenda for investment in smallholder agriculture in Africa. It identifies priorities for public investment, but also key issues related to “absorptive capacity” that need to be addressed if such investment is to succeed in generating agricultural growth and poverty reduction. Particular emphasis is placed on: a) investment in human and organisational capacity of smallholder farmers; b) investment in coordinated service provision to equip producers to respond to evolving market opportunities; c) the process of developing and implementing credible agricultural development strategies at both national and local level, and; d) reform of Ministries of Agriculture to support this process. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9517 Title: The Food Security Equation: What is the Role of Gender and Social Amenities in this Paradigm? A Focus on Rural Households in Yala division, Siaya district, Kenya. <br/> <br/>Authors: Oluoch-Kosura, Willis; Otieno, David Jakinda; Marenya, Paswel Phiri <br/> <br/>Abstract: Food security remains a key challenge to the development efforts of most poor nations. This study investigated the significance of gender (denoted by number of male, female and children in a household) and social amenities in the food security equation. Frequency of food-related illnesses in a household was used as proxy for food security situation, while the entitlement/food utilization side of the equation was represented by the number of male and female children in the household, main source of domestic water, distance to nearest health center, means of transport accessible, household sanitation and level of awareness on basic food preparation and handling methods. Both descriptive and econometric models were used for analysis of primary data from a random sample of 100 farm-households in Yala division, Siaya district of Kenya. This study was conducted in February 2004. Results of this study indicated that majority (74%) of the rural households were experiencing poor food utilization, and were thus generally food insecure. The study also revealed that gender and social amenities were significant in the food security equation. Specifically, there was high correlation between food-related illnesses and use of untapped water, more male children than females in a household, long distance to health centers, lack of quick means of transport, unsafe food disposal and poor food storage habits. In order to improve the food utilization and thereby security for the rural farm-households, the study recommends improvement in the provision of social amenities for both male and female household members equitably. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9518 Title: Performance of African Agricultural Exports and External Market Access Conditions under International Trade Reforms <br/> <br/>Authors: Nyangito, Hezron Omare <br/> <br/>Abstract: Sub Saharan African agriculture is currently facing challenges in international trade with respect to external market access conditions and competition in world markets as a result of trade liberalization efforts under the world trade organization (WTO) agreements and in particular the agreement on agriculture (AoA). This paper presents the performance of agricultural exports for selected countries and indicates external market barriers faced and the resulting implications of the barriers on WTO Doha Development Agenda (DDA) negotiations. The composition of agricultural exports and markets shows that exports from Sub Saharan Africa are less diversified with only five commodities mainly coffee, cocoa, cotton, hides and skins, and horticultural crops dominating in most countries. Markets are also concentrated on only a few countries with the European Union being a major market although intra Africa trade has increased in recent years because of regional integration efforts. Important external market access barriers faced are tariff peaks and escalation particularly for agro-processed and livestock products in developed countries and non tariff barriers particularly sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) and technical barriers to trade (TBTs) measures, safeguard and anti-dumping measures, and domestic and export subsidies on agricultural products for developed countries. The performance of agricultural exports from Sub Saharan Africa based on production and value for the period 1990 to 2000 shows mixed trends across countries and commodities. In general, there has been an increase in production and exports of non-traditional commodities but exports of traditional exports for some countries show an increasing trend while for others they have stagnated or even declined due to declining world market prices and domestic marketing problems. In conclusion, the future of increased exports from Sub Saharan Africa countries lies in value adding for traditional commodities and diversification to non-traditional products such as flowers, fruits and, fish and fish products. Thus, tariff escalation and peaks for agro-processed products and NBTs such as SPS and TBT are important issues to be focused on during multilateral trade negotiations, as they are major barriers to increasing exports from Sub Saharan Africa. Domestic and export subsidies in developed countries are also of concern because they reduce the competitiveness of products from Sub Saharan Africa by depressing world market prices besides making it difficult for these countries to diversify their agriculture. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9519 Title: Expanding the Frontiers of Agricultural Economics to Meet the Future Challenges of Agricultural Development <br/> <br/>Authors: Kirsten, Johann <br/> <br/>Abstract: In this paper I challenge the theoretical building blocks of agricultural economics and then provide some indication of how the discipline has rectified some of its shortcomings. The introduction of the New Institutional Economics into our discipline has been a major improvement. I have then argued that the challenges facing our profession are so huge that we need to think about further adaptation by making more use of other social sciences such as sociology and anthropology. This could help us understand the major complexities of dealing with the challenge of black economic empowerment in agriculture. This will however, also be necessary for us to adjust our research paradigm. This argument is well articulated by Doyer and Van Rooyen (2001) when they motivated a research method to study agribusiness supply chains. The challenges highlighted that for agricultural economic analysis to capture complex business reality and decisions to explain and predict the institutional and governance structures and optimal resource allocation behaviour of firms, approaches to research that combines positivist and constructivist are the most sensible. The combination of these approaches enables a holistic approach to the research problem. Positivism’s strong explanatory and prediction capabilities are combined with the strong understanding and reconstructive capabilities of the constructivist approach. Throughout this process, qualitative and quantitative data can be used in combination. Since our research work also needs to focus more on structural and institutional issues it seems quite evident that we have to adopt a more eclectic research approach making much more use of case studies. The skills from the other social sciences will desperately be required here to advance our discipline into previously untreated terrain. This is necessary to make sure we make the important contribution to the task of building Africa’s Agriculture. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9520 Title: Household Water Coping Behaviour and Costs in the Volta Basin of Ghana <br/> <br/>Authors: Osei-Asare, Yaw <br/> <br/>Abstract: Ghana is abundant in water resources but frequently experiences seasonal and periodic water scarcities. Households therefore adopt coping strategies and various activities to ensure continuous flow of adequate safe water at the household level. These strategies involve opportunity costs and some amount of financial outlay. Using revealed preference data for 20 randomly selected rural communities in the Volta basin of Ghana this paper employs the coping costs approach to derive the costs of coping with water insecurity. Explicit costs in the form of investments in water storage facilities and costs of water treatment are estimated. Implicit costs (opportunity cost of time) associated with water collection, which varies by season and ecological zone, is valued using the average basic hourly wage of rural women engaged in agriculture. The results of the study show that costs of coping with water insecurity are higher in the dry season and for forest ecology households. The often-stated claim that rural households cannot and should not pay for the full cost of water delivery is not supported by this study. The paper concludes that rural consumers are paying at least as much as their urban consumers for unimproved water. Hence, this paper is of the view that rural consumers have the ability to pay for improved water but may not be willing to do so probably due to their perceptions and attitudes concerning the public good nature and benefits of improved water supply. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9521 Title: Competitive Strategy through Innovative Partnerships at the Regional Level: The Case of Tomatoes and Soybean Value Chains in Northern Togo. <br/> <br/>Authors: Maatman, A.; Konlambigue, Abdou; Yatombo, T. <br/> <br/>Abstract: Agricultural intensification is widely seen as a condition sine-qua-non for overall economic growth and food security in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Though attention is shifting from technology development to more market-oriented approaches, the best examples of agricultural intensification seem to happen relatively independent of interventions from the development circuit. This paper argues that agricultural intensification and market development may be stimulated through grassroots and regional-level efforts when care is taken not to substitute for responsibilities that belong to farmers, traders, and other stakeholders themselves. An approach is required that carefully addresses the factors influencing the competitiveness of agricultural enterprises. A major role of ‘facilitating institutions’ may be to develop efficient relationships between farmers - and their complex multi-purpose farming systems – and traders and processors - engaged in commodity specific trade and processing market segments. Finally, competitiveness is not something to win for today – it crucially depends on innovation and continuous learning. The paper present cases from Northern Togo, where effective linkages have been established between farmers, traders, processors and rural bankers and NGOs. The paper concentrate on three cases: tomato production and marketing, soy bean processing, and the development of credit structures and interlocked contracts for input provisioning. The article is based on qualitative data – interviews with the major stakeholders, and accounts in progress reports from the NGOs and farmer organizations. In conclusion, it gives some observations on the major lessons learnt, and the contribution that social scientists can make to strengthen dialogue between theory and practice. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9522 Title: The Welfare Impacts of Domestic and International Agricultural Efficiency Gains – A South African Case Study <br/> <br/>Authors: McDonald, Scott; Pauw, Kalie; Punt, Cecilia <br/> <br/>Abstract: A large proportion of the on-going reductions in global food prices are attributable to the efficiency gains associated with various ‘green revolutions’. Unfortunately the welfare gains associated with such productivity growth are unevenly distributed, with many African states reaping relatively few benefits. One possible reason for this is the failure of African agriculture to retain its relative competitiveness in global agricultural and food markets, and hence, the welfare gains associated with reductions in consumer prices are largely offset by the welfare losses associated with reductions in producer prices. The analyses reported in this paper explore how changes in domestic and international agricultural efficiency will impact upon the welfare of households and the profitability of agricultural and food industries in South Africa. The results are generated from a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model for South Africa with highly disaggregated food and agricultural sectors. The scenarios reported focus on three dimensions of domestic technology change; changes in the efficiencies with which intermediate inputs, primary inputs and land are used, and one international dimension; changes in the world prices of agricultural and food products. The results indicate that both domestic and international efficiency gains have positive net welfare effects for South Africa. In the case of domestic efficiency gains the net benefit is marginally greater, mainly because of the smaller negative welfare consequences for domestic producers. This can be explained by domestic producers’ increased penetration of export markets, which offsets the negative welfare effects associated with a reduction in producer prices. The paper concludes with an assessment of the differential impacts upon the agronomic regions of South Africa and the different household types. These results suggest that while the distribution of the consumer benefits is biased towards poorer households, the distribution of the producer benefits is biased towards relatively richer agricultural areas. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9523 Title: Socioeconomic Analysis of the Roles of Agriculture in Morocco <br/> <br/>Authors: Moussoui, Mohamed <br/> <br/>Abstract: The study conducted in morocco, within FAO/ROA project, showed that agriculture, while being affected by exogenous natural conditions and macroeconomic factors, contributes significantly to environmental amenities, poverty alleviation, social viability and national culture. The analysis of environmental roles showed an asymmetry of information in favor of negative externalities. However, agriculture provides positive externalities as demonstrated through the economic evaluation of three cases concerning landscape beautification, agro tourism and animal biodiversity conservation. Poverty has been exacerbated in depth, volume and severity and remains a rural phenomenon with a visible concentration in areas characterized by limited land endowments, low productivity activities and weak levels of economic development. Tough referred to as a national sovereignty attribute, food security has clearly deteriorated, during the 1994-2000 period, as evidenced by staple food availability, access and stability. Despite this evolution, agriculture still contributes to social viability in terms of spatial distribution of the population, the regulation of migratory flows as well as in terms of the preservation of community solidarity and the formation of social capital. Focus group interviews showed, in particular, that agriculture and rurality are closely related and that both have been subject to transformations which have affected people perceptions of agriculture contributions to society. The analysis, also, revealed the existence of linkages among externalities associated with the different roles of agriculture. Existing synergies or conflicts are crucial to the level of agriculture performance. This complex implies adoption of a holistic approach in designing integrate policy alternative. The latter should combine agricultural and non-agricultural sector policies and macroeconomic policies. Therefore, implementation of new options, in the absence of adequate and functional institutions, requires government intervention in order to prevent increasing uncontrolled market liberalization that may be detrimental to the stability the whole national country. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9524 Title: Soil Fertility Management Choice in the Maize-Based Smallholder Farming System in Malawi <br/> <br/>Authors: Wobst, Peter; Tchale, Hardwick; Frohberg, Klaus <br/> <br/>Abstract: The paper analyses the factors that affect smallholder farmers’ choice of soil fertility management options in Malawi using a two-stage maximum likelihood estimation procedure. Using results from the Double-Hurdle model, the paper estimates the probabilities and intensities of fertilizer application conditional on choice of inorganic fertilizer. The findings indicate that relative wealthy indicators, human capital, credit and market access, food security index and land pressure are the main factors that greatly influence farmers’ choice and intensity of input investment. Although there is a high and positive correlation between probability of adoption and intensity of application, factors that influence adoption are not necessarily the same as those that influence the intensity of application, conditional on adoption. The paper concludes with policy and research implications aimed at informing the debate on enhancing sustainable soil fertility management among smallholder farmers in Malawi. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9525 Title: Consumers' Perceptions and Willingness to Pay for Organic Vegetable in Benin and Ghana <br/> <br/>Authors: Nouhoheflin, Theodore; Coulibaly, Ousmane; Cherry, Andy J.; Al-Hassan, Ramatu; Adegbola, Patrice Y. <br/> <br/>Abstract: Vegetable plays important roles in the socio-economic development in West Africa. It contributes to insuring food security, provides raw materials for local industries, generates foreign exchange and provides employment and incomes for most of the population. However some health hazards are caused by the misuse of chemical on vegetable. This study is undertaken within the framework of the research project: ‘Public-private partnerships for development and implementation of entomopathogenic viruses as biopesticides for key lepidopteran pests in Ghana and Benin. It assesses the potential market of organic vegetables and analyse consumers’ awareness and perceptions of chemical pesticide residues in vegetables and assess the premium levels that consumers are willing to pay for chemical free vegetables. Data were collected through a formal questionnaire on consumers’ perceptions of produce quality problems, their level of awareness of heavy chemical pesticide use on vegetable and their willingness to pay for a vegetable if it is chemical free. A Hedonic-pricing model was used to identify the key factors most likely to affect consumers’ willingness to pay for bio-vegetables. The results show that consumers are aware of the heavy use of chemicals on vegetables. The level of awareness of health hazard linked to chemical pesticides among consumers is more widely spread. The characteristics that consumers are looking for in assessing the quality of vegetable are: damage free, freshness, size, bright colour and hardness. Consumers are willing to pay more than 50% as price premium for chemical free vegetable. The most likely factors influencing consumers’ willingness to pay for chemical free vegetable are the socio-professional category acting as a proxy for income level, the awareness of chemical residue, the availability, the label and the taste. In conclusion, this study showed that there is a consistent potential demand for organic vegetables if they meet characteristics above mentioned. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9526 Title: Economics of Insecticide use and Potential for Bt Maize Varieties in the Control of Stalkborer in Kenya. <br/> <br/>Authors: Wanyama, Joseph M.; de Groote, Hugo; Mose, L.O.; Odendo, M.; Ouma, J.O.; Owuor, G.; Lutta, M.; Ndung'U, J.; Mutoko, M.C. <br/> <br/>Abstract: Maize is the staple food crop and source of income for majority of the Kenyan population and many sub-Saharan African countries. The increasing Kenyan population demands an increase in maize production if intermittent food deficits have to be averted. Since the introduction of improved maize varieties in mid-1960, the start of Green Revolution period, maize yields increased drastically up to 1970s and started declining from 1980’s to-date. The key contributory factors are nutrient mining, sub-optimal input use and insect pest damage. Of the insect pests, stalk borer is of economic importance. Currently, KARI and CIMMYT are developing maize varieties that are tolerant to stalk borer damage. In order to evaluate the potential impact of these interventions economics of stalk borer control at farm level was evaluated. Surveys complemented with on-farm trials were executed in six major maize growing zones of Kenya. Farmers were randomly selected and a sample-frame established after which a total of 1854 households were randomly selected using random sampling technique. Each household was interviewed using structured questionnaire. Data on method of stalk borer control and the type insecticides used was collected. Partial budget and economic surplus models were used. The results indicated that very few farmers control stalk borer in maize despite significant stalk borer losses of about 15%. Therefore if Bt maize is introduced in Kenya it is likely to reduce these losses. This will benefit many hungry and poor Kenyans with improved household food supply and on farm incomes, in line with Government policy of food security and poverty eradication. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9527 Title: The Role of Agriculture in the Development Process: Recent Experiences from Ghana <br/> <br/>Authors: Asuming-Brempong, Samuel <br/> <br/>Abstract: Economic policies have had important implications for the role of agriculture in the socio-economic development of Ghana because of agriculture’s dominance of the economy. The performance of the agricultural sector has generally directed the overall economic performance since independence. The policy of market deregulation in Ghana, including agricultural markets, has not achieved the expected results due to many constraints, the key of which are institutional failures and the slow response of the private sector to take up the agricultural input markets. These have been compounded by the rain-fed agriculture that is predominant in Ghana, such that bad rainfall years have been characterized by low harvests of staple food crops and high food prices, and vice versa. This has resulted in high price volatility during the post liberalization years. In addition, under developed rural financial markets make it such that farmers are unable to invest much in new technologies and agricultural land development, thereby increasing pressure on farmlands as population increases. The paper highlights the key role of agriculture, including environmental, poverty alleviation, food security, buffer, social viability, and cultural perceptions. The failure of policy to adequately address the myriad of problems confronting agriculture has been in part because of institutional failure, and in part due to bottlenecks in the distribution system. Future agricultural research and policies should therefore target developing rural institutions, in particular, agricultural institutions, to respond adequately to new technologies and improvements in agricultural production, processing and distribution. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9528 Title: Regional Networking and Multilateral Context: Enhancing Capabilities in Africa <br/> <br/>Authors: Soliman, M. Marwan <br/> <br/>Abstract: In times where multilateralism is to be the vector of free trade and the conveyor for liberalism, the phenomenon of regionalism has been increasing quiet steadily. Would it be a transitional step for their members towards multilateralism, or a manner to hide from it without being forgotten? Whatever the response may be to this question, regionalism has been “admitted” by the WTO in its article XXIV. The contradiction here is that regionalism is not always complying with WTO regulations such as including “substantially all trade” as well as “non discrimination” principle. The advantage of regional practices is its taking into account particularities and specifications of the member countries, what the WTO doesn’'t seem to consider. We argue that, as much the regional and multilateral levels are important for Africa and developing countries in general, a lot remains to be done, from the inside, to avoid being trapped in a process where control on the future of those countries would become impossible. In other words, enhancing capabilities and re-identifying resources to be able to master destiny. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9529 Title: Striving for Higher Impacts in Agricultural Research and Development <br/> <br/>Authors: Waithaka, M.M.; Minde, L.J. <br/> <br/>Abstract: Over the years, substantial investments in agricultural research have been made in sub-Saharan Africa. The few studies on research investments show impressive returns that are comparable to those achieved in developed countries. However, problems such as recurrent hunger, poverty, food insecurity and natural resource degradation continue to plague the region. Agricultural development arena is changing rapidly toward non-linear innovation systems of complex actor networks and multiple sources of innovations characterized by dynamic and iterative learning processes that constantly inform, renew and advance the state of the systems. Most actors and institutions are not linked effectively often from imaginary boundaries created by prescribed mandates and parochial interests. While more investments in research and development are required for the region, it is becoming increasingly difficult to justify them in the wake of competing needs in the face of shrinking national budgets. The few impact assessments that have been carried out in the region have been incidental and not linked to the research planning cycle implying that lessons from previous research efforts are not used when planning for subsequent research and development efforts. We are proposing impact orientation to track impact to the attainment of institutional and overall development goals. This calls in part for impact assessment to be made an integral part of planning, monitoring and evaluation along with appreciation of the impact chain and actors involved in the innovation process to demonstrate relevance to development goals and thus justify funding. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9530 Title: The Roles of Agriculture in the Development Process: Recent Experiences and Lessons from Ethiopia. <br/> <br/>Authors: Gebre-Selassie, Samuel <br/> <br/>Abstract: Political and economic reforms have been implemented for a number of years to alter the institutional, infrastructural and financial/economic environment in which Ethiopian agriculture operates. Changing the environment in which agriculture operates may be an intermediate goal; at the end, the question remains; have the new reforms and policies had the capacity to improve the performance of the sector and its roles in the development process of the economy? And have they contributed to the generation of positive environmental externalities? In comparison to the two decades (1970s and 1980s) that precedes the reform of the 1990s. Ethiopian agriculture has been doing better since the reform. Total production of food crops has improved and the rate at which per-capita production has been declining is narrowed. Moreover, the volume of agricultural commodities exported has slightly improved; while new non-traditional commodities like flower have joined the list of exported commodities. But all those improvement have not been sufficient to lift up agriculture’s role in the development process of the Ethiopian economy nor have they brought a full and sustainable recovery to the sector. Ethiopian agriculture should still demonstrate the following desirable characteristics if it is able to serve as the engine of Ethiopian economic growth: it should grow at sufficiently higher rates over a number of years; any development in the sector should be able to improve rural labour productivity which is an important precondition to stimulate the non-agricultural sectors and transformation of the sector; the source of growth should principally originate from increased investment and efficient use of resources rather than from the use of additional scarce natural resources especially land, and; agriculture should be supported to establish strong and dynamic linkages with other sectors especially with the industry. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9531 Title: Reflection on All Africa Conference on Assuring Food and Nutrition Security in Africa by 2020 <br/> <br/>Authors: Otim, John Joseph <br/> <br/>Abstract: The momentum generated by the Kampala 2020 All Africa Conference output together with the follow up activities have had positive impact on many African governments, regional institutions and internationally. Among its many positive outcomes, the Conference has served to put the issues of food and nutrition security squarely on the African development Agenda by underscoring its critical role in healthy lives, in particular the management of HIV/AIDS. It also recognized that food and nutrition security is inextricably linked not just to traditional agriculture but also development in education, natural resources management, infrastructures, market information systems, micro and macro-economic conditions and trade. Of significant importance is the accelerated integration of food and nutrition security into broader agricultural development programs by regional institutions (COMESA, IGAD, SADC, ECOWAS, EAC, North Africa Regional body and continental body, (NEPAD in its CAADP and AU Commission) as well as into national agricultural modernization programs. The identification of commodity successes and community bright spots for replication across the continent should help avoid duplication and can speed up the rate of achieving food and nutrition security in Africa. Food safety and quality issues are essential component of access to markets and trade at international, regional and national levels. It is therefore, imperative to develop the 3Cs – competitiveness of supply capacities, conformity with market requirements and connectivity to markets to accelerate regional and international trade in food and foodstuff. However, there are challenges that need to be overcome in order to tackle the tasks of achieving food and nutrition security. These challenges include budget allocation to agriculture nutrition; developing partnership with clear roles, capacity building of stakeholders and institutions; empowering of organized communities for contract farming and trade; change in attitude; scaling up research and technology development and transformation of Africa’s home grown “private entrepreneurs” into true responsible private sector. All the above challenges call for enlightened and committed political leadership and responsible law makers working in partnership with all stakeholders to propel the processes of achieving food and nutrition security in Africa by 2020 under stable, peaceful and conducive policy environment. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/9532 Title: Social Capital and Soil Erosion Control in Agriculturally Marginal Areas of Kenya: The Case of Machakos and Taita-Taveta Districts <br/> <br/>Authors: Obare, Gideon A.; Mwakubo, Samuel M.; Ouma, Emily A.; Mohammed, Lutta; Omiti, John <br/> <br/>Abstract: This paper evaluates the farmers’ perception of the soil erosion problem, and identifies and analyses social capital elements that motivate households to actively participate in soil conservation in agricultural production process. The data used in the study was generated using a structured questionnaire in a survey that covered 321 households in Kenya’s semi arid districts of Machakos and Taita-Taveta Districts. Two modelling strategies were used: A Probit model was used to estimate the likelihoods of factors that may influence farmers’ perception of soil erosion problem, and a Tobit to estimate parameters of factors that influence terracing intensity. The results indicate that although perception of the soil erosion problem is relatively high in the study sites, its effect on soil conservation investments is not significant. In Machakos, the significant determinants of terracing intensity include land tenure, crop area, household size, and membership diversity whereas in Taita-Taveta they include age of household head and consumer-worker ratio. Results from the aggregated data show that lagged crop output, group membership density and diversity, cognitive social capital and location significantly influence the terracing intensity on farm household fields. The policy challenge is to establish and strengthen social capital elements that have a strong influence on communities undertaking soil erosion control measures for sustainable agriculture and rural development.