@article{Kankwamba:123945,
      recid = {123945},
      author = {Kankwamba, Henry and Mangisoni, Julius H. and Simtowe,  Franklin and Mausch, Kai and Siambi, Moses},
      title = {Improved Legume Seed Demand Systems in Central Malawi:  What Do Farmers' Seed Expenditures Say about Their  Preferences?},
      address = {2012},
      number = {1007-2016-79522},
      pages = {2},
      year = {2012},
      abstract = {The overall objective of this paper is to assess the  demand for improved groundnut, bean, and soybean seed in  central Malawi. Specifically, it examines how smallholder  farmers respond to changes in market prices of improved  legume seed. It also assesses factors that affect the  decision to participate in improved seed technology  transfer. Considering four commodities namely groundnuts,  beans, soybeans and maize,  a staple food,  the paper  estimates a multivariate probit and a linear approximate of  the Almost Ideal Demand System (LA/AIDS) using cross  section data collected by ICRISAT in 2010. Uncompensated  price and expenditure elasticities are reported for the  LA/AIDS model. The paper finds high own price elasticities  in all four commodities considered. It also indicates that  land, household size and education levels affect  participation in improved technology. The results further  reveal that improved groundnut seed has a substitutive  relationship with soybeans. Groundnut and bean cross price  elasticity showed an almost unitary relationship with  groundnut but groundnut showed complementary relationship  with maize seed. Beans showed a less than unitary  substitutive relationship with soy and an elastic  substitution with maize. Soybean had a substitutive  relationship with all seed commodities in question. 
As  pertain expenditure elasticities, farmers would increase  expenditure on improved groundnut and beans if their  incomes increased. The results also reveal that if farmers’  incomes increase they would reduce soybean’s expenditure  share.  The results generally show that farmers are very  sensitive to changes in improved legume seed prices and  incomes.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/123945},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.123945},
}