Download or read book Measuring Productivity in African Agriculture written by Simeon Ehui and published by ILRI (aka ILCA and ILRAD). This book was released on 2002-01-01 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper argues that partial productivity measures are inappropriate and at times misleading for assessing the performance of agricultural production technologies and systems. This is especially true where substantial changes in resource stock and flows accompany the production process. Superlative-index based total factor productivity measures are a more appropriate technique to compare production efficiency and sustainability of alternative systems. Mathematical formulations of intertemporal and interspatial total factor productivity measures with and without considering changes in resource stock and flows are shown. Then three case studies from sub-Saharan Africa in which this approach was applied are reviewed. These studies show that total factor productivity measures are biased if changes in resource stock and flows are not appropriately accounted for in intertemporal comparisons, and differences in input intensity are not accounted for in interspatial comparisons.

Download or read book Agricultural Extension for Women Farmers in Africa written by Katrine Anderson Saito and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 1990-01-01 with total page 69 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Operational guidelines on how to provide cost- effective agricultural extension services to women farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Download or read book Agricultural productivity in Africa written by Benin, Samuel and published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst. This book was released on 2016-07-14 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Agricultural Productivity in Africa: Trends, Patterns, and Determinants presents updated and new analyses of land, labor, and total productivity trends in African agriculture. It brings together analyses of a unique mix of data sources and evaluations of public policies and development projects to recommend ways to increase agricultural productivity in Africa. This book is timely in light of the recent and ongoing growth recovery across the continent. The good news is that agricultural productivity in Africa increased at a moderate rate between 1961 and 2012, although there are variations in the rate of growth in land, labor, and total factor productivities depending on country and region. Differences in input use and capital intensities in agricultural production in the various farming systems and agricultural productivity zones also affect advancements in technology. One conclusion based on the book’s research findings derives from the substantial spatial variation in agricultural productivity. For areas with similar agricultural productivity growth trends and factors, what works well in one area can be used as the basis for formulating best-fit, location-specific agricultural policies, investments, and interventions in similar areas. This finding along with others will be of particular interest to policy- and decisionmakers.

Download or read book Agriculture in Africa written by Luc Christiaensen and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2017-10-25 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Stylized facts set agendas and shape debates. In rapidly changing and data scarce environments, they also risk being ill-informed, outdated and misleading. So, following higher food prices since the 2008 world food crisis, robust economic growth and rapid urbanization, and climatic change, is conventional wisdom about African agriculture and rural livelihoods still accurate? Or is it more akin to myth than fact? The essays in “Agriculture in Africa †“ Telling Myths from Facts†? aim to set the record straight. They exploit newly gathered, nationally representative, geo-referenced information at the household and plot level, from six African countries. In these new Living Standard Measurement Study-Integrated Surveys on Agriculture, every aspect of farming and non-farming life is queried—from the plots farmers cultivate, the crops they grow, the harvest that is achieved, and the inputs they use, to all the other sources of income they rely on and the risks they face. Together the surveys cover more than 40 percent of the Sub-Saharan African population. In all, sixteen conventional wisdoms are examined, relating to four themes: the extent of farmer’s engagement in input, factor and product markets; the role of off-farm activities; the technology and farming systems used; and the risk environment farmers face. Some striking surprises, in true myth-busting fashion, emerge. And a number of new issues are also thrown up. The studies bring a more refined, empirically grounded understanding of the complex reality of African agriculture. They also confirm that investing in regular, nationally representative data collection yields high social returns.

Download or read book Mismeasurement and efficiency estimates Evidence from smallholder survey data in Africa written by Abay, Kibrom A. and published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst. This book was released on 2022-02-09 with total page 43 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Smallholder agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is commonly characterized by high levels of technical inefficiency. However, much of this characterization relies on self-reported input and production data, which are prone to systematic measurement error. We theoretically show that non-classical measurement error introduces multiple identification challenges and sources of bias in estimating smallholders’ technical inefficiency. We then empirically examine the implications of measurement error for the estimation of technical inefficiency using smallholder farm survey data from Ethiopia, Malawi, Nigeria, and Tanzania. We find that measurement error in agricultural input and production data leads to a substantial upward bias in technical inefficiency estimates (by up to 85 percent for some farmers). Our results suggest that existing estimates of technical efficiency in sub-Saharan Africa may be severe underestimates of smallholders’ actual efficiency and what is commonly attributed to farmer inefficiency may be an artifact of mismeasurement in agricultural data. Our results raise questions about the received wisdom on African smallholders’ production efficiency and prior estimates of the productivity of agricultural inputs. Improving the measurement of agricultural data can improve our understanding of smallholders’ production efficiencies and improve the targeting of productivity-enhancing technologies.

Download or read book Agribusiness competitiveness Applying analytics typology and measurements to Africa written by Shishodia, Mahika and published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst. This book was released on 2017-07-02 with total page 44 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Agribusiness has a major role to play in the transformation of the agricultural sector in Africa. With the demand for high-value food products increasing around the world, the production and export of these goods represents an opportunity to achieve increases in income and employment. To capture the benefits of this trend and capitalize on this opportunity for long-term agricultural growth, agribusiness in Africa must become more competitive. In addition to improving competitiveness, increasing agricultural productivity and food security are also major challenges in African agricultural development. In this paper, we compare the agribusiness competitiveness of African countries and develop typologies connected with their food security and agricultural productivity status. The typologies reveal various stylized facts on the competitiveness of agribusiness to help nations prioritize issues for agricultural development and growth. We develop the measures of agribusiness competitiveness and apply them to African countries. Additionally, we present policy implications and lessons for increasing the competitiveness of agribusiness in African countries.

Download or read book Agricultural Productivity written by Susan M. Capalbo and published by . This book was released on 1988 with total page 438 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Measuring and Analysing Agricultural Productivity in Kenya written by Walter Odhiambo and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 74 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book An Updated Look at the Recovery of Agricultural Productivity in Sub Saharan Africa written by Alejandro Nin Pratt and Bingxin Yu and published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst. This book was released on with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Productivity Growth in Agriculture written by Keith Owen Fuglie and published by CABI. This book was released on 2012 with total page 390 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume is written primarily for agricultural economists doing research on productivity. It includes discussions of the theoretical underpinnings of productivity measurement as well as the many practical considerations that go into translating this theory into actual measures of aggregated outputs and inputs. The unifying concept of agricultural productivity used across the chapters of this volume is aggregate total factor productivity (TFP) of the sector. The volume also contains detailed analysis of the underlying causes of agricultural productivity growth. Part I (chapters 2-6) examines agricultural productivity in high-income and transition countries. Part II (chapters 7-11) examines agricultural productivity growth and its driving forces in five important agricultural producers in Asia and Latin America. Part III (chapters 12-14) focuses on measuring and identifying constraints to agricultural productivity growth in sub-Saharan Africa. Part IV (chapters 15-16) gives a global perspective on agricultural productivity.

Download or read book The Supply Responses of African Farmers written by Edwin Dean and published by . This book was released on 1966 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Harvesting Prosperity written by Keith Fuglie and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2020 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book documents frontier knowledge on the drivers of agriculture productivity to derive pragmatic policy advice for governments and development partners on reducing poverty and boosting shared prosperity. The analysis describes global trends and long-term sources of total factor productivity growth, along with broad trends in partial factor productivity for land and labor, revisiting the question of scale economies in farming. Technology is central to growth in agricultural productivity, yet across many parts of the developing world, readily available technology is never taken up. We investigate demand-side constraints of the technology equation to analyze factors that might influence producers, particularly poor producers, to adopt modern technology. Agriculture and food systems are rapidly transforming, characterized by shifting food preferences, the rise and growing sophistication of value chains, the increasing globalization of agriculture, and the expanding role of the public and private sectors in bringing about efficient and more rapid productivity growth. In light of this transformation, the analysis focuses on the supply side of the technology equation, exploring how the enabling environment and regulations related to trade and intellectual property rights stimulate Research and Development to raise productivity. The book also discusses emerging developments in modern value chains that contribute to rising productivity. This book is the fourth volume of the World Bank Productivity Project, which seeks to bring frontier thinking on the measurement and determinants of productivity to global policy makers.

Download or read book Reaping Richer Returns written by Aparajita Goyal and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2017-03-10 with total page 350 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Enhancing the productivity of agriculture is vital for Sub-Saharan Africa's economic future and is one of the most important tools to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity in the region. How governments elect to spend public resources has significant development impact in this regard. Choosing to catalyze a shift toward more effective, efficient, and climate-resilient public spending in agriculture can accelerate change and unleash growth. Not only does agricultural public spending in Sub-Saharan Africa lag behind other developing regions but its impact is vitiated by subsidy programs and transfers that tend to benefit elites to the detriment of poor people and the agricultural sector itself. Shortcomings in the budgeting processes also reduce spending effectiveness. In light of this scenario, addressing the quality of public spending and the efficiency of resource use becomes even more important than addressing only the level of spending. Improvements in the policy environment, better institutions, and investments in rural public goods positively affect agricultural productivity. These, combined with smarter use of public funds, have helped lay the foundations for agricultural productivity growth around the world, resulting in a wealth of important lessons from which African policy makers and development practitioners can draw. 'Reaping Richer Returns: Public Spending Priorities for African Agriculture Productivity Growth' will be of particular interest to policy makers, development practitioners, and academics. The rigorous analysis presented in this book provides options for reform with a view to boosting the productivity of African agriculture and eventually increasing development impact.

Download or read book Innovation In African Agriculture written by Arthur J. Dommen and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2019-04-10 with total page 121 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book looks at the input-output relations of low-resource agriculture in Africa and shows how the intensification process through the application of modern technologies can work successfully to raise productivity and to sustain production over the long term.

Download or read book South African Agriculture at the Crossroads written by Colin G. Thirtle and published by MacMillan. This book was released on 2000 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines the state of South African agriculture at the end of the 20th century and makes attempts at reform in context by looking at the past. It begins by explaining the historical process, which led to a dualistic agricultural sector, and the policy process, bought in after the reforms, that attempts to resolve the inequalities and distortions. The policy discussion draws on the main part of the book, which is an empirical investigation of the measurement and explanation of efficiency and productivity change, which depend on technologies developed by R&D.

Download or read book Policy drivers of Africa s agriculture transformation A CAADP biennial review account written by Benin, Samuel and published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst. This book was released on 2021-12-03 with total page 58 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper assesses the nature of agricultural transformation taking place in different parts of Africa and analyzes policy drivers of the transformation using data from the CAADP Biennial Review (BR) on 46 indicators from 2014 to 2018. First, a typology of agriculture transformation in different groups of countries is developed by analyzing the initial values and trends in three indicators—share of agriculture in total employment, share of agriculture in gross domestic product, and agriculture labor productivity. The typology, in addition to a conceptual framework that is developed for measuring the relative effect of a policy on an outcome, provides the basis for analyzing the policy drivers of agriculture transformation. The 46 BR indicators are classified into policies (13 indicators), intermediate results (23 indicators), and outcomes (10 indicators), and then econometric methods are used to measure the association between the policy indicators and the intermediate results and outcomes, which include agriculture intensification (e.g., access to finance and extension, fertilizer use, and irrigation development), agriculture growth, agriculture trade, food security, nutrition, and poverty. Different fixed-effects regression methods and model specifications of the explanatory variables are used to assess sensitivity of the results to different assumptions of the data and the relationship between the policies and intermediate and outcome indicators. The trends in the indicators are different. For example, access to finance and extension have risen over time; fertilizer use, irrigation development, agriculture growth, and adult undernourishment have fallen over time; and child nutrition and poverty have remained stagnant over time. Different policy indicators are significantly associated with different indicators of agriculture intensification, agriculture growth, and outcomes. Also, there are differences in the results across the agriculture transformation groups. Major policy drivers of agriculture transformation in the different groups are identified. Implications of the results and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Download or read book Successes in African Agriculture written by Haggblade, Steven and published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst. This book was released on 2010-01-01 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sub—Saharan Africa is one of the poorest regions of the world. Because most Africans work in agriculture, escaping such dire poverty depends on increased agricultural productivity to raise rural incomes, lower food prices, and stimulate growth in other economic sectors. Per capita agricultural production in sub—Saharan Africa has fallen, however, for much of the past half—century. Successes in African Agriculture investigates how to reverse this decline. Instead of cataloging failures, as many past studies have done, this book identifies episodes of successful agricultural growth in Africa and identifies processes, practices, and policies for accelerated growth in the future. The individual studies follow developments in, among other areas, the farming of maize in East and Southern Africa, cassava across the middle belt of Africa, cotton in West Africa, horticulture in Kenya, and dairying in East Africa. Drawing on these case studies and on consultations with agricultural specialists and politicians from across sub—Saharan Africa -- undertaken in collaboration with the African Union's New Partnership for Africa's Development -- the contributors identify two key determinants of positive agricultural performance: agricultural research to provide more productive and sustainable technologies to farmers and a policy framework that fosters market incentives for increasing production. The contributors discuss how the public and private sectors can best coordinate the convergence of both factors. Given current concerns about global food security, this book provides timely and important resources to policymakers and development specialists concerned with reversing the negative trends in food insecurity and poverty in Africa.