ON THE USE OF PRODUCTIVITY-INCREASING TECHNOLOGIES IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: THE CASE OF INLAND VALLEY SWAMP RICE FARMING IN SOUTHERN MALI

There is no improved seed-fertilizer technology available that can generate the needed growth in agricultural production in Sub-Saharan Africa to meet food demand by the rapidly increasing population. This paper identifies factors associated with inland valley swamp rice farmers' decisions to adopt "improved" varieties and/or fertilizer. To achieve this objective, input-specific logistic models were estimated using survey-generated data collected from a random sample of 221 rice plots (one per farmer) selected from a purposive sample of 12 Mali-Sud bas-fond villages during the 1995-96 cropping season. The model estimation results show that the farther the village is from the closest market, the lower the probability to adopt the "improved" variety, increasing the size of the rice plot will decrease this probability, and men are more likely to adopt "improved" varieties than women because men have access to credit through CMDT, and more alternative sources of income to finance input purchases than women. For fertilizer, the use of "improved" varieties, the presence of water control infrastructure, and the village experience in cotton production increase the likelihood that a farmer will apply this input. The significance of the village experience in cotton production and women limited access to credit suggests that one of the constrains to a wider use of modern inputs is the absence of a reliable source of these inputs and/or seasonal credits. The significance of village distance to the closest market and the presence of water control the likelihood of using these inputs suggests that there exits some technological payoff associated with well-functioning markets and road improvements because such investments reduce the effective distance between the farm and the market.Crop Production/Industries, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

CAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN THE MARGINAL LANDS CONTRIBUTE TO IMPROVING FOOD SECURITY IN THE SAHELIAN AFRICAN COUNTRIES: AN EVIDENCE FROM THE BAS-FOND RICE PRODUCTION IN MALI

To improve national food security, successive Mali governments have always focused on expanding and intensifying production in the government-managed irrigation schemes (Office du Niger), which account for about 50% of domestic rice production. Because the cost of expanding and rehabilitating those schemes is high, the government is looking for complementary cost-effective ways to achieve this goal. The government could increase domestic rice supply by investing in improving the farmer-managed inland valley swamps. Although the government has paid little attention to those marginal lands, farmers have been growing rice in these areas using traditional technologies. This paper used data from a survey of 334 bas-fond farmers and secondary data to examine the potential contribution that these undeveloped bas-fonds could make to improve food security and rice exports in Mali. The study found that, if fully developed, the bas-fonds and flooded plains could produce more rice than is currently being supplied by the Office du Niger, or imported through commercial imports or food aid. As expected, rice yields in the bas-fonds are lower than in the Office du Niger. However, bas-fonds rice production is both financially profitable and provides a higher return per day of family labor than the competing upland crops (maize, sorghum/millet and cotton). In addition, the estimated domestic resources cost ratios show that, compared to the Office d u Niger, bas-fond rice production represents a better use of domestic resources, both for producing rice for home consumption and for the market.Crop Production/Industries, Food Security and Poverty, Land Economics/Use,

FINANCIAL PROFITABILITY OF MALI-SUD BAS-FOND RICE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

The high costs of rehabilitating and/or expanding government-managed irrigated schemes in Mali (Office du Niger) has prompted policy-makers and researchers to explore the potential for the underdeveloped farmer-managed bas-fond to contribute to ensure an adequate rice supply and increase rural households' incomes. Because little is known about nas-fond rice production in Mali, this paper analyzes its financial profitability based on data collected from a random sample of 221 farmers. Data analysis revealed that there are numerous rice production systems in the bas-fond. Budget analysis showed that the four most common bas-fond production systems yield higher returns than the opportunity cost of labor and they are more profitable than the main upland crops competing with rice for farmers labor (cotton, sorghum/millet, and maize). Within a given bas-fond system, however, profitability varies considerably across farms.Agricultural Finance, Crop Production/Industries,

Workshop on Agricultural Transformation in Africa: Abidjan, Côte D'Ivoire, September 26-29, 1995

At the initiative of USAID, the ADB, MSU, and INSAH, 40 researchers, policy makers and private-sector entrepreneurs from 19 countries, representing 20 African and international organizations, met in Abidjan for a continent-wide workshop to debate issues related to transformation of African agriculture. The Abidjan workshop built on previous discussions organized by Winrock International, the World Bank, USAID (AFR/SD/PSGE/FSP) and IFPRI concerning the key challenges (food insecurity, poverty, and environmental degradation) that need to be addressed while fostering a structural transformation of African agriculture

Atelier sur la transformation de l'agriculture en Afrique: Abidjan, Côte D'Ivoire, September 26-29, 1995

À l'initiative de l'USAID, la BAD, MSU et l’INSAH, une quarantaine de chercheurs, de décideurs politiques et d’opérateurs-terrain venus de 19 pays et représentants une vingtaine d'institutions Africaines ou internationales se sont retrouvés à Abidjan dans le cadre d'un atelier continental pour débattre sur le thème de la transformation de l'agriculture Africaine. Cet atelier a été parrainé par le Ministre de l'Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique de la Côte d'Ivoire. L'atelier d'Abidjan s'est basé sur les réflexions précédentes portant sur les défis à relever (insécurité alimentaire, pauvreté, et dégradation de l’environnement) au cours du processus de stimulation de la transformation structurelle de l'agriculture en Afrique, notamment les discussions organisées par Winrock International, la Banque Mondiale, l'USAID (AFR/SD/PSGE/FSP), et l’IFPRI

ON THE USE OF PRODUCTIVITY-INCREASING TECHNOLOGIES IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: THE CASE OF INLAND VALLEY SWAMP RICE FARMING IN SOUTHERN MALI

There is no improved seed-fertilizer technology available that can generate the needed growth in agricultural production in Sub-Saharan Africa to meet food demand by the rapidly increasing population. This paper identifies factors associated with inland valley swamp rice farmers' decisions to adopt "improved" varieties and/or fertilizer. To achieve this objective, input-specific logistic models were estimated using survey-generated data collected from a random sample of 221 rice plots (one per farmer) selected from a purposive sample of 12 Mali-Sud bas-fond villages during the 1995-96 cropping season. The model estimation results show that the farther the village is from the closest market, the lower the probability to adopt the "improved" variety, increasing the size of the rice plot will decrease this probability, and men are more likely to adopt "improved" varieties than women because men have access to credit through CMDT, and more alternative sources of income to finance input purchases than women. For fertilizer, the use of "improved" varieties, the presence of water control infrastructure, and the village experience in cotton production increase the likelihood that a farmer will apply this input. The significance of the village experience in cotton production and women limited access to credit suggests that one of the constrains to a wider use of modern inputs is the absence of a reliable source of these inputs and/or seasonal credits. The significance of village distance to the closest market and the presence of water control the likelihood of using these inputs suggests that there exits some technological payoff associated with well-functioning markets and road improvements because such investments reduce the effective distance between the farm and the market

CAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN THE MARGINAL LANDS CONTRIBUTE TO IMPROVING FOOD SECURITY IN THE SAHELIAN AFRICAN COUNTRIES: AN EVIDENCE FROM THE BAS-FOND RICE PRODUCTION IN MALI

To improve national food security, successive Mali governments have always focused on expanding and intensifying production in the government-managed irrigation schemes (Office du Niger), which account for about 50% of domestic rice production. Because the cost of expanding and rehabilitating those schemes is high, the government is looking for complementary cost-effective ways to achieve this goal. The government could increase domestic rice supply by investing in improving the farmer-managed inland valley swamps. Although the government has paid little attention to those marginal lands, farmers have been growing rice in these areas using traditional technologies. This paper used data from a survey of 334 bas-fond farmers and secondary data to examine the potential contribution that these undeveloped bas-fonds could make to improve food security and rice exports in Mali. The study found that, if fully developed, the bas-fonds and flooded plains could produce more rice than is currently being supplied by the Office du Niger, or imported through commercial imports or food aid. As expected, rice yields in the bas-fonds are lower than in the Office du Niger. However, bas-fonds rice production is both financially profitable and provides a higher return per day of family labor than the competing upland crops (maize, sorghum/millet and cotton). In addition, the estimated domestic resources cost ratios show that, compared to the Office d u Niger, bas-fond rice production represents a better use of domestic resources, both for producing rice for home consumption and for the market

FINANCIAL PROFITABILITY OF MALI-SUD BAS-FOND RICE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

The high costs of rehabilitating and/or expanding government-managed irrigated schemes in Mali (Office du Niger) has prompted policy-makers and researchers to explore the potential for the underdeveloped farmer-managed bas-fond to contribute to ensure an adequate rice supply and increase rural households' incomes. Because little is known about nas-fond rice production in Mali, this paper analyzes its financial profitability based on data collected from a random sample of 221 farmers. Data analysis revealed that there are numerous rice production systems in the bas-fond. Budget analysis showed that the four most common bas-fond production systems yield higher returns than the opportunity cost of labor and they are more profitable than the main upland crops competing with rice for farmers labor (cotton, sorghum/millet, and maize). Within a given bas-fond system, however, profitability varies considerably across farms