Recommandations specifiques d'engrais: Calibration et validation du module phosphore du modele NuMaSS

Fertiliser recommendations in Mali as well as in many other countries of West Africa were made according to Chaminade's method. For socio-economic reasons, correcting deficiency rates of major nutrients were vulgarized. These blanket recommendation, when applied, lead to a continuous soil nutrient mining. The objective of this research was to calibrate and validate the P module of NuMass. Laboratory incubations were conducted to calibrate the P buffering coefficients used by the P module. Rates of N, P and lime predicted by NuMass model, considered as specific recommendations, were compared to the blanket recommendations in the field in order to validate them. The buffer coefficients were inversely proportional to the clay content. The buffering coefficient of sandy soils of Cinzana/Mali (0.73) and Kollo/Niger P3 (0.63) were higher compared to the clayey soils of Longorola-bf (0.22) and Kollo/Niger (0.21). Generally, buffering coefficients obtained by laboratory incubation (0.60) tended to be lower than the estimated coefficient by the P module NuMass (0.67). The range of the used soil texture (1.5-54.6 % clay) showed that the buffering coefficients estimated by the P module of NuMass were correct for flooded soils. Grain yield of different trials and tests do not indicate the expected higher performance of specific recommendations of fertilisers from NuMass model compared to the used blanket recommendation (1624 and 1582 kg ha-1 of maize; respectively

Information Asymmetry, Financialisation and Financial Access

This study investigates whether information sharing channels that are meant to reduce information asymmetry have led to an increase in financial access. The study employs a Generalised Method of Moments technique using data from 53 African countries during the period from 2004-2011 to examine this linkage. Information sharing channels are theoretically designed to promote the formal financial sector and discourage the informal financial sector. The study uses two information sharing channels: private credit bureaus and public credit registries. The study found that both information sharing channels have a positive and significant impact on financial access. The study also found that public credit registries complement the formal financial sector to promote financial access. The policy implications are discussed

ICT, Financial Sector Development and Financial Access

This study assesses the role of ICT (internet and mobile phone penetration) in complementing financial sector development (financial formalization and informalization) for financial access. The empirical evidence is based on generalized method of moments with 53 African countries for the period 2004–2011. The following findings are established from linkages between ICT, financial sector development and financial activity. First, the interaction between ICT and financial formalization (informalization) decreases (increases) financial activity. Second, with regard to net effects, the expected signs are established for the most part. In spite of the negative marginal effects from financial informalization, the overall net effects are positive. Third, the potentially appealing interaction between ICT and informalization produces positive thresholds that are within ranges. Policy implications are discussed in three main strands. They include implications for (i) mobile/internet banking, (ii) a quiet life and (iii) ICT in reducing information asymmetry and surplus liquidity