Rural non-farm income and inequality in Nigeria:

"This paper investigates the contribution of rural non-farm income to income inequality by examining the contribution of specific income sources (farm income from irrigated agriculture, farm income from rainfed agriculture and non-farm income) to income inequality in Nigeria. The results reveal the relative importance of specific income sources to income inequality and the various determinants of income inequality in rural Nigeria. Although non-farm income is distributed more unequally than incomes from the other two sources, it contributes least to overall income inequality. Farm income from irrigated agriculture represents the most important inequality-increasing source of income." from authors' abstractNon-farm income, Inequality, Development strategies,

Patterns and trends of child and maternal nutrition inequalities in Nigeria

Despite the fact that nonincome dimensions of well-being such as nutrition and health are now placed on the global development agenda, substantial gaps remain in our knowledge about patterns and trends in nutrition inequalities in many developing countries. The main objective of this paper is to document a useful starting point for understanding the determinants of inequalities in nutritional status and provide some understanding of the proximate causes of inequalities in nutritional status as well as the factors responsible for inequalities in health and nutritional status of children and women in the policy debate. Using Nigeria as a case study and using data from the Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey, this paper measures and decomposes the patterns and trends of inequalities in child and maternal nutritional status in Nigeria. In particular, the paper decomposes observed nutritional inequalities into inequalities between and within demographic and socioeconomic groups to ascertain the relative contributions of the between-groups and within-group components of inequalities. To identify the most vulnerable groups in Nigeria, the paper also explores the prevalence of child and maternal malnutrition in Nigeria. The paper finds that within-group inequalities are the sources of most inequalities in the nutritional status of children and women in Nigeria. Inequalities between demographic and socioeconomic groups are less important. Child and maternal malnutrition are concentrated among the least educated households, the rural population, the north (in particular its Hausa ethnic group), and those who drink water from public wells. Malnutrition in Nigeria is a vicious cycle in that child malnutrition can be partly traced back to low birth weight (and therefore to maternal malnutrition). To interrupt this vicious cycle, the Nigerian government should take targeted and concerted actions that focus attention on addressing within-group inequalities. Intervention in the areas of primary healthcare, home-based caring practices, access to basic services (such as safe drinking water and good sanitation), education of women, and direct nutritional interventions for malnourished children seem the most appropriate.Developing countries, health, Inequality, malnutrition, Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey, Nutrition, Nutritional status, rural population

Estimating the impact of agricultural technology on poverty reduction in rural Nigeria:

"It has often been argued that new agricultural technologies lead to poverty reduction. This paper argues that any changes in poverty situation attributed to those who adopt new agricultural technology (treatment group) without a counterfactual comparison of carefully selected nonadopters (control group) are likely to be questionable. The paper estimates the effects of new agricultural technology on poverty reduction by employing the “double difference” method on data collected in rural Nigeria. Seeing the agricultural technology–poverty linkage through the lenses of adopters and nonadopters of such new technology provides understanding of the relationship between agricultural technology and poverty. The paper finds that differences in poverty status between adopters and nonadopters of new agricultural technologies (a combination of tube wells and pumps) introduced in rural Nigeria in the late 1980s and early 1990s are alarmingly modest. The paper concludes that new agricultural technology would not expressly lead to poverty reduction in poor countries. The exact channels through which new agricultural technology impact poverty outcomes need to be further explored." from authors' abstractPoverty, evaluation, Inequality, Impact assessment, Agricultural technology, Difference-in-difference methodology, Development strategies,

Weathering the storm

At the national level, dozens of African countries have pledged to implement the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and the African Union (AU). This African-led plan aims to stimulate agriculture on the continent to achieve the first Millennium Development Goal (MDG1) of halving poverty and hunger by 2015. To do so, countries are expected to pursue 6 percent average annual agriculture growth at the national level, allocate 10 percent of national budgets to the agricultural sector, and improve overall policy efficiency through peer-review and accountability. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate trends in agricultural development, performance, and spending in Africa and to track corresponding progress in key poverty and hunger indicators following the recent food price crisis. The reason for tracking this information is that the recent food price crisis has the potential to derail the progress made toward reducing poverty and hunger in many African countries. This paper draws on policy research results in the literature to highlight some of the strategic policy options available to African governments for accelerating agricultural growth in line with the principles of CAADP. In this regard, the paper provides information on CAADP�s agenda by reviewing the progress of implementation and performance against a number of key benchmarks.African agriculture, Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), expenditures, Food prices, Millennium Development Goals (MDG), trends,

AGROPOLIS Award for Research in Urban Agriculture / Bourse AGROPOLIS de recherche en agriculture urbaine

This thesis research provides an improved understanding of the differentiated poverty reduction effects of smallholder irrigation investment under the National Fadama Development Project on both its beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries in Nigeria. Irrigated agriculture has significantly increased world food production, leading to a sharp increase in irrigated landholdings. The Fadama strategy has created off-farm income and employment, and significantly improved income earning capacity of poor farmers. The proportions of population of irrigation beneficiaries that experienced crop failure and poor harvest dramatically declined in comparison to pre-irrigation status. A second phase is underway (2004-2010)

Rural non-farm income and inequality in Nigeria

This paper investigates the contribution of rural non-farm income to income inequality by examining the contribution of specific income sources (farm income from irrigated agriculture, farm income from rainfed agriculture and non-farm income) to income inequality in Nigeria. The results reveal the relative importance of specific income sources to income inequality and the various determinants of income inequality in rural Nigeria. Although non-farm income is distributed more unequally than incomes from the other two sources, it contributes least to overall income inequality. Farm income from irrigated agriculture represents the most important inequality-increasing source of income.Non-PRIFPRI1; GRP32DSG

Weathering the storm: Agricultural development, investment, and poverty in Africa following the recent food price crisis

At the national level, dozens of African countries have pledged to implement the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and the African Union (AU). This African-led plan aims to stimulate agriculture on the continent to achieve the first Millennium Development Goal (MDG1) of halving poverty and hunger by 2015. To do so, countries are expected to pursue 6 percent average annual agriculture growth at the national level, allocate 10 percent of national budgets to the agricultural sector, and improve overall policy efficiency through peer-review and accountability. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate trends in agricultural development, performance, and spending in Africa and to track corresponding progress in key poverty and hunger indicators following the recent food price crisis. The reason for tracking this information is that the recent food price crisis has the potential to derail the progress made toward reducing poverty and hunger in many African countries. This paper draws on policy research results in the literature to highlight some of the strategic policy options available to African governments for accelerating agricultural growth in line with the principles of CAADP. In this regard, the paper provides information on CAADP's agenda by reviewing the progress of implementation and performance against a number of key benchmarks.Non-PRIFPRI1; GRP32; MozSSPDSG

The central position of agriculture within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

This paper provides a helpful framing to understand both why and how policy attention and investments should be channeled through agriculture and agrifood systems as key vehicles for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It illustrates the ways in which agriculture, particularly within the context of food value chains, is uniquely positioned to holistically address the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development because of its existing reach and future potential. In this paper’s examination of the multiplicity of entry points the sector offers for fostering inclusive and sustainable economic growth, reversing harmful environmental trends, and enhancing the resilience of the poorest and most vulnerable populations, it traces some of the most potent pathways for agricultural policies and interventions to accelerate development outcomes across all country contexts.Non-PRIFPRI1DG