SAHELIAN INPUT MARKETS: RECENT PROGRESS AND REMAINING CHALLENGES

The objective of this paper is to review progress made and challenges remaining as Sahelian governments and entrepreneurs work together to develop the input markets that are so essential to the modernization of Sahelian agriculture. The paper is designed to inform Sahelian decision makers. Because the most important purchased input in the Sahel is currently inorganic fertilizer, the paper focuses on fertilizer markets. In an effort to provide Sahelian decision makers with information on a broad range of options, we have drawn on experiences throughout W. Africa rather than focusing only on the Sahel. Numerous references to experiences in the Coastal countries of W. Africa not only provide Sahelians with some perspective on how their experience compares to that of other W. African countries, but also contribute to an understanding of the opportunities and constraints to developing regional input markets. Developing input markets is a major challenge throughout Africa, not just in the Sahel.Industrial Organization,

Restoring Soil Fertility in Sub-Saharan Africa: Technical and Economic Issues

Land Economics/Use, Downloads July 2008-June 2009: 9,

Learning from Doing: Using Analysis of Fertilizer Demonstration Plots to Improve Programs for Stimulating Fertilizer Demand in Rwanda

Food Security Research Project (FSRP) and Division of Agricultural Statistics (DSA) Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Forestry MINAGRIfood security, food policy, Rwanda, fertilizer, Crop Production/Industries, Q18,

Cotton in West and Central Africa: Adapting a Successful Model to New Realities

Produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development under the WACIP project funded by USAID (Programme de Renforcement du Secteur Coton en Afrique de l'Ouest et du Centrecotton, Africa, Crop Production/Industries, Q13,

FINANCIAL AND RISK ANALYSIS OF MAIZE TECHNOLOGY IN ETHIOPIA, BASED ON CERES-MAIZE MODEL RESULTS

This paper presents a financial and risk analysis of improved versus traditional maize production technology in Ethiopia, based on yields simulated with the CERES-Maize crop growth model (Schulthess and Ward, 2000). The purpose is to analyze the potential performance of the SG2000/Ministry of Agriculture program technology under less favorable meteorological conditions (rainfall level and distribution), and in areas with lower agroecological potential than those covered by the SG2000/MOA program through 1998. At the time of this study, expansion of the MOA program into lower potential zones seemed likely. Results show that use of fertilizer and improved seed is highly profitable under a variety of assumptions about crop growth conditions, maize prices, and fertilizer costs. Risk is examined using simple sensitivity and breakeven analysis, and stochastic dominance analysis.Crop Production/Industries, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,