THE EVOLUTION OF FARMING SYSTEMS IN NORTHERN COTE D'IVOIRE: BOSERUP VERSUS MALTHUS AND COMPETITION VERSUS COMPLEMENTARITY

A socio-economic analysis of a sample of farms in Northern Cote d'Ivoire revisits two debates about the evolution of farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa. Taking into account the diversity of farming systems, the debates "Boserup vs. Malthus" and "competition vs. complementarity" between cotton and food crops become better informed and less straightforward.International Development, Production Economics,

BOSERUP VERSUS MALTHUS REVISITES: EVOLUTION DES EXPLOITATIONS AGRICOLES DANS LE NORD DE LA COTE D'IVOIRE

The literature on the evolution of farming systems in West Africa shows a large diversity of general theories on rural development. The purpose of this study is to revisit the theses of Malthus and Boserup and empirically test them on a case study of Northern Cote d'Ivoire. We have at our disposal a database spread over three agricultural seasons (1995-1998) and three villages. These villages differ strongly regarding their population density and historical genesis. The comparison between these villages permitted to track down their stage in the evolution of farming systems and to identify population pressure as a key factor of the evolution of farming systems and to identify population pressure as a key factor of the evolution process of farms. Our empirical analysis shows that Boserupian and Malthusian processes coexist, rather than contrast. Labor is the key factor for escaping Malthusian mechanisms and induces boserupian innovations that are crucial to the evolution trajectory of farms.Community/Rural/Urban Development,

EVOLUTION DES SYSTEMES AGRAIRES DANS LE NORD DE LA COTE D'IVOIRE: LES DEBATS, BOSERUP VERSUS MALTHUS, ET COMPETITION VERSUS COMPLEMENTARITE, REVISITES

A socio-economic analysis of the farms in four villages of the Dikodougou region (North of Cote d'Ivoire) reviews two debates about the evolution of the farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa. Firstly, the two opposing views in the controversy "Boserup versus Malthus" are complements rather than opposites. In a first phase, demographic pressure causes Malthusian mechanisms (proliferation of weeds, deterioration of the bio-physical environment, of global fertility and of the profitability of the traditional production system) generating favourable conditions for the adoption of ox-drawn farming. In a second phase, the alternation of the production system illustrates well the Boserupian response to a situation where the traditional system is not adapted to the new socio-economic conditions. Secondly, the economic analysis proposes to review the debate "competition versus complementarity" between cotton and food crops. The competition thesis seems only valid for not mechanised farms, where cotton competes with food crops for labour. However, the second phase of the evolution of the production systems (utilisation of pesticides and fertilisers, substitution of manual farming by ox-drawn farming) is possible thanks to the favourable conditions (access to pesticides, fertilisers, credit and know-how) generated by the CIDT (Compagnie Ivoirienne de Developpement des Textiles).Community/Rural/Urban Development, Production Economics,

ETUDE COMPARATIVE DES SYSTEMES DE COMMERCIALISATION D'IGNAME EN COTE-D'IVOIRE, AU BENIN ET AU NIGERIA

The present study which started in 1999 is framed in the INCOYAM project. Marketing systems of yam are analyzed in three West- African countries: Cote d'Ivoire, Benin and Nigeria. Surveys have been carried out on urban (wholesales and retailers) and rural (collectors) traders. Cities and production regions have been selected in function of their socio-economic characteristics. As a result, in the three countries data has been collected in an important consumption pole, a commercial redistribution pole and a production pole. The degree of precision of the data varies from one country to another due to asymmetric financing. This situation did not allow establishing an equilibrated comparison of yam marketing systems. The three countries commercialize a similar product but their marketing systems and the structures of their marketing chain varies from one country to another.Industrial Organization, Marketing,

Food versus Cash. Development Theory and Reality in Northern Côte d’Ivoire

In the literature on the evolution of farming systems in Sub-Saharan Africa, the food versus cash debate on the competition versus complementarity between food and export crops (such as cotton) in agricultural development seems to offer contrasting views on rural development. The purpose of the present study is to revisit these schools of thought through an empirical case study in northern Côte d’Ivoire. Farming systems are distinguished through the presence of cotton and the degree of intensification and mechanization. Non-mechanized cotton systems are severely constrained by labour bottlenecks during field preparation of cotton fields due to competition with food crops and are barely able to subsist. Mechanization, as part of the cotton program, enables cotton farms to spread labour peaks and dramatically increase cropped areas. Our findings suggest that both development theories in reality coexist rather than contrast and that neither of both simultaneously applies on all farming systems.farming systems, adoption, cotton, animal traction, Côte d’Ivoire

BOSERUP VERSUS MALTHUS REVISITES: EVOLUTION DES EXPLOITATIONS AGRICOLES DANS LE NORD DE LA COTE D'IVOIRE

The literature on the evolution of farming systems in West Africa shows a large diversity of general theories on rural development. The purpose of this study is to revisit the theses of Malthus and Boserup and empirically test them on a case study of Northern Cote d'Ivoire. We have at our disposal a database spread over three agricultural seasons (1995-1998) and three villages. These villages differ strongly regarding their population density and historical genesis. The comparison between these villages permitted to track down their stage in the evolution of farming systems and to identify population pressure as a key factor of the evolution of farming systems and to identify population pressure as a key factor of the evolution process of farms. Our empirical analysis shows that Boserupian and Malthusian processes coexist, rather than contrast. Labor is the key factor for escaping Malthusian mechanisms and induces boserupian innovations that are crucial to the evolution trajectory of farms

EVOLUTION DES SYSTEMES AGRAIRES DANS LE NORD DE LA COTE D'IVOIRE: LES DEBATS, BOSERUP VERSUS MALTHUS, ET COMPETITION VERSUS COMPLEMENTARITE, REVISITES

A socio-economic analysis of the farms in four villages of the Dikodougou region (North of Cote d'Ivoire) reviews two debates about the evolution of the farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa. Firstly, the two opposing views in the controversy "Boserup versus Malthus" are complements rather than opposites. In a first phase, demographic pressure causes Malthusian mechanisms (proliferation of weeds, deterioration of the bio-physical environment, of global fertility and of the profitability of the traditional production system) generating favourable conditions for the adoption of ox-drawn farming. In a second phase, the alternation of the production system illustrates well the Boserupian response to a situation where the traditional system is not adapted to the new socio-economic conditions. Secondly, the economic analysis proposes to review the debate "competition versus complementarity" between cotton and food crops. The competition thesis seems only valid for not mechanised farms, where cotton competes with food crops for labour. However, the second phase of the evolution of the production systems (utilisation of pesticides and fertilisers, substitution of manual farming by ox-drawn farming) is possible thanks to the favourable conditions (access to pesticides, fertilisers, credit and know-how) generated by the CIDT (Compagnie Ivoirienne de Developpement des Textiles)

THE EVOLUTION OF FARMING SYSTEMS IN NORTHERN COTE D'IVOIRE: BOSERUP VERSUS MALTHUS AND COMPETITION VERSUS COMPLEMENTARITY

A socio-economic analysis of a sample of farms in Northern Cote d'Ivoire revisits two debates about the evolution of farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa. Taking into account the diversity of farming systems, the debates "Boserup vs. Malthus" and "competition vs. complementarity" between cotton and food crops become better informed and less straightforward