Lent, Rebecca

AgEcon Search - Research in Agricultural & Applied Economics

  Give to AgEcon Search    The World’s Largest Open Access Agricultural & Applied Economics Digital Library    This document is discoverable and free to researchers across the globe due to the work of AgEcon Search.    Help ensure our sustainability.         AgEcon Search http://ageconsearch.umn.edu aesearch@umn.edu          Papers downloaded from AgEcon Search may be used for non-commercial purposes and personal study only. No other use, including posting to another Internet site, is permitted without permission from the copyright owner (not AgEcon Search), or as allowed under the provisions of Fair Use, U.S. Copyright Act, Title 17 U.S.C. U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURENATIONAL AGRICULTURAL UBRARY5)BDEVELOPING COUNTRIES CATALOGING PP.E..P.ANDINTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL TRADEA Conference Sponsored by 5-224 Regional Research ProjectQuality Hotel of ArlingtonArlington, VirgininaApril 8-9, 1991Fred J. RuppelProgram CoodinatorStanley M. FletcherS-224 ChairP%ec.e1vedIndoy\ing BrancRLIVESTOCK TRADE BETWEEN SAHELIAN AND WEST AFRICANCOASTAL COUNTRIESRebecca LentUniversite Laval, QuebecAfter being virtually ignored for over ten years, the livestock sector is now emergingas a vital economic activity in the development of small-holder agriculture in Saheliancountries. Livestock activities are associated with improvements in agricultural productionand can also be key export products. Thus, it is becoming increasingly important tounderstand the factors which affect the functioning of the livestock sector and the regionaltrade of livestock products.Significant changes are occurring in West African countries which are (or were in thepast) important outlets for Sahelian (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger) meat products. Incomelevels and prices of substitute goods in these importing countries greatly influence marketsin the producing regions. For example, large volumes of frozen meat were "dumped" on theAfrican coastal market during liquidation of EEC dairy herds. As a consequence, real pricesof meat products were falling at a rate sufficient to allow per capita meat consumption torise even though incomes were falling. This displacement of Sahelian exports had aconsiderable impact on the Sahelian cattle sector. Imports of EEC meat have since slowed,and rising income levels and the relatively low present level of meat consumption in coastalcountries indicate that there is tremendous potential for market development in thesecountries, particularly in ate d'Ivoire.If one accepts the idea that the regional context should be considered in terms oftrade among the Sahelian and West African coastal countries, then there are furtherarguments to be made for developing the livestock sector in the Sahel. Livestockproduction, based in part on feed from by-products of processing vegetable oil (which canalso be exported) as well as other locally-produced coarse grains, may permit meatproduction for export to coastal countries where rising incomes and population will yieldstrong demand. In return, the northern regions of coastal countries, which are developingproduction of cereals for human consumption, may exchange their cereals for these meatproducts.Session II, Number 4

Abstract: Livestock Trade Between Sahelian and West African Coastal Countries

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AgEcon Search - Research in Agricultural & Applied Economics

AgEcon Search: Research in Agricultural and Applied Economics