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There are interesting debates on the influence of foreign aid to agriculture on economic growth in Africa. Some scholars have argued that, despite the inflows, majority of rural smallholder farmers in the continent are extremely poor. The precise channels through which foreign aid is to promote sectoral growth has been inadequately understood from the literature. This paper is a systematic literature review on the empirical evidence of the relationship between agricultural aid and growth in Sub Saharan African countries. The Generalized Methods of Moments and the Granger causality test are the main methodological approaches of papers reviewed and the relationship between agricultural aid and productivity growth is positive and quite significant. However, the results demonstrate a weak synergy between the various forms of agricultural aid and growth. The main recommendation is to have a broader conceptual, theoretical or analytical frameworks that clearly define how agricultural aid influences productivity when measured against other influencing factors. Aid is only a catalyst to growth so, governments must invest and provide the necessary infrastructure and a conducive policy environment for increased productivity and growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change significantly impacts global agricultural productivity. Therefore, a more dynamic farming system is needed to enable farmers to better adapt to climate change while contributing to efforts to produce enough food to feed the growing world population. In the context of climate change, this study analyzed the empirical scientific literature on the link between climate-smart agriculture and farm productivity. To evaluate the relevant articles, the authors used the search term "climate-smart agriculture amidst climate change to enhance agricultural production (CSA-CCAP)" to find studies published between 2009 and March 2022 using innovative bibliometric techniques. One hundred and sixteen published papers in BibTeX format were downloaded for further analysis. The most successful selected CSA approaches in Africa, such as in the Congo Basin forest, including sustainable land management practices, water-efficient maize hybrids, and others, aim to counteract climate change with signs of 200 percent output gains. The findings showed an annual growth rate of about 19%, demonstrating that research on CSA-CCAP expanded over time during the study period. Nonetheless, the research output on CSA-CCAP varied, with 2021 accounting for 30%, followed by 2020 with 16% as of March 2022. The study concluded that boosting agricultural productivity in the face of climate change may be accomplished through CSA to end hunger, eradicate poverty, and improve people's well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is thought to play a number of roles in the early development process. All of these roles involve fostering non‐agricultural development, in particular manufacturing. It is argued in this paper that agriculture plays a role that has hitherto been ignored. Specifically, if agricultural labor productivity increases faster than manufacturing labor productivity, the real effective exchange rate will depreciate. This depreciation of real effective exchange rate occurs because in very poor countries agriculture makes up the dominant share of both GDP and employment. The depreciation also makes it easier for a country to expand the production of tradables relative to nontradables, with manufacturing being the main tradable. This proposition, which as agricultural labor productivity increases relative to manufacturing labor productivity the real effective exchange rate depreciates, is tested using data drawn from 10 sub‐Saharan African countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the effects of climate change on African agricultural total factor productivity (TFP) growth and test whether agricultural TFP levels are converging in the region. The study uses cross-country balanced panel data covering 35 countries from 1981 to 2010 and a technological catching-up model based on the Ricardian analysis estimated by Feasible Generalized Least Square (FGLS) regression. Historical country-wide rainfall and temperature are climate factors included in the model. Education, capital intensity, and arable land equipped with irrigation are other potential confounding variables in the regression. The empirical results show that levels of African agricultural TFP are converging over time, though the rate of convergence appears relatively slow in the region. We also find that rain significantly increases agricultural TFP growth, but temperature does not affect the study's African agricultural TFP growth. Other results show that education, capital intensity, and arable land equipped with irrigation significantly increased agricultural TFP growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local communities in Africa have used indigenous knowledge (IK) for centuries in agricultural productivity, preservation of food, and conservation of resources such as water. Using IK, communities have been able to ensure sustainable agriculture productivity and local food security. However, due to a range of intricate and intertwined factors, IK of agricultural practices is rapidly eroding and disappearing. One of the factors is a lack of IK documentation for preservation. This paper explores the use of digital technologies to preserve and disseminate IK of agricultural practices, as well as identify potential barriers, using a systematic review methodology. The findings reveal that the management of IK of agriculture practices using digital technologies in Africa is still in its infancy. Several contextual barriers, such as the linguistic diversity of IK custodians across the continent, impede the process. The variety of communication methods and languages makes IK documentation difficult and costly. In the face of severe food insecurity exacerbated by a decline in agricultural productivity, the role of IK in improving and sustaining agricultural productivity cannot be overlooked. The preservation, dissemination, and use of IK as an adaptation strategy for addressing declining agricultural productivity and food insecurity should be prioritised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the nexus between agricultural production, renewable energy, foreign direct investment (FDI), and carbon emissions in Africa, where there is limited evidence on the topic. Relying on panel data covering thirty-one African countries obtained from the World Bank World Development Indicators and FAOSTAT databases, we answered the question of whether agricultural production (proxied by livestock production, fertilizer consumption, and land under cereal cultivation), the use of renewable energy, and FDI increase or reduce carbon emissions. Using the panel autoregressive distributed lag model for analysis, our results show that net FDI, fertilizer consumption, livestock production significantly increased carbon emissions, both in the short run and long run. Meanwhile, renewable energy use consumption significantly decreased carbon emissions, both in the short run and long run. Specifically, a 1% increase in net FDI increased total carbon emissions by 0.003% in the short run and by 0.01% in the long run. Renewable energy consumption significantly decreased carbon emissions, both in the short run and long run. A 1% increase in renewable energy consumption decreased total carbon emissions by 0.16% in the short run and by 0.22% in the long run. Additionally, fertilizer consumption and livestock production significantly increased carbon emissions in the short run and long run. A 1% increase in fertilizer consumption increased total carbon emissions by 0.01% in the short run and by 0.04% in the long run, while a 1% increase in livestock production increased total carbon emissions by 0.20% in the short run and by 0.56% in the long run. The findings call for investment in renewable energy technologies and consumption while advocating for large-scale uptake of climate-smart agriculture, and environmentally friendly targeted foreign direct investments on the continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the key role of agricultural development in the fight against hunger and the achievement of food security, little is known on the cross‐country effect of terrorism on agriculture. At the same time, there is some tentative evidence suggesting that conflicts reduce agricultural inputs and outputs such as land, production and income. This paper contributes to this emerging literature by investigating how terrorism affects agriculture on a panel of 48 African countries over the period 1998–2016. Six terrorism indicators are used, namely: domestic terrorism, transnational terrorism, unclear terrorism, total terrorism, number of attacks and number of deaths due to terrorism. Three agricultural indicators are used, namely: inputs (consisting of agricultural land and labour) and output (consisting of agricultural productivity growth). Using the generalized method of moments, the following findings are established. First, while transnational terrorism, unclear terrorism, the number of attacks and the number of deaths due to terrorism are positively associated with agricultural land, domestic and total terrorism reduce agricultural land. Second, all the terrorism indicators are negatively associated with agricultural productivity growth and agricultural labour in African countries. Globally, terrorism and terrorist threats are causing a decline in agricultural activity in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Geographer is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper assesses the role of the non-farm sector in rural development in Lesotho. Evidence from studies in developing countries indicates that agriculture was formerly used as the main source of livelihood for many people in poor countries. However, due to the decline in agricultural productivity (which results in poverty and food insecurity) caused by unfavourable agroclimatic conditions, many people are turning to non-farm activities as a means of making a living. Therefore, non-farm incomes are used to provide the means of sustenance for many people. However, little attention has hitherto been paid to improving the rural non-farm sector as an alternative or complementary rural development strategy in Lesotho. This research paper uses quantitative research methods to analyse the available data. The main research findings suggest that many people make a living out of non-farm incomes. As a result, this paper proposes that the rural non-farm sector should be given more priority by the government in rural development in Lesotho. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The agriculture sector in Africa is a major employer, but production levels have fallen short of demand. To match future demand, public investment in research and development (R&D) is required. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how foreign direct investments (FDIs) moderate the effects of public R&D on Africa’s agricultural production.Design/methodology/approach This study estimates an unbalanced panel fixed effect model that consists of 28 African countries covering the period 1980–2014.Findings Public R&D increases production in the agriculture sector, however, the effects reverse after ten years. Though FDIs have direct positive effects on production, indirectly, it reduces the productivity potential of public R&D due to the possible dependency syndrome associated with FDIs. Traditional inputs like land, capital, and labour and good political institutions positively drive production, but adverse changes in the weather reduce production.Practical implications There should be a frequent update of R&D and improvement in maintenance culture. FDIs should be seen as complementary efforts, and not as substitute efforts to domestic investment efforts in R&D.Originality/value Insufficient domestic investment has increased the dependence on FDIs. In this regard, FDIs effect on production could be tricky since it increases the volatility in agricultural R&D. This paper contributes to the literature by examining how FDIs moderate the effects of public R&D on output. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban agriculture (UA) has recently received increasing attention in both scholarly and policy cycles as a potential tool for poverty alleviation in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper focuses on urban crop cultivation (UCC) and examines men’s and women’s motives and needs in UCC, the (perceived) contribution of UCC to household livelihoods, and the benefits men and women derive from it. Although the contribution of UCC to overall household food and incomes appeared to be modest, for the majority of farming households such benefits were nonetheless greatly valued and bore varied and important meanings for men and women. The paper also examines the implications of recent national UA policy responses in Kenya for urban development and household livelihoods, and for equitable distribution of UA’s benefits for men and women. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Agricultural biotechnology is enhancing agricultural productivity, food security, and livelihoods globally. Some developing countries have established functional biosafety regulatory systems and have commercialized genetically modified (GM) crops. Release of GM crops requires enhanced capacity for regulatory compliance and product stewardship to help ensure sustainable use of biotechnology products. We conducted a survey of 66 stakeholders, mostly from Africa and Asia, in two-week international agricultural biotechnology short courses. Respondents showed knowledge of biotechnology benefits and expressed potential barriers to commercialization. They identified 16 crops in the "pipeline for commercialization." Stakeholders also shared ideas about how to build capacity for product stewardship. Product stewardship is a concept which requires each person in the product life cycle – innovators, scientists, and technology users, to share responsibility. This paper focuses on adoption of product stewardship for post-release management of GM crops which encompasses trait performance, resistance management, integrated pest management (IPM), good agricultural practices, high-quality seeds and planting material, intellectual property management, labeling, identity preservation, consumer acceptance, and effective marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agribusiness has a major role to play in the transformation of the agricultural sector in Africa. With the demand for high-value food products increasing across the world, there is an opportunity for an increase in income/employment through the production and export of these goods. To capture the benefits of this trend and capitalize on this opportunity for long-term agricultural growth, there is a need to increase the competitiveness of agribusiness in Africa. Further, along with competitiveness, increasing agricultural productivity and food security are other major challenges in African agricultural development. In this paper, we compare the competitiveness of African countries and develop typologies with their food security and agricultural productivity status. The typologies reveal various stylized facts on competitiveness of agribusiness to help nations prioritize issues for agricultural development and growth. Additionally, we also present policy implications for increasing agribusiness competitiveness status of countries in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our purpose here is to provide an introduction to the set of papers in this Special Edition on "The measurement of agricultural productivity in Africa" and to draw lessons for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shea trees (Vitellaria paradoxa Gaertn. f.) have been for perhaps as long as 3000 years probably the most economically and culturally important tree species in Sudanian agroforestry systems. The existing studies show that the specific magnitude and limits of shea tree presence and shea products' advantages are highly variable. This synthesis paper gathers and updates most of the scattered knowledge on shea trees and parklands, reported by category of knowledge: socio-economic potential of shea production, current means of enhancing shea domestication, tree impacts on environmental resources and associated crop production. It concludes with a proposal for a systemic and participative bio-economic modelling approach in order to simulate intensification of shea parklands' production using process-based research results on their economic, agronomic and environmental performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The persistence of food insecurity in many African countries continues to engage the attention of policymakers, development theorists, and the world at large. One panacea touted to address food insecurity, specifically from the angle of production, is biotechnology. This paper examines the extent to which biotechnology can bring about marked improvements in agricultural production in Ghana. The paper focuses on the institutional capacities of the national agricultural research system, especially the role of research institutions to generate, to engage, or to harness biotechnology. The paper also examines policy dilemmas on biotechnology and some policy options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The periodic food crises in agricultural production in semiarid sub-Saharan Africa have been the main public view of the subcontinent since the media perpetuates a Gloom and Doom perception. Actually the agricultural systems of sub-Saharan Africa have made some impressive achievements and there is potential to make more impact even in the more difficult regions where the poor are concentrated. In this paper the focus is on the successes, a strategy for introduction of new technologies in semiarid regions of West Africa, and supportive policy. More rapid technological change, with supportive policy, would have a substantial effect on rural poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cassava is one of the six food items identified as a critical food product for Africa, owing to its importance to African farmers' lives and ability to alter African economies. However, Cassava plant diseases have affected the yield of farmers significantly which has led to a decline in the agricultural production of cassava. Therefore, the aim of this research work is to develop a web and mobile applications-based system that would be able to detect cassava diseases based on its leaf images. To achieve this aim, pre-trained Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) models were selected using their previous performance and the application of transfer learning technique, new models were developed to classify cassava diseases based on the dataset curated and pre-processed. The best three models were selected: MobileNetV2, VGG16 and ResNet50. After training, the accuracy for each model was: 98%, 92% and 75% for MobileNetV2, VGG16 and ResNet50 respectively. Following evaluation of performance, the model with the best accuracy (MobileNetV2) was deployed using a web application interface. After deploying as a web and mobile apps interface, it was further tested to see how it would perform on the field. This research work was found capable of aiding farmers in being able to timely detect the type of disease affecting their cassava plants and the correct treatment to utilize; this also contribute towards Sustainable development goals (SDG) 2 and 12. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study is to examine the impact of free trade agreements (FTA) with agricultural trade flow in general and dairy, vegetable, live animals, meat and sugar in particular. To achieve the objective the paper employs gravity model through compiling panel data. The study focuses on selected North African countries (Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia) as reporting countries and the rest of the world as partner countries. Accordingly, the study finds that being a member of trade agreement (FTA) is positively associated with aggregate agricultural trade flow. In fact, trade agreement could increase agricultural trade flow by around 39 percent in trade volume (USD). Further, the study finds the potential of trade creation. In fact, the trade agreement with EU created a market for former Soviet countries (Latvia and Lithuania). Notably, due to the trade accord, the countries start exporting commodities such dairy and vegetable products. However, despite the results, the disaggregate agriculture fails to have a similar association. For instance, vegetable trade flow is positively influenced by FTA while live animals trade is affected negatively by FTA. Therefore, it requires vigilance when making a conclusion regarding the effect of FTA on disaggregates agriculture trade flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two of the key limitations for sustainably increasing agricultural production are the scarcity of land and fresh water resources. Establishing land and water productivity gaps is, therefore, essential for measuring how efficiently these resources are being utilised and assessing the scope for increasing feed and food production. Monitoring the productivity gaps at large scales or over time using field data is challenging and expensive. Remote sensing offers an alternative data source to reveal spatial and temporal variations in productivity. This paper presents a framework that integrates remote sensing derived data and field data to assess (1) land and water productivity gaps, (2) bright spots – fields exhibiting land- and water productivity equal to or higher than the target, and (3) net irrigation water demand for increasing production. The framework is developed and applied to the Xinavane sugarcane estate in Mozambique, demonstrating its practical application through systematic evaluation on a 6637 ha section of the estate divided by different irrigation application methods. The results reveal that the productivity gap is the highest on fields irrigated by furrow (13.1 tonnes (ton) per ha), followed by sprinkler (12.6 ton/ha) and centre pivot (9.4 ton/ha). Bridging the productivity gap on the same cropland results in an increased sugarcane production of 12.5 % requiring 8.5 % additional irrigation water, whereas achieving the same production increase through irrigation expansion requires more blue water. The analyses show that remote sensing provides a viable source of information to diagnose the productivity constraints and how bright spots can provide insights into the best field management practices to overcome them. The framework demonstrates its usefulness for policy makers and stakeholders to make informed decisions on the scarce blue water allocation for enhancing agricultural production. [Display omitted] • Remote-sensing derived WaPOR is used to map productivity gap and irrigation demand for gap closure. • Distinguishing water consumption into green and blue supports net irrigation assessment. • Bright spots in a cropland reveal potential best management practices for productivity improvement. • Explore closing productivity gaps before expanding irrigation for increasing production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of agricultural productivity growth on the process of structural change, an increase in the share of labor employed in manufacturing, is a much debated topic. One perspective argues that agricultural productivity promotes structural change via its contribution of various resources to the manufacturing sector. Another hypothesis proposed is that agricultural productivity growth will draw resources away from agriculture. This paper hypothesizes that agricultural productivity growth plays a key role in the structural change process, but not necessarily through the mechanisms usually proposed. It is hypothesized here that agricultural productivity growth improves the quality of human labor (measured by the human development index, human capital accumulation, and reductions in infant mortality). In turn, improvements in the quality of human labor make it more profitable to employ labor in manufacturing and thus structural change, measured by the share of manufacturing employment in total employment, increases. These hypotheses are tested using dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) techniques utilizing data from seventeen countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The findings indicate that agricultural productivity growth has a significant positive impact human labor quality as measured by the human development index, human capital accumulation, and reductions in infant mortality. In addition, improvements in the quality of human labor in turn have a significant positive impact on the extent of structural change as measured by the share of manufacturing employment as a share of total employment. In addition, trade, as measured by exports plus imports divided by GDP, also has a significant positive impact on the extent of structural change. Finally, inflation appears to slow the structural change process. The policy implications are straightforward. Agricultural productivity does indeed seem to be important in the process of structural change. Thus development programs involving Sub-Saharan Africa should focus on investment in the development of agricultural technologies that will raise agricultural productivity. In a broader sense, governments should focus investment on improving the overall quality of labor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyze the effect of state capacity on poverty in Africa. We consider two proxy variables for state capacity: the government effectiveness index, capturing administrative capacity, and the political stability index, a proxy for coercive capacity. Using the system-GMM technique with four-year average panel data from 53 African countries over the period 1995-2014, we find that each of the state capacity variable significantly reduces poverty rate. However, administrative capacity appears to be the most important aspect of state capacity for poverty reduction. The results also suggest that cereal yield, a proxy for agricultural productivity, would be a channel through which state capacity affects poverty in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine investments in selected Feed the Future countries in Africa. Design/methodology/approach: The authors examine three investments in Feed the Future countries (e.g. Rwanda and Uganda) in the context of non-traded goods, exports and imports. These investments include research and development in Ugandan cassava production, a value chain intervention in the coffee market channel in Rwanda and a program to increase the use of fertilizer for maize production in Rwanda. The authors also stress the importance of distributional impacts in terms of policymaking. Findings: The results show that while there can be net gains from each investment discussed, the distributional effects of each are very different. Originality/value: The findings will be useful for the development community and agribusiness policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Scientiarum Polonorum. Oeconomia is the property of Wydawnictwo SGGW and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the key issues surrounding foreign direct investment (FDI) in agriculture, and examine the potential impacts of FDI in African agriculture. Design/methodology/approach – The dynamic Global Trade Analysis Project model (GDyn) is used to analyse the potential impacts of improvements in land productivity and FDI in Africa. Findings – The results illustrate that combined efforts to improve land productivity and growth in FDI could potentially increase Africa’s share in global agricultural output and exports, particularly with respect to oil seeds, sugar, and cotton. Originality/value – The authors employ a global economy-wide modelling framework to simulate the effects of growth in FDI in African agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper estimates the technical and marketing inefficiency of a sample of urban vegetable producers in Benin. Marketing inefficiency is defined as the failure of farmers to achieve better marketing output and is reflected in lower output price indices. The study proposes a Russell-type measure of inefficiency using a directional distance function that accounts simultaneously for the expansion of outputs and price indices and the contraction of variable inputs. A truncated bootstrap regression is used in the second stage to consistently analyze factors that underlie differences in inefficiency. The first-stage results suggest that vegetable producers are more inefficient with respect to marketing than production. The second-stage results indicate that technical inefficiency is affected by the production environment and private extension services. Marketing inefficiency is affected by the type of marketing arrangements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change seriously influences the livelihoods of African farmers. It was, therefore, felt useful to make an inventory of what climate change really means for them. In this review in three parts, climate change is approached by dealing with the three sides from which the danger comes: (i) global warming, (ii) increasing climate variability, (iii) more (and possibly more severe) meteorological and climatological extreme events. These are the three panels of this triptych review. Vulnerable communities already suffer. They are, therefore, urgently in need of assistance aimed at building resilience, and at undertaking climate change adaptation efforts to survive and to maintain their livelihoods. Climate change adaptation projects - especially if implemented in the context of adaptation strategies at the macro level - often mobilize public and private stakeholders, engaging them in the problem-solving process. Scientists have an important role to play in these projects. One of the major problems in guiding rural change, in a rural response to climate change, is the low formal level of education that most farmers have and for which governments have done very little to upgrade it. Improved climate literacy is needed among farmers and a better trained extension that can guide farmers in further rainfall monitoring and rainfall interpretation. Further agro-ecosystem observations that, with the rainfall distribution, explain yields and yield differences are also needed. While it is relatively easy to define technical messages that can be communicated, one must look beyond "adaptation to current climate variability". The basic vulnerability factors of communities must be targeted. One of the problems faced is that experts on climate variability and climate change do not really know what information the grassroots need in the short- and medium-term. However, people assisting vulnerable communities do not know what science generated products are available and how to use them. In this first part of the paper, the consequences of global warming are dealt with at length. Increasing temperatures and changing rainfall patterns get attention first. Other consequences of increasing atmospheric carbondioxide contents and how they influence agricultural production in Africa are also discussed. Ten text boxes distributed over the three parts illustrate local conditions that must be taken into account to understand the impacts/consequences of climate change for African farmers and how they may cope with them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper in three parts, climate change is approached by dealing with the three sides from which the danger comes: (i) global warming, (ii) increasing climate variability, (iii) more (and possibly more severe) meteorological and climatological extreme events. These are the three panels of this triptych review and the right panel on climate extremes and society's responses, including mitigation attempts as part of preparedness of African farmers, is this part. The occurrence of more (and possibly more severe) extreme meteorological/climatological events, as another likely consequence of climate change, is discussed, reviewing the literature and dealing for Africa with recent droughts and famines. It appears that there is more than sufficient proof that the numbers of disasters have risen globally, and on average at an increasing rate, over the last half a century, with more evidence in the later decades. Extreme hazards have a shorter recurrence time but whether they also have become more severe cannot be easily determined. This is due to developments in observations, populations and vulnerabilities and lack of developments in climate models. Only for increased temperature related disasters, severity has clearly become larger. However, recent more realistic calculations appear to suggest that there has been little change in drought over the past 60 years. In physical terms, there is also little or no evidence of increased severity of floods over the past century. Increasing farmer preparedness will be an important part of better responses to these conditions. The traditional response farming as to droughts, floods (annual recession and recurrent occasional ones), strong winds and other serious disasters should be among starting points. At the end of this paper, the contributions that tropical agriculture can make to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) in win-win situations are also dealt with. Soil carbon sequestration has a higher mitigation potential than emission reductions in African agriculture, although both may be important. These are best achieved under management systems with higher carbon density, as well as improved soil conservation. Agroforestry, assisted natural regeneration, forest rehabilitation, forest gardens, and improved forest fallow projects should all be eligible under the Clean Development Mechanism. Throughout the paper text boxes are used that illustrate local conditions that must be taken into account to understand the impacts/consequences of climate change for African farmers and how they may cope with them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper in three parts, climate change is approached by dealing with the three sides from which the danger comes: (i) global warming, (ii) increasing climate variability, (iii) more (and possibly more severe) meteorological and climatological extreme events. These are the three panels of this triptych review and this left panel is about (ii). This second panel starts with a compelling review of the present situation of food security, referring to African examples to improve the situation. Then the influence is discussed that the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has on increasing climate variability as a consequence of climate change. It is indicated that, to date, climate models have been developed with little knowledge of agricultural systems dynamics. On the other hand one can illustrate that agricultural policy analysis has been conducted with little knowledge of climate dynamics. As a direct consequence of capricious behaviour of particularly rainfall in West Africa, the adaptation of its farmers has lagged behind enormously. This statement is valid for most farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Within the climate science community there is an emerging effort to make findings more suitable for decision making, but as yet there is little consensus as to how data may be relied upon for decision making. Then a lot of attention is paid to how response farming, that is thoroughly defined, can play an important role in coping with the consequences of climate variability. Response farming is often limited envisaging rainfall events, but coping with weather and climate (and often soil) disasters as well as using windows of weather and climate (and often soil) opportunities are other forms of responding to weather and climate (and often soil) realities. Services such as in advice on design rules on above and below ground microclimate management or manipulation, with respect to any appreciable microclimatic improvement: shading, wind protection, mulching, other surface modification, drying, storage, frost protection and so on belong to such "response farming" agrometeorological services. Ideally, to get optimal preparations, farmers get advisories/services through extension intermediaries, backed by scientists, to properly understand decision options through discussions supported by economic analyses. Throughout the paper text boxes are used that illustrate local conditions that must be taken into account if one wants to understand the impacts/consequences of climate change for African farmers and how they may cope with them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores ways to increase public investments in agricultural water management and irrigation for improved agricultural productivity in Southern Africa, with a specific focus on Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia. The analysis was based on a critical review of literature and assessment of the national agricultural investment plans and agricultural/water policies in the study countries. Despite the potential to improve agricultural productivity, irrigation does not currently play a significant role in Southern African agriculture. There have been efforts and formal commitments at the continental, regional and country levels to promote investments in agricultural water management and irrigation to improve and sustain agricultural productivity. However, despite these commitments, actual implementation has been a challenge and the first 5 years of national agricultural investment plans have passed or are now coming to an end without much progress having been made regarding actual investments. Lack of adequate resources and institutional capacity have been some of the challenges affecting implementation of the investment plans to meet commitments in sustainable land and water management. Overall, as countries plan for the second phase of the CAADP programme, there are opportunities to ensure that investments in agricultural water management and irrigation and complementary technologies are prioritised and allocated adequate resources for implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the empirical linkages between production risks and the adoption of modern inputs among smallholder farmers in Tanzania and Uganda using household panel LSMS-ISA datasets. Applying a moment-based approach and a Mundlak-Chamberlain IV fixed effects model to control for unobserved heterogeneity and endogeneity, the paper uses a translog production function to estimate the mean, variance, skewness, and kurtosis of production. These estimated moments of production are then included in a multivariate adoption model to assess their effects on input adoption decisions. Results reveal that the first four moments of production significantly explain changes in the probability of adopting chemical fertilizer, improved seeds, and pesticides. While the use of these modern inputs is found to be risk decreasing, estimates suggest that the higher their purchasing costs, the greater the cost of farmers’ private risk bearing. Under the assumption of a moderate risk aversion, the risk premium amounts to 8.7% and 13.7% of the expected production revenues in Tanzania and Uganda, respectively. This willingness-to-pay is largely explained by production volatility and downside risk aversion and to a small extent by kurtosis aversion. The findings underscore the need to account for farmers’ preferences towards higher order moments when designing and implementing modern inputs’ adoption policies in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes how sanitation can be improved in the informal settlements of East African cities through a hybrid model. Qualitative research was carried out in eight settlements in three cities. Findings show that all cities apply a hybrid model (with some variation) when providing improved sanitation to their residents. Sanitation services were available in all cities, but there was no evidence of the state actively organizing a functioning sanitation market in Kampala or Kisumu. This implies that a hybrid model with a strong and committed developmental state is the right choice in the context of the informal settlements of East African cities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: Accelerating the adoption of intensification methods is critical for improving African agricultural productivity growth. This study synthesizes the effect of determinants underlying the speed of adoption of agricultural intensification methods in Africa. Design/Methodology/Approach: A systematic literature search was conducted using online databases, covering 20 years of publication research. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. Findings: After controlling for innovation type, a subgroup analysis reveals that gender and formal education influence the speed of adoption of improved staple crop varieties and other agricultural intensification methods. Practical implications: Continued investment in approaches that are gender sympathetic and in agricultural education and extension is implied. Theoretical implications: Accelerating agricultural productivity growth requires a broad understanding of the potential determinants. This extends beyond farmer characteristics and includes factors that describe the context of agricultural systems, policies, and technology. Originality/Value: This is the first study quantifying the effect size of factors that influence the pace of adoption of agricultural intensification methods in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses attempts by the colonial officials to transform African crop production in Botswana in the 1930s. From the early 1930s, the British colonial officials made some modest and largely insignificant attempts to improve crop production in Botswana. The key issues addressed here are the nature and extent of the initiatives undertaken, such as agricultural shows, co-operator farmer experimental plots and the diffusion of technology. The successes and failures of the programmes and whether these initiatives constituted a departure from earlier policy which many scholars and researchers have dubbed the ‘general neglect’ of the territory are examined. The paper also argues that the major shortcomings were insufficient funding, lack of concerted efforts, the selective nature of the programmes and incomprehensive and unsustainable crop production schemes that would have made a major impact. The article also makes an overview of the role of the chiefs in agricultural programmes and argues that it was the pastoral sector (cattle) rather than crop production which largely accounted for social differentiation in Botswana. The article also reveals the regional imbalances that characterised colonial interventions in the crop production sector. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper reviews a synthesis, made in late 2010, which identified the major issues arising from the East and Central African data as: the relationship of UPA to food security and poverty; whether it recycles waste effectively; and what was happening in terms of policy response. The paper updates the analysis and examines it in relation to issues raised by data from Southern Africa. The capacity of UPA to recycle nutrients, especially on the highly efficient crop–livestock backyard farms, signifies its potential role in making cities sustainable. Investigating the reasons for positive policy environments in some places, or the vested interests that mitigate against support for urban farming—especially by the poor—in other places, suggests that emerging farmers' networks or institutions that support them need to engage with larger political processes in order to take advantage of a potentially productive economic sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural Engineering has transformed agricultural practices from subsistence level to medium and large-scale production via mechanisation in the developed nations. This has reduced the labour force requirements in agriculture; increased production levels and efficiency, product shelf life and product quality; and resulted into industrialisation. In the US, for example, less than 5% of the population is engaged in agricultural production and provides sufficient for national consumption and surplus for export. Whereas, up to 70% of the African population is involved in agricultural production and there is no food security. Agricultural engineering is not well perceived in African countries. It is mostly perceived as tractorisation. Whereas, agricultural engineering practice include options such as farm power and machinery, storage and food processing, soil and water conservation, rural electrification, structures and environment, and ergonomics. Governments in most developed countries accepted agricultural engineering as a viable option for food sufficiency, and formulated and implemented favourable policies to support the practice of agricultural engineering. In Africa, agricultural engineers are often marginalised. The paper therefore addresses issues that are essential for a better orientation of agricultural engineering training and education, and subsequently influence a better policy on agricultural engineering education in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a short review of the poverty-environment nexus in Africa, which has emerged as a major development challenge for the continent. It looks specifically at issues related to deforestation and land degradation, low agricultural productivity, water scarcity, threats to Africa's biodiversity, and the impact of civil conflicts. It summarizes some of the main policy implications that arise based on the time inconsistency problem between short-term survival strategies and longer-term environmental concerns. The policy recommendations include sector-specific interventions as well as cross-cutting policy changes addressing gender imbalances and insufficient institutional reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss recent trends in agricultural productivity in Africa and highlight how technological progress in agriculture has stagnated on the continent. We briefly review the literature that tries to explain this stagnation through the lens of particular constraints to technology adoption. Ultimately, none of these constraints alone can explain these trends. New research highlights pervasive heterogeneity in the gross and net returns to agricultural technologies across Africa. We argue that this heterogeneity makes the adoption process more challenging, limits the scope of many innovations, and contributes to the stagnation in technology use. We conclude with directions for policy and what we feel are still important, unanswered research questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluates the papers on agricultural productivity in Africa submitted by Savadago et al., Jayne et al. and S. Block.

Crop models are essential tools for assessing the impact of climate change on national or regional agricultural production. Starting from meteorology, soil and crop management, fertilization and irrigation practices, they predict the yield of specific crop varieties. For long term assessments, climate models are the source of primary information. To make climate model results usable in a specific time frame context, bias adjustment (BA) is required. In fact, climate models tend to deviate from day-to-day values of the physical parameters while conserving the climate variability signal. BA brings the climatic signal to the actual values observed in a specific location and period, and to be representative of a specific period in absolute terms. BA techniques come in different flavours. The broadest categorization is univariate and multivariate methods. Multivariate methods adjust the variables considering possible cross-correlations while univariate methods treat the variables one by one without accounting for possible dependence on one another. The hypothesis tested in this paper is that since crop models require as input climate variables that are in most of the cases cross-correlated, the multi-variate bias adjustment of the latter is likely to improve performance compared to univariate bias adjusted climate model results. To verify this hypothesis, 14 BA methods were applied to 9 variables from 8 climate models at 21 locations across Europe and Northern Africa for a period of 5 years. Twelve crop models, from the AgMIP Wheat community, were run using the climate model results. All crop models, except one, were restarted at every growing season. The crop models were also run using the AgMERRA re-analysis. The latter were used as reference to compare the results when using the other climate models treated with the various sets of bias-adjustment methods. The results show that multivariate BA treatment should be preferred to univariate ones. The error obtained by comparing crop simulation obtained with AgMERRA with those obtained with multivariate bias-adjusted climate prediction is systematically lower. The error reduction varies as a function of the variable, the location, the crop model, and the climate model though the tendency is for smaller errors when multivariate methods are used to treat the latter. The results are attributed to the nature of crop models and the fact that multivariate methods consider more adequately the correlation existing between the meteorological variables. The study shows the importance of considering the nature of a model and the selection of input data that best suited to the former. In this case the improvements produced when using multivariate data appears to be significant especially in the light of the variety of crop models used and the similar response obtained and it is therefore recommended. [Display omitted] • The impact of climate data multivariate bias-adjustment methods versus univariate on crop model results was estimated. • Crop model results improved when input data was treated using multivariate methods compared to univariate methods. • Multivariate methods maintain the variables correlation as required by crop models. • This result is attributed to the parameterized nature of the participating crop-model formulations. • Climate, bias adjustment and the crop modelling communities joined efforts in this unprecedented collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper surveys the main relations between adjustment policy and agricultural performance during the 1980s with special focus on African countries. Firstly it shows why adjustment may favour agricultural development. Then it considers why the implementation of the main policy measures may not lead to the expected results. Special attention is given to the exchange rate policy (strong currency depreciation is often associated with a decline in real producer prices), trade liberalization (and the conditions of an efficient producer price stabilization) and fiscal policy (decreasing fiscal deficit has different consequences on the agricultural sector depending on the tax increases and expenditure cuts). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the extent and adapting to the impacts of climate change in the agriculture sector in Africa requires robust data on which technical and policy decisions can be based. However, there are no publicly available comprehensive data of which crops are suitable where under current and projected climate conditions for impact assessments and targeted adaptation planning. We developed a dataset on crop suitability of 23 major food crops (eight cereals, six legumes & pulses, six root & tuber crops, and three in banana-related family) for rainfed agriculture in Africa in terms of area and produced quantity. This dataset is based on the EcoCrop model parameterized with temperature, precipitation and soil data and is available for the historical period and until mid-century. The scenarios used for future projections are SSP1:RCP2.6, SSP3:RCP7.0 and SSP5:RCP8.5. The dataset provides a quantitative assessment of the impacts of climate change on crop production potential and can enable applications and linkages of crop impact studies to other socioeconomic aspects, thereby facilitating more comprehensive understanding of climate change impacts and assessment of options for building resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainable intensification of African agriculture is gaining momentum with the compelling need to increase food and agricultural production. In Southern Africa, smallholder farming systems are predominately maize-based and subject to erratic climatic conditions. Farmer crop and soil management decisions are influenced by a plethora of complex factors such as market access resource availability, social relations, environment, and various messages on sustainable farming practices. Such factors pose barriers to increasing sustainable intensification in Africa. This paper characterizes smallholder farming practices in Central Malawi, at Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation (Africa RISING) project sites. We present findings from a survey of 324 farmers, located within four Africa RISING sites selected in a stratified random manner to represent (1) low agricultural potential (high evapotranspiration, variable rainfall), (2) medium agricultural potential (two sites), and (3) high agricultural potential (well-distributed rainfall). Soil fertility was low overall, and certain farming practices appeared to limit the sustainability of agricultural production. Nearly half of farmers did not value legume residues as a high nutrient value resource for soil amelioration, as legume residues were removed (17.9%) or burned (21.4%). Conversely, maize residues were rarely removed (4.5%) or burned (10.4%). We found that farmers do not allocate soil amendment resources to legume fields (zero instances of mineral fertilizer or manure application to legumes compared to 88 and 22% of maize systems, respectively). Policy makers in Malawi have led initiatives to intensify agricultural systems through subsidizing farmer access to mineral fertilizer as well as maize hybrid seed, and only rarely to improved legume seed. In this survey, farmers allocate mineral fertilizer to maize systems and not legume systems. There is urgent need to invest in education on sustainable reinvestment in natural resources through complementary practices, such as maximization of biological nitrogen fixation through improved legume agronomy and better organic resource and crop residue management. Recent efforts by Malawi agricultural services to promote doubled-up legumes as a sustainable intensification technology are encouraging, but benefits will not accrue unless equal attention is given to an extension campaign on management of organic resources such as crop residues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to decompose total factor productivity (TFP) changes of the agriculture sector in ten African countries.Design/methodology/approach A fixed-effects estimation is applied to estimate the translog production function.Findings The study results are consistent with previous studies, indicating low TFP. Furthermore, of the TFP components, only technical change (TC) is positive. This study proposes that credit be made available to farmers in Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Furthermore, agricultural development programs should be implemented in South Africa and Senegal to improve TFP in these countries.Originality/value This study measures the following TFP components for the African agriculture sector: TC, technical efficiency, and scale effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural production in sub-Saharan Africa has, in recent times, remained lower than the rest of the world. Many attribute this to factors inherent to Africa and its people, such as climate, soil quality, slavery and disease. This article traces the role of agriculture through history and argues that these are not the main reasons. Before the arrival of European traders, complex agricultural systems existed, which supported food security, manufacturing and trade. External interference manipulated these systems in pursuit of export crops. Independence has not fundamentally changed this; resource and wealth extraction continue to inhibit economic development for Africans in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability of smallholder farmers to utilise seasonal climate forecast (SCF) information in farm planning to reflect anticipated climate is a precursor to improved farm management. However, the integration of SCF by smallholder farmers into farm planning has been poor, partly because of the lack of forecast skill, lack of communication and inability to see the relevance of the SCFs for specific farming decisions. The relevance of seasonal climate forecasting in farming decisions can be enhanced through improved understanding of SCF from the smallholder farmers’ perspective. Studies that have been done of how smallholder farmers understand SCF and how the available SCFs influence smallholder farmers’ decisions are limited. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to review how smallholder farmers make decisions on farming practices based on SCFs and the challenges and opportunities thereof. The review shows that the majority of smallholder farmers in Africa make use of either scientific or indigenous knowledge climate forecasts and, in some cases, a combination of both. There are mixed results in the area of evaluating benefits of SCFs in decision-making and farm production. In some cases, the outcomes are positive, whereas in others they are difficult to quantify. Thus, the integration of SCFs into smallholder farmers’ decision-making is still a challenge. We recommend that significant work must be done to improve climate forecasts in terms of format, and spatial and temporal context in order for them to be more useful in influencing decision-making by smallholder farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the papers on agricultural productivity in Africa submitted by Savadago et al., Jayne et al. and S. Block.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the argument linking land registration to agricultural investment and to provide theoretical reasons as to why this linkage may not materialise in Africa within the short to medium term. Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes the form of a critical review of the relevant literature on land registration, access to credit and agricultural investment; arguments are built on empirical studies found in the literature and theoretical concepts. Findings – It has been established in this paper that the links between landed property registration and agricultural investments are made defective in Africa by factors such as poverty, lack of appropriate agro-based infrastructure and the fact that land registration per se does not improve the profitability of agriculture, neither does it improve access to credit. Research limitations/implications – The fact that this paper is based on literature review may be seen as a weakness to some extent. Originality/value – Even though previous researchers have looked at the relationship between landed property registration and agricultural investment in the developing world, they fall short of critically explaining why land registration has been found not to enhance agricultural investment. This paper fills the gap through a combination of various theoretical and practical arguments which could call for a rethinking on the policies for promoting agricultural growth. The rigorous theoretical argument may also provide the basis for further empirical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Cash transfers increase farm production by 33.5 percent. • None of these impacts are channelled through transfer-induced changes in farm labour. • In fact, cash transfers have no significant impact on family labour supply or on demand for hired labour. • This implies that the productive impacts of cash transfers flow through other channels, different from the labour one. Abstract This paper has the double aim to study whether unconditional cash transfers have an impact on farm production and to look into the causal mechanisms through which government transfers produce productive impacts. We use mediation analysis to identify the total effect of transfers on farm production and to isolate the influence of the labour channel from other transmission channels. In particular, we analyze whether changes in farm production are caused by transfer-induced changes in the use of farm labour – either by reallocating family labour between off- and on-farm work or by changes in the demand for hired labour – or if other transmission channels are at work. We find that cash transfers have a sizable impact on farm production but they do not lead to increased use of family or hired labour on the farm, which implies that the productive impacts of cash transfers flow through other channels, different from the labour one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Like many other African countries in the early 1990s, Burkina Faso was urged to engage in a far-reaching liberalization of its state-led cotton sector. Instead it engaged in more gradual and sequenced reforms characterized by institutional innovations and partial privatization. But while the reforms coincided with a threefold increase in cotton exports in the space of a decade, there is heated debate about whether the reforms truly induced sustainable growth. In addition to reviewing existing evidence, this paper develops a counterfactual analysis to more rigorously assess the reform’s impacts after accounting for the confounding influence of exogenous shocks and centrally administered farmgate prices. The paper shows that while many elements of the reform process did achieve important economic objectives, return migration from Côte d’Ivoire explains around a third of production growth, financial elements of the reforms were not fully sustainable, and institutional arrangements failed to fully empower cotton farmers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]