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on Agricultural Economics |
| By: | Ulimwengu, John M.; Gbossa, Nadine |
| Abstract: | This policy brief combines the results of a food system mapping exercise with an analysis of financial flows into Niger’s food system from 2019 to 2022 to inform policymaking for food system transformation. The food system mapping reveals several critical points of failure, from low agricultural productivity and inefficient supply chains to poor nutritional outcomes and environmental degradation. Analysis of domestic and international financial flows to the food system reveals that climate adaptation and nutrition are underfunded areas. Understanding these weaknesses can help policymakers and development partners take a more coordinated and strategic approach to addressing the challenges facing Niger’s food system and can inform more effective resource allocation, ensuring that resources support long-term food security and sustainability. |
| Keywords: | targeting; food systems; cartography; agricultural production; nutrition; economic policies; Niger; Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Western Africa |
| Date: | 2024–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:pacewp:159745 |
| By: | Benimana, Gilberthe Uwera; Warner, James; Mugabo, Serge |
| Abstract: | This paper explores the broad spectrum of commercial engagement by Rwandan farmers by grouping farmers according to characteristics of the head of household, the degree of commercialization of their farms, size of livestock holdings and other factors. We use statistical methodologies, including factor and cluster analysis, combined with existing knowledge of the agricultural sector to define five types of Rwandan farmers, separated into two broad groups. The first group (Group A) includes three types broadly classified as less wealthy, less commercialized, with a net negative gross margin. Within this group the three types of farmers include: Type 1—Less commercialized older male headed households with larger families, Type 2—Better educated, youth headed households, who are more market oriented but have smaller land holdings, Type 3—Older female headed households who produce relatively lower agricultural production value relative to their assets owned. The second group (Group B) comprises two types of farmers. This group are wealthier, sell more crops with positive gross margins and larger landholdings. More specifically, farm type 4 is commercialized with higher access to agricultural extension services and inputs and farm type 5, also highly commercialized, but has significant livestock holdings as well. Taken together, these two groups, and five farm types, provide a framework to aid in understanding how commercialization takes place in smallholder Rwandan agriculture. This framework may also help in understanding how potential interventions would be received by various types of Rwanda farmers, thereby facilitating more efficient targeting of agricultural interventions. |
| Keywords: | commercialization; farmers; livestock; farm size; agricultural production; agricultural extension systems; typology; Rwanda; Africa; Eastern Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Date: | 2024–05–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:poshad:141717 |
| By: | Warner, James; Benimana, Gilberthe Uwera; Mugabo, Serge; Ingabire, Chantal |
| Abstract: | In this paper, we explore the current levels and participation of crop commercialization by Rwandan smallholder farmers. Our basic unit of analysis is total crop sales divided by the total value of crop production, either at the household or specific crop level. Overall, our findings suggest that approximately 80 percent of farmers participate in crop market sales and sell an average of 33 percent of their total production. However, there is a wide variety of percentage sales by crop and, in general, higher-valued crops are sold by more commercialized farm households. We also find that value of crop production per hectare rises with greater commercialization, suggesting that developing greater market commercialization, particularly with more valuable crops, may increase household incomes and aid in the economic transformation. |
| Keywords: | agriculture; income; surpluses; food crops; cash crops; food security; markets; commercialization; Rwanda; Africa; Eastern Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Date: | 2024–05–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:poshad:141718 |
| By: | Mugabo, Serge; Warner, James |
| Abstract: | This paper explores crop commercialization among smallholder agricultural households in Rwanda from a cost and revenue perspective to determine profitability at the farm level. We use standard revenue and cost equations to assess the commercial viability of the smallholders. In general, we find that a household’s total crop production creates positive returns even if implicit costs, such as own family labor and fertilizer subsidies, are included. Specifically, over 80 percent of our sample households generated positive economic returns from farming— referred to as demonstrating a positive gross economic margin (GEM). However, if only crop market sales and market input costs are used in the calculations, only 40 percent of agricultural households generated positive returns—referred to as demonstrating a positive gross marketing margin (GMM). Most of the explanation for this difference is that the typical farm household sells only about one-third of its crop production by value. This outcome suggests that many agricultural households continue to focus on cultivating food crops for their own consumption and do not specialize in commercial production. This is to be expected in an economic context where input, credit, and commodity markets are still developing, production decisions are still shaped by high levels of weather and market risk, and production risk management options are limited, among many other factors. The results of this research provide a better understanding of how Rwandan smallholders might move towards higher value production, with the ultimate goal being to increase household revenues and welfare and accelerate the country’s economic transformation. |
| Keywords: | crops; commercialization; smallholders; agriculture; profitability; Rwanda; Africa; Eastern Africa |
| Date: | 2024–06–24 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:poshad:148697 |
| By: | Kirui, Oliver K.; Siddig, Khalid; Fisher, Monica; Abushama, Hala; Ahmed, Mosab O. M.; Raouf, Mariam; Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum |
| Abstract: | Sudan's food security landscape has been dramatically impacted by the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which began in April 2023. The conflict has exacerbated an already precarious situation for the country, characterized by macroeconomic instability, climate shocks, and persistent discord and tension. This policy note analyzes the evolution of food insecurity in Sudan during the conflict, drawing from analysis of four nationwide surveys conducted before and during the conflict, namely the 2022 Sudan Labor Market Panel Survey (SLMPS), 1 the 2023/24 Sudan Rural Household Survey, 2 the 2024 Sudan Urban Survey, 3 and the recently completed 2024 Rural Household Survey. The findings highlight significant deterioration in food security across rural and urban areas of Sudan. Based on insights from these surveys, policy recommendations are offered to address food insecurity in the context of the conflict in Sudan. Before the outbreak of the conflict in 2023, Sudan was already facing significant food insecurity challenges. The 2022 SLMPS, a nationwide survey conducted in person, revealed that approximately 49 percent of Sudanese households were food secure. Factors such as high inflation, climate-related shocks, and underinvestment in agriculture have led to many households facing problems accessing sufficient healthy food, adversely affecting their food consumption. The reliance of Sudan on imports for a significant share of food consumption, coupled with a devaluating Sudanese Pound and rising inflation, strained household purchasing power, further limiting access to essential foodstuffs. Food insecurity was uneven across the country. Rural areas, where consumption of own agricultural production is essential for household food security, had higher food insecurity than urban areas. Some regions were particularly vulnerable to food insecurity, including the Darfur and Kordofan regions and Blue Nile states. Localized conflicts in these areas disrupted agricultural activities and displaced communities even before broader-scale fighting between SAF and RSF began. |
| Keywords: | capacity development; conflicts; food insecurity; macroeconomics; policy innovation; Sudan; Africa; Northern Africa |
| Date: | 2024–12–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:prnote:163106 |
| By: | Alfadul, Hanan; Siddig, Khalid; Ahmed, Mosab O. M.; Abushama, Hala; Kirui, Oliver K. |
| Abstract: | Livestock in Sudan plays a crucial role in the national economy, particularly in alleviating poverty and enhancing food security. Despite its significance, the last comprehensive livestock census for the country was conducted in 1975, resulting in now outdated and often unreliable data. Recent estimates by USAID indicate that Sudan ranks among the top three African countries in terms of livestock numbers, with an estimated 105.6 million animals. The livestock population in Sudan is predominantly composed of camels, goats, sheep, and cattle. The spatial distribution of livestock is variable and influenced by local factors such as feed resources, land use, and ecological conditions. The Greater Kordofan and Greater Darfur regions have the largest livestock numbers. However, discrepancies between official statistics and field data show the need for updated and accurate livestock data. The livestock sector provides 40 percent of employment and 34 percent of Sudan’s agricultural gross domestic product (GDP). The livestock sector is a vital source of foreign exchange for the Sudanese economy through exports of livestock and livestock products. Besides its economic contributions, the livestock sector provides essential food products, including meat, eggs, and milk, and draught power for agricultural operations and transportation, particularly in rural areas. However, relative to irrigated agriculture, the sector faces challenges due to underinvestment and minimal government attention. |
| Keywords: | livestock; poverty; food security; exports; employment; animal products; Sudan; Northern Africa; Africa |
| Date: | 2024–08–14 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:resain:151697 |
| By: | Elia Moretti; Michel Loreau; Michael Benzaquen |
| Abstract: | The intensification of European agriculture, characterized by increasing farm sizes, landscape simplification and reliance on synthetic pesticides, remains a key driver of biodiversity decline. While many studies have investigated this phenomenon, they often focus on isolated elements, resulting in a lack of holistic understanding and leaving policymakers and farmers with unclear priorities. This study addresses this gap by developing a spatially explicit ecological economic model designed to dissect the complex interplay between landscape structure and pesticide application, and their combined effects on natural enemy populations and farmers' economic returns. In particular, the model investigates how these relationships are modulated by farm size (a crucial aspect frequently overlooked in prior research). By calibrating on the European agricultural sector, we explore the ecological and economic consequences of various policy scenarios. We show that the effectiveness of ecological restoration strategies is strongly contingent upon farm size. Small to medium-sized farms can experience economic benefits from reduced pesticide use when coupled with hedgerow restoration, owing to enhanced natural pest control. In contrast, large farms encounter challenges in achieving comparable economic gains due to inherent landscape characteristics. This highlights the need to account for farm size in agri-environmental policies in order to promote biodiversity conservation and agricultural sustainability. |
| Date: | 2025–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2505.17687 |
| By: | Joseph, Josiah; Hayoge, Glen; Sikas-Iha, Helmtrude; Dorosh, Paul A.; Schmidt, Emily; Kedir Jemal, Mekamu |
| Abstract: | Sweet potato plays an important role in the food system of Papua New Guinea (PNG), accounting for over 12 percent of total calories consumed in the country (IFPRI, 2023). Three-quarters of sweet potato production takes place in the highlands where it is harvested throughout the year (Chang et al., 2013). However, the production and consumption of sweet potatoes in PNG faces several challenges, including climate change, pests and diseases, and market access constraints. In particular, a significant decline in sweet potato production due to an El Niño-related drought in early 2024 is a realistic possibility. This memo describes analysis using a partial equilibrium model to estimate the potential effects of a shortfall in sweet potato production on market prices and consumption, including consumption levels for various types of households in the highlands and other parts of PNG. We also discuss policy options for mitigating negative effects on household welfare. |
| Keywords: | sweet potatoes; food systems; calories; agricultural production; market prices; consumption; household food security; El Niño; drought; Papua New Guinea; Melanesia; Asia |
| Date: | 2024–03–14 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:pacerp:140447 |
| By: | Galanis, Elizabeth; Clayton, Helena; Burton, Michael; Vocino, Andrea; Malerba, Martino E |
| Abstract: | Enhanced farm dams—managed to limit livestock access and restore vegetation—offer significant environmental benefits, including improved water quality, increased biodiversity, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. However, the uptake of these practices remains low, largely due to high upfront costs and the absence of incentive mechanisms to reward the delivery of public goods. This study uses a double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation survey to estimate livestock farmers’ willingness to accept (WTA) payments for farm dam enhancement under a hypothetical incentive program aligned with Australia’s carbon credit market. Based on responses from 356 cattle farmers in Victoria and New South Wales, 80% of participants were willing to participate in a scheme for some level of payment, with a mean WTA of AUD $1, 370 per dam per year. Willingness to participate was higher among farmers facing dam management challenges, motivated by environmental stewardship, and operating smaller farms. Carbon credit revenues from methane abatement under typical conditions (AUD $128-$324 per dam per year) are insufficient to meet the average WTA. Strategies to increase financial feasibility include bundling farm dam enhancements within whole-of-farm carbon methodologies, reducing transaction costs through aggregation, and providing complementary public subsidies (e.g., biodiversity credits). These approaches and efforts to build trust and reduce perceived risks will be critical to scaling farm dam restoration through environmental markets. |
| Date: | 2025–05–20 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:osfxxx:jf5hx_v1 |
| By: | Schmidt, Emily; Yadav, Shweta |
| Abstract: | From May to December 2023, IFPRI implemented the 2023 PNG Rural Household Survey which was designed to understand rural livelihoods and welfare across different areas of PNG (Schmidt et al., 2024). Given the rural nature of the survey sample, almost all surveyed households depend on their own-farm production (predominantly starchy roots and tubers) to meet daily caloric needs. On average, households reported utilizing about 1.6 hectares of land for agriculture cultivation at the time of the survey. The survey collected a detailed account of the quantity of food types consumed by the household in order to estimate the average caloric intake per adult equivalent. Comparing the estimated caloric intake reported by surveyed households, with a recommended calorie intake suggests that only 45 per cent of individuals in surveyed households meet the recommended daily caloric intake for a lightly active individual. The survey also collected anthropometry data for children under five years of age and found that 36 percent of surveyed children were stunted in their growth. The 2023 Rural Household Survey represents an important effort in collecting a wide breadth of information about rural livelihoods. However, greater investments of in-depth data collection and analysis should be undertaken to examine specific components of PNG household livelihood strategies. |
| Keywords: | rural population; livelihoods; welfare; agricultural production; food; anthropometry; stunting; Papua New Guinea; Melanesia; Oceania |
| Date: | 2024–07–29 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:pacerp:149341 |
| By: | Takeshima, Hiroyuki; Benimana, Gilberthe Uwera; Spielman, David J.; Warner, James |
| Abstract: | This paper summarizes general demand- and supply-side issues for agricultural mechanization based on recent studies that focus on experiences and evidence from both Africa and Asia. The paper pro vides typologies of agricultural mechanization in Rwanda along with policy options within the context of its current mechanization support strategies. Provincial variations in agroecology and cropping systems, irrigated/rainfed systems, farm size, and labor use intensity, among other factors, characterize the key types of mechanization use in Rwanda. Support for mechanization in Rwanda can be broadly tailored to (a) irrigated medium-scale farmers in the Eastern province and Kigali; (b) rainfed medium-scale farmers in the Eastern and Southern provinces; (c) rainfed, small-scale highland farmers in the Northern province; and (d) irrigated small-scale farmers in the Western province. Recent experiences in other countries with rugged terrain and smallholder farming systems similar to Rwanda suggest that significant growth in the use of tractors is possible in the medium term among smallholders cultivating rainfed maize and legumes, in addition to irrigated rice. However, farm wages may still be too low in Rwanda and tractor-hiring fees may still be too high to induce a shift to mechanization in the short term. Therefore, it may be advisable for policy support for mechanization to focus on improving the understanding of mechanization needs among each type of farmers identified, knowledge of suitable machines, and required skills for their operations and maintenance. Such efforts should also balance the need to develop competitive markets and supply networks for promising machines, parts, and repair services at a viable and integrated market scale. |
| Keywords: | supply balance; agricultural mechanization; irrigation; farm size; smallholders; tractors; income; Rwanda; Africa |
| Date: | 2024–04–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:poshad:141685 |
| By: | Srijuntrapun, Patranit; Ket-um, Pattama; Attavanich, Witsanu |
| Abstract: | The escalating food waste crisis, with millions of tons of food being discarded annually, highlights the pressing necessity to improve household food waste management practices. This complex and multifaceted challenge is a crucial element of a comprehensive national strategy for reducing food waste. This article seeks to examine the diverse demographic and social factors that shape household food waste management practices in Thailand. A substantial national dataset (n = 2, 500) was meticulously gathered through questionnaires, using multi-stage sampling and multiple regression analysis to reveal critical insights. This study reveals that educational attainment (β = 0.299), household size (β = 0.201), and monthly income (β = 0.058) are positively associated with effective household food waste management practices. Notably, the type of housing, such as single houses over 200 square meters (β = .058**) and condominiums/apartments (β = .063**), significantly influence food waste management behaviors. However, townhouses (β = -.074***) are negatively associated with improved food waste management practices. The research also identifies key barriers to effective food waste prevention, including the lack of organizational guidance (29.4%), the perception that waste reduction does not save costs (26.1%), and uncertainty about where to donate surplus food (25.2%). Additional challenges of managing food scraps include the uncertainty about options for donation or sale of food scraps (43.3%) and the limited knowledge of composting or bio-fermentation methods (30.2%). In conclusion, this study provides essential insights for policymakers, ractitioners, and researchers by identifying key demographic, knowledge-based, and behavioral factors that shape household food waste management. The study’s findings underscore the need for targeted educational initiatives and infrastructure enhancements. Policymakers can leverage these insights to develop policies that support public-private partnerships and improve waste management infrastructure. Practitioners can apply this knowledge to implement more effective waste segregation strategies, while researchers are encouraged to explore socio-economic factors influencing food waste at a national scale, thereby addressing critical research gaps. This comprehensive approach is vital for reducing household food waste and promoting sustainable waste management practices across diverse communities. |
| Keywords: | household food waste, socio-demographic drivers, food waste practices, waste hierarchy approach |
| JEL: | Q53 Q56 R2 |
| Date: | 2024–11–13 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:124924 |
| By: | Illescas, Nelson; McNamara, Brian; Piñeiro, Valeria; Rodriguez, Agustín Tejeda |
| Abstract: | Intraregional agrifood trade in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) offers untapped opportunities for expansion. Comparative advantages in food production as well as variation in consumption patterns create a high degree of complementarity across many LAC countries. Making use of this variation to expand trade within the region could improve access to, availability, and diversity of food, as well as ensure more stable food supplies. Stable supplies are particularly important for food security given the likelihood of continued shocks, such as conflicts, epidemics, economic crises, and extreme weather events. Although trade between countries in the region plays an important role as a source of imports, more than 60 percent of LAC’s food purchases come from extraregional suppliers. However, the shares of intra- and extraregional imports vary by subregion. About 60 percent of South American food imports come from regional suppliers, but only 20 percent of Mexican and Central American imports come from LAC suppliers. In the Caribbean, the share of regional suppliers in food imports has increased over the past five years but is currently only 29 percent (UN Statistics Division, UN Comtrade 2022). Most intraregional trade takes place within subregions, meaning that trade between countries from different LAC subregions is less common and thus presents the greatest opportunities for expansion. In this analysis of trade opportunities and challenges, the authors show there is potential to expand intraregional agrifood trade in major products such as corn, soybeans, soybean meal, wheat, poultry meat, milk, and concentrated cream. Facilitating intraregional trade and establishing new trade relations between LAC countries (the extensive margin of trade) where complementarities have been identified would provide opportunities for growth in the agrifood sec tors of these countries, make LAC food systems more resilient to supply shocks, and reduce food insecurity by ensuring efficient and reliable food supplies for consumers. However, despite progress in recent years, a number of factors — including high tariff rates, nontariff measures, origin requirements, government procurement rules, government support, and high transportation costs — continue to hamper the expansion of intraregional trade. This analysis focuses exclusively on intraregional trade; it does not examine opportunities for trade with partners outside the LAC region or compare opportunities for intra regional trade to extraregional trade. While such analysis could be valuable for informing trade policy, one of our primary objectives is to encourage stronger linkages between the economies of LAC countries regardless of trade opportunities outside the region. This goal reflects the expectation that improving these linkages among neighboring countries will have positive spillovers in the form of improved resilience to shocks, stronger political cohesion, and broader cooperation across these economies. \To accurately contextualize this analysis, it is necessary to highlight the diversity of food systems within LAC. While “LAC” is a standard regional classification and our analysis includes all LAC countries, the agrifood sectors, and especially agrifood trade, in the various LAC subregions face diverse challenges and opportunities. For example, these challenges and opportunities differ markedly between the Caribbean island countries and the larger Latin American countries, most notably Brazil and Argentina. These distinctions should inform the interpretation and implementation of our findings. |
| Keywords: | trade; food production; consumption; food security; Latin America and the Caribbean |
| Date: | 2024–03–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:pacewp:139797 |
| By: | Van Campenhout, Bjorn; Nabwire, Leocardia; Kramer, Berber; Trachtman, Carly; Abate, Gashaw T. |
| Abstract: | Semi-subsistence farmers in developing countries often play dual roles as both consumers and producers of the same crops. Consequently, decisions regarding crop selection are influenced by a com bination of household consumption needs and market-oriented considerations. In this policy note, we summarize findings from a field experiment suggesting that integrating con sumption-oriented traits such as taste, color, and ease of cooking alongside production advantages is crucial for driving demand for improved crop varieties. The field experiment consists of two interventions designed to enhance the adoption of improved maize seed varieties among smallholder farmers in eastern Uganda. The first intervention involves providing farmers with free seed sample packs to plant and directly experience the production related benefits, such as higher yield potential and drought resistance. The second intervention consists of organizing cooking demonstrations and blind tasting sessions to compare maize from improved variety with local varieties, focusing on consumption traits like palatability, texture, and ease of cooking. We find that the seed sample packs significantly enhance farmers' perceptions of the seed's production traits, while the cooking demonstrations improve appreciation for its consumption traits. We also find that the cooking demonstration and tasting session increased the use of fresh Bazooka seed, with some indications that this also led to higher maize productivity. On the other hand, farmers who received the sample packs are more likely to reuse/recycle the grain harvested from the sample pack as seed in the subsequent season, essentially crowding out the demand for fresh/purchased seed. We argue that this may be a rational response in the context of positive transaction costs related to the use of improved seed varieties |
| Keywords: | consumer behaviour; crops; varieties; seeds; farmers; cooking; maize; Uganda; Africa; Eastern Africa |
| Date: | 2024–12–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:pacewp:168659 |
| By: | Schmidt, Emily; Mugabo, Serge; Rosenbach, Gracie |
| Abstract: | The Government of Rwanda continues to work to accelerate structural transformation to expand and diversify the country’s economy. High rural population density and small agricultural landholdings are driving workers from agricultural households to seek employment outside of farming. Using representative data on agricultural production and employment for rural households in Rwanda from 2022, this research evaluates the opportunities rural households have to diversify their labor portfolios. We find that, rather than nonfarm household enterprises developing to meet greater rural service and goods demand, agriculture wage labor is the dominant source of off-own-farm employment. However, such informal agricultural wage labor is seen as low-productivity work and is among the lowest paid. Among nonfarm employment options, nonfarm businesses generate less income than nonagricultural wage labor, likely reflecting high barriers to entrepreneurship and low demand for off-farm services in rural areas. In contrast to employment profiles from other low-income countries, we find that the probability of a worker from an agricultural household in Rwanda engaging in rural, off-farm wage labor decreases as household welfare increases. Agricultural households that have workers seeking to hire out their labor tend to have the smallest landholdings, while households that hire in labor have the largest landholdings. Additionally, households with a higher share of members who completed primary education are less likely to hire out their labor, especially for agriculture wage work. These results suggest that programs that offer support services to agricultural households, such as financial services and affordable and relevant education, may be important in incentivizing these households to engage in entrepreneurship and form their own businesses or to seek wage employment in more remunerative sectors than agriculture. |
| Keywords: | agricultural production; economic aspects; employment; welfare; education; land ownership; Rwanda; Africa; Eastern Africa |
| Date: | 2024–06–18 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:poshad:145326 |
| By: | Marivoet, Wim |
| Abstract: | This research report aims to identify major food supply implications and potential entry points for a more efficient, nutritious, sustainable, and equitable transformation of Senegal’s food system. Inspecting key indicators from the FSD, Senegal’s food system is indeed failing to provide healthy diets to the population in an inclusive and sustainable manner. For example, total food supplies are estimated to be energy insufficient (below 2, 500 kilocalories (kcal) per capita per day in 2013), lacking diversity (especially in terms of fruit and pulses, with supplies of only 53 and 15 grams (g) per capita per day in 2019, respectively), and potentially threatening soil biodiversity. Therefore, it is unsurprising to observe that 46 percent of the population in 2020 was unable to afford a healthy diet and 49 percent was moderately or severely food insecure. This is also reflected in the poor performance of dietary indicators for infants and children, as well as the high anemia prevalence in women. For data: Senegal PAPA household survey (2017/18), see: ("https://www.papa.gouv.sn") |
| Keywords: | food systems; healthy diets; income; urbanization; Senegal; Africa; Western Africa |
| Date: | 2024–04–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:poshdn:140728 |
| By: | Arua, Stanley; Gondo, Robert; Kinau, Adrian; Kotto, Aaron; Dorosh, Paul A.; Schmidt, Emily; Tian, Junyan |
| Abstract: | Coffee is one of Papua New Guinea’s leading agricultural export in value terms, accounting for 156 million USD of export earnings in 2021 (FAOSTAT, 2023), 13 percent of agricultural export revenues and 1.4 percent of total export revenues. The coffee industry is a major source of income for some 2.5 million people, mainly in farm households, and is cultivated in 17 out of 22 provinces (ACIAR, 2021). Coffee exports and incomes are threatened, however, by a number of supply side factors such as ageing coffee trees, outbreaks of coffee berry borer, poor production practices and challenges in reaching markets (i.e. transport and post-harvest handling), as well as by demand-side fluctuations in the world price of coffee (World Bank, 2022; Dorum et al., 2023). This research note first presents an overview of PNG’s coffee sector, including a discussion of production trends and structure of the coffee value chain. We then utilize a simple partial equilibrium model of coffee supply and demand, along with data on coffee production and household consumption from the PNG Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) of 2009/10, FAOSTAT and the World Bank, to simulate the impacts of potential production and price shocks on the coffee industry in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Finally, we present an analysis of price movements in recent years and the potential costs and benefits of a price stabilization policy for coffee producers. |
| Keywords: | coffee; agriculture; income; households; Papua New Guinea; Oceania |
| Date: | 2024–03–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:pacerp:140479 |
| By: | Delgado, Luciana; Niyonsingiza, Josue; Bachewe, Fantu Nisrane |
| Abstract: | At the global level, awareness about the significance of food loss and waste has grown significantly over the past decade. The international community has taken the matter to hand as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and has committed to “halve the per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer level and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses” by 2030. |
| Keywords: | beans; capacity development; surveys; value chains; Rwanda; Africa; Eastern Africa |
| Date: | 2024–09–06 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:poshdn:152031 |
| By: | Isabelle Tsakok |
| Abstract: | Africa has strong prospects for achieving food security within a generation— provided its leadership effectively mobilizes domestic and foreign funds, drives strategic investments, and strengthens institutions that incentivize smallholders and other stakeholders to invest in resilient, high-productivity agriculture amid accelerating climate change. This is undoubtedly a tall order. However, the time is now to seize the golden opportunity of regional market integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a catalyst for sustainable and inclusive agricultural transformation. Such a transformation can create powerful linkages across the economy, thereby fostering job-generating growth, particularly for youth, women and other marginalized groups. African leadership stands at a crossroads: harness the continent’s vast potential—including its human capital—or continue with business as usual, risking a devastating human toll. While the challenges are substantial, successful experiences of market integration elsewhere suggest that transforming agriculture and agrifood remains a “low hanging fruit.” |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ocp:rpaagr:pp_10-25 |
| By: | Restrepo, Brandon J. |
| Abstract: | Packaged food labels provide consumers with nutrition information they can use to identify and purchase foods that support a healthy eating pattern. In line with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) role in developing and promoting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, this report uses National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data to examine the potential dietary benefits associated with the use of packaged food labels and whether differences exist among U.S. consumers in label use. Nationally representative data on adults aged 18 and older from NHANES were used to quantify the associations between regular use of the Nutrition Facts label when buying packaged foods and dietary intakes and identify the consumer characteristics that predict regular use of the Nutrition Facts label. The results indicate that daily intakes of calories, fats, saturated fats, alcohol, sugars, and sodium are significantly lower among adults who regularly use the Nutrition Facts label. Despite these potential dietary benefits, large disparities exist in the regular use of packaged food label information by sex, race and ethnicity, education, income, and geographic area. Notably, regular use of information about calories, sodium, and sugars is significantly lower among men (versus women), non-Hispanic White consumers (versus Hispanic consumers of all races), adults with less educational attainment (versus those with higher educational attainment), lower income households (versus those with higher incomes), and residents of nonmetropolitan areas (versus residents of large metropolitan areas). |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Consumer/Household Economics, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Institutional and Behavioral Economics, Research Research Methods/Statistical Methods |
| Date: | 2025–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:uersrr:358740 |
| By: | Taisuke Takayama; Kota Mameno; Takeshi Fujie; Tetsuji Senda; Shota Mochizuki; Akira Hibiki; Masahiro Takano |
| Abstract: | Human–wildlife conflicts, specifically the damage caused to crops and livestock, pose a significant challenge that affects agriculture. Climate change has exacerbated this issue by altering the distribution and behavior of wildlife. This study examines how farmers respond to the increasing encroachment of Japanese wild boars on farmlands, using panel data at the farm level. The study exploits the expansion of wild boar habitats owing to reduced snow depth. The results show that the presence of wild boars leads to farm exits. In addition, we observe a negative effect on farm size. These effects are driven by an increase in abandoned farmland and a decrease in rented-in farmland. The findings suggest that human‒wildlife conflicts hinder structural changes in agriculture. |
| Date: | 2025–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:toh:tupdaa:72 |
| By: | Yan Bai; Elena M. Martinez; Mizuki Yamanaka; Marko Rissanen; Anna Herforth; William A. Masters |
| Abstract: | About 2.8 billion people worldwide cannot afford the least expensive foods required for a healthy diet. Since 2020, the Cost and Affordability of a Healthy Diet (CoAHD) has been published for all countries by FAO and the World Bank and is widely used to guide social protection, agricultural, and public health and nutrition policies. Here, we measure how healthy diets could be obtained with the lowest possible greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in ways that could further inform food choice and policy decisions toward sustainability goals. We find that the lowest possible GHG emissions for a healthy diet in 2021 would emit 0.67 kg CO2e (SD=0.10) and cost USD 6.95 (SD=1.86) per day, while each country's lowest-priced items would emit 1.65 kg CO2e (SD=0.56) and cost USD 3.68 (SD=0.75). Healthy diets with foods in proportions actually consumed in each country would emit 2.44 kg CO2e (SD=1.27) and cost USD 9.96 (SD=4.92). Differences in emissions are driven by item selection within animal-source foods, and starchy staples to a lesser extent, with only minor differences in other food groups. Results show how changes in agricultural policy and food choice can most cost-effectively support healthier and more sustainable diets worldwide. |
| Date: | 2025–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2505.24457 |
| By: | Gimiseve, Harry; Miamba, Nelson; Na'ata, Bartholomew; Dorosh, Paul A.; Schmidt, Emily; Yadav, Shweta |
| Abstract: | In 2023, Papua New Guinea introduced a partial ban on poultry imports from Australia and Asian countries (representing about 70 percent of total PNG poultry imports) in response to the biosecurity threat posed by Avian Influenza (bird flu). Such a restriction on supply has the potential to lead to sharp price increases, steep reductions in household consumption and greater food insecurity. This memo presents an overview of PNG’s poultry sector and describes an analysis of the ef fects of these trade restrictions on poultry prices, production and consumption using a partial equilibrium model of PNG’s poultry sector. This new analysis builds on earlier work (Dorosh and Schmidt, 2023) that explored the implications of a total ban on poultry imports, by simulating the impacts of a partial poultry ban, including the effects on various household groups within PNG. |
| Keywords: | poultry; imports; biosecurity; avian influenza; supply; prices; household consumption; food security; trade; Papua New Guinea; Asia; Melanesia |
| Date: | 2024–03–14 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:pacerp:140446 |
| By: | Aragie, Emerta A.; Niyonsingiza, Josue; Thurlow, James; Warner, James; Xu, Valencia Wenqian |
| Abstract: | The study systematically ranks investment options in the agrifood system based on their cost-effectiveness across multiple development outcomes. Investments in SME processors and traders and livestock extension are the most cost-effective for promoting agrifood GDP growth and employment. SMEs and livestock services together with seed systems and credit access contribute positively to social outcomes (poverty, undernourishment, and diet). The analysis finds a trade-off between economic gains and environmental outcomes— higher GDP effects often come with greater environmental costs. The Rwandan case demonstrates a slight shift in the relative cost-effectiveness of investments when accounting for historical climatic risks. The study emphasizes the need for data-driven investment planning, climate-aware policies, and balancing short-term gains with long-term sustainability objectives. |
| Keywords: | sustainable development; agrifood systems; investment; agricultural extension; Rwanda; Africa; Eastern Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Date: | 2025–05–16 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:polbrf:174709 |
| By: | Menon, Purnima; Resnick, Danielle; Zorbas, Christina; Martin, Will; Vos, Rob; Jones, Eleanor; Suri, Shoba; Iruhiriye, Elyse; Headey, Derek D.; Arndt, Channing; Fritschel, Heidi |
| Abstract: | Since the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, heads of state and ministers at global convenings have repeatedly expressed commitments in support of achieving SDG2 — Zero Hunger — by 2030. Yet progress toward SDG2 has stalled, owing to economic slowdowns, unforeseen crises, geopolitical conflict, and lackluster investment in agricultural productivity and open trade. Where have commitments to SDG2 fallen short? While SDG2 calls for ending global hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition by 2030, this brief predominantly focuses on progress and commitments related to hunger and food insecurity. Drawing on the results of two recent studies, the policy brief (1) discusses trends and setbacks toward reducing hunger and food insecurity, (2) analyzes progress on the “means of implementation, ” or mix of finances, technology, and policy choices, to address SDG2, (3) assesses 107 commitment statements in support of SDG2 made at 68 global meetings since 2015, and (4) explores how to improve accountability in the commitment-making process to accelerate progress toward Zero Hunger. |
| Keywords: | food security; food policies; hunger; governance; nutrition |
| Date: | 2024–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:pacewp:149046 |
| By: | Ahmed, Mosab O. M.; Kirui, Oliver K.; Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum; Raouf, Mariam; Abushama, Hala; Siddig, Khalid |
| Abstract: | This study examines the impact in Sudan of conflict on employment and incomes and the effect of remittances and assistance received by a household on its food insecurity and food consumption. The analyses use data from the 2022 Sudan Labor Market Panel Survey (SLMPS), the 2023 Sudan Rural Household Survey (SRHS), and the 2024 Sudan Urban Household Survey (SUHS). Conflict is found to significantly increase the likelihood of employment and income loss, particularly among female-headed and displaced households. Receipt of remittances does not have a significant effect on the food security or food consumption of a household. In contrast, whether a household receives assistance is associated with higher food insecurity and lower food consumption, likely reflecting the targeting of assistance programs toward vulnerable households. However, due to the cross sectional nature of the data, causal relationships cannot be established. The results highlight the need for targeted interventions to support the food security and welfare of households affected by the current conflict in Sudan, particularly through efforts to stabilize employment and incomes. |
| Keywords: | conflicts; employment; income; remittances; food security; food consumption; Sudan; Africa; Northern Africa |
| Date: | 2024–12–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:resain:168417 |
| By: | Chowdhury, Reajul Alam; Alam, Md. Monjurul; Ali, Md. Rostom; Awal, Abdul; Hossain, Shahadat; Kalita, Prasanta Kumar; Saha, Chayan Kumer; Winter-Nelson, Alex |
| Abstract: | Unprecedented growth in rice production in Bangladesh over the last four decades has outpaced the capacity of post-harvest operations, resulting in substantial grain losses. While production technology has changed dramatically over time, there has been relatively little private investment in transforming storage capacity in the country. This paper explores the lack of widespread private investment in improved grain storage and examines the potential for public support to stimulate greater private sector investment in modern storage. We calculate the returns to investment in bulk grain silos and hermetic cocoons that could upgrade warehouse storage, and calculate the grain loss that conversion to those technologies would prevent. We then assess the public support that would be required to trigger private investment in modern storage systems. Our analysis shows that storage in jute bags in warehouses or homes outperforms the modern technologies in terms of financial returns at observed prices. Our analysis further shows that given the observed price changes during the harvest and post-harvest periods from 2008 to 2018, cocoon and silo storage as well as conventional warehouse storage were unprofitable in most years and on average overall. Although seasonal variation in market prices for paddy is sometimes pronounced, the pattern of the variation is not sufficiently large or consistent to make paddy storage reliably profitable. Conventional warehouse storage implied an average loss of BDT 2, 877/MT/season over the 20 seasons considered. Use of modern storage methods would have implied average losses of BDT 3, 200/MT/season to BDT 4, 950/MT/season, depending on technology used. These results imply that a public sector co-investment on the order of BDT 300/MT would be required to trigger a shift from conventional to modern storage by traders or millers. This shift would imply a reduction in grain loss of 30kg to 80kg per MT stored for a public cost of BDT 3.75 to BDT 10.00 per kilogram of loss avoided. To make it profitable for intermediaries to provide commercial storage services to farmers who currently store on-farm would require a much larger co-investment of about BDT 3, 200/MT stored, implying BDT 40 to BDT 106 per kilogram of loss avoided. Removal of import tariffs on storage technologies or realization of a price premium for silo-stored or hermetically stored grain could be sufficient to encourage millers to adopt modern storage, but would be inadequate to trigger increased off-farm storage as an independent activity. There is anecdotal evidence of a price premium for paddy that has been stored using improved technology. Existence of such a premium could significantly reduce public support needed to trigger private investment in improved storage. |
| Keywords: | crop production; food storage; investment; rice; Bangladesh; Asia; Southern Asia |
| Date: | 2024–07–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifpmcc:149118 |
| By: | Kleemann, Linda; Semrau, Finn Ole |
| Abstract: | Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can reduce information asymmetries and thereby promote rural development for smallholder farmers in developing countries. Despite rising adoption rates of ICTs, many smallholders remain information constraint. Using panel data from 12, 456 smallholder households across 12 developing countries, we analyze the role of social ties in determining ICT adoption and access to agricultural extension services. We find that weak social ties significantly reduce ICT adoption and access to agricultural advice, increasing information inequality. Moreover, ICT adoption, strong social ties and extension services positively correlate with agricultural productivity. Our findings highlight that ICTs, while transformative, may reinforce existing inequalities by marginalizing already disadvantaged smallholders. |
| Keywords: | ICT4D, Digital divide, Social ties, Extension services, Agricultural rural development |
| JEL: | O1 O3 Q19 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:ifwkie:318202 |
| By: | Davis, Kristin E.; Rosenbach, Gracie; Spielman, David J.; Makhija, Simrin; Mwangi, Lucy |
| Abstract: | Effective agricultural extension and advisory services are a key component of efforts to achieve sustainable agricultural production, resilient livelihoods, and inclusive economic growth. These are all necessary elements for accelerating Rwanda’s agricultural transformation. Both extension and information and communication technologies (ICT) are important elements in Rwanda’s Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation. This paper examines the capacities of public and private agricultural extension agents in Rwanda and their readiness to use ICT in their work—that is, to be digitally equipped—and provides recommendations for enhancing agricultural extension capacities through expanding and effectively using ICT. To examine capacities and readiness, we use a representative survey of 500 public and private extension agents in Rwanda, augmented by qualitative data from a literature review and key informant interviews. To assess agents’ ‘digital readiness, ’ we create two indices focused on their digital experiences and attitudes toward digital modernization. |
| Keywords: | agricultural extension; sustainability; agricultural production; livelihoods; Information and Communication Technologies; Rwanda; Africa; Eastern Africa |
| Date: | 2024–06–18 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:poshad:145325 |
| By: | Mustafa, Shoumi; Ali, A. M. M. Shawkat; Islam, Kazi Nurul; Dorosh, Paul A.; Rashid, Shahidur; Shaima, Nabila Afrin |
| Abstract: | This study conducts an assessment of the current mandates, performance, and capacity gaps of the Directorate General of Food (DG Food) and suggests remedies to strengthen the agency. Formed originally as the Supply Department in undivided Bengal under British rule in the early 1940s, the organization was named the Directorate General of Food by the provincial government of East Pakistan in 1956. Upon the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, DG Food became a part of the Ministry of Food and Civil Supplies and was later renamed as the Directorate General of Food in 1975. The last major reorganization of the agency took place in 1984. The current mandates and organogram are from 1984. As the custodian of the Public Food Distribution System (PFDS), DG Food plays an important role for the Government of Bangladesh (GoB). Under the Social Safety Net Programs (SSNP) of the GoB, DG Food ensures food security for vulnerable populations. In its sprawling countrywide network of 650-plus traditional warehouses, DG Food has an effective storage capacity of 1.9 million tons. In recent years, DG Food has procured and distributed approximately 3.0 million tons of foodgrains per year. A very large organization, DG Food has a sanctioned workforce of over 13, 000 officers and employees, and an annual budget of approximately 1.5 billion U.S. dollars. |
| Keywords: | capacity assessment; food security; rice; wheat; Bangladesh; Asia; Southern Asia |
| Date: | 2024–07–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifpmcc:149092 |
| By: | Rashid, Shahidur; Mustafa, Shoumi; Kabir, Razin; Shaima, Nabila Afrin |
| Abstract: | This report has been prepared as one of the deliverables of the Bangladesh Integrated Food Policy Research Program (BIFPRP) implemented by the Ministry of Food, Government of Bangladesh under a World Investment for Modernizing Food Storages Facilities in the country. The key arguments and recommendations drawn up for the report are based on both quantitative and qualitative data. Food and agricultural policies have historically played a crucial role in triggering growth in many developing countries. While there were debates, public procurement and distribution of food are widely accepted as a “second best” solutions for countries characterized by markets and institutional failures. However, Bangladesh has done remarkably well in adjusting to changing realities and the country is now widely recognized for its agricultural policy reforms. But there is still room for further improvement and efficiency gains for which two broad sets of recommendation can be considered: 1) Pricing and procurement targets - Pricing in Bangladesh continues to be based on the average cost of production but with the application of satellite imageries, app-based small area estimation, the procurement price estimates can be improved substantially. Also, the current procurement target determination formula misses out on some key aspects of production, marketing, and macroeconomic parameters. The quota for each upazila is based on total production and milling capacities but it also needs to consider the net surplus to calculate how much could be procured in each Upazilas. 2) Alternative procurement modalities a) The report recommends changing this modality to Delivered to Destination Warehouse (DDW) through the open tendering method and undertaking pilots and learning from experiences to enhance efficiency can be important. b) Linking smallholders to markets through product aggregation has received renewed attention globally. Available data suggests that Bangladesh’s public procurement has thus far not managed to effectively integrate small farmers to its procurement system. To scale up nationally, we believe that more innovation in technology and a new institutional set up will be necessary. c) Implementing Delivered Duty Paid Modality on a pilot basis where the seller assumes all responsibilities and costs for delivering the goods to the named place of destination. d) Piloting Deficiency Payment Method as an effective method to provide both income and price to farmers of a wide range of agricultural commodities. Two key instruments of implementing this method would be Marketing Assistance Loan (MAL) and the Loan Deficiency Payment (LDP), which are tools available to the farmers. A recent report by the NITI Aayog of India also makes a strong case for this procurement modality and we also argue in favor of undertaking this pilot. |
| Keywords: | price policies; agricultural production; markets; supply balance; smallholders; Bangladesh; Southern Asia |
| Date: | 2024–07–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifpmcc:149087 |
| By: | Dorosh, Paul A.; Mustafa, Shoumi; Kabir, Razin; Shaima, Nabila Afrin |
| Abstract: | The “Foresight for Food Markets: Developing and Implementing Market Forecasting Methods/Models with Hands-on Training at the FPMU” is an element of Integrated Food Policy Research Program (IFPRP). Originally signed in 2016 between the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) and the Joint Venture (JV) comprising the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the Bangladesh Institute of the Development Studies (BIDS), and the University of Illinois, IFPRP was extended and modified in subsequent periods. The most recent updated contract between the GoB and the JV was signed in mid-2022. Deliverable 4.3, Foresight for Food Markets: Developing and Implementing Market Forecasting Methods/Models with Hands-on Training at the FPMU is one of the new deliverables included in the updated contract. Rising prices of essential commodities affect consumer welfare and pose a serious challenge to the Government of Bangladesh. Knowing prices of essentials in advance would allow the government to take necessary measures to restrain the extent of price increases or to mitigate effects of rising prices; such measures could include provisions of direct distributions of rice and wheat through social safety net programs or of subsidized open market sales on the one hand and engaging in direct imports of essentials or easing import restrictions for the private sector, on the other. Because price fluctuations are a feature of a free market, there is a persistent need for the government to be able to project consumer prices in advance. Accordingly, it is important that in addition to receiving estimates prepared by external experts, the government has the ability to obtain its own price projections; the government should have the estimates when it needs them and for commodities for which such information is needed. Against this backdrop, IFPRP is providing hands-on training on price projection techniques to officials from the Food Planning and Monitoring Unit (FPMU), the Directorate General of Food (DG Food), and the Ministry of Food (MoFood). It is envisioned that trained officials from the DG Food, the Ministry of Food, and mostly from the FPMU will produce price projection estimates on their own with IFPRP personnel helping a consultative capacity. |
| Keywords: | capacity development; food policies; forecasting; prices; Bangladesh; Asia; Southern Asia |
| Date: | 2024–07–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifpmcc:149088 |
| By: | Ioana Botea (World Bank); Markus Goldstein (Center for Global Development); Kenneth Houngbedji (DIAL, LEDa, CNRS, IRD, Universite Paris-Dauphine, Universite PSL); Florence Kondylis (World Bank); Michael O’Sullivan (World Bank); Harris Selod (World Bank) |
| Abstract: | In many parts of the world, women’s land rights remain informal, leaving widows—especially those without a male heir—at high risk of losing access to their land and homes when their husbands die. We study whether large-scale land formalization programs can improve widows’ tenure security, using data from a randomized controlled trial in rural Benin. Four years after the intervention, widows in villages with land formalization were significantly more likely to remain in their homes, with the strongest effects among those without a male heir. We identify two key mechanisms: increased community recognition of women’s land rights and greater decision-making power over land resources. These findings highlight the potential of land formalization to strengthen women’s tenure security and promote their long-term economic stability in similar settings. |
| Keywords: | property rights, land administration, gender, widowhood, intra-household insurance |
| JEL: | D23 I31 J12 J16 O17 |
| Date: | 2025–05–22 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cgd:wpaper:718 |
| By: | Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.; ElDidi, Hagar; Falk, Thomas; Sanil, Richu |
| Abstract: | Women’s decision-making in agriculture has received considerable research and policy attention in recent years. Decision-making is a key aspect of empowerment. For example, women’s input in productive decisions is a key indicator in the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI). Inclusion of women in decision-making can also help ensure that their knowledge and priorities are considered, which can lead to better agricultural outcomes and resource conditions. A cross-sectional study found that in Burkina Faso, India, Malawi, and Tanzania, households where women were more included in decision making on agricultural production produced more varied food-group crops with higher nutrient density. The question is how to strengthen women’s decision-making ability. A review of 12 agricultural development projects with explicit aims for women’s empowerment found that only 3 had a significant impact on women’s participation in agricultural and livelihood decision-making. An evidence scan on programmatic approaches to increasing women’s decision-making power found that the majority of such interventions focused on household- or community-level changes to social norms, technical training, or leadership, role models, and mentoring. The study notes the need for more contextualized studies of different programmatic approaches to increase women’s decision-making power and outcomes associated with the interventions. |
| Keywords: | experiential learning; women's participation; agriculture; women's empowerment; social norms; India; Asia |
| Date: | 2024–12–18 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:prnote:163731 |
| By: | Abushama, Hala; Kirui, Oliver K.; Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum; Siddig, Khalid; Mohamed, Shima A. H. |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the socioeconomic effects of conflict-induced migration in Sudan, focusing on the food security and access to healthcare of displaced households. Triggered by the civil conflict that started in April 2023, the recent widespread displacement of households has intensified vulnerabilities across the country. Using three datasets—the pre conflict 2022 Sudan Labor Market Panel Survey and two surveys conducted during the conflict, the 2023/24 Sudan Rural Household Survey and the 2024 Sudan Urban Household Survey—the research examines the impacts on household food security and healthcare access of migration driven by conflict. The study employs inverse probability weighting to estimate the causal impacts of migration, leveraging data from over 12, 000 households. The key impact indicators at the household level were the Food Insecurity Experience Scale score and, as a measure of healthcare access, any incidence of illness in the household. Analysis shows that migration induced by conflict exacerbates food insecurity, with over 90 percent of rural households and nearly 80 percent of urban households reporting moderate to severe food insecurity. Rural households face additional challenges as displacement disrupts agricultural livelihoods and access to markets. Migration also worsens healthcare access, particularly in rural areas where displaced households experience a higher likelihood of illness. For urban households, migration fails to alleviate their healthcare challenges due to the collapse of urban healthcare systems. The study calls for urgent policy interventions, including targeted food aid and mobile healthcare services. Restoring healthcare infrastructure, expanding social protection mechanisms, and fostering peacebuilding efforts are critical to mitigating future displacement and supporting socioeconomic recovery. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and humanitarian actors to address the immediate and long-term needs of displaced populations in Sudan. |
| Keywords: | conflicts; migration; food security; health; displacement; livelihoods; market access; Sudan; Africa; Northern Africa |
| Date: | 2024–12–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:resain:168432 |
| By: | Alam, Md. Monjurul; Kalita, Prasanta Kumar; Saha, Chayan Kumer; Sarkar, Surajit; Winter-Nelson, Alex |
| Abstract: | Grain drying has become increasingly challenging for the Bangladesh food system as postharvest innovations have not kept pace with production growth and an increasing volume of grain is harvested during wet or foggy periods, when conventional open-air drying is problematic. This activity sought to build capacity for mechanical dryer service provision by small-scale entrepreneurs and to demonstrate a model for providing mobile grain drying services through entrepreneurs using a locally manufactured small-scale dryer. In coordination with Ministry of Food officials, the project selected 20 farmers to train as mechanized drying service providers, provided them with use of small-scale mobile batch dryers, and deployed them in rural areas from which Local Supply Depots (LSDs) source grain. The service providers were active in Bogura and Rangpur Districts in late May 2023, during the closing phases of the Boro harvest season. The pilot revealed nuances of the costs of operation and indicated potential for viable business activities, especially in areas where open-air drying is relatively costly or inadequately available. Additionally, a scoping visit to Naogaon District revealed significant interest in mechanized drying services. The findings suggest a value to additional observation of the service providers to document capacity utilization over an Aman season and a full Boro season. Such observations would allow confirmation about parameters related to annual capacity utilization which are important determinants of business viability |
| Keywords: | grain; drying; food systems; postharvest technology; small enterprises; Bangladesh; Southern Asia |
| Date: | 2024–07–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifpmcc:149089 |
| By: | Iraoya, Augustine Okhale; Balana, Bedru; Thomas, Timothy S.; Ferguson, Nathaniel; Bryan, Elizabeth |
| Abstract: | This country brief supports GCAN's goal of integrating gender, climate resilience, and nutrition considerations into policy by providing policymakers, program officers, and researchers with an analysis of Nige ria’s current situation and policy objectives in these areas. A recent study from Andam et al. (2023) underscores the vital role of Nigeria’s agrifood system in the country's economy. In 2019, Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) stood at $469.3 billion, supported by a workforce of 66.8 million people (Andam et al. 2023). The agrifood sector made a substantial contribution, generating $175.3 billion in GDP and providing employment for 41.9 million individuals. This sector encompasses both primary agriculture and off-farm activities, including processing, trade, transport, food services, and input supply. Primary agriculture alone contributed $103.3 billion to GDP and employed 32.2 million people. Off-farm agrifood activities contributed approximately 40 percent of the agrifood GDP and 20 percent of agrifood employment (Andam et al. 2023). |
| Keywords: | gender; climate change; nutrition; resilience; agrifood systems; Nigeria; Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Western Africa |
| Date: | 2025–05–21 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:prnote:174789 |
| By: | Rida Lyammouri; Boglarka Bozsogi |
| Abstract: | Fluctuating precipitation and extreme weather are long-standing features of life in West Africa, the Sahel, and the Lake Chad Basin. Communities across the region have historically adapted to these unique climatic conditions in diverse ways. However, the growing impact of climate change, coupled with challenges to food security and ecological resilience, has elevated these issues on the agendas of regional and international policy platforms. Despite this recognition, the region faces significant capacity-building needs and a lack of vertical integration of sub-national actors in climate strategy—both of which are essential to unlocking the transformative economic potential of climate action. |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ocp:pbcoen:pb021_25 |
| By: | Kirui, Oliver K.; Ahmed, Mosab O. M.; Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum; Abushama, Hala; Siddig, Khalid |
| Abstract: | This paper describes the data collection methodology for the 2023 Sudan Rural Household Survey (SRHS), the first nationwide survey of rural households in Sudan following the eruption of violent conflict in April 2023. The SRHS, which was conducted by the International Food Policy Research Institute in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program and the World Food Program, represents a significant effort to understand the dynamics of rural households in Sudan during a period of profound national conflict. The survey focuses on several critical themes central to household welfare, including food security, coping strategies, employment and income, livelihoods, assets, market access, and exposure to shocks. Analysis of the survey data can provide comprehensive insights into the resilience of and challenges faced by rural communities in Sudan. Computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) methods were used to navigate the challenges of data collection in a conflict setting. The use of CATI demonstrated the adaptability and potential of innovative research methodologies in conflict-affected regions. The survey, the first round in a planned panel survey program, aims to establish a baseline of rural life, economic activities, and food security in Sudan. Panel survey data offers invaluable information to counter several analytical biases inherent to the conclusions drawn from other data structures. Subsequent rounds of the SRHS are planned for the second and fourth quarters of 2024. |
| Keywords: | capacity development; conflicts; food security; households; rural areas; surveys; telephone surveys; Sudan; Africa; Northern Africa |
| Date: | 2024–04–23 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:resain:141598 |
| By: | Rogna Marco (European Commission - JRC); Tillie Pascal (European Commission - JRC) |
| Abstract: | After two decades of substantial stagnation, with consequent complaints from producer countries, the international price of cocoa beans has suddenly started to dramatically rise, attracting interest on this commodity, that is a fundamental source of income for millions of smallholders around the world. The present paper offers a broad analysis of the cocoa sector, divided into two main components: an investigation of the cocoa market fundamentals and an assessment of the price transmission inside the cocoa value chain. Both analyses rely on a Vector Error Correction Model, with yearly data (1961-2022) for the evaluation of market fundamentals and monthly data (January 1996-July 2024) for the price transmission investigation. An analysis of structural breaks is conducted in both cases. While the yearly market analysis, that combines prices and quantities, does not present structural breaks except for the price of cocoa beans, all residuals and predicted cointegrated equations of the price transmission analysis show a structural break. |
| Date: | 2025–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ipt:eapoaf:202505 |
| By: | Bachewe, Fantu Nisrane; Mawia, Harriet; Niyonsingiza, Josue |
| Abstract: | Food systems are critically important for food security and employment in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Moreover, expansion of nonfarm components of food systems (FS) reinforces efforts to transition out of agriculture. FS, particularly off-farm segments of food value chains, must grow rapidly to guarantee food and nutrition security for growing populations and to provide the quantity and variety of food demanded as a result of increases in urbanization and income, as well as to accommodate accompanying technological and other changes. The impact, inevitability, and amenability to policy interventions of these factors and the extent of FS transformation needed differs across countries. Future FS also face several emerging challenges. Employment and job creation are among the areas that are significantly affected by FS transformation. Demographic changes that accompany expanding FS employment are also critical for gender equity and youth inclusion. The extent, speed, and complementarity of the FS transformation and increased employment varies across countries. However, there is currently no system in place to monitor the extent of FS transformation or its interactions with other aspects of the economy, such as employment. This study of Rwanda uses secondary data from the International Labour Organization (ILO) (2023), World Bank (2023), and Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV) (2023) to investigate demographic trends in overall FS employment and who is and is not engaging in FS; and to document sectoral and overall economic growth, population and demographic changes, and urbanization trends—all which influence and are influenced by FS growth. The study contributes to the literature by testing the predicted patterns of employment growth and inclusiveness in agrifood systems, and by pointing to the nodes of employment in FS where gender- and age-based inequities exist, thereby facilitating policymaking and interventions to ameliorate the problems. In addition, tracking performance in employment-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Rwanda contributes to our understanding of the progress made in SSA toward inclusiveness, efficiency, and poverty reduction, particularly progress that benefits women and the youth. Rwanda’s economy grew remarkably during the two decades covered in the study (2001–2022). Agriculture contributed significantly to gross domestic product (GDP) as well as to overall and FS employment. Per capita income more than doubled, although it still is about half the average GDP per capita of SSA. The population, threequarters of whom are under 35 years of age, increased by 70% during the period. There have been great strides in education, particularly for girls and women. However, urbanization has been slow, and half of the country’s urban residents live in the capital city. The unemployment rate in Rwanda has been twice the SSA average and has generally been increasing. More than half of the workers are employed in agriculture, although this share declined considerably during the period. Farming contributes significantly to FS employment. However, the share of overall FS employment declined during the period, due to a decline in farming employment accompanied by stagnant employment in non-farm FS. Relative to men, women’s overall labor force participation rate is considerably lower and their unemployment rate higher. A larger share of women work in low-skill jobs and this gap increased during the period; a relatively larger share of women are employed in FS, but a smaller share work in the nonfarm component of FS and this gender gap widened. Similarly, relative to mature adults, youth are less advantaged. The labor force participation rate of youth is considerably lower, and the rate of unemployment is higher and increasing relatively faster among youth. However, differences in FS employment among youth and mature adults were considerably lower and shown no clear trend. Findings of this study point to several short- and long-run policy implications. |
| Keywords: | data; employment; food systems; nutrition; youth; Rwanda; Africa; Eastern Africa |
| Date: | 2024–11–26 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:poshdn:162766 |
| By: | Allen IV, James |
| Abstract: | This report summarizes ongoing analysis of overlap between school and farming calendars in Madagascar in collaboration with the World Bank office in Madagascar. Following IFPRI Discussion Paper 2235 (Allen 2024), I develop a community-based measure of overlap as the number of days that the school calendar overlaps with crop calendars that weights the relevance of each crop by the community crop share and then aggregates across crops. A policy simulation of alternative school calendars identifies early January as the best time to start Madagascar's national school calendar (assuming the same structure as the actual school calendar) to avoid overlap with peak farming periods. Further, it finds additional gains can be made to reducing overlap by decentralizing school calendars to the local level and adopting each community's overlap-minimizing calendar. Next steps in 2025 include an empirical analysis that estimates the correlation between overlap and key education outcomes that simulates the potential gains of a locally decentralized overlap-minimizing school calendar. |
| Keywords: | crop calendar; farming systems; policies; schools; Madagascar; Africa; Eastern Africa; Southern Africa |
| Date: | 2024–12 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:prnote:163428 |
| By: | Mehta, Soumya Kapoor; Gupta, Neelanjana |
| Abstract: | This paper focuses on the social dimensions of both climate change adaptation and mitigation actions in India. On the adaptation side, it documents how people and communities are coping and adapting to climate change, and whether these strategies and their costs vary by socio-economic vulnerability. It narrows in on actions that communities are taking to advance their resilience in climate hotspots in India and makes the case for locally led climate action and devolved climate financing, with an emphasis on empowering women as resilient champions. On the mitigation side, the paper describes the ambitious steps that India has taken towards climate change mitigation, the potential impacts they may have on India’s people (both positive and adverse), and challenges and opportunities presented, to make the case for a socially inclusive transition to low carbon energy. The paper concludes by laying down policy recommendations for India to ensure a people centered approach. |
| Date: | 2025–06–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:202022 |
| By: | Menefee, Trey |
| Abstract: | This paper reconceptualizes the domestication of Oryza sativa through the lens of recursive enclosure and network-critical evolution, where feedback loops between fire management, human cognition, and plant adaptation crossed critical thresholds to establish novel evolutionary dynamics. Challenging hydraulic-state orthodoxy, I argue that domestication emerged not through discrete human control but via phase transitions within fire-maintained ecotones operating on 3-7 year cycles. Through archaeobotanical and genomic evidence, I demonstrate that upland swidden systems created recursive attractors - ecological and cognitive feedback loops in which rice and humans co-adapted through repeated burning (t), systematic return (t+1), and selective harvesting (t+2). Fire functioned simultaneously as ecological reset mechanism and prosthetic memory system, compressing successional cycles while entraining selection pressures across multiple plant generations. These early disturbance regimes structured not only rice biology but the cognitive infrastructure enabling subsequent agricultural intensification. I propose that domestication represents a distributed phase shift in socio-ecological networks - a recursive enclosure operating at the ashline where repetitive human-fire interactions established the conditions for coevolutionary change without requiring conscious breeding programs. |
| Date: | 2025–05–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:3jy4h_v1 |
| By: | Micu, Daniel Marian; Arghiroiu, Georgiana Armenița; Micu, Ștefan; Beciu, Silviu |
| Abstract: | This study aims to analyze the differentiation strategies developed by sectoral brands in the global wine industry and how these strategies interrelate. A sectoral brand is defined as having a distinctive brand name accompanied by a visual identity, with or without a slogan. Through an analysis of thirty-three sectoral brands developed by wine-producing countries, seven clusters of differentiation strategies and three clusters of differentiation attributes were identified, using quantitative and qualitative methods. The findings highlight the alignment between the differentiation strategies employed by sectoral brands and the underlying theoretical concepts, as well as overlaps between differentiation strategies and specific attributes. The results identify unrevealed opportunities for wine-producing countries that have not yet developed sectoral brands. This study’s main contribution consists of the application of a cluster analysis approach, which enabled the identification and interpretation of relationships among sectoral wine brands based on their differentiation strategies. Accordingly, the research addresses a notable gap in the existing literature by providing an integrative perspective on how sectoral brands differentiate within the world wine market. The practical implications of this study include offering valuable guidance to countries currently lacking sectoral wine brands and presenting a structured framework to effectively leverage unique national attributes. |
| Keywords: | global wine market; global wine industry; competitive advantage; differentiation; cost leadership; sectoral brand; differentiation strategies; differentiation attributes; cluster analysis |
| JEL: | R14 J01 L81 |
| Date: | 2025–06–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:128279 |
| By: | Jian, Wenze; Zhong, Ziqi |
| Abstract: | This study investigates how eco-positioning strategies influence consumers’ evaluations of fashion brands, their willingness to pay for eco-friendly fashion products, and their sustainable fashion consumption intentions. Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Value-Belief-Norm Theory, this study constructs an integrated analysis framework. Data were collected through a structured online experiment, wherein participants completed three randomized experimental modules, each testing a distinct dependent variable. Within each module, participants were independently assigned to different eco-positioning stimuli. The results indicate that eco-positioning significantly affects brand evaluation and purchase intention, with process-related eco-positioning having a stronger effect. High brand familiarity enhances the effectiveness of eco-positioning strategies. Strong eco-positioning remarkably increases consumers’ willingness to pay, with perceived environmental sustainability playing an important mediating role. Additionally, sustainable fashion consumption intention under eco-positioning advertising is markedly higher than that under other advertising conditions, with environmental concern and fashion involvement acting as key moderating factors. |
| Keywords: | fashion marketing; eco-positioning; consumer perception; sustainability |
| JEL: | L81 |
| Date: | 2025–05–21 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:128137 |
| By: | Vorbrugg, Alexander; Volosko, Myroslava; Tetiana, Grabovska; Miroshnyk, Nataliia; Polianska, Kateryna |
| Abstract: | Media play a central role in conveying what happens to land and ecosystems as they suffer war-induced disruptions when physical access is dangerous and restricted. We conducted a discourse analysis of Ukrainian media coverage on the destruction and recovery of landscapes and ecosystems since russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion. We found that, while much war-related academic debate focuses on questions of territory, questions of land are actively debated in Ukrainian media. Land is represented as a symbol of collective suffering and an archive of violence, but also a symbol of regenerative capacity and recovery. Land damage and recovery are related to various economic, environmental, social and health issues with implications for present and future generations. While environmental concerns risk being sidelined in the face of other urgent war-related issues, particularly their long-term implications, are emphasised as important. Beyond covering relatively obvious damages, media articles address underlying and complex issues of environmental degradation and recovery, which seems critical given the land-related challenges in Ukraine today. |
| Date: | 2025–05–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:da3nm_v1 |
| By: | Grafström, Jonas (The Ratio Institute); Karlson, Nils (The Ratio Institute) |
| Abstract: | Insider activism—where bureaucrats use discretionary power to advance own ideological goals—has significant implications for regulatory stability and property rights security. Using the Swedish forestry industry as a case study, the purpose of this study is to investigate if insider activism affects the Swedish forestry sector and how such possible regulatory uncertainty influences economic decision-making. Assembled survey data suggest that forest owners perceive regulatory enforcement as unpredictable, leading to defensive actions such as premature harvesting to preempt restrictive future regulations. To explain these patterns, we apply public choice theory and a game-theoretic approach, demonstrating how bureaucratic drift, regulatory ratcheting, and time-inconsistency problems contribute to persistent distortions in forestry policies. Policy wise, the findings emphasize the need for judicial review, regulatory impact assessments, and clearer legislative mandates to reduce enforcement uncertainty and improve institutional trust. This research advances discussions on bureaucratic incentives, regulatory capture, and legal certainty in environmental policy. |
| Keywords: | Insider Activism; Bureaucratic Influence; Bureaucratic Drift; Legal Uncertainty; Property Rights; Sustainable Development; Swedish Forest Industry; |
| JEL: | D73 D78 H77 H83 Q23 |
| Date: | 2025–06–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:ratioi:0383 |