IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/wdevel/v112y2018icp233-243.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Ex post evaluation of technology diffusion in the African palm oil sector: The Caltech expeller in Cameroon, Benin, and Liberia

Author

Listed:
  • Bishop, Catherine P.

Abstract

This study is a post-project evaluation of three development projects promoting the same technology but implemented at three different times and locations over a period of thirty years, from 1984 to 2014. The technology in question is a small, portable palm oil expeller invented in Cameroon in the 1980 s. The technology was designed to increase the productivity of small farmers and create employment opportunities by increasing local capacity for small-scale palm oil processing. The expeller was subsequently promoted in Benin and Liberia over a period of nearly two decades. This evaluation is based on archival research of institutional records, data from impact surveys of technology users in all three countries during the project periods, and field research in Liberia in 2011 and 2013. The study analyzes and evaluates the social, economic, and environmental impacts of the expeller over the long term, comparatively, across a broad geographic area. In terms of social and economic impacts, the technology consistently increased incomes for farmers and small enterprises. The use of the technology altered relationships of production, particularly with regard to the role of women in palm oil processing and their control over resources. Environmental impacts of the technology are geographically dispersed and include increased water usage and pollution. Ultimately the technology in question has also contributed to political impacts over time by exacerbating conflicts between small farmers, palm oil corporations, and governments. This study confirms that comparative, longitudinal evaluation research can reveal important dimensions of development impacts.

Suggested Citation

  • Bishop, Catherine P., 2018. "Ex post evaluation of technology diffusion in the African palm oil sector: The Caltech expeller in Cameroon, Benin, and Liberia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 233-243.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:112:y:2018:i:c:p:233-243
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2018.08.022
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X1830322X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.worlddev.2018.08.022?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hyman, Eric L., 1990. "An economic analysis of small-scale technologies for palm oil extraction in Central and West Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 18(3), pages 455-476, March.
    2. Feder, Gershon & Just, Richard E & Zilberman, David, 1985. "Adoption of Agricultural Innovations in Developing Countries: A Survey," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 33(2), pages 255-298, January.
    3. Herbert Rosen, 1977. "Technology transfer to developing nations," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 1(2), pages 93-104, September.
    4. Same Moukoudi, Teclaire & Geenen, Sara, 2015. "Discourses, fragmentation and coalitions: the case of Herakles Farms’ large-scale land deal in Cameroon," IOB Discussion Papers 2015.03, Universiteit Antwerpen, Institute of Development Policy (IOB).
    5. Anthony Bebbington, 2003. "Global networks and local developments: agendas for development geography," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 94(3), pages 297-309, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Abdul-Hamid, Asma-Qamaliah & Ali, Mohd Helmi & Osman, Lokhman Hakim & Tseng, Ming-Lang & Lim, Ming K., 2022. "Industry 4.0 quasi-effect between circular economy and sustainability: Palm oil industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 253(C).
    2. Simon Feeny & Gill Westhorp & Emma Williams, 2023. "Understanding sustainable outcomes in international development: Towards a realist evaluation framework," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(1), pages 21-42, January.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ouma, James Okuro & De Groote, Hugo & Owuor, George, 2006. "Determinants of Improved Maize Seed and Fertilizer Use in Kenya: Policy Implications," 2006 Annual Meeting, August 12-18, 2006, Queensland, Australia 25433, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    2. Alexander, Corinne E., 2002. "The Role Of Seed Company Supplied Information In Farmers' Decisions," 2002 Annual meeting, July 28-31, Long Beach, CA 19617, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    3. Mekonnen, Daniel Ayalew & Gerber, Nicolas & Matz, Julia Anna, 2018. "Gendered Social Networks, Agricultural Innovations, and Farm Productivity in Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 321-335.
    4. Langyintuo, Augustine S. & Mungoma, Catherine, 2008. "The effect of household wealth on the adoption of improved maize varieties in Zambia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 550-559, December.
    5. Cuong Le Van & Nguyen To The, 2019. "Farmers’ adoption of organic production," Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 33-59, February.
    6. Gedikoglu, Haluk & McCann, Laura M.J. & Artz, Georgeanne M., 2011. "Off-Farm Employment Effects on Adoption of Nutrient Management Practices," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association, vol. 40(2), pages 1-14, August.
    7. Vera Castillo, Y.B. & Pritchard, H.W. & Frija, A. & Chellattan Veettil, P. & Cuevas Sanchez, J.A. & Van Damme, P. & Van Huylenbroeck, G., 2014. "Production viability and farmers’ willingness to adopt Jatropha curcas L. as a biofuel source in traditional agroecosystems in Totonacapan, Mexico," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 42-49.
    8. Anjani Kumar & Ashok K. Mishra & Sunil Saroj & Vinay K. Sonkar & Ganesh Thapa & Pramod K. Joshi, 2020. "Food safety measures and food security of smallholder dairy farmers: Empirical evidence from Bihar, India," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(3), pages 363-384, June.
    9. Smale, Melinda & Assima, Amidou & Kergna, Alpha & Thériault, Veronique & Weltzien, Eva, 2016. "Farm Family Effects Of Improved Sorghum Varieties In Mali: A Multivalued Treatment Approach," Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy Research Papers 259076, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security (FSP).
    10. Michael J. Andrews, 2020. "Local Effects of Land Grant Colleges on Agricultural Innovation and Output," NBER Chapters, in: Economics of Research and Innovation in Agriculture, pages 139-175, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Ogada, Maurice Juma, 2012. "Forest Management Decentralization in Kenya: Effects on Household Farm Forestry Decisions in Kakamega," 2012 Conference, August 18-24, 2012, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil 126319, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    12. Kim, Seon-Ae & Westra, John V. & Gillespie, Jeffrey M., 2006. "Factors Influencing the Adoption of Russian Varroa-Resistant Honey Bees," 2006 Annual Meeting, February 5-8, 2006, Orlando, Florida 35311, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    13. Burton, Michael P. & Rigby, Dan & Young, Trevor, 2003. "Modelling the adoption of organic horticultural technology in the UK using Duration Analysis," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 47(1), pages 1-26, March.
    14. Ridier, Aude & Roussy, Caroline & Chaib, Karim, 2021. "Adoption of crop diversification by specialized grain farmers in south-western France: evidence from a choice-modelling experiment," Review of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Studies, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), vol. 102(1), April.
    15. Scherr, Sara J., 1995. "Economic factors in farmer adoption of agroforestry: Patterns observed in Western Kenya," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 23(5), pages 787-804, May.
    16. Marie-Estelle Binet & Lionel Richefort, 2011. "Diffusion of irrigation technologies: the role of mimicking behaviour and public incentives," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(1), pages 43-48.
    17. Assima, Amidou & Smale, Melinda & Kergna, Alpha, 2016. "Impacts of improved sorghum varieties on farm families in Mali: A Multivalued Treatment Effects approach," 2016 Fifth International Conference, September 23-26, 2016, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 246962, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).
    18. Terrance Hurley & Jawoo Koo & Kindie Tesfaye, 2018. "Weather risk: how does it change the yield benefits of nitrogen fertilizer and improved maize varieties in sub‐Saharan Africa?," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 49(6), pages 711-723, November.
    19. Wang, H. Holly & Young, Douglas L. & Camara, Oumou M., 2000. "The Role Of Environmental Education In Predicting Adoption Of Wind Erosion Control Practices," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 25(2), pages 1-12, December.
    20. Lilli Scheiterle & Regina Birner, 2018. "Assessment of Ghana’s Comparative Advantage in Maize Production and the Role of Fertilizers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-13, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:112:y:2018:i:c:p:233-243. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/worlddev .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.