IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ags/aaea03/22236.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Potential Impacts Of The Proposed West African Monetary Zone On Cowpea Trade In West And Central Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Langyintuo, Augustine S.
  • Lowenberg-DeBoer, James
  • Arndt, Channing

Abstract

Member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are expected to form a West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) by 2004 whereby member countries would use a common currency in an attempt to promote regional integration. Evidence suggests that reduction in transaction cost as a result of a decrease or complete elimination of non-tariff barriers (NTBs) and a decrease in real interest rates in response to elimination of exchange rate differentials positively influence trade. The objective of this study is to quantify the effects of (a) a 7% real interest rate on capital and (b) zero NTBs within ECOWAS countries on cowpea trade in West and Central Africa in order to provide a measure of the potential impacts of a common monetary policy. The study applied a spatial and temporal price equilibrium (SPE) formulated as a four-period mixed complementary programming (MCP) in GAMS and solved using GAMS/PATH solver focusing on cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) trade in the Nigerian Cowpea Grainshed (NCG) comprising Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo in ECOWAS, and Cameroon, Chad, and Gabon in Central African Economic and Monetary Cooperation (CAEMC) using 1999/2000 as base marketing year. The results showed that if WAMZ results in reduced real interest rates within ECOWAS, the larger of the two monetary unions, consumers in the relatively larger coastal economies and producers in the smaller Sahelian economies would benefit while all others lose. However, net social welfare would increase by 0.19% over the base case of US$6.3 billion. Removing NTBs among countries in the larger trading bloc may alter the pattern of cowpea flows with total trade volume increasing by 3%, but inter-bloc trade decreases by about 8%. The net total regional social welfare would increase by 0.14%, or US$15 million, benefiting only consumers in importing countries and producers in exporting countries. The results emphasize the importance of specialization based on regional comparative advantage, but also draw attention to the need to devise ways to ensure acceptable welfare distribution among producers and consumers in line with policy objectives of the individual countries within the proposed WAMZ. Finally, this paper contributes to the literature on the application of spatial and temporal models incorporating both ad valorem tariffs and differential interest rates in developing economies.

Suggested Citation

  • Langyintuo, Augustine S. & Lowenberg-DeBoer, James & Arndt, Channing, 2003. "Potential Impacts Of The Proposed West African Monetary Zone On Cowpea Trade In West And Central Africa," 2003 Annual meeting, July 27-30, Montreal, Canada 22236, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:aaea03:22236
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.22236
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/22236/files/sp03la03.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.22004/ag.econ.22236?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chaudhuri, Sarbajit & Gupta, Manash Ranjan, 1996. "Delayed formal credit, bribing and the informal credit market in agriculture: A theoretical analysis," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(2), pages 433-449, December.
    2. Arndt, Channing & Schiller, Rico & Tarp, Finn, 2001. "Grain transport and rural credit in Mozambique: solving the space-time problem," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 25(1), pages 59-70, June.
    3. Chakrabarty, Debajyoti & Chaudhuri, Ananish, 2001. "Formal and informal sector credit institutions and interlinkage," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 313-325, November.
    4. Rutherford, Thomas F., 1995. "Extension of GAMS for complementarity problems arising in applied economic analysis," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 19(8), pages 1299-1324, November.
    5. Andrew K. Rose, 1999. "One Money, One Market: Estimating the Effect of Common Currencies on Trade," NBER Working Papers 7432, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Hanink, Dean M & Owusu, J Henry, 1998. "Has ECOWAS Promoted Trade among Its Members?," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 7(3), pages 363-383, October.
    7. Evers, Hans-Dieter & Mehmet, Ozay, 1994. "The management of risk: Informal trade in Indonesia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 1-9, January.
    8. Jeffrey Frankel & Andrew Rose, 2002. "An Estimate of the Effect of Common Currencies on Trade and Income," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 117(2), pages 437-466.
    9. Honohan, Patrick & Lane, Philip R., "undated". "Will the Euro Trigger More Monetary Unions in Africa?," WIDER Working Papers 295503, United Nations University, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    10. Nicholas Minot & Francesco Goletti, 1998. "Export Liberalization and Household Welfare: The Case of Rice in Vietnam," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 80(4), pages 738-749.
    11. Kochar, Anjini, 1997. "An empirical investigation of rationing constraints in rural credit markets in India," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(2), pages 339-371, August.
    12. International Monetary Fund, 2001. "West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU): Recent Economic Developments and Regional Policy Issues in 2000," IMF Staff Country Reports 2001/193, International Monetary Fund.
    13. Basu, Santonu, 1997. "Why institutional credit agencies are reluctant to lend to the rural poor: A theoretical analysis of the Indian rural credit market," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 267-280, February.
    14. Matthew Warning & Elisabeth Sadoulet, 1998. "The performance of village intermediaries in rural credit delivery under changing penalty regimes: Evidence from Senegal," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(1), pages 115-138.
    15. Yang, Chin W & Page, Walter P, 1993. "Sensitivity Analysis of Tax Incidence in a Spatial Equilibrium Model," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 27(3), pages 241-257, September.
    16. Torsten Persson, 2001. "Currency unions and trade: how large is the treatment effect?," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 16(33), pages 434-448.
    17. Martin Benirschka & James K. Binkley, 1995. "Optimal Storage and Marketing Over Space and Time," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 77(3), pages 512-524.
    18. Patrick T. Harker, 1986. "Alternative Models of Spatial Competition," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 34(3), pages 410-425, June.
    19. Andrew K. Rose, 2000. "One money, one market: the effect of common currencies on trade," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 15(30), pages 08-45.
    20. Walter C. Labys & Chin W. Yang, 1997. "Spatial Price Equilibrium As A Foundation To Unified Spatial Commodity Modeling," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 76(2), pages 199-228, April.
    21. Bose, Pinaki, 1998. "Formal-informal sector interaction in rural credit markets," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 265-280, 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. Langyintuo, Augustine S., 2010. "Grain Distribution in Ghana under Imperfectly Competitive Market Conditions," 2010 AAAE Third Conference/AEASA 48th Conference, September 19-23, 2010, Cape Town, South Africa 96166, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).
    2. Akibode, Comlanvi Sitou, 2011. "Trends in the Production, Trade, and Consumption of Food-Legume Crops in Sub-Saharan Africa," Graduate Research Master's Degree Plan B Papers 114247, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    3. Kushwaha, Saket & Musa, A.S. & Lowenberg-DeBoer, James & Fulton, Joan R., 2004. "Consumer Acceptance Of Gmo Cowpeas In Sub-Sahara Africa," 2004 Annual meeting, August 1-4, Denver, CO 20216, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    4. Ibro, Germaine & Fulton, Joan R. & Lowenberg-DeBoer, James, 2006. "Factors Affecting Success for Women Entrepreneurs in West Africa: The Case of Kosai, a Value Added Cowpea Product," 2006 Annual meeting, July 23-26, Long Beach, CA 21160, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).

    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. Zsolt Darvas & György Szapáry, 2008. "Business Cycle Synchronization in the Enlarged EU," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 1-19, February.
    2. Arturo Bris & Yrjö Koskinen & Mattias Nilsson, 2009. "The Euro and Corporate Valuations," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 22(8), pages 3171-3209, August.
    3. Jeffrey Frankel, 2010. "The Estimated Trade Effects of the Euro: Why Are They Below Those from Historical Monetary Unions among Smaller Countries?," NBER Chapters, in: Europe and the Euro, pages 169-212, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. David Parsley Shang-Jin Wei, 2002. "Currency Arrangements And Goods Market Integration: A Price Based Approach," International Finance 0211004, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. María Santana-Gallego & Francisco J. Ledesma-Rodríguez & Jorge V. Pérez-Rodríguez, 2007. "On the impact of exchange rate regimes on tourism," Working Papers 07-07, Asociación Española de Economía y Finanzas Internacionales.
    6. Christopher M. Meissner, 2003. "Exchange-Rate Regimes and International Trade: Evidence from the Classical Gold Standard Era," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 93(1), pages 344-353, March.
    7. Sebastian Edwards & I. Igal Magendzo, 2003. "Dollarization and economic performance: What do we really know?," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 8(4), pages 351-363.
    8. James Yetman, 2007. "Currency Unions, Trade Flows And Capital Flows," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(2), pages 189-204, May.
    9. Frankel, Jeffrey, 2008. "The Estimated Effects of the Euro on Trade: Why Are They Below Historical Effects of Monetary Unions Among Smaller Countries?," Working Paper Series rwp08-076, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
    10. Daras, Tomasz & Hagemejer, Jan, 2008. "The long run-effects of the Poland's accession to the eurozone. Simulation using POLDYN - a dynamic computable general equilibrium model," MPRA Paper 15760, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. David C. Parsley & Shang-Jin Wei, 2004. "A Price Based Approach To Estimate The Effects Of Monetary Arrangements On Trade Integration," Development Working Papers 185, Centro Studi Luca d'Agliano, University of Milano.
    12. Baldwin, Richard E., 2006. "The euro's trade effects," Working Paper Series 594, European Central Bank.
    13. Sebastian Edwards & I. Igal Magendzo, 2003. "Dollarization and economic performance: What do we really know?," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 8(4), pages 351-363.
    14. Ms. Giorgia Albertin, 2008. "Trade Effects of Currency Unions: Do Economic Dissimilarities Matter?," IMF Working Papers 2008/249, International Monetary Fund.
    15. Jong-Wha Lee & Kwanho Shin, 2010. "Exchange Rate Regimes and Economic Linkages," International Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(1), pages 1-23.
    16. Andrew K. Rose & T. D. Stanley, 2005. "A Meta‐Analysis of the Effect of Common Currencies on International Trade," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(3), pages 347-365, July.
    17. Michael Artis, 2008. "What do we now know about currency unions?," Macroeconomics and Finance in Emerging Market Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 1(1), pages 13-29.
    18. Bergin, Paul R. & Lin, Ching-Yi, 2012. "The dynamic effects of a currency union on trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(2), pages 191-204.
    19. Arndt, Channing & Schiller, Rico & Tarp, Finn, 2001. "Grain transport and rural credit in Mozambique: solving the space-time problem," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 25(1), pages 59-70, June.
    20. Levy Yeyati, Eduardo & Sturzenegger, Federico & Reggio, Iliana, 2010. "On the endogeneity of exchange rate regimes," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(5), pages 659-677, July.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    International Relations/Trade;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:ags:aaea03:22236. 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: AgEcon Search (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/aaeaaea.html .

    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.