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Cash Crop and Foodgrain Productivity in Senegal: Historical View, New Survey Evidence, and Policy Implications

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  • Kelly, Valerie A.
  • Diagana, Bocar N.
  • Reardon, Thomas
  • Gaye, Matar
  • Crawford, Eric W.

Abstract

Senegal has experienced a number of spurts in agricultural production and productivity growth since independence, yet average trends from 1960 through 1993 have been either stagnant (in terms of aggregate production and yields), or negative (in terms of real value of production). Although use of animal traction is ubiquitous, current crop production in the Peanut Basin must be characterized as low external input farming. Farmers are unanimous in their belief that the most important constraint to improving agricultural output is their inability to obtain desired quantities of peanut seed. Inadequate seed has led to lower peanut income and a diminished capacity to purchase productivity-enhancing inputs: aging animal traction equipment is not being replaced, fertilizer use has become virtually nonexistent, the organic matter being returned to the soil is far from adequate, and the use of certified seed is extremely rare, as is the use of chemical inputs to protect seed quality or fight pests. Family labor is under-utilized during slack periods, while wage laborers are rarely hired during peak periods. Two important objectives for the peanut sector are (1) to maintain peanut production at a level that keeps the processing industry running at capacity, and (2) to increase farmers' incomes. Farmers' inability to obtain desired quantities of peanut seed prevents attainment of both these objectives. Although the seed marketing system could be improved, farmers' inadequate cash reserves and poor access to credit are the principal bottlenecks; at present, there is more of a demand-side than a supply-side problem. Although the economic efficiency of current production practices varies by farm type and agroclimatic zone, two findings apply in almost all situations:(1) If farmers continue to cultivate without fertilizer, the primary means of increasing yields and profits will be to increase seeding rates beyond their current levels (which already exceed the rates recommended by extension services); and (2) The marginal value product of household labor is less than the prevailing wage rate, suggesting that more labor than necessary is being used during most of the cropping season.

Suggested Citation

  • Kelly, Valerie A. & Diagana, Bocar N. & Reardon, Thomas & Gaye, Matar & Crawford, Eric W., 1996. "Cash Crop and Foodgrain Productivity in Senegal: Historical View, New Survey Evidence, and Policy Implications," Food Security International Development Papers 54051, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
  • Handle: RePEc:ags:mididp:54051
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.54051
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    Cited by:

    1. Reardon, Thomas, 1997. "Using evidence of household income diversification to inform study of the rural nonfarm labor market in Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 735-747, May.
    2. Govereh, Jones & Jayne, Thomas S., 1999. "Effects of Cash Crop Production on Food Crop Productivity in Zimbabwe: Synergies or Trade-offs?," Food Security International Development Working Papers 54670, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    3. Mathenge, Mary K. & Tschirley, David L., 2008. "Off-Farm Work and Farm Production Decisions: Evidence from Maize-Producing Households in Rural Kenya," Working Papers 202609, Egerton University, Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development.
    4. Sene, Ligane Massamba, 2015. "Connectivity as engine for productivity among smallholder peanut farmers in Senegal," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 212263, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    5. Olwande, John & Mathenge, Mary K., 2012. "Market Participation among Poor Rural Households in Kenya," 2012 Conference, August 18-24, 2012, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil 126711, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    6. Howard, Julie A. & Mungoma, Catherine, 1996. "Zambia's Stop-And-Go Revolution: The Impact of Policies and Organizations on the Development and Spread of Maize Technology," Food Security International Development Working Papers 54689, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    7. Reardon, Thomas & Kelly, Valerie & Crawford, Eric & Diagana, Bocar & Dione, Josue & Savadogo, Kimseyinga & Boughton, Duncan, 1997. "Promoting sustainable intensification and productivity growth in Sahel agriculture after macroeconomic policy reform," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 317-327, August.
    8. Akobundu, Eberechukwu & Norton, George W. & Gaye, Matar & Bertelsen, Michael, 1998. "Farm-Household Analysis Of Policies Affecting Peanut Production In Senegal," 1998 Annual meeting, August 2-5, Salt Lake City, UT 20887, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    9. Maredia, Mywish K. & Howard, Julie A. & Boughton, Duncan & Naseem, Anwar & Wanzala, Maria N. & Kajisa, Kei, 1999. "Increasing Seed System Efficiency in Africa: Concepts, Strategies and Issues," Food Security International Development Working Papers 54578, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    10. Elodie Blanc & Aurelia Lepine & Eric Strobl, 2014. "Determinants of crop yield and profit of family farms: Evidence from the Senegal River Valley," Working Papers 2014-596, Department of Research, Ipag Business School.
    11. Tschirley, David & Jayne, T. S. & Rubey, Lawrence & Reardon, Thomas & Staatz, John M. & Shaffer, James & Weber, Michael T., 1995. "Confronting the silent challenge of hunger: a conference synthesis," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 20(4), pages 367-370, August.
    12. Jayne, Thomas S. & Jones, Stephen P., 1996. "Food Marketing and Pricing Policy in Eastern and Southern Africa: Lessons for Increasing Agricultural Productivity and Access to Food," Food Security International Development Working Papers 54694, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    13. Shunji Oniki & Melaku Berhe & Koichi Takenaka, 2020. "Efficiency Impact of the Communal Land Distribution Program in Northern Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-14, May.
    14. Yanggen, David & Kelly, Valerie A. & Reardon, Thomas & Naseem, Anwar, 1998. "Incentives for Fertilizer Use in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review of Empirical Evidence on Fertilizer Response and Profitability," Food Security International Development Working Papers 54677, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    15. Jayne, T.S. & Yamano, Takashi & Nyoro, James, 2004. "Interlinked credit and farm intensification: evidence from Kenya," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 31(2-3), pages 209-218, December.
    16. Adane, Tuffa Debela, 2009. "Impact of Perennial Cash Cropping On Food Crop Production and Productivity," Ethiopian Journal of Economics, Ethiopian Economics Association, vol. 18(1), pages 116-116, December.
    17. Govereh, Jones & Jayne, T. S., 2003. "Cash cropping and food crop productivity: synergies or trade-offs?," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 39-50, January.
    18. Andrew Ojede & Amin Mugera & Daigyo Seo, 2013. "Macroeconomic Policy Reforms And Productivity Growth In African Agriculture," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 31(4), pages 814-830, October.
    19. Jayne, Thomas S. & Kelly, Valerie A. & Crawford, Eric W., 2003. "Fertilizer Consumption Trends in Sub-Saharan Africa," Food Security International Development Policy Syntheses 11328, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    20. Olwande, John & Mathenge, Mary K., 2011. "Market Participation Among Poor Rural Households in Kenya," Working Papers 202599, Egerton University, Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development.
    21. Reardon, Thomas & Kelly, Valerie A. & Yanggen, David & Crawford, Eric W., 1999. "Determinants Of Fertilizer Adoption By African Farmers: Policy Analysis Framework, Illustrative Evidence, And Implications," Staff Paper Series 11779, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    22. Crawford, Eric W. & Jayne, Thomas S. & Kelly, Valerie A., 2005. "Alternative Approaches for Promoting Fertilizer Use in Africa, with Particular Reference to the Role of Fertilizer Subsidies," Staff Paper Series 11557, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    23. Sarah Alobo Loison, 2015. "Rural Livelihood Diversification in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Literature Review," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(9), pages 1125-1138, September.
    24. Karanja, Daniel David, 1996. "An Economic and Institutional Analysis of Maize Research in Kenya," Food Security International Development Working Papers 54693, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    25. Jason Bergtold & George Norton & Charlene Brewster, 2005. "Lomé to Cotonou conventions: trade policy alternatives for the Senegalese groundnut sector," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 33(3), pages 315-325, November.

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