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Assessing the impacts of cassava technology on poverty reduction in Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Feleke, Shiferaw
  • Manyong, Victor
  • Abdoulaye, Tahirou
  • Alene, Arega D.

Abstract

In Africa, there have been successes in cassava research in terms of the development of production technologies, particularly improved varieties with high yield potential. The study addresses the question of whether and to what extent adoption of improved cassava varieties has led to rural poverty reduction in four African countries, namely Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Zambia. Data for the study come from a household survey conducted in the above-mentioned countries through a multinational-CGIAR support to agricultural research for development of strategic crops (SARD-SC) project in Africa. Given the observational nature of the data, a parametric approach (endogenous switching regression model) is applied. The results indicate that the model detects selectivity bias. Accounting for the bias, we find that adoption of cassava technology has resulted in an approximately 10 percentage point reduction in the poverty rate. Given an adoption rate of 34 per cent and a 10 percentage point reduction in the poverty rate, an estimated 24,309 households (equivalent to 194,469 individuals) have managed to move out of poverty in these four countries as a result of adoption of the technology. We also find that adoption of the technology has benefitted non-poor and female-headed households, relative to poor and male-headed households. The results present important evidence in favour of promoting cassava technology in a targeted fashion as part of an effective poverty reduction and sustained agricultural growth strategy in Africa. Considering the large realised and even more pronounced potential impacts of the adoption of cassava technology on poverty reduction, it is vital that regional and global development organisations should continue supporting the existing cassava improvement programme to sustain the technology development efforts in the continent.

Suggested Citation

  • Feleke, Shiferaw & Manyong, Victor & Abdoulaye, Tahirou & Alene, Arega D., 2016. "Assessing the impacts of cassava technology on poverty reduction in Africa," Studies in Agricultural Economics, Research Institute for Agricultural Economics, vol. 118(2), pages 1-11, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:stagec:246261
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.246261
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Kumar, K. Nirmal Ravi & Reddy, M. Jagan Mohan & Shafiwu, Adinan Bahahudeen & Reddy, A. Amaraendar, 2023. "Impact of Farmer Producer Organizations on Price and Poverty Alleviation of Smallholder Dry Chillies Farmers in India," Research on World Agricultural Economy, Nan Yang Academy of Sciences Pte Ltd (NASS), vol. 4(3), August.
    3. Katrin Reincke & Elisa Vilvert & Anja Fasse & Frieder Graef & Stefan Sieber & Marcos A. Lana, 2018. "Key factors influencing food security of smallholder farmers in Tanzania and the role of cassava as a strategic crop," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(4), pages 911-924, August.
    4. Kilombele, Happiness & Chegere, Martin & Feleke, Shiferaw & Abdoulaye, Tahirou & Cole, Steven M. & Manyong, Victor, 2021. "Intra-Group Heterogeneity Effects on Maize Technology Adoption, and Its Implications for Productivity and Household Welfare: The Case of Village Community BANK Groups in Tanzania," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315387, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    5. Dieu-Merci Akonkwa Nyamuhirwa & Bola Amoke Awotide & Doux Baraka Kusinza & Valery Kasereka Bishikwabo & Jacob Mignouna & Zoumana Bamba & Paul-Martin Dontsop Nguezet, 2022. "A Comparative Analysis of Technical Efficiency and Profitability of Agribusiness and Non-Agribusiness Enterprises in Eastern DRC," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-17, July.
    6. Martey, Edward & Etwire, Prince M. & Mockshell, Jonathan, 2021. "Climate-smart cowpea adoption and welfare effects of comprehensive agricultural training programs," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    7. Backson Mwangi & Ibrahim Macharia & Eric Bett, 2021. "Ex-post Impact Evaluation of Improved Sorghum Varieties on Poverty Reduction in Kenya: A Counterfactual Analysis," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 154(2), pages 447-467, April.
    8. Ainembabazi, John Herbert & Abdoulaye, Tahirou & Feleke, Shiferaw & Alene, Arega & Dontsop-Nguezet, Paul M. & Ndayisaba, Pierre Celestin & Hicintuka, Cyrille & Mapatano, Sylvain & Manyong, Victor, 2018. "Who benefits from which agricultural research-for-development technologies? Evidence from farm household poverty analysis in Central Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 28-46.
    9. Alene, A.D. & Wossen, T. & Abdoulaye, T., 2018. "Poverty Reduction Effects of Technology Adoption: Evidence from Nigeria," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 276980, International Association of Agricultural Economists.

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