IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/devpol/v32y2014is2ps199-s216.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Political Economy of Agricultural Extension Policy in Ethiopia: Economic Growth and Political Control

Author

Listed:
  • Kassahun Berhanu
  • Colin Poulton

Abstract

type="main"> This article argues that, in Ethiopia, the aim to transform the performance of smallholder agricultural production is driven by the twin imperatives of economic growth and political control. The agricultural extension programme – the largest and fastest growing in the continent – has been central to this strategy, and the unparalleled investment in the extension system has been driven by these twin imperatives. However, there are tensions between the objectives of stimulating agricultural growth, on the one hand, and extensively penetrating society and winning elections, on the other, and these may reduce the returns to this investment. Implications are drawn for wider debates on the reform of agricultural extension.

Suggested Citation

  • Kassahun Berhanu & Colin Poulton, 2014. "The Political Economy of Agricultural Extension Policy in Ethiopia: Economic Growth and Political Control," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 32(s2), pages 199-216, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:devpol:v:32:y:2014:i:s2:p:s199-s216
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/dpr.12082
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    ---><---

    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. Mathieu Boche & Ward Anseeuw & T. Kapuya & S. Aubin & I. Sunga, 2012. "Global Land Deals," Post-Print hal-03072578, HAL.
    2. Jayne, T. S. & Govereh, J. & Wanzala, M. & Demeke, M., 2003. "Fertilizer market development: a comparative analysis of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Zambia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 293-316, August.
    3. Davis, Kristin & Swanson, Burton & Amudavi, David & Mekonnen, Daniel Ayalew & Flohrs, Aaron & Riese, Jens & Lamb, Chloe & Zerfu, Elias, 2010. "In-depth assessment of the public agricultural extension system of Ethiopia and recommendations for improvement," IFPRI discussion papers 1041, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    4. Serdar Yilmaz & Varsha Venugopal, 2008. "Local Government Discretion and Accountability in Ethiopia," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0838, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    5. Spielman, David J. & Byerlee, Derek & Alemu, Dawit & Kelemework, Dawit, 2010. "Policies to promote cereal intensification in Ethiopia: The search for appropriate public and private roles," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 185-194, June.
    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. Melisew Dejene Lemma & Logan Cochrane, 2019. "Policy Coherence and Social Protection in Ethiopia: Ensuring No One Is Left Behind," Societies, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-15, March.
    2. Abate, Gashaw T. & Dereje, Mekdim & Hirvonen, Kalle & Minten, Bart, 2020. "Geography of public service delivery in rural Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    3. Kamel Louhichi & Umed Temursho & Liesbeth Colen & Sergio Gomez y Paloma, 2019. "Upscaling the productivity performance of the Agricultural Commercialization Cluster Initiative in Ethiopia [Élargissement des performance de productivité de l'Initiative des grappes de Commerciali," Working Papers hal-02790390, HAL.
    4. Bedaso, Fenet Jima, 2024. "Occupational Segregation and the Gender Wage Gap: Evidence from Ethiopia," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1393, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    5. Wioletta NOWAK, 2017. "The Fastest Growing Least Developed Countries," Network Intelligence Studies, Romanian Foundation for Business Intelligence, Editorial Department, issue 10, pages 149-156, December.
    6. Erenstein, Olaf & Kassie, Girma Tesfahun, 2018. "Seeding eastern Africa’s maize revolution in the post-structural adjustment era: a review and comparative analysis of the formal maize seed sector," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 21(1).
    7. Bikrum Gill, 2016. "Can the river speak? Epistemological confrontation in the rise and fall of the land grab in Gambella, Ethiopia," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 48(4), pages 699-717, April.
    8. Lan-yue, Zhang & Yao, Li & Jing, Zhang & Bing, Luo & Ji-min, He & Shi-huai, Deng & Xin, Huang & ling, Luo & Fei, Shen & Hong, Xiao & Yan-zong, Zhang & Yuan-wei, Li & Li-lin, Wang & Xue-Ping, Yao & Ya-, 2017. "The relationships among energy consumption, economic output and energy intensity of countries at different stage of development," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 258-264.
    9. Resnick, Danielle, 2019. "Strong democracy, weak state: The political economy of Ghana’s stalled structural transformation," IFPRI book chapters, in: Ghana’s economic and agricultural transformation: Past performance and future prospects, chapter 3, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    10. Nigussie, Zerihun & Tsunekawa, Atsushi & Haregeweyn, Nigussie & Adgo, Enyew & Cochrane, Logan & Floquet, Anne & Abele, Steffen, 2018. "Applying Ostrom’s institutional analysis and development framework to soil and water conservation activities in north-western Ethiopia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 1-10.
    11. Kebebe, E. & Duncan, AJ & Klerkx, L. & de Boer, I.J.M. & Oosting, S.J., 2015. "Understanding socio-economic and policy constraints to dairy development in Ethiopia: A coupled functional-structural innovation systems analysis," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 69-78.
    12. Gezahegn, T.W. & Maertens, M., 2018. "Economic Incentives for Collective Action in Agriculture: Evidence from Agricultural Co-operatives in Tigray, North Ethiopia," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277137, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    13. Biyensa Gurmessa, 2021. "Soil acidity challenges and the significance of liming and organic amendments in tropical agricultural lands with reference to Ethiopia," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 77-99, January.
    14. Melese Mulu Baylie & Csaba Fogarassy, 2021. "Examining the Economic Impacts of Climate Change on Net Crop Income in the Ethiopian Nile Basin: A Ricardian Fixed Effect Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-16, June.
    15. Adamie, Birhanu Addisu, 2021. "Land property rights and household take-up of development programs: Evidence from land certification program in Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    16. Isaac Mbeche Nyang’au & Girma Kelboro & Anna-Katharina Hornidge & Charles A. O. Midega & Christian Borgemeister, 2018. "Transdisciplinary Research: Collaborative Leadership and Empowerment Towards Sustainability of Push–Pull Technology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-26, July.
    17. Kebede, Selamawit G. & Heshmati, Almas, 2023. "Political Economy of Industrialization and Industrial Parks in Ethiopia," IZA Discussion Papers 15846, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    18. Bachewe, Fantu N. & Berhane, Guush & Minten, Bart & Taffesse, Alemayehu S., 2018. "Agricultural Transformation in Africa? Assessing the Evidence in Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 286-298.
    19. Shimelis Beyene & Teshome H. Regassa & Belaineh Legesse & Martha Mamo & Tsegaye Tadesse, 2018. "Empowerment and Tech Adoption: Introducing the Treadle Pump Triggers Farmers’ Innovation in Eastern Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-12, September.

    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. van Dijk, Michiel & Morley, Tomas & van Loon, Marloes & Reidsma, Pytrik & Tesfaye, Kindie & van Ittersum, Martin K., 2020. "Reducing the maize yield gap in Ethiopia: Decomposition and policy simulation," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    2. Larson, Donald F. & Gurara, Daniel Zerfu, 2013. "A conceptual model of incomplete markets and the consequences for technology adoption policies in Ethiopia," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6681, The World Bank.
    3. Bachewe, Fantu Nisrane & Berhane, Guush & Minten, Bart & Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum, 2015. "Agricultural growth in Ethiopia (2004-2014): Evidence and drivers:," ESSP working papers 81, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    4. Ayalew, Hailemariam & Chamberlin, Jordan & Newman, Carol, 2022. "Site-specific agronomic information and technology adoption: A field experiment from Ethiopia," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    5. Zhang, Shemei & Sun, Zhanli & Ma, Wanglin & Valentinov, Vladislav, 2020. "The effect of cooperative membership on agricultural technology adoption in Sichuan, China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    6. Bachewe, Fantu N. & Berhane, Guush & Minten, Bart & Taffesse, Alemayehu S., 2018. "Agricultural Transformation in Africa? Assessing the Evidence in Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 286-298.
    7. Ragasa, Catherine & Berhane, Guush & Tadesse, Fanaye & Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum, 2012. "Gender differences in access to extension services and agricultural productivity:," ESSP working papers 49, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    8. Giorgia Giovannetti & Elisa Ticci, 2013. "Biofuel Development and Large-Scale Land Deals in Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers - Economics wp2013_27.rdf, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze per l'Economia e l'Impresa.
    9. Stifel, David & Woldehanna, Tassew, 2014. "Utility-consistent poverty in Ethiopia, 2000-11: Welfare improvements in a changing economic landscape," WIDER Working Paper Series 125, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    10. Yonas Alem & Mintewab Bezabih & Menale Kassie & Precious Zikhali, 2010. "Does fertilizer use respond to rainfall variability? Panel data evidence from Ethiopia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 41(2), pages 165-175, March.
    11. Sara Balestri & Mario A. Maggioni, 2021. "This Land Is My Land! Large-Scale Land Acquisitions and Conflict Events in Sub-Saharan Africa," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(4), pages 427-450, May.
    12. Chirwa, Themba G., 2010. "Program evaluation of agricultural input subsidies in Malawi using treatment effects: Methods and practicability based on propensity scores," MPRA Paper 20878, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Giger, Markus & Mutea, Emily & Kiteme, Boniface & Eckert, Sandra & Anseeuw, Ward & Zaehringer, Julie G., 2020. "Large agricultural investments in Kenya’s Nanyuki Area: Inventory and analysis of business models," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    14. Mequaninte, Teferi & Birner, Regina & Mueller, Ulrike, 2015. "Adoption of Land Management Practices in Ethiopia: Which Network Types," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 212631, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    15. Kleemann, Linda & Thiele, Rainer, 2015. "Rural welfare implications of large-scale land acquisitions in Africa: A theoretical framework," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 269-279.
    16. Nyoro, James K. & Ariga, Joshua, 2004. "Preparation of an Inventory of Research Work Undertaken in Agricultural/Rural Sector in Kenya," Working Papers 202629, Egerton University, Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development.
    17. Houssou, Nazaire & Asante-Addo, Collins & Andam, Kwaw S., 2017. "Improving the targeting of fertilizer subsidy programs in Africa south of the Sahara: Perspectives from the Ghanaian experience," IFPRI discussion papers 1622, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    18. Romy Santpoort, 2020. "The Drivers of Maize Area Expansion in Sub-Saharan Africa. How Policies to Boost Maize Production Overlook the Interests of Smallholder Farmers," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-13, February.
    19. Sheahan, Megan & Ariga, Joshua & Jayne, Thomas S., 2013. "Modeling the Effects of Input Market Reforms on Fertilizer Demand and Maize Production: A Case Study of Kenya," 2013 Annual Meeting, August 4-6, 2013, Washington, D.C. 150697, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    20. Dimaranan, Betina V. & McDougall, Robert A., 2000. "GTAP 5: A Large-Scale Data Base Construction Project," Conference papers 330894, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.

    More about this item

    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:bla:devpol:v:32:y:2014:i:s2:p:s199-s216. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/odioruk.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.