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The impact of agricultural research in Africa: aggregate and case study evidence

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  • Masters, William A.
  • Bedingar, Touba
  • Oehmke, James F.

Abstract

This paper presents case‐study results and aggregate data to evaluate the impact of research in African agriculture. Of 32 case studies, all but eight report annual returns over 20% and many are far higher, with most gains arising in the late 1980s and 1990s. Spurred by policy reforms and changing incentives, these innovations have led to sustained growth in aggregate cereal crop yields since 1985. Africa's belated ‘green revolution’ is based on new varieties (often with early maturation for drought escape), complemented by new management techniques (typically labor‐intensive efforts to conserve soil moisture and build soil fertility).
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  • Masters, William A. & Bedingar, Touba & Oehmke, James F., 1998. "The impact of agricultural research in Africa: aggregate and case study evidence," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 19(1-2), pages 81-86, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agecon:v:19:y:1998:i:1-2:p:81-86
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    8. Howard, Julie A. & Chitala, George M. & Kalonge, Sylvester M., 1993. "The Impact of Investments in Maize Research and Dissemination in Zambia Part I: Main Report," Food Security International Development Working Papers 54732, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
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    Cited by:

    1. Fuglie, Keith O. & Rada, Nicholas E., 2013. "Resources, Policies, and Agricultural Productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa," Economic Research Report 145368, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    2. John McLaren, 2003. "Institutional Elements of Tax Design and Reform," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 15170.
    3. Govereh, Jones & Jayne, Thomas S. & Chapoto, Antony, 2008. "Assessment of Alternative Maize Trade and Market Policy Interventions in Zambia," Food Security Collaborative Working Papers 54492, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    4. Kim, Kwansoo & Chavas, Jean-Paul, 2003. "Technological change and risk management: an application to the economics of corn production," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 125-142, October.
    5. Adetutu, Morakinyo O. & Ajayi, Victor, 2020. "The impact of domestic and foreign R&D on agricultural productivity in sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    6. Margaret S. McMillan & William A. Masters, 2000. "Africa's Growth Trap: A Political-Economy Model of Taxation, R&D and Investment," CID Working Papers 50A, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    7. Kremer, Michael & Zwane, Alix Peterson, 2005. "Encouraging Private Sector Research for Tropical Agriculture," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 87-105, January.
    8. Bannor, Frank & Dikgang, Johane & Gelo, Dambala, 2021. "Agricultural total factor productivity growth, technical efficiency, and climate variability in sub-Saharan Africa," EconStor Preprints 231310, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    9. Pardey, Philip G. & Andrade, Robert S. & Hurley, Terrance M. & Rao, Xudong & Liebenberg, Frikkie G., 2016. "Returns to food and agricultural R&D investments in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1975–2014," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 1-8.
    10. Jayne, T.S. & Mason, Nicole M. & Burke, William J. & Ariga, Joshua, 2016. "Agricultural Input Subsidy Programs In Africa: An Assessment Of Recent Evidence," Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy Research Papers 259509, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security (FSP).
    11. Gabre-Madhin, Eleni Z. & Haggblade, Steven, 2003. "Successes in African agriculture," MSSD discussion papers 53, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    12. Alwang, Jeffrey & Siegel, Paul B., 2003. "Measuring the impacts of agricultural research on poverty reduction," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 29(1), pages 1-14, July.
    13. McGuire, Erin & Rietveld, Anne M. & Crump, Amanda & Leeuwis, Cees, 2022. "Anticipating gender impacts in scaling innovations for agriculture: Insights from the literature," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 25(C).
    14. Ismail Moumouni & Mohamed N. Baco & Latifou Idrissou, 2019. "Towards a Re-Conceptualization of the Pathway of Agricultural Technology for a Better Impact Assessment," International Journal of Publication and Social Studies, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 4(2), pages 123-131, June.
    15. Olasehinde, Toba Stephen & Jin, Ye & Qiao, Fangbin & Mao, Shiping, 2023. "Marginal returns on Chinese agricultural technology transfer in Nigeria: Who benefits more?," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    16. Jayne, T.S. & Mather, David & Mghenyi, Elliot, 2010. "Principal Challenges Confronting Smallholder Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(10), pages 1384-1398, October.
    17. Alene, Arega D. & Manyong, V.M. & Tollens, Eric F. & Abele, Steffen, 2007. "Targeting agricultural research based on potential impacts on poverty reduction: Strategic program priorities by agro-ecological zone in Nigeria," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 394-412, June.
    18. Alene, Arega D. & Coulibaly, Ousmane, 2009. "The impact of agricultural research on productivity and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 198-209, April.
    19. Johnson, Michael & Resnick, Danielle, 2004. "Strategic analysis and knowledge support systems for rural development strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa," DSGD discussion papers 14, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    20. Willian A Masters and Margaret S McMillan, 2000. "Africa’s growth trap: a political-economy model of taxation, R&D and investment," Economics Series Working Papers WPS/2000-14, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    21. Gabre-Madhin, Eleni Z. & Haggblade, Steven, 2004. "Successes in African Agriculture: Results of an Expert Survey," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 745-766, May.
    22. Rohrbach, David D. & Low, Jan W. & Pitoro, Raul & Cucu, Alfredo & Massingue, Jaquelino & Boughton, Duncan & Rafael, Guilhermina & Paulo, Antonio M. & Jocene, Domingos, 2001. "Investment Priorities for the Development of Mozambique's Seed System," Food Security Collaborative Working Papers 56047, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    23. Sumberg, James, 2005. "Systems of innovation theory and the changing architecture of agricultural research in Africa," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 21-41, February.
    24. Masters, William A & McMillan, Margaret S, 2001. "Climate and Scale in Economic Growth," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 6(3), pages 167-86, September.

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