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What accounts for growth in African agriculture

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  • Nkamleu, Guy Blaise
  • Sylla, Kalilou
  • Zonon, Abdoulaye

Abstract

Empirical relationships between the rates of growth and total factor productivity growth, physical input accumulation, as well as institutional and agro-ecological change is evaluated using an international panel data set on 26 African countries and covering the period 1970-2000. The analysis employs the broader framework provided by empirical growth literature and recent developments in TFP measurement. Results suggest a positive evolution of the total factor productivity during the studied period. This positive performance of the productivity of the agricultural sector was due to positive technological progress rather than technology absorption. However, growth accounting computation highlights the fact that factor accumulation accounts for a large share of agricultural output growth and fertilizer has been the most statistically important physical input contributor to agricultural growth. The study also highlights the extent to which agricultural growth contributors vary across countries and regions in relation with different country conditions, institutions and politico-historical factors.

Suggested Citation

  • Nkamleu, Guy Blaise & Sylla, Kalilou & Zonon, Abdoulaye, 2008. "What accounts for growth in African agriculture," MPRA Paper 11102, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2008.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:11102
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. D.S. Prasada Rao & Christopher J. O'Donnell & George E. Battese, 2003. "Metafrontier Functions for the Study of Inter-regional Productivity Differences," CEPA Working Papers Series WP012003, School of Economics, University of Queensland, Australia.
    4. Guy Nkamleu, 2004. "Productivity Growth, Technical Progress and Efficiency Change in African Agriculture," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 16(1), pages 203-222.
    5. Hayami, Yujiro & Ruttan, Vernon W, 1970. "Agricultural Productivity Differences Among Countries," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 60(5), pages 895-911, December.
    6. Fulginiti, Lilyan E. & Perrin, Richard K. & Yu, Bingxin, 2004. "Institutions and agricultural productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 31(2-3), pages 169-180, December.
    7. Yasmina Reem Limam & Stephen M. Miller, 2004. "Explaining Economic Growth: Factor Accumulation, Total Factor Productivity Growth, and Production Efficiency Improvement," Working papers 2004-20, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics.
    8. Viveka P. Kudaligama & John F. Yanagida, 2000. "A Comparison of Intercountry Agricultural Production Functions: A Frontier Function Approach," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 25(1), pages 57-74, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lindikaya W. Myeki & Yonas T. Bahta & Nicolette Matthews, 2022. "Exploring the Growth of Agricultural Productivity in AFRICA: A Färe-Primont Index Approach," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-17, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Growth accounting; total factor productivity; factor accumulation; capital absorption; africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • N5 - Economic History - - Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Extractive Industries

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