Principal Challenges Confronting Smallholder Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa
Summary This paper uses small-scale farm survey data from five countries of eastern and southern Africa to highlight four under-appreciated issues: (i) how land distribution patterns constrain the potential of crop technology and input intensification to enable many small farms to escape from poverty; (ii) why most smallholders are unable to produce more than a marginal surplus or participate meaningfully in commodity markets; (iii) why most farmers are directly hurt by higher grain prices; and (iv) why the marketed agricultural surplus is exceedingly concentrated among a small group of relatively large smallholders. Policy and public investment options are reviewed in the light of these findings. There is no one future for small farms in Africa: much depends on government policy and investment decisions.
Year of publication: |
2010
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Authors: | Jayne, T.S. ; Mather, David ; Mghenyi, Elliot |
Published in: |
World Development. - Elsevier, ISSN 0305-750X. - Vol. 38.2010, 10, p. 1384-1398
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Publisher: |
Elsevier |
Keywords: | small farms eastern and southern Africa land policy |
Saved in:
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