This paper shows how government actions can affect the performance of the maize marketing system and influence the severity of food crises. Examples from the 2005/06 marketing season are used to illustrate how Zambia’s food security situation can be improved through closer consultation,...

This policy brief highlights some of the key trends in Zambia agricultural production since the implementation of partial agricultural reform.

Research Results of SIMA (Market Information ) DEST (Statistics Department)t and DAP (Policy Analysis Department) of MINAG (the Ministry of Agriculture of Mozambique), Directorate of Economics

One objective of this paper is to examine the trends and changes in crop production before and after the implementation of the partial market liberalization policies starting in the early 1990s. Another objective of the paper is to assess agricultural production performance and its implications...

This paper examines the efficiency and effectiveness of emergency response in southern Africa through the lens of the 2002/03 food crisis in the region. The authors outline improvements in information and operational procedures needed to enhance the response to future events. They also discuss...

The objectives of this report are to identify market-oriented strategies to alleviate both chronic and transitory food insecurity, and to examine the interactions between short-run targeting mechanisms and longer-run strategies designed to alleviate the chronic causes of inadequate access to...

Improving the Impact of Market Reform on Agricultural Productivity in Africa: How Institutional Design Makes a Difference Abstract: This paper reviews the emerging empirical record of agricultural marketing policy reform and agricultural productivity, drawing from research on food access and...

The purpose of this report is to assess the efficiency of the Ethiopian grain marketing system and identify some of the constraints on market participants which influence its performance. The main questions dealt with are: How is the grain marketing system organized and coordinated? Is the grain...

The paper consists of three parts. The first part of the paper is a review of agricultural performance in Ethiopia over the past forty years. The second part diagnoses agricultural system performance and food security problems in Ethiopia and discusses some tentative practical strategies for...

The availability, access and affordability of food is a highly politicized issue throughout the world. In much of southern Africa, there is a widespread view that governments are responsible for ensuring that their populations have reliable access to food. Zambia, like most countries in Southern...