Overcoming smallholder farmers’ post-harvest constraints through harvest loans and storage technology: insights from a randomized controlled trial in Tanzania

Maintaining staple grains throughout the year and managing liquidity are two major challenges that smallholder farmers face at harvest. We implemented a randomized controlled trial in Tanzania that was designed to address these post-harvest constraints. First, we offered treated farmers two hermetic...

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Autores principales: Channa, H., Ricker-Gilbert, J., Feleke, S., Abdoulaye, Tahirou
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Elsevier 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/119278
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author Channa, H.
Ricker-Gilbert, J.
Feleke, S.
Abdoulaye, Tahirou
author_browse Abdoulaye, Tahirou
Channa, H.
Feleke, S.
Ricker-Gilbert, J.
author_facet Channa, H.
Ricker-Gilbert, J.
Feleke, S.
Abdoulaye, Tahirou
author_sort Channa, H.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Maintaining staple grains throughout the year and managing liquidity are two major challenges that smallholder farmers face at harvest. We implemented a randomized controlled trial in Tanzania that was designed to address these post-harvest constraints. First, we offered treated farmers two hermetic (airtight) storage bags, which helped preserve grain quantity and quality. Second, we offered other treated farmers a loan at harvest, which reduced the liquidity constraints they faced. Repayment was due with interest six months from harvest when maize prices were traditionally higher. We did not find a significant impact of the storage intervention. However, those offered the loan stored 29 percent more and sold 50 percent more maize on average in the lean season compared to farmers in the control group. Nevertheless, an unexpected maize export ban in Tanzania likely attenuated the outcomes of both interventions. This highlighted the challenges surrounding agricultural financial products in the developing world.
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spelling CGSpace1192782025-11-11T10:36:46Z Overcoming smallholder farmers’ post-harvest constraints through harvest loans and storage technology: insights from a randomized controlled trial in Tanzania Channa, H. Ricker-Gilbert, J. Feleke, S. Abdoulaye, Tahirou storage microfinance maize markets tanzania smallholders postharvest losses Maintaining staple grains throughout the year and managing liquidity are two major challenges that smallholder farmers face at harvest. We implemented a randomized controlled trial in Tanzania that was designed to address these post-harvest constraints. First, we offered treated farmers two hermetic (airtight) storage bags, which helped preserve grain quantity and quality. Second, we offered other treated farmers a loan at harvest, which reduced the liquidity constraints they faced. Repayment was due with interest six months from harvest when maize prices were traditionally higher. We did not find a significant impact of the storage intervention. However, those offered the loan stored 29 percent more and sold 50 percent more maize on average in the lean season compared to farmers in the control group. Nevertheless, an unexpected maize export ban in Tanzania likely attenuated the outcomes of both interventions. This highlighted the challenges surrounding agricultural financial products in the developing world. 2022-06 2022-04-07T09:34:20Z 2022-04-07T09:34:20Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/119278 en Open Access application/pdf Elsevier Channa, H., Ricker-Gilbert, J., Feleke, S. & Abdoulaye, T. (2022). Overcoming smallholder farmers’ post-harvest constraints through harvest loans and storage technology: insights from a randomized controlled trial in Tanzania. Journal of Development Economics, 157: 102851, 1-25.
spellingShingle storage
microfinance
maize
markets
tanzania
smallholders
postharvest losses
Channa, H.
Ricker-Gilbert, J.
Feleke, S.
Abdoulaye, Tahirou
Overcoming smallholder farmers’ post-harvest constraints through harvest loans and storage technology: insights from a randomized controlled trial in Tanzania
title Overcoming smallholder farmers’ post-harvest constraints through harvest loans and storage technology: insights from a randomized controlled trial in Tanzania
title_full Overcoming smallholder farmers’ post-harvest constraints through harvest loans and storage technology: insights from a randomized controlled trial in Tanzania
title_fullStr Overcoming smallholder farmers’ post-harvest constraints through harvest loans and storage technology: insights from a randomized controlled trial in Tanzania
title_full_unstemmed Overcoming smallholder farmers’ post-harvest constraints through harvest loans and storage technology: insights from a randomized controlled trial in Tanzania
title_short Overcoming smallholder farmers’ post-harvest constraints through harvest loans and storage technology: insights from a randomized controlled trial in Tanzania
title_sort overcoming smallholder farmers post harvest constraints through harvest loans and storage technology insights from a randomized controlled trial in tanzania
topic storage
microfinance
maize
markets
tanzania
smallholders
postharvest losses
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/119278
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