Impact of global cotton markets on rural poverty in Benin

World cotton prices have fallen by about 40 percent over the last two years, focusing attention on the effect of subsidies for cotton growers in depressing prices. This paper combines farm survey data from Benin with assumptions about the decline in farm-level prices to estimate the direct and indir...

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Main Authors: Minot, Nicholas, Daniels, Lisa
Format: Artículo preliminar
Language:Inglés
Published: International Food Policy Research Institute 2002
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/156033
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author Minot, Nicholas
Daniels, Lisa
author_browse Daniels, Lisa
Minot, Nicholas
author_facet Minot, Nicholas
Daniels, Lisa
author_sort Minot, Nicholas
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description World cotton prices have fallen by about 40 percent over the last two years, focusing attention on the effect of subsidies for cotton growers in depressing prices. This paper combines farm survey data from Benin with assumptions about the decline in farm-level prices to estimate the direct and indirect effects of cotton price reductions on rural income and poverty in Benin. The results indicate that there is a strong link between cotton prices and rural welfare in Benin. A 40 percent reduction in farm-level prices of cotton results in an increase in rural poverty of 8 percentage points in the short-run and 6-7 percentage points in the long run. Based on the estimated marginal propensity to consume tradable goods, the consumption multiplier is in the range of 3.3, meaning that one dollar of reduced spending by cotton growers results in a contraction of 3.3 dollars in overall demand. Finally, econometric analysis of the determinants of the demand for hired agricultural labor suggests that falling cotton prices will not greatly reduce labor demand since the labor intensity of cotton is similar to that of competing crops in Benin. Overall, the study highlights the link between rising subsidies for cotton growers in the U.S. and rural poverty in cotton exporting countries such as Benin.
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spelling CGSpace1560332025-11-06T05:12:37Z Impact of global cotton markets on rural poverty in Benin Minot, Nicholas Daniels, Lisa cotton industry subsidies rural poor prices cotton World cotton prices have fallen by about 40 percent over the last two years, focusing attention on the effect of subsidies for cotton growers in depressing prices. This paper combines farm survey data from Benin with assumptions about the decline in farm-level prices to estimate the direct and indirect effects of cotton price reductions on rural income and poverty in Benin. The results indicate that there is a strong link between cotton prices and rural welfare in Benin. A 40 percent reduction in farm-level prices of cotton results in an increase in rural poverty of 8 percentage points in the short-run and 6-7 percentage points in the long run. Based on the estimated marginal propensity to consume tradable goods, the consumption multiplier is in the range of 3.3, meaning that one dollar of reduced spending by cotton growers results in a contraction of 3.3 dollars in overall demand. Finally, econometric analysis of the determinants of the demand for hired agricultural labor suggests that falling cotton prices will not greatly reduce labor demand since the labor intensity of cotton is similar to that of competing crops in Benin. Overall, the study highlights the link between rising subsidies for cotton growers in the U.S. and rural poverty in cotton exporting countries such as Benin. 2002 2024-10-24T12:43:03Z 2024-10-24T12:43:03Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/156033 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Minot, Nicholas; Daniels, Lisa. 2002. Impact of global cotton markets on rural poverty in Benin. MTID Discussion Paper 48. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/156033
spellingShingle cotton industry
subsidies
rural poor
prices
cotton
Minot, Nicholas
Daniels, Lisa
Impact of global cotton markets on rural poverty in Benin
title Impact of global cotton markets on rural poverty in Benin
title_full Impact of global cotton markets on rural poverty in Benin
title_fullStr Impact of global cotton markets on rural poverty in Benin
title_full_unstemmed Impact of global cotton markets on rural poverty in Benin
title_short Impact of global cotton markets on rural poverty in Benin
title_sort impact of global cotton markets on rural poverty in benin
topic cotton industry
subsidies
rural poor
prices
cotton
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/156033
work_keys_str_mv AT minotnicholas impactofglobalcottonmarketsonruralpovertyinbenin
AT danielslisa impactofglobalcottonmarketsonruralpovertyinbenin