Market opportunities for African agriculture: an examination of demand-side constraints on agricultural growth

Rapid growth in the agricultural sector is central to any strategy for slashing poverty and hunger on the African continent. Yet investments aimed at increasing agricultural productivity need to be linked to market opportunities if they are not to depress commodity prices and farm incomes. It is wid...

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Autores principales: Diao, Xinshen, Dorosh, Paul A., Rahman, Shaikh Mahfuzur
Formato: Artículo preliminar
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: International Food Policy Research Institute 2003
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/157862
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author Diao, Xinshen
Dorosh, Paul A.
Rahman, Shaikh Mahfuzur
author_browse Diao, Xinshen
Dorosh, Paul A.
Rahman, Shaikh Mahfuzur
author_facet Diao, Xinshen
Dorosh, Paul A.
Rahman, Shaikh Mahfuzur
author_sort Diao, Xinshen
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Rapid growth in the agricultural sector is central to any strategy for slashing poverty and hunger on the African continent. Yet investments aimed at increasing agricultural productivity need to be linked to market opportunities if they are not to depress commodity prices and farm incomes. It is widely perceived that high market transaction costs, weak domestic consumer demand, and lack of export possibilities are major constraints on agricultural growth prospects for Africa. But just how severe are these constraints, and what can be done to enhance market opportunities to enable agriculture to become a more powerful engine of growth for the continent? This study addresses these questions. It concludes that non-traditional exports have the fewest constraints and remain the most profitable option for increasing export earnings.....Thus, investments in agriculture and other efforts to promote higher agricultural productivity growth need to be complemented with policies and investments to spur non-agricultural growth. More generally, investments in rural infrastructure can help to maximize positive linkage effects of agricultural growth. Agricultural growth can play a major role in increasing food supply, but sustained increases in incomes and reductions in poverty are likely to require a combination of labor-intensive growth in both agricultural and nonagricultural activities. -- from Authors' Abstract
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spelling CGSpace1578622025-11-06T06:56:11Z Market opportunities for African agriculture: an examination of demand-side constraints on agricultural growth Diao, Xinshen Dorosh, Paul A. Rahman, Shaikh Mahfuzur agricultural growth agricultural sector poverty famine productivity markets agricultural products prices farm income costs demand consumers export controls food supply Rapid growth in the agricultural sector is central to any strategy for slashing poverty and hunger on the African continent. Yet investments aimed at increasing agricultural productivity need to be linked to market opportunities if they are not to depress commodity prices and farm incomes. It is widely perceived that high market transaction costs, weak domestic consumer demand, and lack of export possibilities are major constraints on agricultural growth prospects for Africa. But just how severe are these constraints, and what can be done to enhance market opportunities to enable agriculture to become a more powerful engine of growth for the continent? This study addresses these questions. It concludes that non-traditional exports have the fewest constraints and remain the most profitable option for increasing export earnings.....Thus, investments in agriculture and other efforts to promote higher agricultural productivity growth need to be complemented with policies and investments to spur non-agricultural growth. More generally, investments in rural infrastructure can help to maximize positive linkage effects of agricultural growth. Agricultural growth can play a major role in increasing food supply, but sustained increases in incomes and reductions in poverty are likely to require a combination of labor-intensive growth in both agricultural and nonagricultural activities. -- from Authors' Abstract 2003 2024-10-24T12:52:14Z 2024-10-24T12:52:14Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/157862 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Diao, Xinshen; Dorosh, Paul A.; Rahman, Shaikh Mahfuzur. 2003. Market opportunities for African agriculture: an examination of demand-side constraints on agricultural growth. DSGD Discussion Paper 1. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/157862
spellingShingle agricultural growth
agricultural sector
poverty
famine
productivity
markets
agricultural products
prices
farm income
costs
demand
consumers
export controls
food supply
Diao, Xinshen
Dorosh, Paul A.
Rahman, Shaikh Mahfuzur
Market opportunities for African agriculture: an examination of demand-side constraints on agricultural growth
title Market opportunities for African agriculture: an examination of demand-side constraints on agricultural growth
title_full Market opportunities for African agriculture: an examination of demand-side constraints on agricultural growth
title_fullStr Market opportunities for African agriculture: an examination of demand-side constraints on agricultural growth
title_full_unstemmed Market opportunities for African agriculture: an examination of demand-side constraints on agricultural growth
title_short Market opportunities for African agriculture: an examination of demand-side constraints on agricultural growth
title_sort market opportunities for african agriculture an examination of demand side constraints on agricultural growth
topic agricultural growth
agricultural sector
poverty
famine
productivity
markets
agricultural products
prices
farm income
costs
demand
consumers
export controls
food supply
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/157862
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