Determinants of smallholder commercialization of food crops: Theory and evidence from Ethiopia

In this paper, we develop a theoretical farm household model of food crop production and marketing decisions, derive testable hypotheses concerning the determinants of these decisions, and test these hypotheses, using data on cereal production and marketing collected from a nationally representative...

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Main Authors: Pender, John L., Alemu, Dawit
Format: Artículo preliminar
Language:Inglés
Published: International Food Policy Research Institute 2007
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/160266
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author Pender, John L.
Alemu, Dawit
author_browse Alemu, Dawit
Pender, John L.
author_facet Pender, John L.
Alemu, Dawit
author_sort Pender, John L.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description In this paper, we develop a theoretical farm household model of food crop production and marketing decisions, derive testable hypotheses concerning the determinants of these decisions, and test these hypotheses, using data on cereal production and marketing collected from a nationally representative survey of 7,186 farm households in Ethiopia. Focusing on production and marketing decisions for teff and maize, the two most important crops in Ethiopia, we find that most producers of these crops are either autarkic or net buyers (especially for maize) and that net buyers and autarkic households are poorer in many respects than net sellers. This implies that interventions to increase cereal productivity will favorably affect distribution for most producers. The econometric analysis shows that increasing production of teff and maize is the most important factor contributing to increased sales, and that increased smallholder access to roads, land, livestock, farm equipment, and traders is key to enabling increased smallholder production and commercialization of these crops.
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spelling CGSpace1602662025-11-06T05:09:27Z Determinants of smallholder commercialization of food crops: Theory and evidence from Ethiopia Pender, John L. Alemu, Dawit smallholders small farmers household consumption market access cereal crops land management In this paper, we develop a theoretical farm household model of food crop production and marketing decisions, derive testable hypotheses concerning the determinants of these decisions, and test these hypotheses, using data on cereal production and marketing collected from a nationally representative survey of 7,186 farm households in Ethiopia. Focusing on production and marketing decisions for teff and maize, the two most important crops in Ethiopia, we find that most producers of these crops are either autarkic or net buyers (especially for maize) and that net buyers and autarkic households are poorer in many respects than net sellers. This implies that interventions to increase cereal productivity will favorably affect distribution for most producers. The econometric analysis shows that increasing production of teff and maize is the most important factor contributing to increased sales, and that increased smallholder access to roads, land, livestock, farm equipment, and traders is key to enabling increased smallholder production and commercialization of these crops. 2007 2024-11-21T09:50:22Z 2024-11-21T09:50:22Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/160266 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Pender, John L.; Alemu, Dawit. Determinants of smallholder commercialization of food crops: Theory and evidence from Ethiopia. IFPRI Discussion Paper 745. International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://hdl.handle.net/10568/160266
spellingShingle smallholders
small farmers
household consumption
market access
cereal crops
land management
Pender, John L.
Alemu, Dawit
Determinants of smallholder commercialization of food crops: Theory and evidence from Ethiopia
title Determinants of smallholder commercialization of food crops: Theory and evidence from Ethiopia
title_full Determinants of smallholder commercialization of food crops: Theory and evidence from Ethiopia
title_fullStr Determinants of smallholder commercialization of food crops: Theory and evidence from Ethiopia
title_full_unstemmed Determinants of smallholder commercialization of food crops: Theory and evidence from Ethiopia
title_short Determinants of smallholder commercialization of food crops: Theory and evidence from Ethiopia
title_sort determinants of smallholder commercialization of food crops theory and evidence from ethiopia
topic smallholders
small farmers
household consumption
market access
cereal crops
land management
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/160266
work_keys_str_mv AT penderjohnl determinantsofsmallholdercommercializationoffoodcropstheoryandevidencefromethiopia
AT alemudawit determinantsofsmallholdercommercializationoffoodcropstheoryandevidencefromethiopia