Fertilizer policy reforms in the midst of crisis: Evidence from Rwanda
Fertilizer subsidies are a prominent feature of many agricultural development strategies in sub-Saharan Africa, but few countries have the necessary data to make rapid decisions about their management in the face of exogenous shocks. This was the case in Rwanda following the rapid increase in intern...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173576 |
| _version_ | 1855514982210338816 |
|---|---|
| author | Spielman, David J. Mugabo, Serge Rosenbach, Gracie Ndikumana, Sosthene Benimana, Gilberthe Uwera Ingabire, Chantal |
| author_browse | Benimana, Gilberthe Uwera Ingabire, Chantal Mugabo, Serge Ndikumana, Sosthene Rosenbach, Gracie Spielman, David J. |
| author_facet | Spielman, David J. Mugabo, Serge Rosenbach, Gracie Ndikumana, Sosthene Benimana, Gilberthe Uwera Ingabire, Chantal |
| author_sort | Spielman, David J. |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Fertilizer subsidies are a prominent feature of many agricultural development strategies in sub-Saharan Africa, but few countries have the necessary data to make rapid decisions about their management in the face of exogenous shocks. This was the case in Rwanda following the rapid increase in international fertilizer prices in 2021–22. Working within a constrained fiscal space that followed the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Rwanda aimed to revise its fertilizer subsidy system to accommodate higher fertilizer import prices without compromising progress against its agricultural growth targets. This paper explores both the economic analysis and policy process that shaped decision-making around Rwanda’s fertilizer subsidy system during the period 2020–23. The paper centers on the design and application of a microsimulation model that estimated—almost in real time—the impact of increased fertilizer prices on crop production during this period. It then explores the policy outcomes that followed, emphasizing the scope for subsidy reductions even in the midst of crisis, the critical importance of strengthening agricultural data systems, and lessons for countries facing similar challenges. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace173576 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| publisherStr | Elsevier |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1735762025-10-26T12:54:25Z Fertilizer policy reforms in the midst of crisis: Evidence from Rwanda Spielman, David J. Mugabo, Serge Rosenbach, Gracie Ndikumana, Sosthene Benimana, Gilberthe Uwera Ingabire, Chantal fertilizers reforms subsidies data shock agricultural development Fertilizer subsidies are a prominent feature of many agricultural development strategies in sub-Saharan Africa, but few countries have the necessary data to make rapid decisions about their management in the face of exogenous shocks. This was the case in Rwanda following the rapid increase in international fertilizer prices in 2021–22. Working within a constrained fiscal space that followed the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Rwanda aimed to revise its fertilizer subsidy system to accommodate higher fertilizer import prices without compromising progress against its agricultural growth targets. This paper explores both the economic analysis and policy process that shaped decision-making around Rwanda’s fertilizer subsidy system during the period 2020–23. The paper centers on the design and application of a microsimulation model that estimated—almost in real time—the impact of increased fertilizer prices on crop production during this period. It then explores the policy outcomes that followed, emphasizing the scope for subsidy reductions even in the midst of crisis, the critical importance of strengthening agricultural data systems, and lessons for countries facing similar challenges. 2025-05 2025-03-11T16:39:17Z 2025-03-11T16:39:17Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173576 en https://hdl.handle.net/10568/141068 https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.135073 https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/SMGIBM https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.136429 https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.135963 Open Access Elsevier Spielman, David J.; Mugabo, Serge; Rosenbach, Gracie; Ndikumana, Sosthene; Benimana, Gilberthe; and Ingabire, Chantal. 2025. Fertilizer policy reforms in the midst of crisis: Evidence from Rwanda. Food Policy 133(May 2025): 102823. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102823 |
| spellingShingle | fertilizers reforms subsidies data shock agricultural development Spielman, David J. Mugabo, Serge Rosenbach, Gracie Ndikumana, Sosthene Benimana, Gilberthe Uwera Ingabire, Chantal Fertilizer policy reforms in the midst of crisis: Evidence from Rwanda |
| title | Fertilizer policy reforms in the midst of crisis: Evidence from Rwanda |
| title_full | Fertilizer policy reforms in the midst of crisis: Evidence from Rwanda |
| title_fullStr | Fertilizer policy reforms in the midst of crisis: Evidence from Rwanda |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fertilizer policy reforms in the midst of crisis: Evidence from Rwanda |
| title_short | Fertilizer policy reforms in the midst of crisis: Evidence from Rwanda |
| title_sort | fertilizer policy reforms in the midst of crisis evidence from rwanda |
| topic | fertilizers reforms subsidies data shock agricultural development |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173576 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT spielmandavidj fertilizerpolicyreformsinthemidstofcrisisevidencefromrwanda AT mugaboserge fertilizerpolicyreformsinthemidstofcrisisevidencefromrwanda AT rosenbachgracie fertilizerpolicyreformsinthemidstofcrisisevidencefromrwanda AT ndikumanasosthene fertilizerpolicyreformsinthemidstofcrisisevidencefromrwanda AT benimanagilbertheuwera fertilizerpolicyreformsinthemidstofcrisisevidencefromrwanda AT ingabirechantal fertilizerpolicyreformsinthemidstofcrisisevidencefromrwanda |