Demand-driven technological change and the traditional cereals in Sub-Saharan Africa: the malian case
Vitale, J.
Demand-driven technological change and the traditional cereals in Sub-Saharan Africa: the malian case - Mexico, DF (Mexico) CIMMYT : 2003 - p. 64 - Printed
The objectives of this field research were to estimate the potential returns and constraints to the introduction of new sorghum and millet technologies in Mali (West Africa), and to undertake an aggregate analysis of the effects on consumption and prices from the combination of new technologies and demand expansion. A principal problem with traditional food products is the inelasticity of price with respect to demand. In good rainfall years, cereal prices collapse and farmers quickly lose interest in the introduction of new technologies requiring increased input expenditures. The new focus on demand driven technology needs to re-examine traditional foods as new food products are becoming available and as feed demand increases for the cereals. Programming models of farms were incorporated into a sector model. The combination of new technologies, different demand expansion scenarios, and increases in liquidity were considered. The feasibility of these different scenarios and the policy implications were considered in detail. Finally, different development strategies for traditional cereals were compared with other investment options with the sector model. This paper emphasizes empirical results and policy implications. However, the combination of programming models within a sector model provides a strong analytical tool for analyzing actual and potential impacts.
English
970-648-104-4
Cereal products
Farmers
Food production
Millets
Price policies
Sorghum
Technological changes
Agricultural research
CIMMYT
338.91 / WAT
Demand-driven technological change and the traditional cereals in Sub-Saharan Africa: the malian case - Mexico, DF (Mexico) CIMMYT : 2003 - p. 64 - Printed
The objectives of this field research were to estimate the potential returns and constraints to the introduction of new sorghum and millet technologies in Mali (West Africa), and to undertake an aggregate analysis of the effects on consumption and prices from the combination of new technologies and demand expansion. A principal problem with traditional food products is the inelasticity of price with respect to demand. In good rainfall years, cereal prices collapse and farmers quickly lose interest in the introduction of new technologies requiring increased input expenditures. The new focus on demand driven technology needs to re-examine traditional foods as new food products are becoming available and as feed demand increases for the cereals. Programming models of farms were incorporated into a sector model. The combination of new technologies, different demand expansion scenarios, and increases in liquidity were considered. The feasibility of these different scenarios and the policy implications were considered in detail. Finally, different development strategies for traditional cereals were compared with other investment options with the sector model. This paper emphasizes empirical results and policy implications. However, the combination of programming models within a sector model provides a strong analytical tool for analyzing actual and potential impacts.
English
970-648-104-4
Cereal products
Farmers
Food production
Millets
Price policies
Sorghum
Technological changes
Agricultural research
CIMMYT
338.91 / WAT