Improving The Targeting Of Fertilizer Subsidy Programs In Africa South Of The Sahara Perspectives From The Ghanaian Experience
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Improving The Targeting Of Fertilizer Subsidy Programs In Africa South Of The Sahara Perspectives From The Ghanaian Experience
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Author : Houssou, Nazaire
language : en
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Release Date : 2017-03-17
Improving The Targeting Of Fertilizer Subsidy Programs In Africa South Of The Sahara Perspectives From The Ghanaian Experience written by Houssou, Nazaire and has been published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2017-03-17 with Political Science categories.
This paper assesses whether fertilizer subsidy programs can be better targeted to resource-poor farmers using the case of Ghana and proxy means test approaches. Past fertilizer subsidy programs in the country have not been particularly targeted to the poor, even as targeting poor and smallholder farmers has become key in the program implementation guidelines. As a result, many poor farmers have not benefited from past programs. Our results show that targeting approaches based on proxy means tests that use the correlates of poverty to select beneficiary farmers can potentially improve the poverty outreach and costeffectiveness of Ghana’s fertilizer subsidy programs. Therefore, we propose that the proxy means test approach should be considered for implementing Ghana’s fertilizer subsidy programs, first in a pilot project involving a few communities, and later, if found successful, in a full-scale program.
Can Better Targeting Improve The Effectiveness Of Ghana S Fertilizer Subsidy Program Lessons From Ghana And Other Countries In Africa South Of The Sahara
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Author : Nazaire Houssou
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 2017
Can Better Targeting Improve The Effectiveness Of Ghana S Fertilizer Subsidy Program Lessons From Ghana And Other Countries In Africa South Of The Sahara written by Nazaire Houssou and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2017 with categories.
Despite improvements to the implementation regime of Ghana's fertilizer subsidy program, this paper shows that considerable challenges remain in ensuring that the subsidy is targeted to farmers who need fertilizer the most. Currently, larger-scale and wealthier farmers are the main beneficiaries of subsidized fertilizer even though the stated goal is to target smallholder farmers with fertilizer subsidies. The experience of other African countries suggests that the effectiveness of fertilizer subsidies can improve with effective targeting of resource-poor smallholders. However, targeting smallholder farmers entails significant transaction costs and may even be infeasible in some cases. Faced with such challenges, Ghanaian policy makers must ponder the question of how to improve the targeting of input subsidy programs in the country. Further research is needed to identify more cost-effective approaches for achieving the goal of targeting.
Can Better Targeting Improve The Effectiveness Of Ghana S Fertilizer Subsidy Program
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Author : Houssou, Nazaire
language : en
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Release Date : 2017-02-10
Can Better Targeting Improve The Effectiveness Of Ghana S Fertilizer Subsidy Program written by Houssou, Nazaire and has been published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2017-02-10 with Political Science categories.
Despite improvements to the implementation regime of Ghana’s fertilizer subsidy program, this paper shows that considerable challenges remain in ensuring that the subsidy is targeted to farmers who need fertilizer the most. Currently, larger-scale and wealthier farmers are the main beneficiaries of subsidized fertilizer even though the stated goal is to target smallholder farmers with fertilizer subsidies. The experience of other African countries suggests that the effectiveness of fertilizer subsidies can improve with effective targeting of resource-poor smallholders. However, targeting smallholder farmers entails significant transaction costs and may even be infeasible in some cases. Faced with such challenges, Ghanaian policy makers must ponder the question of how to improve the targeting of input subsidy programs in the country. Further research is needed to identify more cost-effective approaches for achieving the goal of targeting.
Spillover Effects Of Targeted Subsidies
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Author : Lenis Saweda Liverpool-Tasie
language : en
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Release Date : 2013-04-05
Spillover Effects Of Targeted Subsidies written by Lenis Saweda Liverpool-Tasie and has been published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2013-04-05 with Social Science categories.
Though there is increasing evidence of the availability and potential of new agricultural technologies in Africa south of the Sahara, effective demand for them is still low. A recent refocus on increasing farmers use of modern technologies such as improved seed and chemical fertilizer has led to a resurgence of input subsidies for these products in many developing countries. One popular mechanism currently in use is input vouchers. Targeted input vouchers are intended to simultaneously improve the targeting of subsidies and develop demand in private markets. While there is growing evidence of the impact of targeted subsidies on private input demand, as far as we are aware no empirical studies have examined the spillover effects of targeted subsidies for just one input on the use of other complementary inputs with which there is low substitutability. Consequently, this study begins to fill this gap by exploring the effect of increasing access to subsidized fertilizer on farmers use of improved seed in Nigeria. Using a control function approach within a limited dependent variable framework, we explore the effect of receiving subsidized fertilizer on a farmers likelihood of using improved seed. The study finds evidence that increased access to subsidized fertilizer increased the likelihood of farmers using improved seed in Kano, Nigeria. This indicates that farmers are re-optimizing their use of other inputs in response to increasing availability of one input. This complicates the ability to isolate the returns to any one input when evaluating programs targeted at just one input. Our results were robust to various model specifications and indicate that there is a clear link between farmers use of improved seed and fertilizer in Kano, which could be leveraged in the development of input subsidy programs across Africa south of the Sahara.
Mapping The Implementation Process For Subsidized Fertilizer Distribution Under Ghana S Planting For Food And Jobs Program
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Author : Aberman, Noora-Lisa
language : en
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Release Date : 2021-06-09
Mapping The Implementation Process For Subsidized Fertilizer Distribution Under Ghana S Planting For Food And Jobs Program written by Aberman, Noora-Lisa and has been published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2021-06-09 with Political Science categories.
Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) is Ghana’s flagship program for agricultural transformation and employment creation. Alongside other components, the program provides subsidized fertilizer, hybrid and open-pollinated seeds and other planting materials, improved extension services, and marketing support to smallholder farmers across the country. The objective of this study was to assess the implementation process of the PFJ input subsidy program in order to identify opportunities for strengthening the process. The study focused only on fertilizer distribution as a distinct complex process of importance, although some of the lessons will be applicable to other components of the PFJ program. The study applied the Process Net-Map method, a research approach that is particularly useful for assessing the coherence between formally prescribed procedures and how those procedures are implemented in practice, enabling the identification of inefficiencies and bottlenecks in a complex process. The implementation of the PFJ fertilizer subsidy program was mapped in interviews with key informants at national level and in six districts. Interviews with national-level stakeholders yielded important insights about the complex largely administrative process involved in the implementation of PFJ, which is generally unseen by beneficiaries. These administrative processes, however, have a considerable impact on the timeliness of the program and provide an outline of the intended implementation process at the local district level. The perspectives of farmers with regards to these processes were also investigated through in-depth interviews. Across the study districts we found some ambiguity and inconsistency in following the formally prescribed procedures for implementing the PFJ fertilizer subsidy program. While we found broad agreement among key informants and farmers that the program is meeting its objectives, some areas in which the implementation process for the PFJ fertilizer subsidy program could be improved are highlighted. These improvements will enhance the efficiency and impact of the program.
Farmers Quality Assessment Of Their Crops And Its Impact On Commercialization Behavior A Field Experiment In Ethiopia
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Author : Abate, Gashaw T.
language : en
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Release Date : 2017-03-24
Farmers Quality Assessment Of Their Crops And Its Impact On Commercialization Behavior A Field Experiment In Ethiopia written by Abate, Gashaw T. and has been published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2017-03-24 with Political Science categories.
Adoption of quality-enhancing technologies is often driven largely by farmers’ expected returns from these technologies. Without proper grades, standards, and certification systems, however, farmers may remain uncertain about the actual financial return associated with their quality-enhancing investments. This report summarizes the outcomes of a short video-based randomized training intervention on wheat quality measurement and collective marketing among 15,000 wheat farmers in Ethiopia. Our results suggest that the intervention led to significant changes in farmers’ commercialization behaviors—namely, it prompted farmers to adopt behaviors geared toward assessing their wheat’s quality using easily implementable test-weight measures, assessing the accuracy of the equipment used by buyers in their kebeles (scales, in particular), and contacting more than one buyer before concluding a sale. The training also led to improvements in share of output sold, price received, and collective marketing, albeit with important limitations. First, farmers who measured their wheat quality received a higher price, but only if their wheat was of higher quality. Second, farmers who found that their wheat was of higher quality were more reluctant to aggregate their wheat (that is, sell their products through local cooperatives) than those who found that their wheat was of lower quality. Lastly, the training intervention led to better use of fertilizer in the following season. Our discovery that a short training intervention can significantly change farmers’ marketing and production behavior should encourage the development of further interventions aimed at enhancing farmers’ adoption of improved technologies and commercialization.
Chinese Investment In Ghana S Manufacturing Sector
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Author : Tang, Xiaoyang
language : en
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Release Date : 2017-03-31
Chinese Investment In Ghana S Manufacturing Sector written by Tang, Xiaoyang and has been published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2017-03-31 with Political Science categories.
This paper uses Ghana as a case study to illustrate the extent to which Chinese manufacturing firms are driving manufacturing in an African country. Through a combination of desktop and field research, the author finds that the total number of Chinese manufacturing investments in Ghana indeed increased during past decade, but quite a few projects have been abandoned or not implemented because of the unfavorable investment environment. Small and large manufacturing projects can be found in different sectors, such as plastics, steel, pharmaceuticals, and others. All of the manufacturing investments target local or regional markets, either taking advantage of local raw materials or seeing opportunities in a market with little competition. Transitioning from trading to manufacturing investment and clustering are identified as the main patterns by which Chinese investors establish themselves in Ghana. Chinese firms source simple raw materials from local suppliers but import industrial supplies from abroad. Learning from Chinese business models, a few local businessmen have started their own manufacturing projects, mostly in the plastics recycling sector, but a lack of capital appears to keep some local players from moving up the value chain. Ghana’s weak economy itself is limiting technology transfer and local linkages between Chinese firms and Ghanaians.
Changing Gender Roles In Agriculture Evidence From 20 Years Of Data In Ghana
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Author : Lambrecht, Isabel
language : en
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Release Date : 2017-03-17
Changing Gender Roles In Agriculture Evidence From 20 Years Of Data In Ghana written by Lambrecht, Isabel and has been published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2017-03-17 with Political Science categories.
At a time when donors and governments are increasing efforts to mainstream gender in agriculture, it is critical to revisit long-standing wisdom about gender inequalities in agriculture to be able to more efficiently design and evaluate policy interventions. Many stylized facts about women in agriculture have been repeated for decades. Did nothing really change? Is some of this conventional wisdom simply maintained over time, or has it always been inaccurate? We use longitudinal data from Ghana to assess some of the facts and to evaluate whether gender patterns have changed over time. We focus on five main themes: land, cropping patterns, market participation, agricultural inputs, and employment. We add to the literature by showing new facts and evidence from more than 20 years. Results are varied and highlight the difficulty of making general statements about gender in agriculture.
Limitations Of Contract Farming As A Pro Poor Strategy The Case Of Maize Outgrower Schemes In Upper West Ghana
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Author : Ragasa, Catherine
language : en
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Release Date : 2017-03-30
Limitations Of Contract Farming As A Pro Poor Strategy The Case Of Maize Outgrower Schemes In Upper West Ghana written by Ragasa, Catherine and has been published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2017-03-30 with Political Science categories.
The focus in this paper is on two relatively large maize-based contract farming (CF) schemes with fixed input packages (Masara and Akate) and a number of smaller and more flexible CF schemes in a remote region in Ghana (Upper West). Results show that these schemes led to improved technology adoption and yield increases. In addition, a subset of maize farmers with high yield improvements due to CF participation had high gross margins. However, on average, yields were not high enough to compensate for higher input requirements and cost of capital. On average, households harvest 29–30 bags (100 kg each), or 2.9–3.0 metric tons, of maize per hectare, and the required repayment for fertilizer, seed, herbicide, and materials provided under the average CF scheme is 21–25 bags (50 kg each) per acre, or 2.6–3.0 tons per hectare, which leaves almost none for home consumption or for sale. Despite higher yields, the costs to produce 1 ton of maize under CF schemes remain high on average—higher than on maize farms without CF schemes, more than twice that of several countries in Africa, and more than seven times higher than that of major maize-exporting countries (the United States, Brazil, and Argentina). Sustainability of these CF schemes will depend on, from the firms’ perspective, minimizing the costs to run and monitor them, and from the farmers’ perspective, developing and promoting much-improved varieties and technologies that may lead to a jump in yields and gross margins to compensate for the high cost of credit.
Moving In The Right Direction Maize Productivity And Fertilizer Use And Use Intensity In Ghana
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Author : Antony Chapoto
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 2014
Moving In The Right Direction Maize Productivity And Fertilizer Use And Use Intensity In Ghana written by Antony Chapoto and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2014 with categories.
The fertilizer subsidy, reintroduced in Ghana in 2008, seems to have led to increased fertilizer use and use intensity among farmers, but there is limited empirical evidence as to whether this increased fertilizer use has reached the optimal intensity level and has contributed to increased productivity. Using cross-sectional data on 630 maize farmers and 645 maize plots in Ghana, this paper provides empirical evidence on the responsiveness of maize yield to fertilizer use and use intensity and the economics of fertilizer use with or without subsidy. Similar to previous studies in Ghana and Africa south of the Sahara, the results show that there is a statistically significant maize yield response (that is, 1 kilogram of nitrogen leads to a yield increase of 22 kilograms per hectare). Despite subsidized prices, the actual application rate for fertilizer adopters (at 44 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare on average) is far below the optimal level (at 225 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare, where the fertilizer price intersects the value of marginal physical product derived from the yield response model). This result suggests limits to fertilizer subsidy as a strategy to increase fertilizer application, productivity, and income among maize farmers in Ghana. Results suggest that fertilizer prices seem not to be the binding constraint in greater fertilizer application and productivity increases in maize. Other factors, including accessibility to modern seed varieties, mechanization, and hired labor, appear to be major obstacles to greater fertilizer application and productivity increases, and these factors would need to be improved to help increase intensity of fertilizer use in both the northern and southern parts of Ghana. Aside from fertilizer, other factors found to positively contribute to higher yield included modern seed variety use, animal manure, herbicide, and the total number of family labor hours spent working in the maize plot. Plots planted with modern varieties have about a 570-kilogram higher yield per hectare than those planted with traditional varieties, while plots fertilized with animal manure have about a 400-kilogram higher yield and plots with herbicide have about a 170-kilogram higher yield than plots without. Significantly higher yields are obtained when fertilizer application is complemented by these inputs. There is no evidence that certified seeds have a significantly higher yield than recycled or uncertified seeds.
