In Pursuit of an African Green Revolution

Type Book Section - On the Determinants of Low Productivity in Maize Farming in Uganda: The Role of Markets, Fertilizer Use and Gender
Title In Pursuit of an African Green Revolution
Author(s)
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2016
Page numbers 165-182
Publisher Springer
URL https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-4-431-55693-0_8
Abstract
African governments and international development groups see boosting productivity on smallholderfarms as a key way to reduce rural poverty and safeguard the food security of non-farming households. Prompting smallholder farmers to use more fertilizer has been a key tactic. Closing the productivity gap between male and female farmers has been another avenue toward achieving the same goal. Our results suggest the two are related. We find that fertilizer use and maize yields among smallholder farmers in Uganda are increased by improved access to markets and extension services, and reduced by ex-ante risk-mitigating production decisions. However, we find that the gender productivity gap, significant in OLS regression results, disappears when gender is included in a list of determinants meant to capture the indirect effects of market and extension access. Consistent with observed risk mitigation production choices, the research confirms the important consequences of unexpected weather outcomes on yields.

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