Agricultural Input Subsidies: The Recent Malawi Experience

Agricultural input subsidies were a major feature of development policies in rural economies until the 1980s. Continuing rural poverty with low productivity and fertilizer use in smallholder staple crops has led to their resurgence in Africa. These subsidies are, however, controversial with claims o...

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Tác giả chính: Chirwa, Ephraim
Tác giả khác: Dorward, Andrew
Ngôn ngữ:eng
Được phát hành: Oxford University Press. URI http://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/33836 2023
Truy cập trực tuyến:https://opac.tvu.edu.vn/pages/opac/wpid-detailbib-id-44811.html
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Thư viện lưu trữ: Trung tâm Học liệu – Phát triển Dạy và Học, Trường Đại học Trà Vinh
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spelling https:--opac.tvu.edu.vn:9090-api-oai:448112023-12-21T00:35:38Z Agricultural Input Subsidies: The Recent Malawi Experience Chirwa, Ephraim Agricultural input subsidies were a major feature of development policies in rural economies until the 1980s. Continuing rural poverty with low productivity and fertilizer use in smallholder staple crops has led to their resurgence in Africa. These subsidies are, however, controversial with claims of both large food security benefits and unsustainable, inefficient resource use. This book reviews current theory and evidence on the strengths and weaknesses of these programmes and the effects of programme context, design, and implementation. Theoretical arguments for agricultural subsidies are based on input promotion where farmers’ private costs (benefits) are higher (lower) than wider economic costs (benefits). These arguments, and concerns about inefficiency and diversion, are reviewed and extended to consider input affordability constraints and ‘smart’ rationing and targeting. Recent programmes in Africa have a variety of generally producer-focused objectives, with varied implementation and programme outcomes. Most pay little attention to consumer interests and potential contributions to wider growth. A detailed examination of Malawi’s controversial agricultural input subsidy programme follows. Drawing on a wide range of information sources, the political and agro-economic contexts of the programme are examined, with evidence on its implementation and impacts from 2005 to 2011. Positive impacts are recorded on beneficiaries’ production, incomes, food consumption, school enrolment, child health, and reduced need for earnings from undertaking casual labour for others. There is evidence of indirect economy-wide impacts, but this is not as strong as might be expected. Targeting and graduation are identified as critically important issues requiring continuing attention. Oxford University Press. URI http://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/33836 Dorward, Andrew 2023-12-21T00:35:38Z pdf https://opac.tvu.edu.vn/pages/opac/wpid-detailbib-id-44811.html eng
institution Trung tâm Học liệu – Phát triển Dạy và Học, Trường Đại học Trà Vinh
collection Thư viện số
language eng
description Agricultural input subsidies were a major feature of development policies in rural economies until the 1980s. Continuing rural poverty with low productivity and fertilizer use in smallholder staple crops has led to their resurgence in Africa. These subsidies are, however, controversial with claims of both large food security benefits and unsustainable, inefficient resource use. This book reviews current theory and evidence on the strengths and weaknesses of these programmes and the effects of programme context, design, and implementation. Theoretical arguments for agricultural subsidies are based on input promotion where farmers’ private costs (benefits) are higher (lower) than wider economic costs (benefits). These arguments, and concerns about inefficiency and diversion, are reviewed and extended to consider input affordability constraints and ‘smart’ rationing and targeting. Recent programmes in Africa have a variety of generally producer-focused objectives, with varied implementation and programme outcomes. Most pay little attention to consumer interests and potential contributions to wider growth. A detailed examination of Malawi’s controversial agricultural input subsidy programme follows. Drawing on a wide range of information sources, the political and agro-economic contexts of the programme are examined, with evidence on its implementation and impacts from 2005 to 2011. Positive impacts are recorded on beneficiaries’ production, incomes, food consumption, school enrolment, child health, and reduced need for earnings from undertaking casual labour for others. There is evidence of indirect economy-wide impacts, but this is not as strong as might be expected. Targeting and graduation are identified as critically important issues requiring continuing attention.
author2 Dorward, Andrew
author_facet Dorward, Andrew
Chirwa, Ephraim
author Chirwa, Ephraim
spellingShingle Chirwa, Ephraim
Agricultural Input Subsidies: The Recent Malawi Experience
author_sort Chirwa, Ephraim
title Agricultural Input Subsidies: The Recent Malawi Experience
title_short Agricultural Input Subsidies: The Recent Malawi Experience
title_full Agricultural Input Subsidies: The Recent Malawi Experience
title_fullStr Agricultural Input Subsidies: The Recent Malawi Experience
title_full_unstemmed Agricultural Input Subsidies: The Recent Malawi Experience
title_sort agricultural input subsidies: the recent malawi experience
publisher Oxford University Press. URI http://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/33836
publishDate 2023
url https://opac.tvu.edu.vn/pages/opac/wpid-detailbib-id-44811.html
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