Smalea, M. and Assimaa, A. and Kergnab, A. and Thériault, V. and Weltzienc, E.
(2018)
Farm family effects of adopting improved and hybrid sorghum seed in the Sudan Savanna of West Africa.
Food Policy, 74.
pp. 162-171.
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Abstract
Uptake of improved sorghum varieties in the Sudan Savanna of West Africa has been limited, despite the economic
importance of the crop and long-term investments in sorghum improvement. One reason why is that
attaining substantial yield advantages has been difficult in this harsh, heterogeneous growing environment.
Release in Mali of the first sorghum hybrids in Sub-Saharan Africa that have been developed primarily from local
germplasm has the potential to change this situation. Utilizing plot data collected in Mali, we explain the
adoption of improved seed with an ordered logit model and apply a multivalued treatment effects model to
measure impacts on farm families, differentiating between improved varieties and hybrids. Since farm families
both consume and sell their sorghum, we consider effects on consumption patterns as well as productivity. Status
within the household, conferred by gender combined with marital status, generation, and education, is strongly
related to the improvement status of sorghum seed planted in these extended family households. Effects of
hybrid use on yields are large, widening the range of food items consumed, reducing the share of sorghum in
food purchases, and contributing to a greater share of the sorghum harvest sold. Use of improved seed appears to
be associated with a shift toward consumption of other cereals, and also to greater sales shares. Findings support
on-farm research concerning yield advantages, also suggesting that the use of well-adapted sorghum hybrids
could contribute to diet diversification and the crop’s commercialization by smallholders.
| Item Type: |
Article
|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Sorghum,
Improved varieties,
Mali,
Multivalued treatment,
Farm family |
| Author Affiliation: |
Department of Agriculture, Food and Resource Economics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA |
| Subjects: |
Plant Production |
| Divisions: |
Sorghum |
| Depositing User: |
Mr T L Gautham
|
| Date Deposited: |
10 Jan 2019 08:08 |
| Last Modified: |
10 Jan 2019 08:08 |
| URI: |
http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/id/eprint/15765 |
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