Impact Of Agricultural Market Reforms On Smallholder Farmers In ...
Impact Of Agricultural Market Reforms On Smallholder Farmers In ... Impact Of Agricultural Market Reforms On Smallholder Farmers In ...
Looking at the results by department, it appears that the use of purchased seed has expanded in Atacora and Borgou, due to the influence of yams, rice, and cotton. Purchased seed use has also expanded in Mono and Ouémé, due to the effect of vegetables. In Zou, there is no net change, while in Atlantique the use of purchased seed may have declined. The reasons for this pattern are not obvious (see Table 4.1.50). Changes in the use of purchased seed are correlated with expenditure category. In particular, seed use has become less widespread among poor households and more widespread among non-poor households. This worrisome trend may be related to the fact that seed is almost always sold on a cash basis and the fact that government agencies are less involved in seed distribution than they used to be (see Table 4.1.51). The main reasons given by respondents for increased use of purchased seed are previous experience (70 percent) and availability (15 percent). The main reasons for decreased use are the same: previous experience (51 percent) and availability (44 percent). Fertilizer Fertilizer use is more widespread in Bénin than in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa. According to the IFPRI-LARES Small Farmer Survey, about one-half of the farm households in Bénin use some fertilizer. Among farms that use fertilizer, the average quantity is 491 kilograms of fertilizer per year with a cost of about 92 thousand FCFA. This implies an application rate of 56 kilograms of fertilizer per hectare sown by all farm households in Bénin or 91 kg/ha sown by those farms that use fertilizer (see Table 4.1.52). Fertilizer use by crop The proportion of growers of each crop that fertilize varies widely by crop. Cotton is fertilized by almost all growers, while maize is fertilized by one-third of the maize producers. Maize is followed by vegetables and rice. Other crops are only rarely fertilized. The average quantity used on cotton is 454 kg/farm, while the average on maize is 64 kg/farm. These figures understate the importance of fertilizer use on maize, however, since 90 percent of farms grow maize, but just 35 percent grow cotton. Of the total quantity of fertilizer used by farm households in Bénin, 65 percent is used on cotton, while 24 percent is applied to maize fields. None of the other crops accounts for more than 2 percent of the total. (see Table 4.1.53). 53
It is interesting to note that the probability that a given crop will be fertilized is also affected by whether or not the farm grows cotton. This is most striking in the case of maize, which is fertilized by 59 percent of cotton growers, but just 18 percent of non-cotton growers. In other words, the use of fertilizer on maize is three times more common among cotton farmers compared to other farmers. To a lesser degree, sorghum/millet and rice are also more likely to be fertilized when grown by cotton farmers (see Table 4.1.54). This reflects the fact that cotton farmers are able to purchase fertilizer and other inputs on credit from SONAPRA through the local Groupement Villageois. Cotton farmers account for 87 percent of the volume of fertilizer purchased by small farmers in Bénin. Because of the diversion of fertilizer to other crops, cotton fields account for just 65 percent of the national volume. This implies that three-quarters of the fertilizer purchased by cotton farmers is used on cotton but another quarter is “diverted” to other crops 6 . Of this 25 percent that is diverted, most is applied to maize fields cultivated by cotton farmers (see Table 4.1.55) Non-cotton growers account for about 13 percent of national fertilizer use by farm households. Of this amount, close to half is applied to maize, while the remainder is applied to piment, tomatoes, and other vegetables. (see Table 4.1.55). Fertilizer use among different types of households The use of fertilizer differs sharply across regions within Bénin, however. In Borgou and Zou, over two-thirds of the farmers use fertilizer. Farmers that use fertilizer in these two departments apply over 600 kg/farm on average and spend close to 130 thousand FCFA on fertilizer. The overall application rate (including both users and non-users) is 87 kg/ha in Borgou and 77 kg/ha in Zou. These high rates of fertilizer use are linked to cotton production and the availability of fertilizer on credit. As will be discussed later, over 60 percent of the farmers in Borgou and Zou grow cotton and thus have access to fertilizer on credit (see Table 4.1.56). The lowest fertilizer use is in Atlantique, where just 10 percent of the farms use fertilizer and those that do apply just 186 kg/farm on average (see Table 4.1.56). The low level of fertilizer use is related to the fact that farmers in Atlantique do not grow cotton and generally do not have access to inputs on credit 6 Sixty-five percent of the total is applied to cotton and 87 percent of the total is used by cotton farmers, so 75 percent (0.65/0.87) of that used by cotton farmers is applied to cotton. 54
- Page 10 and 11: villageois, (GV)) was needed as the
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- Page 42 and 43: where W v is the weight for a house
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Looking at the results by department, it appears that the use of purchased seed has expanded in<br />
Atacora and Borgou, due to the influence of yams, rice, and cotton. Purchased seed use has also<br />
expanded in Mono and Ouémé, due to the effect of vegetables. <strong>In</strong> Zou, there is no net change,<br />
while in Atlantique the use of purchased seed may have declined. The reasons for this pattern are<br />
not obvious (see Table 4.1.50).<br />
Changes in the use of purchased seed are correlated with expenditure category. <strong>In</strong> particular, seed<br />
use has become less widespread among poor households and more widespread among non-poor<br />
households. This worrisome trend may be related to the fact that seed is almost always sold on a<br />
cash basis and the fact that government agencies are less involved in seed distribution than they<br />
used to be (see Table 4.1.51).<br />
The main reasons given by respondents for increased use of purchased seed are previous experience<br />
(70 percent) and availability (15 percent). The main reasons for decreased use are the same:<br />
previous experience (51 percent) and availability (44 percent).<br />
Fertilizer<br />
Fertilizer use is more widespread in Bénin than in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa.<br />
According to the IFPRI-LARES Small Farmer Survey, about one-half of the farm households in<br />
Bénin use some fertilizer. Among farms that use fertilizer, the average quantity is 491 kilograms of<br />
fertilizer per year with a cost of about 92 thousand FCFA. This implies an application rate of 56<br />
kilograms of fertilizer per hectare sown by all farm households in Bénin or 91 kg/ha sown by those<br />
farms that use fertilizer (see Table 4.1.52).<br />
Fertilizer use by crop The proportion of growers of each crop that fertilize varies widely<br />
by crop. Cotton is fertilized by almost all growers, while maize is fertilized by one-third of the<br />
maize producers. Maize is followed by vegetables and rice. Other crops are only rarely fertilized.<br />
The average quantity used on cotton is 454 kg/farm, while the average on maize is 64 kg/farm.<br />
These figures understate the importance of fertilizer use on maize, however, since 90 percent of<br />
farms grow maize, but just 35 percent grow cotton. <strong>Of</strong> the total quantity of fertilizer used by farm<br />
households in Bénin, 65 percent is used on cotton, while 24 percent is applied to maize fields.<br />
None of the other crops accounts for more than 2 percent of the total. (see Table 4.1.53).<br />
53