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 ...
Poor households are more likely to report a decline in crop price volatility than richer households (see Table 4.1.125). This is partly the result of the large number of poorer household in Atacora. In any case, this is a positive trend because poor households generally considered the most vulnerable to fluctuations in agricultural prices. Availability of market information With the creation of the Office National d’Appui a la Securité Alimentaire (ONASA), the role of the government in food markets has been changed from direct intervention to maintaining strategic grain stocks and providing market information. The results of the survey indicate that there has been some improvement in the availability of market information. Thirty-seven percent of the households report an improvement, while just 8 percent report a deterioration. The responses are most positive in Atacora (where 86 percent report improvement), followed by Borgou, Ouémé, and Mono. Little or no net improvement is reported by households in Atlantique and Zou (see Table 4.1.126). In the case of Atlantique, the availability of information was probably fairly good even in 1992 as a result of the density of economic activity and proximity of the major urban centers. Road conditions This is the one area investigated in which farm households generally perceive a deterioration. Almost 40 percent of the respondents say that road have deteriorated since 1992, while barely 31 percent say that roads have improved. Household were positive in Atacora and Mono, but negative in Atlantique, Borgou, and Zou (see Table 4.1.127). It is interesting to note that satisfaction with the changes in road conditions appears to decline as expenditure rises. The households in the poorest expenditure categories are fairly positive, while those in the highest two expenditure categories are distinctively negative (see Table 4.1.128). Crop storage Since agricultural production occurs at specific times during the year, but food consumption occurs throughout the year, storage is necessary to match supply and demand. The results of the IFPRI-LARES Small Farmer Survey indicate that much of the storage of agricultural commodities occurs on the farm. This section describes patterns in farm-level crop storage in Bénin. Storage facilities Almost all (93 percent) farm households in Bénin have some form of storage facility. For this survey, we distinguish among three types of storage structures: 83
The grenier or cabane is an independent structure made of wood and/or woven mats that is often temporary. This is the most common form of storage in Bénin, owned by 65 percent of the farms. They are particularly common in Atacora and Borgou, where the drier climate makes in-house storage unnecessary. These storage facilities are also found in 46- 78 percent of the farms in other departments (see Table 4.1.129). A storeroom is defined as an independent structure that is permanent, often built from mud or mud bricks. Storerooms are owned by just 21 percent of the farms in Bénin, but 45-47 percent of those in the proportion being highest in Borgou and Zou. They appear to be associated with cotton production, perhaps due to the need for a secure place to store the valuable cotton harvest until it is marketed (see Table 4.1.129). The third type of storage is to use part of the household dwelling. About half the farm households use their dwelling to store agricultural commodities. The proportion is lowest in Atacora (20 percent) and Borgou (36 percent). The average capacity is about 20 tons, but the average is strongly affected by a few large values. Over half the farms in Bénin have storage capacities of less than 3 tons. Storage capacity is largest in Zou and Borgou (see Table 4.1.129). Female-headed households do not appear to be disadvantaged in terms of storage facilities. Although they are more likely to use their house for storage than male-headed households and the average capacity is smaller, 96 percent of female-headed households have some storage capacity and the median size is larger than that of male-headed households (see Table 4.1.130). Storage facilities do not differ much between poor and rich farm households in terms of the type of storage or the median capacity. On the other hand, storage facilities do vary across farm-size categories. Larger farms are much more likely to have a grenier/cabane or a storeroom than small ones and their storage capacity is considerably larger (see Table 4.1.131). Storage patterns Maize is the crop most commonly stored; 89 percent of farm households reporting storing maize. By comparison, less than 50 percent of the farms stored the other crops: sorghum/millet, small millet, rice, cowpeas, groundnuts, manioc, yams, and cotton. For the most part, these percentage simply reflect differences in the proportion of households growing each crop. Comparing the share of household growing each crop with the share storing it, 84
- Page 40 and 41: CHAPTER 4: RESULTS OF THE BÉNIN SM
- Page 42 and 43: where W v is the weight for a house
- Page 44 and 45: heads. This suggests that some of t
- Page 46 and 47: And school attendance is much highe
- Page 48 and 49: Crop production is the main activit
- Page 50 and 51: (33 percent). Livestock income is m
- Page 52 and 53: Somewhat surprisingly, the relation
- Page 54 and 55: It is no more common among richer h
- Page 56 and 57: production, and women actually spen
- Page 58 and 59: Seed use by crop Although only 18 p
- Page 60 and 61: Looking at the results by departmen
- Page 62 and 63: Ouémé presents an unusual case: j
- Page 64 and 65: Market prices have significant effe
- Page 66 and 67: policies of SONAPRA to discourage
- Page 68 and 69: crops are responsible for this incr
- Page 70 and 71: Respondents were asked whether the
- Page 72 and 73: Female-headed households, not surpr
- Page 74 and 75: households are not considered credi
- Page 76 and 77: In almost every category of agricul
- Page 78 and 79: This discussion implies that farms
- Page 80 and 81: eturns per hectare and labor-intens
- Page 82 and 83: farm household and tends to be smal
- Page 84 and 85: Surprisingly, the value of sales as
- Page 86 and 87: Finally, proximity to an all-season
- Page 88 and 89: Changes in crop marketing In this s
- Page 92 and 93: it is clear that virtually all grow
- Page 94 and 95: production to total expenditure is
- Page 96 and 97: a significant number of household (
- Page 98 and 99: non-food spending. These are follow
- Page 100 and 101: Larger farms are associated with hi
- Page 102 and 103: This would not be surprising in lig
- Page 104 and 105: Female-headed households appear to
- Page 106 and 107: poorest expenditure category to jus
- Page 108 and 109: headed household were more likely t
- Page 110 and 111: Households in every expenditure cat
- Page 112 and 113: An important result of this analysi
- Page 114 and 115: oad network, although those citing
- Page 116 and 117: questions posed by the IFPRI-LARES
- Page 118 and 119: With regard to cotton marketing, al
- Page 120 and 121: Village leaders were asked to ident
- Page 122 and 123: Marketing patterns Village leaders
- Page 124 and 125: 4.3: Results of the Bénin Survey o
- Page 126 and 127: 4.3.2 Survey methods At the time of
- Page 128 and 129: officers have CM2 certificates. Thi
- Page 130 and 131: Suppliers The GV representatives we
- Page 132 and 133: Cotton area per GV ranges from 145
- Page 134 and 135: The largest cost items are schools
- Page 136 and 137: members and 10 percent of the membe
- Page 138 and 139: Table 4.1.1-Description of sample o
The grenier or cabane is an independent structure made of wood and/or woven mats that is<br />
often temporary. This is the most common form of storage in Bénin, owned by 65 percent<br />
of the farms. They are particularly common in Atacora and Borgou, where the drier<br />
climate makes in-house storage unnecessary. These storage facilities are also found in 46-<br />
78 percent of the farms in other departments (see Table 4.1.129).<br />
<br />
A storeroom is defined as an independent structure that is permanent, often built from mud<br />
or mud bricks. Storerooms are owned by just 21 percent of the farms in Bénin, but 45-47<br />
percent of those in the proportion being highest in Borgou and Zou. They appear to be<br />
associated with cotton production, perhaps due to the need for a secure place to store the<br />
valuable cotton harvest until it is marketed (see Table 4.1.129).<br />
<br />
The third type of storage is to use part of the household dwelling. About half the farm<br />
households use their dwelling to store agricultural commodities. The proportion is lowest<br />
in Atacora (20 percent) and Borgou (36 percent).<br />
The average capacity is about 20 tons, but the average is strongly affected by a few large values.<br />
Over half the farms in Bénin have storage capacities of less than 3 tons. Storage capacity is largest<br />
in Zou and Borgou (see Table 4.1.129).<br />
Female-headed households do not appear to be disadvantaged in terms of storage facilities.<br />
Although they are more likely to use their house for storage than male-headed households and the<br />
average capacity is smaller, 96 percent of female-headed households have some storage capacity<br />
and the median size is larger than that of male-headed households (see Table 4.1.130).<br />
Storage facilities do not differ much between poor and rich farm households in terms of the type of<br />
storage or the median capacity. <strong>On</strong> the other hand, storage facilities do vary across farm-size<br />
categories. Larger farms are much more likely to have a grenier/cabane or a storeroom than small<br />
ones and their storage capacity is considerably larger (see Table 4.1.131).<br />
Storage patterns Maize is the crop most commonly stored; 89 percent of farm<br />
households reporting storing maize. By comparison, less than 50 percent of the farms stored the<br />
other crops: sorghum/millet, small millet, rice, cowpeas, groundnuts, manioc, yams, and cotton.<br />
For the most part, these percentage simply reflect differences in the proportion of households<br />
growing each crop. Comparing the share of household growing each crop with the share storing it,<br />
84
Change language