On the Central Role of Small Farms in African Rural Development Strategies

Muraoka, Rie; Larson, Donald F.; Otsuka, Keijiro

On the Central Role of Small Farms in African Rural Development Strategies

Autores

Muraoka, Rie

Larson, Donald F.

Otsuka, Keijiro

Editor

World Bank, Washington, DC

Descripción

Improving the productivity of smallholder farms in Sub-Saharan Africa offers the best chance to reduce poverty among this generation of rural poor, by building on the limited resources farming households already possess. It is also the best and shortest path to meet rising food needs. Using examples from farmers' maize and rice fields, and comparisons with Asia, this paper examines why the set of technologies promoted to date have produced localized successes rather than transformational change. The paper explains the limitations of alternative policies that are not centered on small farms. It provides indicative examples of how resource-management technologies can supplement seed-fertilizer technologies to speed an African Green Revolution.

Palabras clave

AGRICULTURAL POLICIES, MANURE, AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, AGRICULTURAL GROWTH, THAILAND, YIELD RESPONSE, URBANIZATION, AFRICAN RICE, TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION, SORGHUM, GENETIC IMPROVEMENT, LIVESTOCK SYSTEMS, SOIL CONSERVATION, CROP SYSTEMS, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, LEGUMES, UNITED NATIONS, AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT, PESTICIDE, AGRICULTURAL SECTORS, AGRICULTURAL LANDS, CASSAVA, CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS, GENETIC MATERIAL, LARGE FARMS, GENETIC POTENTIAL, NUTRIENT CONTENT, AGRONOMY, GERMPLASM, RICE TECHNOLOGY, WATER RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION, INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, LANDS, POVERTY REDUCTION, FERTILIZERS, MAIZE, CROP YIELD, CROP PRODUCTION, CEREALS, TRAINING, GRAIN CROPS, WHEAT YIELDS, AGRICULTURAL MARKETS, AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY, AGROCLIMATIC CONDITIONS, SEEDS, AFRICAN FARMERS, HYBRID MAIZE, POTENTIAL YIELDS, BIODIVERSITY, CARBON SEQUESTRATION, UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME, PESTICIDE USE, MARKETS, ORGANIC FERTILIZER, HIGH YIELDS, AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY, RESEARCH, AVERAGE YIELD, FARMING, FOOD SUPPLIES, LIVESTOCK, FARMERS, BARLEY, NATURAL RESOURCES, CROPS, FOOD PRODUCTION, RURAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES, INFRASTRUCTURE, AGRICULTURAL POLICY, TECHNOLOGY, CROP YIELDS, DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH, HYBRID SEEDS, LIVESTOCK FARMING, CROP FARMING, EXTENSION PROGRAMS, FARMLAND, FOOD SECURITY, PLANT BREEDING, AGRONOMIC PRACTICES, CROP, CLIMATE CHANGE, AGRICULTURAL INTENSIFICATION, SCIENCE, AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES, SOIL NUTRIENTS, RICE YIELDS, CREDIT, MAIZE YIELDS, MILLET, REPORTS, RURAL POVERTY, CROPPING, MEXICO, AGRICULTURAL MARKETING, COFFEE, AGRICULTURE, AGRICULTURAL LAND, LENTILS, AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS, POPULATIONS, HYBRIDS, RURAL ECONOMIES, IRRI, INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT, ACCESS TO CREDIT, ANIMAL PROTEIN, SOUTH AFRICA, POTATOES, RICE CULTIVARS, IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, INVESTMENT, IRRIGATION, FOOD CROPS, BREEDING, FARMS, RICE CULTIVATION, FEED, AVERAGE YIELDS, INNOVATION, POPULATION, WHEAT, SOILS, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY, RICE, SOIL FERTILITY, COMMODITIES, GREEN REVOLUTION, LAMB, FARMING SYSTEMS, FOOD PRICES, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY, SEASONS, CEREAL YIELDS, GRAIN, POVERTY ALLEVIATION, FORAGE CROPS, CEREAL YIELD