Agricultural household effects of fertilizer price changes for smallholder farmers in central Malawi

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dc.creatorKomarek, Adam M.
dc.creatorDrogue, Sophie
dc.creatorChenoune, Roza
dc.creatorHawkins, James
dc.creatorMsangi, Siwa
dc.creatorHatem, Belhouchette
dc.creatorFlichman, Guillermo
dc.date2017-06
dc.date2024-06-21T09:06:26Z
dc.date2024-06-21T09:06:26Z
dc.date.accessioned2026-06-27T15:38:38Z
dc.descriptionThis simulation study explored the agricultural household effects of changes in the price of inorganic nitrogen fertilizer for farmers in central Malawi. We selected the Dedza district to conduct this study, which is a district reliant on maize production for household livelihoods. This study used data from a household survey to develop and calibrate an agricultural household model for a representative household. The survey focused on socio-economic and agronomic factors. This included plot-level agronomic details for crop inputs and yields. Using our dynamic model, we found a negative association between fertilizer prices and fertilizer use, maize area, and income. Removing fertilizer prices led to an increased use of nitrogen fertilizer at the household scale from 16.8 kg to 49.6 kg and this helped increase household income by 52%. We calculated an average own-price elasticity of fertilizer demand of − 0.92. Although higher fertilizer prices increased legume acreage, which had potential environmental benefits, household income fell. Our benefit-cost ratio calculations suggest that government actions that deliver changes in fertilizer prices are relatively cost effective. Our study highlights the reliance of households on maize production and consumption for their livelihood, and the effects that changes in fertilizer prices can have upon them.
dc.identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/146273
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/110387
dc.languageen
dc.publisherElsevier
dc.rightsOpen Access
dc.sourceKomarek, Adam M.; Drogue, Sophie; Chenoune, Roza; Hawkins, James; Msangi, Siwa; Belhouchette, Hatem; and Flichman, Guillermo. 2017. Agricultural household effects of fertilizer price changes for smallholder farmers in central Malawi. Agricultural Systems 154(June 2017): 168-178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2017.03.016
dc.subjectnitrogen fertilizers
dc.subjectbioeconomics
dc.subjectfertilizers
dc.subjectbenefit-cost ratio
dc.subjectcropping systems
dc.subjecthouseholds
dc.subjectagricultural policies
dc.subjectsmallholders
dc.subjectland use
dc.subjectsubsidies
dc.subjectprices
dc.titleAgricultural household effects of fertilizer price changes for smallholder farmers in central Malawi
dc.typeJournal Article

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Instituto Internacional de Investigación sobre Políticas Alimentarias (IFPRI)