Abstract
This article highlights a number of problems related to agricultural market liberalisation in Africa. Poor infrastructure and dispersed settlements have limited the capability of the private sector to cover the ground left by state withdrawal, especially in agricultural input and credit markets. The elimination of subsidies and currency devaluations have resulted in higher prices and reduced use of inputs. Access to seasonal credit for input purchases is disappearing. Yet, while there has been an increasing recognition of the factors that inhibit the functioning of these markets, the majority of policy recommendations are still advocating the transition to a purely free market’ situation in Africa. On the contrary, this article argues that solving market failures in input distribution and credit provision requires new and fine-tuned forms of public intervention, such as the promotion of input trust funds.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | European Journal of Development Research |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-29 |
| Number of pages | 29 |
| ISSN | 0957-8811 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2001 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Cite this
}
Policy Reforms, Market Failures and Inputs use in African Smallholder Agriculture. / Ponte, Stefano.
In: European Journal of Development Research, Vol. 13, No. 1, 2001, p. 1-29.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Policy Reforms, Market Failures and Inputs use in African Smallholder Agriculture
AU - Ponte, Stefano
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - This article highlights a number of problems related to agricultural market liberalisation in Africa. Poor infrastructure and dispersed settlements have limited the capability of the private sector to cover the ground left by state withdrawal, especially in agricultural input and credit markets. The elimination of subsidies and currency devaluations have resulted in higher prices and reduced use of inputs. Access to seasonal credit for input purchases is disappearing. Yet, while there has been an increasing recognition of the factors that inhibit the functioning of these markets, the majority of policy recommendations are still advocating the transition to a purely free market’ situation in Africa. On the contrary, this article argues that solving market failures in input distribution and credit provision requires new and fine-tuned forms of public intervention, such as the promotion of input trust funds.
AB - This article highlights a number of problems related to agricultural market liberalisation in Africa. Poor infrastructure and dispersed settlements have limited the capability of the private sector to cover the ground left by state withdrawal, especially in agricultural input and credit markets. The elimination of subsidies and currency devaluations have resulted in higher prices and reduced use of inputs. Access to seasonal credit for input purchases is disappearing. Yet, while there has been an increasing recognition of the factors that inhibit the functioning of these markets, the majority of policy recommendations are still advocating the transition to a purely free market’ situation in Africa. On the contrary, this article argues that solving market failures in input distribution and credit provision requires new and fine-tuned forms of public intervention, such as the promotion of input trust funds.
UR - https://sfx-45cbs.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/45cbs?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_ctx_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info:sid/sfxit.com:azlist&sfx.ignore_date_threshold=1&rft.object_id=110978979267980
U2 - 10.1080/09578810108426778
DO - 10.1080/09578810108426778
M3 - Journal article
VL - 13
SP - 1
EP - 29
JO - European Journal of Development Research
JF - European Journal of Development Research
SN - 0957-8811
IS - 1
ER -