5 research outputs found
Fresh produce value chains in Kenya: Challenges and prospects for enhanced market access and inclusion of smallholders
No full textProduction and marketing of fresh produce provides opportunities for small holder farmers in low- and middle-income economies to engage and benefit from high-value markets and value chains. Fresh produce markets can be valuable for transforming the food sector in many low-income countries but perishability and difficulties in organizing supply chain logistics mean access remains challenging for smallholders.
Contract farming is one potential mechanism that smallholder farmers in developing countries can use to participate in and benefit from domestic and global value chains (Okello and Swinton 2007; Barrett et al. 2012; Minot and Sawyer 2016; Ruben 2017; Ton et al. 2017). Linking smallholder farmers more directly with national and global consumers should increase both the demand and producer prices for their fresh produce. Increased access to and participation in such value chains increases farm income earned by smallholders. Improvements in inclusion and efficiency of value chains are vital to enhance the effectiveness of contracting models, and to enhance the market access and integration of smallholders. Inclusion is important because large buyers, including processors, modern retailers, and exporters, are often hesitant to engage with small and marginal farmers and may prefer working through brokers, which reduces benefits to farmers. Also, market integration is becoming increasingly important for smallholders in order to avoid marginalization of the less organized sector in the more organized, growing global fresh produce market (Ruben 2017; Ton et al. 2017).PRIFPRI4; 3 Building Inclusive and Efficient Markets, Trade Systems, and Food IndustryDevelopment Strategies and Governance (DSG); Transformation Strategie
Does entrepreneurship improve the livelihood of young people? Evidence from the NDE program beneficiaries in Kano state, Nigeria
No full textEntrepreneurship has evolved into a valuable tool for facilitating job creation in response to Nigeria’s youth bulge and declining job opportunities in the formal sector. This study assessed the impact of entrepreneurship on youths’ livelihood, focusing on the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) program in Kano state. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods. A total of 266 respondents, including 148 young entrepreneurs and 118 non-entrepreneurs, were sampled using a multi-stage sampling technique, with Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) used to collect qualitative data from 25 youths. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and an Endogenous Switching Treatment Effect Regression (ESTER) model. The descriptive analysis showed that engagement in entrepreneurship was determined by age, having consistent income source, credit access, number of entrepreneurs in the household, access to entrepreneurship training, household size, and asset ownership. Even though entrepreneurs earned higher monthly income than non-entrepreneurs, their income was just slightly above the Nigerian minimum wage. Furthermore, asset ownership, access to credit, group membership, and access to training, all of which are strong predictors of entrepreneurship, were higher among entrepreneurs compared to non-entrepreneurs. The findings also revealed that entrepreneurs had better livelihood outcomes, as measured by income and self-assessed living condition, than non-entrepreneurs. Even though these outcomes could have resulted from other externalities, the empirical analysis helped to address such endogeneity, thereby attributing the outcome estimates solely to entrepreneurship. These results, therefore, show the relevance of entrepreneurship in alleviating poverty and generating better livelihood outcomes for young Nigerians.PRIFPRI3; DCA; 3 Building Inclusive and Efficient Markets, Trade Systems, and Food IndustryDevelopment Strategies and Governance (DSG); Transformation Strategie
Assessing food security among young farmers in Africa: Evidence from Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda
No full textFood insecurity remains a serious challenge for many households in Africa and the situation is even more prevalent among young people. However, there is a dearth of empirical evidence on youth food security status in Africa. We assessed the level and determinants of food security among young farmers in Africa. We adopted a multi-stage sampling technique to select 400, 429, and 606 young farmers in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda, respectively. Individual food consumption was assessed following a 7 days recall method. The Food Consumption Score, which combines dietary diversity and consumption frequency was used to assess food security status while the determinants of food security were identified using a logistic regression model. Results suggest low dietary diversity across the three countries. Also, the majority of the respondents had an unacceptable food consumption score, suggesting that despite being food producers, young farmers are still food insecure. The odds of being food secure was positively determined by access to extension services, participation in the ENABLE TAAT business incubation programme, and access to market information but, negatively by access to credit, number of employees, Covid-19 pandemic, and location. Additionally, the food security status of young female farmers was positively influenced by age, suggesting that younger youths are less food secure compared to older ones. These results suggest that more efforts should be directed towards improving the food security of young African farmers and that policy- and programme-level interventions should support access to extension services, market information, and land. Additionally, more investments should be directed towards developing need-based agribusiness incubation programmes with an effort to scale existing programmes beyond the regular one-time period.PRIFPRI3; ISIDevelopment Strategies and Governance (DSG); Transformation Strategie
The Russia-Ukraine crisis presents threats to Nigeria’s food security, but potential opportunities for the fertilizer, energy sectors
No full textThe current rise in global market prices for major food commodities almost mirrors that of the 2008 food crisis, presenting a worldwide threat to food security. The situation is particularly severe in Africa, where the COVID-19 pandemic and now the Russia-Ukraine crisis have exposed the vulnerability of food systems to major shocks, particularly in countries like Nigeria that rely heavily on imports of major staple foods such as rice and wheat.
With global food prices spiking and supplies of wheat, oils, and other items disrupted due to the Russia-Ukraine war, Nigeria faces a number of threats to its already precarious food security. Since over 50% of the foods consumed by Nigerian households come from purchased sources, food price inflation threatens to place many people in a worsening food insecurity situation. In particular, Nigeria’s dependence on wheat imports may lead to high prices and supply problems. At the same time, however, Nigeria’s capacity to produce other key items — in particular, fertilizer and natural gas — may allow it to take advantage of global market disruptions from the crisis.
In this post, we examine how wheat supply disruptions and spiking prices caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict may exacerbate food insecurity in Nigeria, and also explore the country’s potential opportunities in the emerging fertilizer sector and energy industries.Non-PRIFPRI4; Food Security PortalDevelopment Strategies and Governance (DSG); Transformation Strategie
Innovations for inclusive and sustainable growth of domestic food value chains: Fruits and vegetables value chains in Nigeria scoping report
No full textFruits & vegetable value chains (F&V VC) in Nigeria hold significant potential to continue toward sustainable, inclusive food system transformation. Domestic food system growth, including that of F&V, remains crucial in achieving a healthy food environment and serving as a source of various micronutrients. There is a need for bundles of innovations to address multiple challenges along F&V VC in Nigeria, characterized by a set of challenges that are unique to developing countries and F&V.
V&F VC consists of many small actors, farmers, and traders, whereby limited vertical coordination can lead to significant efficiency loss along the value chain. Seasonal and temporal variations in supply-demand gaps for F&V commodities are substantial, and considerable scope exists for reducing losses and enhancing the overall efficiency of the domestic F&V sector. Policy environments are also favorable for such efforts, as the latest Agricultural Policy documents highlight the Nigerian government’s interest in modernizing F&V VC. Given the significant involvement of women and youths in the sector, F&V VC development has substantial potential to contribute to Nigeria's inclusive development of agrifood systems.
The current domestic F&V VC in Nigeria suffers from various sets of problems. Access to quality seeds is limited due to the significant use of recycled seeds, limited supply, and high costs of certified seeds. Cooling practices are inefficient due to insufficient access to the grid and off-grid electricity, limited knowledge of intermediate cooling methods applicable at the farm gate, and constraining quality preservations at farm gate storage, during transportation, and storage at market premises. Processing is insufficient due to the high costs of processing equipment and limited knowledge of the construction and operation of simpler, less resource-dependent processing facilities, including drying of F&V commodities. Inappropriate packing, such as the use of Rafia baskets instead of Reusable Plastic Crates, which are commonly recognized, is still prevalent, potentially due to limited market coordination.
Based on the stakeholder consultations, desk reviews, validation workshops, and availability of external resources, we identified the following as critical interventions to pilot various innovation bundles. Intervention #1 provides improved varieties and quality seeds, combined with agronomy training and certification, in northern Nigeria through the collaboration with East West Seeds and Wageningen University & Research. Intervention #2 provides off-grid cooling and cool transportation, including forced-air evaporative cooling units at farm clusters and the combination of small and large refrigerated trucks for local and longer-distance transportation, through the collaboration with ColdHubs and MIT-Lab. Intervention #3 introduces improved solar dryers and provides training on appropriate, hygienic processing methods, building, and utilization of these driers (possibly combined with the introduction of a business model), through the collaboration with World Vegetable Center and Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute. Intervention #4 provides plastic crates using various rental arrangements and improves market access for farmers through collaboration with private companies, including Bunkasa. Intervention #5 supplements interventions #1, #2, and #3 and provides improved information through certification and labeling. Lastly, Intervention #6 strengthens linkages between existing solar powered cold storages to supplement other interventions.Non-PRIFPRI1; 2 Promoting Healthy Diets and Nutrition for all; 3 Building Inclusive and Efficient Markets, Trade Systems, and Food Industry; 4 Transforming Agricultural and Rural EconomiesMarkets, Trade, and Institutions (MTI); Food and Nutrition Polic
