A dynamic bio-economic model is used to examine natural resource use, the resulting nutrient balances and economic outcomes in a poor country under a range of technological and policy intervention scenarios. With limited technological intervention over a twelve year planning period, incomes rise...

This paper attempts to demonstrate how location of an agricultural economic activity in relation to urban centers determines households' decision to allot their agricultural land to the production of either staple crop or a high value but risky cash crop. Analyzing household data from villages...

This paper examines the theoretical and practical aspects of natural resource use in the poor tropics given limited technological and policy intervention. Results show that if farmers were to reallocate their land use activities based on land suitability, and utilize between 10-20% of their farm...

A dynamic bio-economic model is used to show that, without technological and policy intervention, soil nutrient balances, income and nutrition could not be substantially or sustainably improved in a highland area of Ethiopia. Although cash incomes could rise from a very low base by more than 50%...

The moist savannah zone in sub-Saharan Africa is regarded as a high potential area for crop and livestock production. Currently, human labour is the principal source of power for crop production and the level of commercial energy use is very low. Agropastoralism and pastoralism are the principal...

This paper considers the integration of economies as a merger of populations. The premise is that the merger of groups of people alters their social landscape and their comparators. The paper identifies the effect of the merger on aggregate distress. A merger is shown to increase aggregate...

This paper asks whether population growth is conducive to the sustainability of cooperation. A simple model is developed in which farmers who live around a circular lake engage in trade with their adjacent neighbors. The payoffs from this activity are governed by a prisoner’s dilemma “rule...

In developing country production environment, farm production efficiency is often measured in terms of on-farm resources and producer characteristics. In this paper we postulate that input and output market related factors also influence farm production decisions hence its efficiency. Stochastic...

Agricultural intensification in West Africa is in its early stages and several hypotheses have been postulated about its evolution and possible pathways. In addition, farm efficiency may vary across farms and other socio-economic domains, opening opportunities to improve efficiency and...

In developing country production environment, farm production efficiency is often measured in terms of on-farm resources and producer characteristics. In this paper we postulate that input and output market related factors also influence farm production decisions hence its efficiency. Stochastic...