We use the concept of the product space to analyze the key features of the transformation process in Africa with a focus on the agricultural sector. Between 1962 and 2008, we find that both specialization and diversification occur for the overall economy and across sectors. Our findings also...

Perennial crop production is inherently dynamic due to several salient physical characteristics including an establishment period of several years with low or no yields, long lives in commercial production (40 years or more), and path-dependence of yields on input use and other exogenous...

This study uses an agricultural household model to examine the tradeoff between farm profitability and a household head’s desire for market work. The theoretical analysis is a comparative statics analysis relative to the two variables. Results show that the tradeoff can arise for...

The potential of agricultural biotechnology to produce seed traits that reduce yield risk generates widespread excitement. Hopes are high that in an era of tightening water constraints and climate change drought tolerant (DT) crop varieties will stabilize food production and allow for greater...

Although high yielding modern rice varieties (MVs) have been gradually disseminating over Sub-Saharan Africa, little is known on how the adoption of MVs influences agriculture productivity and household income. To fill this research gap, we analyze two kinds of data sets in Tanzania: a national...