Welfare impacts of smallholder farmers' participation in multiple output markets: Empirical evidence from Tanzania

PLoS One. 2021 May 6;16(5):e0250848. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250848. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

A relatively large body of literature has documented the welfare effects of smallholder farmers' participation in single-commodity output markets. However, limited empirical evidence is available when smallholder farmers participate in multiple-commodities output markets. We tried to fill this gap in the literature by estimating the impacts of smallholder farmers' contemporaneous participation in both maize and legume markets vis-à-vis in only maize or legume markets using household-level data from Tanzania. Applying a multinomial endogenous switching regression model that allows controlling for observed and unobserved heterogeneity associated with market participation in single-commodity and multiple-commodity markets, results showed that smallholder farmers' participation in both single-and multiple-commodity markets was positively and significantly associated with household income and food security. Moreover, the greatest benefits were obtained when farmers participated in multiple-commodity markets, suggesting the importance of policies promoting diversification in crop income sources to increase welfare and food security. Our findings also signal the complementary-rather than substitute-nature of accessing multiple-commodity markets for enhancing household livelihoods under a specialization strategy. Finally, important policy implications are suggested, from promoting and supporting public infrastructure investments to expanding road networks to reduce transportation costs, especially in remote communities, to enhance smallholder farmer access to profitable maize and legume markets in Tanzania.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Crop Production / economics
  • Crop Production / statistics & numerical data*
  • Fabaceae
  • Farmers / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Food Security / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Income / statistics & numerical data
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Models, Statistical
  • Tanzania
  • Young Adult
  • Zea mays

Grants and funding

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded the collection of the Africa Research In Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation (Africa RISING) household and community survey data under the Africa RISING program, as part of the US Government’s Feed the Future Initiative with grant number #AID-BFS-G-11-00002. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript”. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) provided technical and operational support through the Africa RISING program, but there was no direct donor’s requirement or mandate to complete the research. The following authors received a/part of the salary from the funder (USAID): (i) Bekele Kotu (ii) Carlo Azzarri (iii) Julius Manda (iv) Lieven Claessens (v) Mateete Bekunda.