TOTAL FACTOR PRODUCTIVITY AND THE EFFECTS OF R&D IN AFRICAN AGRICULTURE

Angela Lusigi and Colin Thirtle
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Angela Lusigi: Department of Agricultural and Food Economics, The University of Reading, Reading, UK, Postal: Department of Agricultural and Food Economics, The University of Reading, Reading, UK
Colin Thirtle: Department of Agricultural and Food Economics, The University of Reading, Reading, UK, Postal: Department of Agricultural and Food Economics, The University of Reading, Reading, UK

Journal of International Development, 1997, vol. 9, issue 4, 529-538

Abstract: This paper calculates multilateral Malmquist indices of total factor productivity (TFP) for agriculture in 47 African countries, for the period 1961-91. The average rate of TFP growth was found to be 1.27 per cent, which is higher than expected, given the pessimistic nature of much of the literature. There is some evidence of convergence in productivity levels, as the countries with low starting levels grew more rapidly. Population pressure on the land also appears to be a major explanation of faster growth, as has been suggested by Boserup and by Hayami and Ruttan's induced innovation hypothesis. However, fitting deterministic and stochastic frontier models shows that the effect of agricultural R&D on TFP growth is also positive and significant. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Date: 1997
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:jintdv:v:9:y:1997:i:4:p:529-538

DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1099-1328(199706)9:4<529::AID-JID462>3.0.CO;2-U

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