Are medium-scale farms driving agricultural transformation in sub-Saharan Africa?

Thomas Jayne, Milu Muyanga, Ayala Wineman, Hosaena Ghebru, Caleb Stevens, Mercedes Stickler, Antony Chapoto, Ward Anseeuw (), Divan van der Westhuizen and David Nyange
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Thomas Jayne: Michigan State University [East Lansing] - Michigan State University System
Milu Muyanga: Michigan State University [East Lansing] - Michigan State University System
Ayala Wineman: University of Washington [Seattle]
Hosaena Ghebru: IFPRI - International Food Policy Research Institute [Washington] - CGIAR - Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research [CGIAR]
Caleb Stevens: USAID - United States Agency for International Development
Mercedes Stickler: World Bank
Antony Chapoto: Indaba Agricultural Policy Research Institute
Ward Anseeuw: UMR ART-Dev - Acteurs, Ressources et Territoires dans le Développement - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - UPVM - Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 - UPVD - Université de Perpignan Via Domitia - UM - Université de Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Divan van der Westhuizen: University of Pretoria [South Africa]

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Abstract: This study presents evidence of profound farm‐level transformation in parts of sub‐Saharan Africa, identifies major sources of dynamism in the sector, and proposes an updated typology of farms that reflects the evolving nature of African agriculture. Repeat waves of national survey data are used to examine changes in crop production and marketed output by farm size. Between the first and most recent surveys (generally covering 6 to 10 years), the share of national marketed crop output value accounted for by medium‐scale farms rose in Zambia from 23% to 42%, in Tanzania from 17% to 36%, and in Nigeria from 7% to 18%. The share of land under medium‐scale farms is not rising in densely populated countries such as Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda, where land scarcity is impeding the pace of medium‐scale farm acquisitions. Medium‐scale farmers are a diverse group, reflecting distinct entry pathways into agriculture, encouraged by the rapid development of land rental, purchase, and long‐term lease markets. The rise of medium‐scale farms is affecting the region in diverse ways that are difficult to generalize. Findings indicate that these farms can be a dynamic driver of agricultural transformation but this does not reduce the importance of maintaining a clear commitment to supporting smallholder farms. Strengthening land tenure security of local rural people to maintain land rights and support productivity investments by smallholder households remains crucial.

Keywords: Ghana; Nigéria; Sénégal; Zambie; République-Unie de Tanzanie; Malawi; Afrique au sud du Sahara; petite exploitation agricole; développement agricole; structure agraire; Medium-scale farmers; Agricultural transformation; Growth and development; Sub-Saharan Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-05174391v1
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Published in Agricultural Economics, 2019, 50 (51), pp.75-95. ⟨10.1111/agec.12535⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05174391

DOI: 10.1111/agec.12535

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