Bt maize in Kenya is a promising biotechnology innovation for poor households. Econometric predic... more Bt maize in Kenya is a promising biotechnology innovation for poor households. Econometric prediction from a trait-based model of variety adoption indicates that the choice of host variety has equity and efficiency implications related to heterogeneity in maize growing environments and pest pressures, as well as the differences among farm households in terms of wealth, income, and market access.
Maize is the most important food crop in Kenya. However, the poor rate of adoption of new varieti... more Maize is the most important food crop in Kenya. However, the poor rate of adoption of new varieties has been attributed in part to the poor interaction between breeders and farmers. An on-farm trial design methodology, known as "Mother and Baby Trials", was used to evaluate thirty new elite maize hybrids using farmer participatory methods at three sites located in
Population pressures and the need to optimize the use of limited available land has led to increa... more Population pressures and the need to optimize the use of limited available land has led to increasing cropping affluence levels within the maize agro-ecologies in Kenya, and a shift from large to smallholder intensification and m ultiple cropping patterns. Using a geographic information system, this study relates cropping patterns, by area share, maize productivity and hou sehold incomes across maize agro-ecologies, with the purpose to establish a decision su pport system for optimizing land allocation and in priority setting for introduction of new technologies such as Bt maize varieties. Results show that land use patterns and maize productivity in maize farming systems differ between agroecological zones. The high po tential areas experience high maize yields, with maize grown alongside major cash crops such as tea and coffee. In contrast, lowland coastal strip and lake Victoria region tend to grow drou ght tolerant tuber crops (such as cassava and sweet potatoes) alongside maize in appreciable land sizes. Similarly the dry areas grow drought to lerant legumes such as pigeon pea alongside maize. These low potential areas thus concentrate on meeting their subsistence food self-sufficiency needs, pointing at risk management strategies against drought and pests such as stem borer, unlike high potential areas with high value cash crops. Maize breeders should therefore consider insertion of Bt-genes in maize varieties that would achieve high production and which are also capable of safely growing side by side with crops that meet different food security conditions in different agro-ecological zones in Kenya.
Upcoming technologies for maize storage have sometimes been promoted without being subjected to t... more Upcoming technologies for maize storage have sometimes been promoted without being subjected to trials and economic analysis. In the recent past, new storage technologies, actellic super, super grain bag and the metal silo have been developed. In this paper, the results of crop loss trials are combined with measures of project worth to determine the attractiveness of investing in new
Biofortification of maize with provitamin A carotenoids is a new approach to the alleviation of v... more Biofortification of maize with provitamin A carotenoids is a new approach to the alleviation of vitamin A deficiencies in Africa. Unfortunately these varieties are yellow or orange, while consumers generally prefer white. Consumer willingness to pay for yellow and fortified maize was compared in experimental auctions in three regions in Kenya. The premium that consumers are willing pay for fortified maize (24%) was higher than the discount they require to buy yellow maize (11%), and in one zone consumers prefer yellow. Yellow color is, therefore, not an impossible obstacle for biofortified maize, although it would clearly be easier to introduce this maize first in regions where yellow maize is currently grown.
Experimental auctions have not been widely used in Africa. However, auctions are important tools ... more Experimental auctions have not been widely used in Africa. However, auctions are important tools for evaluating new products and technologies. To increase the quality of these experiments, we explore an alternative first-price bidding mechanism that is more similar to African market exchanges and we analyze factors likely to affect bidding. Experiments with African consumers show that the proposed first-price mechanism
Journal of Development and Agricultural Economics, 2012
Their cost to the poor can be reduced through subsidies by the public sector or humanitarian use ... more Their cost to the poor can be reduced through subsidies by the public sector or humanitarian use exemption from Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) by the private sector. Either option needs market segmentation, common in the health sector, but not in agriculture. This paper analyzes options for propoor market segmentation for maize seed in Kenya, the most important agricultural technology in the country. Survey data from 1800 households were analyzed to calculate maize seed use by wealth category and agroecological zone. Different market segmentation options were compared by calculating the number of beneficiaries, and the number and proportion of poor beneficiaries. Geographic targeting is not efficient; targeting the poorest districts leads to a high proportion of nonpoor beneficiaries, while targeting low potential areas leads to low numbers of beneficiaries because of sparse population and low maize production. Self-selection by targeting technologies like varieties and small seed packages is also not efficient because poor and non-poor farmers use similar technologies. Two options have potential: direct targeting, expensive but with limited leakage, and tiered pricing, likely much cheaper but with high proportions of non-poor beneficiaries.
Hybrid varieties have significantly contributed t o increased maize productivity in K enya and ot... more Hybrid varieties have significantly contributed t o increased maize productivity in K enya and other S ub Saharan African SA countries. A number of factors like high costs, low price of maize grain and non-availability of preferred varieties limit access of farmers to improved maize varieties. Farmers resort to the a lternative option of recycling the hybrid maize seeds.
The Insect Resistant Maize for Africa (IRMA) project is currently developing Bt maize for Kenya. ... more The Insect Resistant Maize for Africa (IRMA) project is currently developing Bt maize for Kenya. So far, Bt genes with resistance to Chilo partellus, Chilo orichalcociliellus, Eldana Sacharina, and Sesamia calamistis, four of the five major stemborers were successfully incorporated into elite CIMMYT maize inbred line (CML216) and tested in insect bioassays in Kenya. Participatory Rural Appraisals showed that stem
This paper analyses the impact of the intensity of improved maize varieties adoption on food secu... more This paper analyses the impact of the intensity of improved maize varieties adoption on food security and poverty using data collected in 2010 from maize-legume farming systems in rural Tanzania. We used a continuous treatment approach using generalized propensity score matching and parametric error correction approaches to reduce potential biases stemming from difference in observed characteristics. Estimates of the dose-response
Maize is the key food crop in Kenya, with estimated production (1998) of 3 million tons of which ... more Maize is the key food crop in Kenya, with estimated production (1998) of 3 million tons of which about 40% are marketed. The Government strictly controlled all aspects of maize marketing until 1986 when gradual liberalisation started and this was completed in 1995. The objective of this study is to assess the degree of policy implementation and the impact of liberalisation of maize marketing on stakeholders between 1989 and 1999. The method of the study included review of available literature, conduct of interviews with stakeholders and the authors' personal observations of maize marketing activities. Results indicate that liberalisation was implemented without the formation of alternative marketing institutions. Also, maize prices fluctuated substantially according to competitive market forces with limited moderating effects from the Government through open market interventions and import tariffs. But soon the rules of regional and worldwide trading organisations will render this impossible. Private sector participation at all levels in the marketing system increased substantially. There is easy maize flow and supplies to all parts of Kenya. One recommended intervention is to form maize farmer-based institutions for the marketing of maize, provision of maize market information and credit. Further studies should assess the impact of liberalisation and continued regulation of maize imports on producers and consumers.
To understand the organization of the market and assess the degree of competition in maize hybrid... more To understand the organization of the market and assess the degree of competition in maize hybrid seed production and retailing, the structure and conduct of the market was analyzed in Trans Nzoia District, a major maize producing area in Western Kenya. The structure of the market was analyzed in four aspects, namely: market concentration, product differentiation, market integration and conditions for entry in the hybrid maize seed business. The market conduct considered behaviour and activities of the participants, in particular concerning pricing and promotion. Primary data were obtained randomly from a random sample of 30 traders, out of a total of 46 who sell hybrid maize seed within the district, and 30 farmers within the district. Data were collected at the peak of the planting season in the months of February to April 2000. Results show that there is some impact of the liberalization of the seed industry on the distribution side, but it is minimal on the production side. The major impact in the district is that the previous Kenya Farmers' Association's monopoly of seed distribution has been reduced and that now there are many seed traders in retail. Analysis of the market structure reveals that several factors favour imperfect competition in the hybrid maize seed marketing at the retail level, including include unequally distributed shares of transactions among traders, product differentiation, and barriers to entry. The distribution, with a Gini Coefficient of 0.6 in the district, is categorized as oligopolistic, with 61.67% of the market share going to the 4 largest firms. Interviews with traders indicate that conditions for competition were lacking mainly due to barriers to entry such as institutional restrictions and high initial capital. However, traders did not collude among themselves to decide on prices or control sales volume. On the production side, Kenya Seed Company still provides 96.7% of the hybrid maize seed sold in Trans Nzoia District, with Pioneer Company providing the remaining 3.3% of the market share, a clear monopolistic seed production. Farmers showed their preference for the variety H614. They also complained about KSC's perceived inefficiency, and lack of purity of their seed. Unfortunately, they have few alternatives since only KSC offers the late maturing varieties recommended for the moist transitional and highland zones, while the Pioneer variety available (PHB3253) is of intermediate maturity. Recommendations for the seed industry include improved inspection to improve the seed quality, increased access to credit for traders to increase entry, and increased competition in the seed production through encouraging the development of new late maturing varieties, reducing the requirement to release new varieties, and reducing the import tax on seed.
Maize is the staple food crop and source of income for majority of the Kenyan population and many... more Maize is the staple food crop and source of income for majority of the Kenyan population and many sub-Saharan African countries. The increasing Kenyan population demands an increase in maize production if intermittent food deficits have to be averted. Since the ...
Consumer preferences for white maize in East and Southern Africa concerns developers of maize bio... more Consumer preferences for white maize in East and Southern Africa concerns developers of maize biofortified with provitamin A carotenoids, since carotenoids impart a yellow or orange coloration. Urban consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for yellow maize was estimated, using a semi-double-bounded logistic model, based on a survey of 600 maize consumers in Nairobi, Kenya, at posho mills, kiosks and supermarkets. Consumers showed a strong preference for white maize. Only a minority would buy yellow maize at the same price as white maize, and fewer consumers in the posho mills (24%) and kiosks (19%) than in the supermarkets (34%) would do so. On average, consumers need a price discount of 37% to accept yellow maize. This discount was less at the posho mills (35%) and kiosks (37%) than in the supermarkets (48%). Most respondents (76%) were aware of the existence of fortified meal and the generally showed an interest. The average premium for fortified maize was much less than the discount for yellow: 5.9% for those aware and 7.4% for those unaware. Consumer preferences were influenced by socioeconomic factors such as gender, education, income and ethnic background. Women have a stronger preference for both white maize and fortified maize than men, and consumers with more education have a stronger preference for white. Income decreases the WTP for yellow maize as well as the price elasticity, but increases the WTP for fortified maize. Consumers originating from Western Kenya have a lower preference for white, while those from Central Kenya had a stronger preference for fortified maize.
Attitudes and perceptions of stakeholders are crucial in the acceptability of GM foods. Past rese... more Attitudes and perceptions of stakeholders are crucial in the acceptability of GM foods. Past research focussed on consumers, but paid little attention to the food industry and its gatekeepers, especially in Africa. Therefore, a survey was conducted covering 39 respondents from the milling industry and supermarkets, the main processors and distributors of maize products, in seven urban centres of Kenya. Respondents, mostly from senior management, were well educated and had a good knowledge of biotechnology. Their major sources of information were the media for the supermarkets, and brochures and the food industry for the milling companies. Respondents generally appreciated the benefits of biotechnology, but had concerns about the environment, although few people considered GM food harmful to human or animal health. Most respondents found traceability of GM products important, but would prefer not to label them because of the costs and possible negative consumer reactions. Respondents were largely non-committal on the use of GM products in their companies, preferring to decide on a case-by-case basis. The few negative responses, mostly from the milling industry, were affected by high risk and low benefit perceptions. Most respondents do not like the idea of labelling GM food. Better communication between research and the food industry is now needed, and more research on the labelling of GM products.
Bt maize in Kenya is a promising biotechnology innovation for poor households. Econometric predic... more Bt maize in Kenya is a promising biotechnology innovation for poor households. Econometric prediction from a trait-based model of variety adoption indicates that the choice of host variety has equity and efficiency implications related to heterogeneity in maize growing environments and pest pressures, as well as the differences among farm households in terms of wealth, income, and market access.
Maize is the most important food crop in Kenya. However, the poor rate of adoption of new varieti... more Maize is the most important food crop in Kenya. However, the poor rate of adoption of new varieties has been attributed in part to the poor interaction between breeders and farmers. An on-farm trial design methodology, known as "Mother and Baby Trials", was used to evaluate thirty new elite maize hybrids using farmer participatory methods at three sites located in
Population pressures and the need to optimize the use of limited available land has led to increa... more Population pressures and the need to optimize the use of limited available land has led to increasing cropping affluence levels within the maize agro-ecologies in Kenya, and a shift from large to smallholder intensification and m ultiple cropping patterns. Using a geographic information system, this study relates cropping patterns, by area share, maize productivity and hou sehold incomes across maize agro-ecologies, with the purpose to establish a decision su pport system for optimizing land allocation and in priority setting for introduction of new technologies such as Bt maize varieties. Results show that land use patterns and maize productivity in maize farming systems differ between agroecological zones. The high po tential areas experience high maize yields, with maize grown alongside major cash crops such as tea and coffee. In contrast, lowland coastal strip and lake Victoria region tend to grow drou ght tolerant tuber crops (such as cassava and sweet potatoes) alongside maize in appreciable land sizes. Similarly the dry areas grow drought to lerant legumes such as pigeon pea alongside maize. These low potential areas thus concentrate on meeting their subsistence food self-sufficiency needs, pointing at risk management strategies against drought and pests such as stem borer, unlike high potential areas with high value cash crops. Maize breeders should therefore consider insertion of Bt-genes in maize varieties that would achieve high production and which are also capable of safely growing side by side with crops that meet different food security conditions in different agro-ecological zones in Kenya.
Upcoming technologies for maize storage have sometimes been promoted without being subjected to t... more Upcoming technologies for maize storage have sometimes been promoted without being subjected to trials and economic analysis. In the recent past, new storage technologies, actellic super, super grain bag and the metal silo have been developed. In this paper, the results of crop loss trials are combined with measures of project worth to determine the attractiveness of investing in new
Biofortification of maize with provitamin A carotenoids is a new approach to the alleviation of v... more Biofortification of maize with provitamin A carotenoids is a new approach to the alleviation of vitamin A deficiencies in Africa. Unfortunately these varieties are yellow or orange, while consumers generally prefer white. Consumer willingness to pay for yellow and fortified maize was compared in experimental auctions in three regions in Kenya. The premium that consumers are willing pay for fortified maize (24%) was higher than the discount they require to buy yellow maize (11%), and in one zone consumers prefer yellow. Yellow color is, therefore, not an impossible obstacle for biofortified maize, although it would clearly be easier to introduce this maize first in regions where yellow maize is currently grown.
Experimental auctions have not been widely used in Africa. However, auctions are important tools ... more Experimental auctions have not been widely used in Africa. However, auctions are important tools for evaluating new products and technologies. To increase the quality of these experiments, we explore an alternative first-price bidding mechanism that is more similar to African market exchanges and we analyze factors likely to affect bidding. Experiments with African consumers show that the proposed first-price mechanism
Journal of Development and Agricultural Economics, 2012
Their cost to the poor can be reduced through subsidies by the public sector or humanitarian use ... more Their cost to the poor can be reduced through subsidies by the public sector or humanitarian use exemption from Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) by the private sector. Either option needs market segmentation, common in the health sector, but not in agriculture. This paper analyzes options for propoor market segmentation for maize seed in Kenya, the most important agricultural technology in the country. Survey data from 1800 households were analyzed to calculate maize seed use by wealth category and agroecological zone. Different market segmentation options were compared by calculating the number of beneficiaries, and the number and proportion of poor beneficiaries. Geographic targeting is not efficient; targeting the poorest districts leads to a high proportion of nonpoor beneficiaries, while targeting low potential areas leads to low numbers of beneficiaries because of sparse population and low maize production. Self-selection by targeting technologies like varieties and small seed packages is also not efficient because poor and non-poor farmers use similar technologies. Two options have potential: direct targeting, expensive but with limited leakage, and tiered pricing, likely much cheaper but with high proportions of non-poor beneficiaries.
Hybrid varieties have significantly contributed t o increased maize productivity in K enya and ot... more Hybrid varieties have significantly contributed t o increased maize productivity in K enya and other S ub Saharan African SA countries. A number of factors like high costs, low price of maize grain and non-availability of preferred varieties limit access of farmers to improved maize varieties. Farmers resort to the a lternative option of recycling the hybrid maize seeds.
The Insect Resistant Maize for Africa (IRMA) project is currently developing Bt maize for Kenya. ... more The Insect Resistant Maize for Africa (IRMA) project is currently developing Bt maize for Kenya. So far, Bt genes with resistance to Chilo partellus, Chilo orichalcociliellus, Eldana Sacharina, and Sesamia calamistis, four of the five major stemborers were successfully incorporated into elite CIMMYT maize inbred line (CML216) and tested in insect bioassays in Kenya. Participatory Rural Appraisals showed that stem
This paper analyses the impact of the intensity of improved maize varieties adoption on food secu... more This paper analyses the impact of the intensity of improved maize varieties adoption on food security and poverty using data collected in 2010 from maize-legume farming systems in rural Tanzania. We used a continuous treatment approach using generalized propensity score matching and parametric error correction approaches to reduce potential biases stemming from difference in observed characteristics. Estimates of the dose-response
Maize is the key food crop in Kenya, with estimated production (1998) of 3 million tons of which ... more Maize is the key food crop in Kenya, with estimated production (1998) of 3 million tons of which about 40% are marketed. The Government strictly controlled all aspects of maize marketing until 1986 when gradual liberalisation started and this was completed in 1995. The objective of this study is to assess the degree of policy implementation and the impact of liberalisation of maize marketing on stakeholders between 1989 and 1999. The method of the study included review of available literature, conduct of interviews with stakeholders and the authors' personal observations of maize marketing activities. Results indicate that liberalisation was implemented without the formation of alternative marketing institutions. Also, maize prices fluctuated substantially according to competitive market forces with limited moderating effects from the Government through open market interventions and import tariffs. But soon the rules of regional and worldwide trading organisations will render this impossible. Private sector participation at all levels in the marketing system increased substantially. There is easy maize flow and supplies to all parts of Kenya. One recommended intervention is to form maize farmer-based institutions for the marketing of maize, provision of maize market information and credit. Further studies should assess the impact of liberalisation and continued regulation of maize imports on producers and consumers.
To understand the organization of the market and assess the degree of competition in maize hybrid... more To understand the organization of the market and assess the degree of competition in maize hybrid seed production and retailing, the structure and conduct of the market was analyzed in Trans Nzoia District, a major maize producing area in Western Kenya. The structure of the market was analyzed in four aspects, namely: market concentration, product differentiation, market integration and conditions for entry in the hybrid maize seed business. The market conduct considered behaviour and activities of the participants, in particular concerning pricing and promotion. Primary data were obtained randomly from a random sample of 30 traders, out of a total of 46 who sell hybrid maize seed within the district, and 30 farmers within the district. Data were collected at the peak of the planting season in the months of February to April 2000. Results show that there is some impact of the liberalization of the seed industry on the distribution side, but it is minimal on the production side. The major impact in the district is that the previous Kenya Farmers' Association's monopoly of seed distribution has been reduced and that now there are many seed traders in retail. Analysis of the market structure reveals that several factors favour imperfect competition in the hybrid maize seed marketing at the retail level, including include unequally distributed shares of transactions among traders, product differentiation, and barriers to entry. The distribution, with a Gini Coefficient of 0.6 in the district, is categorized as oligopolistic, with 61.67% of the market share going to the 4 largest firms. Interviews with traders indicate that conditions for competition were lacking mainly due to barriers to entry such as institutional restrictions and high initial capital. However, traders did not collude among themselves to decide on prices or control sales volume. On the production side, Kenya Seed Company still provides 96.7% of the hybrid maize seed sold in Trans Nzoia District, with Pioneer Company providing the remaining 3.3% of the market share, a clear monopolistic seed production. Farmers showed their preference for the variety H614. They also complained about KSC's perceived inefficiency, and lack of purity of their seed. Unfortunately, they have few alternatives since only KSC offers the late maturing varieties recommended for the moist transitional and highland zones, while the Pioneer variety available (PHB3253) is of intermediate maturity. Recommendations for the seed industry include improved inspection to improve the seed quality, increased access to credit for traders to increase entry, and increased competition in the seed production through encouraging the development of new late maturing varieties, reducing the requirement to release new varieties, and reducing the import tax on seed.
Maize is the staple food crop and source of income for majority of the Kenyan population and many... more Maize is the staple food crop and source of income for majority of the Kenyan population and many sub-Saharan African countries. The increasing Kenyan population demands an increase in maize production if intermittent food deficits have to be averted. Since the ...
Consumer preferences for white maize in East and Southern Africa concerns developers of maize bio... more Consumer preferences for white maize in East and Southern Africa concerns developers of maize biofortified with provitamin A carotenoids, since carotenoids impart a yellow or orange coloration. Urban consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for yellow maize was estimated, using a semi-double-bounded logistic model, based on a survey of 600 maize consumers in Nairobi, Kenya, at posho mills, kiosks and supermarkets. Consumers showed a strong preference for white maize. Only a minority would buy yellow maize at the same price as white maize, and fewer consumers in the posho mills (24%) and kiosks (19%) than in the supermarkets (34%) would do so. On average, consumers need a price discount of 37% to accept yellow maize. This discount was less at the posho mills (35%) and kiosks (37%) than in the supermarkets (48%). Most respondents (76%) were aware of the existence of fortified meal and the generally showed an interest. The average premium for fortified maize was much less than the discount for yellow: 5.9% for those aware and 7.4% for those unaware. Consumer preferences were influenced by socioeconomic factors such as gender, education, income and ethnic background. Women have a stronger preference for both white maize and fortified maize than men, and consumers with more education have a stronger preference for white. Income decreases the WTP for yellow maize as well as the price elasticity, but increases the WTP for fortified maize. Consumers originating from Western Kenya have a lower preference for white, while those from Central Kenya had a stronger preference for fortified maize.
Attitudes and perceptions of stakeholders are crucial in the acceptability of GM foods. Past rese... more Attitudes and perceptions of stakeholders are crucial in the acceptability of GM foods. Past research focussed on consumers, but paid little attention to the food industry and its gatekeepers, especially in Africa. Therefore, a survey was conducted covering 39 respondents from the milling industry and supermarkets, the main processors and distributors of maize products, in seven urban centres of Kenya. Respondents, mostly from senior management, were well educated and had a good knowledge of biotechnology. Their major sources of information were the media for the supermarkets, and brochures and the food industry for the milling companies. Respondents generally appreciated the benefits of biotechnology, but had concerns about the environment, although few people considered GM food harmful to human or animal health. Most respondents found traceability of GM products important, but would prefer not to label them because of the costs and possible negative consumer reactions. Respondents were largely non-committal on the use of GM products in their companies, preferring to decide on a case-by-case basis. The few negative responses, mostly from the milling industry, were affected by high risk and low benefit perceptions. Most respondents do not like the idea of labelling GM food. Better communication between research and the food industry is now needed, and more research on the labelling of GM products.
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