Agricultural household effects of fertilizer price changes for smallholder farmers in central Malawi

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cg.authorship.typesCGIAR single centreen
cg.contributor.crpPolicies, Institutions, and Markets
cg.contributor.donorUnited States Agency for International Developmenten
cg.coverage.countryMalawi
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2MW
cg.coverage.regionAfrica
cg.coverage.regionSub-Saharan Africa
cg.coverage.regionSouthern Africa
cg.coverage.regionEastern Africa
cg.creator.identifier0000-0001-5676-3005
cg.creator.identifierSiwa Msangi: 0000-0002-5408-6909
cg.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2017.03.016en
cg.identifier.projectIFPRI - Environment and Production Technology Division
cg.identifier.publicationRankA
cg.isijournalISI Journalen
cg.issn0308-521Xen
cg.issueJune 2017en
cg.journalAgricultural Systemsen
cg.reviewStatusPeer Reviewen
cg.volume154en
dc.contributor.authorKomarek, Adam M.en
dc.contributor.authorDrogue, Sophieen
dc.contributor.authorChenoune, Rozaen
dc.contributor.authorHawkins, Jamesen
dc.contributor.authorMsangi, Siwaen
dc.contributor.authorHatem, Belhouchetteen
dc.contributor.authorFlichman, Guillermoen
dc.date.accessioned2024-06-21T09:06:26Zen
dc.date.available2024-06-21T09:06:26Zen
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/146273
dc.titleAgricultural household effects of fertilizer price changes for smallholder farmers in central Malawien
dcterms.abstractThis simulation study explored the agricultural household effects of changes in the price of inorganic nitrogen fertilizer for farmers in central Malawi. We selected the Dedza district to conduct this study, which is a district reliant on maize production for household livelihoods. This study used data from a household survey to develop and calibrate an agricultural household model for a representative household. The survey focused on socio-economic and agronomic factors. This included plot-level agronomic details for crop inputs and yields. Using our dynamic model, we found a negative association between fertilizer prices and fertilizer use, maize area, and income. Removing fertilizer prices led to an increased use of nitrogen fertilizer at the household scale from 16.8 kg to 49.6 kg and this helped increase household income by 52%. We calculated an average own-price elasticity of fertilizer demand of − 0.92. Although higher fertilizer prices increased legume acreage, which had potential environmental benefits, household income fell. Our benefit-cost ratio calculations suggest that government actions that deliver changes in fertilizer prices are relatively cost effective. Our study highlights the reliance of households on maize production and consumption for their livelihood, and the effects that changes in fertilizer prices can have upon them.en
dcterms.accessRightsOpen Access
dcterms.bibliographicCitationKomarek, Adam M.; Drogue, Sophie; Chenoune, Roza; Hawkins, James; Msangi, Siwa; Belhouchette, Hatem; and Flichman, Guillermo. 2017. Agricultural household effects of fertilizer price changes for smallholder farmers in central Malawi. Agricultural Systems 154(June 2017): 168-178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2017.03.016en
dcterms.extentpp. 168-178en
dcterms.issued2017-06
dcterms.languageen
dcterms.licenseCC-BY-4.0
dcterms.publisherElsevieren
dcterms.replaceshttps://ebrary.ifpri.org/digital/collection/p15738coll5/id/5794en
dcterms.subjectnitrogen fertilizersen
dcterms.subjectbioeconomicsen
dcterms.subjectfertilizersen
dcterms.subjectbenefit-cost ratioen
dcterms.subjectcropping systemsen
dcterms.subjecthouseholdsen
dcterms.subjectagricultural policiesen
dcterms.subjectsmallholdersen
dcterms.subjectland useen
dcterms.subjectsubsidiesen
dcterms.subjectpricesen
dcterms.typeJournal Article

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