How does population density influence agricultural intensification and productivity? Evidence from Ethiopia

Josephson, Anna; Ricker‐Gilbert, Jacob; Florax, Raymond J.G.M.

doi:10.1016/j.foodpol.2014.03.004

Cited by 118 publications

(75 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…It was reported from the 2014 Landsat image processing that 2198 hectares accounting for illegal farming belonging to migrants were found in the Cassou managed forest alone (personal communication). This finding is in line with similar studies in the north of Burkina Faso [54], in the Sahel region [55,56], and in the Ethiopian highlands [57,58], which found that increased population density has not necessarily systematically led to cropland increases. Such trends occurred because land has become a limiting factor to agricultural land expansion, farmers have easy access to national and international markets, price of agricultural products is rising and farmers have alternative sources of income generation (animal raising, wood and charcoal sales).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Transitions in Land Use Architecture under Multiple Human Driving Forces in a Semi-Arid Zone

Ouédraogo

Mbow

Balinga³

et al. 2015

Land

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Abstract:The present study aimed to detect the main shifts in land-use architecture and assess the factors behind the changes in typical tropical semi-arid land in Burkina Faso. Three sets of time-series LANDSAT data over a 23-year period were used to detect land use changes and their underpinning drivers in multifunctional but vulnerable ecologies. Group discussions in selected villages were organized for mapping output interpretation and collection of essential drivers of change as perceived by local populations. Results revealed profound changes and transitions during the study period. During the last decade, shrub and wood savannahs exhibited high net changes (39% and −37% respectively) with a weak net positive change for cropland (only 2%,) while cropland and shrub savannah exhibited high swap (8% and 16%). This suggests that the area of cropland remained almost unchanged but was subject to relocation, wood savannah decreased drastically, and shrub savannah increased exponentially. Cropland exhibited a null net persistence while shrub and wood savannahs exhibited positive and negative net persistence (1.91 and −10.24), respectively, indicating that there is movement toward agricultural intensification and wood savannah tended to disappear to the benefit of shrub savannah. Local people are aware of the changes that have occurred and support the idea that illegal wood cutting and farming are inappropriate farming practices associated with immigration; absence of alternative cash generation sources, overgrazing and increasing demand for wood energy are driving the changes in their ecosystems. Policies that integrate restoration and conservation of natural OPEN ACCESSLand 2015, 4 561 ecosystems and promote sustainable agroforestry practices in the study zone are highly recommended.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Transitions in Land Use Architecture under Multiple Human Driving Forces in a Semi-Arid Zone

Ouédraogo

Mbow

Balinga³

et al. 2015

Land

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“…In contrast, we do not find such significant and positive effects for intensification driven by increasing rural population densities. This confirms findings of and Josephson et al (2014) who show immiserizing intensification driven by land pressure increases in rural Ethiopia.…”

supporting

confidence: 91%

“…Available evidence shows indeed that population growth leads to a reduction in fallow periods and an increase in input use intensification, mechanization or other (labor) intensive practices, and land saving farming systems (Fresco 1986, Binswanger and Pingali 1988, Tsakok 2011. The argument of a positive relationship between population density and intensification of agricultural land is especially relevant in settings of semisubsistence farming, prevalent in large areas of SSA ) and the Boserup hypothesis has indeed been confirmed in recent empirical work on land constraints and farming systems in 3 Africa , Ricker-Gilbert et al 2014, Muyanga and Jayne 2014, Josephson et al 2014.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 85%

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Cities and agricultural transformation in Africa: Evidence from Ethiopia

Vandercasteelen

Beyene

Minten³

et al. 2018

World Development

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Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Terms of use: Documents in Version: February 2016 AbstractDue to the rapid growth of cities in Africa, a larger number of farmers is living in the rural hinterland providing food to urban residents. However, empirical evidence on how urbanization affects these farmers is scarce. To fill this gap, this paper explores the relationship between proximity to a city and the production behavior of rural staple crop producers. More in particular, we analyze unique data from teff producing farmers in major producing areas around Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. We find that farmers more closely located to Addis Ababa face higher wages and land rental prices, but because they receive higher teff prices they have better incentives to intensify production. Moreover, we observe that modern input use, land and labor productivity, and profitability in teff production improve with urban proximity. There is a strong and significant direct effect of urban proximity, which is suggested to be related with more use of formal factor markets, less transaction costs, and better access to information. In contrast, we do not find strong and positive relationships of rural population density increases -as an alternative source of agricultural transformation -as they seem to lead to immiserizing effects in these settings. Our results show that urban proximity should be considered as an important determinant of the process of agricultural intensification and transformation in developing countries.

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“…We suggest the implementation of the Normal-forest approach (e.g., equal share of area by age according to a pre-defined rotation period) and improvements of the forest management regulations and a clarification of the forest user rights [28]. Furthermore, important factors determining forest productivity and thus carbon sequestration potential are (i) site elevation and the associated climatic conditions; (ii) initial land use as an indicator for soil degradation; as well as (iii) forest management [69][70][71][72].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Carbon Sequestration Potential of Degraded Agricultural Land in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia

Belay

Pötzelsberger

Hasenauer

2018

Forests

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Forests are a key player within the global carbon cycle and reforestation is an important climate change mitigation mechanism. In this study, we identify potentially suitable areas for reforestation to assess the carbon sequestration potential in the highly deforested and degraded Amhara region of Ethiopia. We apply biogeochemical mechanistic ecosystem modelling to predict the amount of carbon that can be potentially sequestered within different time horizons. Since human intervention plays a key role within the Amhara region, three different forest management scenarios and five different rotation periods following reforestation are tested: (i) unthinned; (ii) removal of 5% of the stem carbon every 20 years (thinning 1); and (iii) removal of 10% stem carbon every 20 years (thinning 2), as well as a rotation period of 10, 30, 50, 100, and 150 years. Sustainable management of reforested land is addressed by implementing the so called 'Normal-forest' system (equal representation of every age class). This ensures the long term sequestration effect of reforested areas. The study shows that 3.4 Mha (Mha = Million hectare) of land, including bare land (0.7 Mha), grass land (1.2 Mha), and shrub land (1.5 Mha) can be considered as ecologically potentially suitable for reforestation. Assuming a 100 year rotation period in a 'Normal-forest' system, this shows that a total net carbon sequestration potential of 177 Tg C (10.8 Tg C in the soil and 165.9 Tg C aboveground; Teragram = 10 12 g) is possible, if all 3.4 Mha are replanted. The highest total net carbon sequestration (soil and aboveground) was evident for the Highland-wet agro-ecological zone, whereas the lowest values are typically in the Midland-dry zone. The highest net aboveground carbon sequestration was predicted for reforestations on current grass land and shrub land versus bare land, whereas the highest net soil carbon sequestration was predicted on current bare land, followed by grass land and shrub land.

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How does population density influence agricultural intensification and productivity? Evidence from Ethiopia

Cited by 118 publications

References 18 publications

Transitions in Land Use Architecture under Multiple Human Driving Forces in a Semi-Arid Zone

Transitions in Land Use Architecture under Multiple Human Driving Forces in a Semi-Arid Zone

Cities and agricultural transformation in Africa: Evidence from Ethiopia

The Carbon Sequestration Potential of Degraded Agricultural Land in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia

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