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This chapter presents a case study on smallholder vulnerability and adaptation to long-term desiccation in the West African Sahel. Climatologists recognize Sahelian desiccation as a long-term multi-decadal dry period that persisted from roughly 1968 to 1995. This study draws on fine-scale ethnographic and daily rainfall data to elucidate local perspectives on this broad regional process. As such, this provides a window on the local lived experience of regional climate variability.

This study draws on multiple periods of ethnographic fieldwork in two different Mossi areas in north-central Burkina Faso (West Africa). Fieldwork consisted of key informant interviews, household surveys, and participant observation. The authors incorporate daily precipitation data from two meteorological stations provided by the General Directorate of Meteorology of Burkina Faso. Researchers assembled this data and graphed daily rainfall totals for individual rainfall seasons in the years preceding each period of fieldwork. The qualitative and quantitative data are analyzed by using a Sustainable Livelihoods (SL) framework.

The study finds that local perceptions of increased rainfall variability correspond to patterns evident in daily rainfall records for individual stations. Additionally, the authors document how rural producers are negatively affected by both intra-seasonal and multi-decadal rainfall variability. Mossi smallholders have adapted through new cropping patterns, livelihood diversification, and investments in agricultural intensification. These adaptations have been largely successful and could be adopted by other Sahelian groups in their efforts to adapt to climate change.

Fieldwork took place over several years in two different departments and five localities. The two anthropologists used a common livelihoods analytical framework but different research protocols over this time span. Thus, the data collection was not systematic across all locations and time periods. This limits the degree to which results are representative beyond surveyed localities at their respective points in time.

This study presents local views and perceptions of regional climate variability and ecological change. It is a rare bottom-up perspective supplemented with precipitation data.

Traditional fermented products can be adopted as probiotic carriers. This study was aimed at evaluating the potential of using Obushera, a traditional sorghum beverage from Uganda, as a carrier for Lactobacillus rhamnosus yoba.

Probiotic Obushera was produced by fermenting sorghum malt with Lb. rhamnosus yoba 2012 and Streptococcus thermophilus C106 at 30 °C and at room temperature (21°C-25 °C) for 24 h. Acidity, pH, total soluble solids and microbial counts were monitored. Consumer acceptability and purchase index of probiotic Obushera were compared to four commercial non-probiotic brands. Shelf stability of probiotic Obushera was determined by monitoring changes in pH, acidity, soluble solids, microbial counts and consumer acceptability during refrigerated storage.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus yoba 2012 multiplied and lowered the pH of Obushera from 5.3 to < 4.0 (p < 0.0001) whilst increasing acidity from 0.21 to 0.46 per cent (p < 0.0001) in 9 h at 30 °C. Consumer acceptability varied with Obushera brand (p < 0.0001). The overall acceptability score of probiotic Obushera (score of 6.4 = like slightly) was similar to that of the two most acceptable commercial brands (scores of 5.8 and 6.6). Acidity, pH and Lb. rhamnosus counts of probiotic Obushera varied within 0.6 per cent –1.05 per cent (p < 0.0001), 3.3–3.4 (p < 0.0001), and 8.2-9.2 log cfu/ml (p < 0.0001), respectively during two months of storage. The overall acceptability of probiotic Obushera (scores of 6.9-7.8) did not change significantly during storage (p = 0.185).

Traditional fermented foods such as Obushera can be adopted as carriers of probiotic microorganisms.

Use of commercial probiotic strains in traditional fermented foods is a novel approach that can be adopted to improve safety of traditional fermentations and health of consumers.

Effective agricultural product price regulation policies depend on market integration and the degree of symmetry in the transmission of agricultural product price signals. This study analyzes the transmission and asymmetry of the price series between the Ouagadougou consumer market and assembly markets considering three primary cereal products in Burkina Faso.

This study applies the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) econometric model, which is an asymmetric extension of the ARDL cointegration model. The price series examined covers the period extending from January 2005 to December 2020.

Our analysis provides novel insights regarding short- and long-term asymmetric effects in the transmission of price signals between assembly markets and the consumer market. We also determine that the effects of negative shocks are more persistent than those of positive shocks in several markets.

For markets that exhibit symmetrical responses of assembly market prices to consumer market prices, the results could reflect the continuous efforts of market players, particularly the government, to eliminate market failures and ensure the long-term efficiency of cereal markets. To this end, an agricultural market information system can have a crucial role in easing information access for all market players.

This study provides new evidence regarding the nature of the transmission and asymmetry of price information on primary cereal products in the largest markets in Burkina Faso. Applying the NARDL model makes it possible to simultaneously estimate short- and long-term asymmetry.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new conceptual framework for smallholder value chains based on complex adaptive systems.

The authors review the application of the framework to three case studies and explore their implications. The authors reflect on the value of a framework based on complex adaptive systems compared to alternative frameworks.

The authors argue that the dynamics of smallholder value chains have received insufficient attention.

By focusing on these dynamics and on the capacity for adaptation among value chain actors the framework provides a new perspective on smallholder value chains.

Complex adaptive systems provide a useful framework for analyzing value chain dynamics.

The purpose of this paper is to look forward to explore the links between projected rapid rates of agribusiness expansion and Africa's economic growth, equity and spatial development.

The paper draws inferences from 30 years of agribusiness value chain research in Africa.

Africa's agribusinesses stand poised for exceptionally rapid growth over the coming 40 years. Because of strong interdependencies between agribusiness and agriculture, productivity growth in agribusiness systems will critically affect Africa's overall economic growth rate, its spatial development patterns and progress toward poverty reduction. But the necessary efficiency gains in agribusiness performance will not appear automatically. They will require substantial private investments, a competitive private sector and heightened public attention in areas where governments have historically proven weak: promoting regional trade, improving town and regional planning, financing scientific research, funding higher education and building commercially viable rural financial systems.

Researchers can help by assembling empirical evidence in these topic areas and by examining value chain models that stimulate private sector investment, accelerate efficiency gains and facilitate access and egress by the poor.

Drawing on 30 years of value chain research in Africa, the paper examines links between agribusiness trajectories and economic growth, equity and spatial development.

Empirical studies have documented the linkage between exchange rate movement and food prices. However, the purpose of this study is to investigate the degree and direction of returns and volatility spillover transmission between exchange rate and domestic food prices in Nigeria.

The study uses weekly data from January 2010 to January 2019. Also, the study adopts the improved Diebold and Yilmaz (2012) approach to evaluate the return and volatility spillover between food price and naira to dollar exchange rate. The study also account for 2016 exchange rate crash in the interconnectedness between food prices and naira to dollar exchange rate.

The paper finds evidence of directional interdependence among the considered food prices and exchange rate based on the obtained spillover indexes. In addition, exchange rate returns and volatility transmission to food prices is more than it receives, particularly after the exchange rate crash.

The high consumption of staple foods requires policies on price stabilisation such as massive investment in local production and reduction in import dependence, in order to cushion the effects of exchange rate depreciation on domestic prices of food.

This study is the first empirical study to investigate the interconnectedness between exchange rate and domestic food prices for a food import–dependent developing country using the Diebold and Yilmaz approach.

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the storage stability of improved dambu, a steamed granulated dumpling product generally made from millet, was produced from maize (Zea mays), millet (Pennisetum glaucum), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and acha (Digitaria exilis). It is a popular mid‐day meal of the Fulanis of Nigeria normally sprinkled into fermented skimmed milk or whole milk and sugar may be added to taste.

Improved dambu was prepared in the laboratory using decorticated clean cereal grains which were pulverished into coarse particles, mixed with spices, preservative (sorbic acid) and water and steamed for 20 min. The improved dambu products were packaged in low‐density polyethylene (LDPE), LDPE with plastic and LDPE with paperboard and stored at room temperature (25 ^○C) for six days. Analysis was carried out on the products following documented and established procedures.

Data obtained indicated that during storage, pH decrease was observed while titratable acidity increased for improved dambu products. The microbial load (cfu/g) increased with storage time for all the products packaged in LDPE, LDPE with plastic and LDPE with paperboard. Dambu has a limited storage life of one day at room temperature (25 ^○C) and four days with 0.2 per cent (w/w) sorbic acid as preservative. Micro‐organisms of significance in the products are Aspergillus sp, Penicillum sp, Candida sp, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter aerogenes. The nature of the microflora suggested that dambu is a good substrate for fungal growth. In the comparative study of dambu products with and without sorbic acid, there was no significant difference in the mean scores for all the assessed parameters.

The consumption of dambu from different cereal grains is encouraged especially where a particular cereal is off season. The shelf‐life of dambu was extended to four days by using 0.2 per cent (w/w) sorbic acid as preservative and packaged in LDPE with plastic and LDPE with paperboard. Further research should be carried out to extend the shelf‐life more.

The findings have suggested that dambu is necessary to cereal industry and baby foods (weaning foods).

The results of this research contributes to the knowledge of cereal meals, especially those that are indigenous to Nigeria and West Africa.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the market structure and value chain of pearl millet grain and fodder in India. There is a decline in demand for human consumption, with an increase in demand for non-food uses like cattle and poultry feed, raw material for starch and breweries industry. This paper explores alternative channels, uses and value chains of pearl millet grain and fodder. The paper examines in what ways small farmers can benefit from the evolving alternative uses for pearl millet grain in cattle and poultry feed industry, breweries and starch industry. The paper also analyses the impact of aggregators in increasing the efficiency of the value chain.

The study collected primary data from farmers, traders, commission agents and exporters and importers with innovative marketing channels with aggregators (Self-Help Groups) and without aggregators to analyze the prospects for improvements in marketing channels and value chain.

Given that the production of pearl millet is scattered and thin, there is a lot of scope for market aggregators to increase scale economies to reduce market costs to supply in bulk to food and industrial uses. Although there was some demand for human consumption high-quality grain, most of the future demand will come from cattle and poultry feed industry, breweries and starch industry. To tap these larger potentials, farmers need to aggregate their produce and ensure regular supply in bulk quantity at least to compete the cost with alternative grains like maize and broken rice.

The research is based on the field-level data collection and observations obtained from Western India. This paper provides insights how the value chain of pearl millet is working and what improvements are needed to make value chain more efficient and inclusive. Although the results are applicable to similar neglected crops and area, more caution is needed.

Through the formation of farmer aggregators, farmers can enhance their bargaining power vis-a-vis industry.

Till now, there is no study that explored the pearl millet value chain in detail in India, and the paper tries to fill this literature gap.

Investments in agricultural research and development (AgR&D) have been an engine of agricultural productivity growth; as a result, food security and poverty situations have improved in many countries around the world. However, in Haiti, a small Caribbean country, neither has any formal agricultural research center (ARC) been established nor has a significant amount of money been invested for AgR&D. This paper aims to quantify whether setting up an ARC would be beneficial for Haiti.

A fixed-effects regression, the International Model for Policy Analysis of Agricultural Commodity and Trade impact and benefit – cost ratio (BCR) measures are used to estimate future benefits from setting up a new ARC in Haiti.

A total of US$21.0m annual investment is required for the proposed ARC, which could generate up to US$1.16bn in social benefits during the next three decades. In terms of BCR, if one dollar is invested for AgR&D in Haiti, the payoff could be US$1.33-4.52. Therefore, establishing an ARC is crucial for Haiti, as it is expected to generate positive benefits for society by helping formulate pro-farmer policies as well as disseminating modern agricultural technologies among farmers.

Because, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is no such study in Haiti’s perspective, this study contributes to the country’s literature evaluating the feasibility of establishing a new research center in Haiti with a partial equilibrium economic model.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how various transaction-cost characteristics influence the choice of vertical coordination (VC) structures (e.g. different contract types) and horizontal coordination (HC) structures (e.g. different farmer organization types) to link smallholder farmers efficiently with buyers. It analyzes the relationship between vertical and horizontal structures, and the economic sustainability of different structure combinations.

The paper develops a conceptual framework to predict coordination structures as a function of transaction-cost characteristics, compares predictions for the Malian cereals market to empirical evidence using 15 case studies, and then analyzes structure combinations.

Asymmetric scale between farmers and buyers; uncertainty in production, prices, policy, and contract enforcement; and quality and quantity debasement lead to selections of structures with high levels of control. Vertical and horizontal structures demonstrate a complementary relationship in certain core coordination roles, while exhibiting substitutability in the provision of other coordination activities. The marketing cooperative and marketing contract pairing is the most prevalent combination.

The conceptual framework is useful for explaining the selection of coordination structures, and can be applied in other contexts to strengthen external validity.

The framework facilitates predictions and explanation of both VC and HC structures, with empirical application on a country and value chains receiving little attention in the literature.