September 2017

Profitability and sustainability of modern fish farming in Benin: An on-farm experimental appraisal of two production systems of Clarias gariepinus

An on-farm experimental appraisal was done to compare the profitability of two production systems of Clarias gariepinus in Benin, and to assess the challenges of modern fish farming in West Africa. The results showed that fish farming using above ground tanks (AGT) was not profitable enough to reward production and recover capital costs, should the investments be fully bank loan-funded. At present feed prices, it cannot...

Author(s): Honfoga Barthélemy G., Tognon Isabelle A. and Chikou Antoine

September 2017

Economic profitability and risk analyses of improved sorghum varieties in Tanzania

This study uses survey data collected in 2012/2013 farming season to determine the net-returns and utility-efficient farm management practices for improved sorghum varieties adopted by small-scale farmers in Tanzania. The reference farm management practice was using JEMBE (handhole) for land cultivation and growing local varieties (landraces). Other farm management practices included using ox-plough for land cultivation...

Author(s): Aloyce R. Kaliba, Kizito Mazvimavi and Ghirmay S. Ghebreyesus

September 2017

Commodity prices, exchange rate and economic growth in West Africa: Case study of Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana

Some West African countries have extensive access to natural resources and rely heavily on revenues from the export of these primary commodities. The heavy dependence of Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire on revenues from the exportation of cocoa raises the possibility that these economies are vulnerable to external commodity price fluctuations. This paper seeks to examine the relationship between cocoa prices, exchange rate...

Author(s): Julien Ofori-Abebrese, Robert Becker Pickson and Grace Ofori-Abebrese