Climate Instability and Agricultural Productivity in Africa: Cross-Country Evidence
Date
2021-09-28
Authors
Ebeke, Christian
Mireille, Ntsama Etoundi
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
African Economic Research Consortium
Abstract
This paper analyzes the impact of rainfall instability on crop yield in Sub-Saharan
Africa. Using a large panel of African countries over a sufficiently long period and
relying on a very large dataset assembled for the agricultural sector in Africa, the paper
tests whether agricultural research and development, and modern infrastructure
provide such dampening effects in a context of rising climate instability and stagnating
farm productivity in Africa. The results demonstrate a key and robust effect of greater
investments in agricultural science and technology in dampening the effect on the link
between rainfall instability on crop yield volatility in Sub-Saharan Africa. Effort should
therefore be on boosting the availability of researchers specialized in agricultural
science and technology and on agricultural infrastructure such as irrigation to help
farmers cope better with the increased risks stemming from global warming.
Description
Keywords
Rainfall , Crop yield; , Instability; , Innovation; , Infrastructure