FOOD PRICE VOLATILITY IN CAMEROON: determinants, transmission and consequences
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Date
2018-09-10
Authors
KANE, Gilles Quentin
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Université de Yaoundé II
Abstract
This thesis analyzes food price volatility in Cameroon. First, we examine the determinants of
food price volatility in Cameroon. Second, we analyse the transmission of food price volatility
in Cameroonian markets. Third, we analyse the supply response to price and volatility for
some major staple crops grown by agricultural households in Cameroon. Fourth, we analyse
the welfare effects of food price volatility on Cameroonian households. Using diverse
econometric methods, results show that food price volatility in Cameroon is determined by
the volatility of the price of other local agricultural crops, and not by factors coming from
international markets such as volatility of crude oil price and price volatility of import of
cereals. This result is confirmed in the case of rice, where there is no price volatility
transmission between the world market and Cameroonian markets. Furthermore, results also
indicate that producers respond to price volatility by principally increasing their surface area
for cultivation and reducing investment in agricultural inputs to improve yield. Finally, poor
households are the most affected by food price volatility, with welfare losses from food price
volatility depending on the extent of the price hikes. Two main policy lessons are drawn from
this thesis. Firstly, it may be important to implement more specific development projects
based on commodities such as local cereals, roots and tubers and find ways to improve the
efficiency of existing development programs in the agricultural sector. Secondly, knowledge
capacity on how household structure and spatial repartitioning of households are affected by
changes in food prices, and the responsiveness, can be necessary to implement efficient
policies to fight against hunger and poverty
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Keywords
Food price volatility, , Price volatility transmission, , Supply response , , welfare