Abstract
The paper analyses the entire value chains of the maize food crop in targeted countries. It identifies the maize actors and related business linkages from input supply to product markets, the governance of the chain, mainly the decision making to decrease the transaction costs, the chain performance including efficiency in value-added, gender equity and sustainability and the need for capacity building in various segments along the maize value chains in Benin, Ghana, and Càte d’Ivoire. The main objective of the paper is to contribute to better livelihoods of rural poor through empowerment and gender equitable access to maize value chain opportunities, inputs and product markets through technical backstopping and capacity strengthening so that smallholders understand and participate in the value chains and benefit from it. The following specific objectives are to i) identify the constraints and opportunities and linkages between actors across agro-ecological zones through country and regional level baselines; ii) develop an analytical support toolkit to analyze competitiveness, trends and outlook of maize taking into account climate change and policy shifts at micro, meso and macro level and iii) strengthen the capacity of regional maize value chain actors in the targeted countries. A systematic sampling of one out of every three successive shed was used to select wholesalers whereas snowballing sampling was used to select the assemblers, retailers and processors. The paper informs on the status of technologies application along maize value chains in selected countries and analyzes the economical profitability and/or profit maximization of maize value chains.
Highlights
About 65% or more of the total labor force is employed in the agriculture sector, which contributes about 32% of Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) [1]
The paper analyses the entire value chains of the maize food crop in targeted countries. It identifies the maize actors and related business linkages from input supply to product markets, the governance of the chain, mainly the decision making to decrease the transaction costs, the chain performance including efficiency in value-added, gender equity and sustainability and the need for capacity building in various segments along the maize value chains in Benin, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire
With yields of local varieties at only 1 - 2 MT per hectare and improved varieties showing yields of up to 5 MT per hectare in on-farm trials, there is great upside potential for increased productivity. Given this background at regional level, the question posed is, what is the situation of the maize sub-sector within the targeted countries? Using the guidelines of value chain analysis, this paper explores the maize sector in Benin, Côte D’Ivoire and Ghana
Summary
About 65% or more of the total labor force is employed in the agriculture sector, which contributes about 32% of Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) [1]. Africans consume maize as a starchy base in a wide variety of porridges, pastes, grits, beer, etc. It has accounted for 22 to 25 percent of starchy staple consumption in the continent, representing the largest single source of calories, followed closely by cassava. Green maize (fresh on the cob) is eaten parched, baked, roasted or boiled and plays an important role in filling the hunger gap after the dry season (Oladejo et al (2012) [2]. Oladejo et al (2012) indicated that growing maize in farms of 1/2 ha to 2 hectares can overcome hunger in the households and the aggregate effect could double food production in Africa. Maize has been identified as one of the strategic commodities for achieving food security and reducing poverty by the Abuja’s summit on food security in Africa in 2006 by the African Head of States [4]
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