Joan R. Fulton

Micro-Entrepreneurship in Niger: Factors Affecting the Success of Women Street Food Vendors

Micro-entrepreneurship in the informal sector plays a vital role in generating employment and income in West Africa. In this article, the authors examine business success factors for micro-entrepreneurs involved in the production and sale of street foods in Niger, drawing on the resource-based view theory. Business success was measured by size of firm and vendors perception of enterprise growth. Their results indicate that business experience is an important success factor, while the need for cash is a constraint for business success. A rare resource, limited access to financial assets translates into limited opportunities for growth of these informal micro-enterprises into viable businesses.

CONSUMER PREFERENCES AS DRIVERS OF THE COMMON BEAN TRADE IN TANZANIA: A MARKETING PERSPECTIVE

The objective of this study is to determine the impact of bean grain quality characteristics on market price. The data were collected from retail markets in Tanzania. Hedonic pricing provides a statistical estimate of premiums and discounts. Implications for the development of bean markets include the following: (a) extension agents should identify cost-effective ways to educate producers on targeting urban market niches based on consumer preferences for varieties, (b) breeding for bruchid-resistant beans and use of appropriate storage technologies would alleviate the problems of storage damage, and (c) a portfolio of grain quality characteristics to fit consumer preferences in local markets should be required.

WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN WEST AFRICA: THE COWPEA STREET FOOD SECTOR IN NIGER AND GHANA

Women entrepreneurship in the informal sector, such as street food vending, is important for poverty alleviation in West Africa. The street food sector provides employment for women and inexpensive and nutritious food for the urban poor. In this paper, we determine the importance of the cowpea street food sector, evaluate the determinants of successful enterprises and ascertain the impact of economic, cultural, religious and geographic differentials between enterprises in Niamey, Niger and Kumasi, Ghana. Data were collected through in-person interviews with 114 and 122 women street food entrepreneurs in both countries in 2009. Results revealed that women entrepreneurs engaged in the cowpea street food sector can earn incomes 4 times and 16 times higher than the minimum legal wage in Niamey and Kumasi, respectively. Incomes earned from these entrepreneurial activities contribute directly to health, education and needs of their families. OLS regression results indicate that lack of financial resources, stable business locations and religious beliefs are important entrepreneurial success factors. Cross-country comparisons revealed enterprises in Kumasi are larger and more successful than those in Niamey.

The State of Agribusiness Teaching, Research, and Extension at the Turn of the Millennium

mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and strategic alliances; and a general industrialization mentality unfolds. This need for agribusiness research has been alluded to or implied by the comments of leaders in academia and industry (Armbruster; Barry; Boehlje; Drabenstott; Eidman; Urban 1991, 1998). With many departments facing retirements in the next few years, this is an opportune time to examine the future direction of agricultural economics and agribusiness. Ten years ago, following the release of the National Agribusiness Education Commission Lincoln Report, debate in the agricultural economics profession centered on the question Is agribusiness something that we as agricultural economists should be doing? (Downey). Today, the question has become How do we incorporate agribusiness into our departments and existing programs? Furthermore, although the emphasis of the Lincoln Report was on education, there have been ramifications on agribusiness research and extension/outreach efforts because most faculty have split appointments. This article provides a baseline of the current state of agribusiness teaching, research, and extension/outreach programs around the country and suggests implications for the future direction of agribusiness. We present the results of a survey of agricultural economics department heads from around the United S ates. The following section describes the survey methodology, the questions included, and the response rate. We then report the results a d discuss outcomes and implications. The concluding section provides insights into the direction for agribusiness within agricultural economics departments over the next five years.

Effectiveness of Alternative Extension Methods through Radio Broadcasting in West Africa

Abstract There is an urgent need to quantify which extension methods are most effective in Africa. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of alternative extension methods on adoption of the triple bagging cowpea storage technology in Niger and Burkina Faso. This study was designed as a quasi-experiment with two alternative extension methods studied: village demonstrations and demonstrations reinforced by radio broadcasts. Interview data was collected on triple-bag adoption in villages with the two types of extension programmes and control villages with no storage extension. Binary logit regression analysis was used to identify factors which influenced triple-bag adoption. Storage demonstrations boosted adoption of triple-bag storage by statistically significant marginal probabilities of 34% in Niger and 13% in Burkina Faso, compared to villages with no demonstrations or radio messages. Reinforcement of the demonstration experience with radio broadcasts increased adoption by statistically significant estimates of 23% in Niger and 20% in Burkina Faso. Reinforcement of extension programmes with radio messages is strongly supported by this research. In this case, an already effective demonstration programme was made more effective by associated radio messages. This is an example of evidence based extension that supports decisions on extension programming with quantitative data on the impact of alternatives on behaviour change.