SSG-001 Economy wide Impacts of Promising Maize and Wheat Technologies on Food Security and Welfare in Kenya

Abstract

A dynamic economy wide model incorporating productivity changes due to the introduction of promising maize and wheat varieties evaluates the status of future food security, well-being and economic performance in Kenya. Application of promising new maize and wheat varieties not only increases overall economic growth and food availability, it also reduces import dependency and increases the welfare of vulnerable populations, especially rural households in lowland and midland regions. Although maize-producing rural households in the highlands do not gain in terms of real incomes because of declining labour demand and wages, they benefit from the increased food consumption stimulated by lower food prices. Increased maize productivity has larger positive impact on the food consumption and food security than increased wheat productivity. The welfare gain in terms of food security is further amplified when technological change for the two crops is combined and complemented by a reduction in the marketing costs which facilitates market access for the increased surplus and further reduces domestic prices. With reduced marketing costs resulting from reducing transport margins for these two crops, even highland maize producing households experience an increase in real income and the demand for both food and non-food commodities will increase substantially, generating significant linkages between agriculture and other sectors.


Members

Project leader: Bekele Shiferaw

Project researchers: Amarendra Sahoo | Bekele Shiferaw | Sika Gbegbelegbe


Journal publication

No journal publications.


Working Papers

Title Modified Size Comments Recommendations
Economy-wide impacts of promising maize and wheat technologies on food security and welfare in Kenya 2016-06-30 3962.61KB 0 0

Policy Briefs

No policy briefs.


Final report

No final reports.


Proposal

No proposals.


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