This paper uses small-scale farm survey data from five countries of eastern and southern Africa to highlight four under-appreciated issues: (i) how land distribution patterns constrain the potential of crop technology and input intensification to enable many small farms to escape from poverty; (ii) why most smallholders are unable to produce more than a marginal surplus or participate meaningfully in commodity markets; (iii) why most farmers are directly hurt by higher grain prices; and (iv) why the marketed agricultural surplus is exceedingly concentrated among a small group of relatively large smallholders. Policy and public investment options are reviewed in the light of these findings. There is no one future for small farms in Africa: much depends on government policy and investment decisions. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.
CITATION STYLE
Jayne, T. S., Mather, D., & Mghenyi, E. (2010). Principal Challenges Confronting Smallholder Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa. World Development, 38(10), 1384–1398. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2010.06.002
Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.