Mechanization in Cote d'Ivoire: Impacts of Tractorization on Agricultural Intensification

Abstract

It is critically important to intensify farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa by disseminating improved agronomic practices and increasing the application of modern inputs (Chaps. 1 and 2 of this volume). One of the region’s challenges is that proper land preparation is difficult due to the scarcity of draft animals and the underdevelopment of the tractor rental market (Chap. 7 ). Our analysis of rice production in Cote d’Ivoire reveals that farmers who use two-wheel tractors in land preparation are more likely to adopt proper, labor-intensive rice cultivation practices and apply fertilizer more intensively, thereby raising productivity. Thus, the diffusion of two-wheel tractors appears to be critical to the intensification of rice-farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa.