Cotton in Africa: An Analysis of Differences in Performance

摘要

The paper focuses on cotton, a key export crop, which is grown in 30 out of the 44 African countries. The world demand for cotton grew at 1.2% per annum from 1961 to 1986, but Africa's demand for cotton grew faster than for most other commodities that it exports, with the exception of palm oil. In the Managing Agricultural Development in Africa (MADIA) countries with which the paper is concerned (Cameroon, Senegal, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi), cotton production in the francophone countries has been superior to that of anglophone countries (except for Zimbabwe) since the early 1970s. The central conclusion of the paper is that, while differences in macroeconomic and sectoral pricing policies appear to have been critical, institutional factors have been fundamental in explaining the sustained growth of cotton production in francophone countries. (Copyright (c) 1989 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank.)