College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

Non-AFRE Co-Principle Investigators: Dustan Spence, Thomas Zalla, Herb Kriesel, J. Hunter, and Peter Matlon. AEC/AFRE Department Collaborators. Paul Strassman (Economics), R. Smith (Cartographic Services), E. Whiteside (Crop/Soil Science), A Mehretu (Geography)

Project Name:           Agricultural Economic Services in the Sahel *
Donor:                        United States Agency for International Development
Contract No:              AID/afr-C-1260  
Account No:               MSU 71-2003, 71-2004
Location:                    Sahel Countries of Africa (Burkina Faso, Senegal, Benin, Niger, etc.)
Duration:                    September 1976-April 1979
Budget:                       $396,513
Documents:                (Click here to view)

Project Goals:           To provide agricultural economics expertise for applied research on priority problems in the Sahel, yielding advice to AID on project design and on long-term strategies and planning.

Project Plans/Objectives:

1.    To develop and further refine a conceptual framework for studying the economics of animal-powered mechanization in the Sahel.

2.    To generate basic input/output data on 120 smallholders in the Atakora Province of northern Benin.

3.    To utilize total farm budgeting, block budgeting, and various programming models to determine the costs and returns of crop production on northern Benin farms using animal-powered technology.

4.    To draw lessons from animal-powered mechanization in northern Benin for the Eastern ORO Integrated Rural Development Project in Burkina Faso, the Niger Cereals Project, and other proposed food production programs in the Sahel.

5.    To use the research findings to prepare training materials for extension programs in the Sahel.

6.    To prepare prototypes of a planning and evaluation manual and an extension manual for agricultural personnel in West African governments promoting animal-powered mechanization.  Objectives also include the supply of consultant services in agricultural economics for AID/Washington and for studies in association with AID field missions in the Sahel countries.

Cooperating Institutions:      AID Missions in the Sahel and AID/Washington

Project Summary:       Among the several activities the project undertook are the following: performing background research on food production, storage and food self-sufficiency, and large-scale resettlement projects in Burkina Faso and Senegal, the economics of fertilizer use in the Sahel, and basic needs and alternative development strategies in the Sahel.

Selected Publications From/About This Project:

•  Interim Evaluation of Two Agricultural Production Projects in Senegal: The Economics of Rainfed and Irrigated Agriculture. 1979.  By Steven Franzel.  African Rural Economy Working Paper No. 28. Department of Agricultural Economics, Michigan State University.
• Recommendations to National Governments and International Donors for the Design and Implementation of Animal Traction Programs. 1979. by Merritt W. Sargent. Department of Agricultural Economics, Michigan State University.
• The Political Economy of Grain Marketing and Storage in the Sahel. 1978.  By David C. Wilcock.  African Rural Economy Working Paper No. 24. Department of Agricultural Economics, Michigan State University.
• Economic and Technical Aspects of Fertilizer Production and Use in West Africa. 1977. By Thomas M. Zalla, Diamond, R. B., and Mudahar, Mohinder S.  African Rural Economy Working Paper No. 22. Department of Agricultural Economics, Michigan State University.
• Area/Regional Planning for Rural Development Strategies with Special Reference to The Eastern ORD of Upper Volta. 1977.  By Assefa Mehretu.  Department of Agricultural Economics, Michigan State University.
• Much of the Research/Outreach from this Project was published in the following publication series:
  • African Rural Employment Papers    and African Rural Economy Papers.   1972 -1980.
  • African Rural Employment (Economy) Working Papers  1974 -1982.
• USAID Development Experience Clearing House.  Search for Downloadable Documents from This Project – AID/afr-C-1260.

*  This description is adapted from work by Nancy E. Horn, an MSU alumnus from the Anthropology Department, published in 1985 “A Project History of Michigan State University’s Participation in International Development for the period 1951 – 1985”.  See AFRE Emeritus Faculty - Acknowledgements