An economic analysis of a mechanized systems approach to cassava production in Sub-Saharan Africa

The importance of increasing African agriculture productivity is gaining attention as population is expected to grow by 1.3 billion people between now and the year 2050 (Haub & Kaneda, 2013). Adoption of mechanization has long been eyed as an important component that could propel Sub-Saharan Africa to increased levels of productivity. Historically, however, increased adoption of mechanization has failed partially because of a short-term focus (Houmy, Kienzle, & Ashburner, 2012), because of not accounting for non-agriculture uses of machines (Mrema, Baker, & Kahan, 2008; Takesima, Nin-Pratt, & Diao, 2013), because of technology transfer issues (Akinola, 1987), and because there has been a singular focus on substituting mechanized tillage for hand tillage (Mrema, Baker, & Kahan, 2008; Houmy, Clarke, Ashburner, & Kienzle, 2013). The singular focus on tillage to mechanize agriculture without looking at a complete mechanized system approach is part of the reason for previous failures (Houmy, Kienzle, & Ashburner, 2012). A complete mechanized systems approach, including not only tillage, but planting, spraying, weeding, and harvesting, along with how those operations are delivered to the smallholder farmer, needs to be considered to better understand the opportunity for smallholder mechanization in cassava production.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Agricultural & Applied Economics

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Monk, Kevin David

Contributors dc:contributor

• McNamara, Paul E.
• Goldsmith, Peter D.
• Schnitkey, Gary

• cassava
• mechanization
• Sub-Saharan Africa

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2015 Kevin Monk

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/88085

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/88085