MSU Agricultural Economics	Research > Maize Marketing

Maize Marketing and Trade Policies
to Promote Household Food Security in Southern Africa

A Research and Outreach Project Involving:
The Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN)
Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural Economics (MSU)
The Rockefeller Foundation

Marketing and processing costs account for 50 to 70 percent of the total cost paid by consumers in Southern Africa for staple maize meal. Strategies that can successfully drive down costs within the marketing system can simultaneously raise the incomes of farmers and improve poor peoples’ access to food.

This website provides research material and outreach information generated by FANRPAN, MSU, and collaborators under the Maize Marketing and Trade Project. The project was initiated in January 2004 to support FANRPAN’s dissemination of high-quality analysis and outreach information to Ministries of Agriculture and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector in the SADC region. The pilot countries involved in the project are currently Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zambia. Financial support from the Rockefeller Foundation covers the period January 2004 to December 2005.

For a summary of Project objectives and activities, click here. For the end-of-Year One Progress Report, click here.

Research Reports and Working Papers:

• Commercialisation of Food Crops in Rural Malawi: Insights from the Household Survey.  Ephraim W. Chirwa. University of Malawi Chancellor College. Department of Economics. Working Paper No. 2006/04. March 2006

• Traub, L.N., and T.S. Jayne. 2006. Opportunities to Improve Household Food Security Through Promoting Informal Maize Marketing Channels: Experience from Eastern Cape Province, South Africa International Development Working Paper 85, Department of Agricultural Economics, East Lansing.

• Jayne, T.S., B. Zulu, D. Mather, E. Mghenyi, E. Chirwa, and D. Tschirley. 2005. Maize Marketing and Trade Policy in a Pro-Poor Agricultural Growth Strategy: Insights from Household Surveys in Eastern and Southern Africa. Paper prepared for the Conference on “Toward Improved Maize Marketing and Trade Policies in the Southern Africa Region,” Sponsored by the Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources. Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN). June 21-22, 2005, Centurion Park Hotel, Centurion, South Africa. Draft.

• Tschirley, D., D. Abdula, and M. T. Weber, 2005. Toward Improved Marketing and Trade Policies To Promote Household Food Security in Central and Southern Mozambique. Paper prepared for the Conference on “Toward Improved Maize Marketing and Trade Policies in the Southern Africa Region,” Sponsored by the Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN). June 21-22, 2005. Centurion Park Hotel, Centurion, South Africa.

• Ndibongo Traub, L., and T. Jayne. 2004. Effects of Market Reform on Maize Marketing Margins in South Africa. International Development Working Paper 83, Department of Agricultural Economics, East Lansing.

• Tschirley, D., J. Nijhoff, P. Arlindo, B. Mwinga, M. Weber, and T. Jayne, 2004. Anticipating and Responding to Drought Emergencies in Southern Africa: Lessons from the 2002-2003 Experience. Prepared for the NEPAD Regional Conference on Successes in African Agriculture, 22-25 November 2004, Nairobi, Kenya.

Policy Briefs:

• Mwanaumo, Anthony, Hyde Haantuba, Pedro Arlindo, Danilo Abdula, T.S. Jayne, David Tschirley, Jan Nijhoff, Michael Weber, Cynthia Donovan, and John Staatz. Toward a Regional Framework for Effective Policy Responses to the Emerging Food Crisis in Southern Africa. Draft FANRPAN Policy Brief, 2005.

• Tschirley, D., P. Arlindo, J.J. Nijhoff, B. Mwinga, M.T. Weber, and T.S. Jayne. Learning from the 2002/03 Food Crisis in Southern Africa: Lessons for the Current Year. Flash volume 46E. October, 2005

• Myers, R. J. 2005. Use of Market-Based Instruments to Manage Food Sector Risks in Southern Africa. Paper prepared for the Conference on “Toward Improved Maize Marketing and Trade Policies in the Southern Africa Region,” Sponsored by the Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN). June 21-22, 2005. Centurion Park Hotel, Centurion, South Africa.

Policy Presentations:

• The Effects of Market Reform on Maize Marketing Margins in South Africa: An Empirical Study. Lulama Traub and T.S. Jayne. Contributed paper, International Association of Agricultural Economics Tri-Annual Meetings, Gold Coast, Australia, August 12-18, 2006.
• Where Should Public and Donor Investments be Targeted? T.S. Jayne, A. Mwanaumo, J. Govereh, B. Zulu, and J. K. Nyoro. Presentation at 1st Regional Grain Trade Summit. October 12-13, Nairobi, Kenya.
• Pretoria Workshop Agenda (June 21/22, 2005). Maize Marketing and Trade Policies in Southern Africa: Toward Defining Appropriate and Mutually Supportive Roles for the Public and Private Sectors.
  • Day 1 Summary

Examples of Outreach and Impact:

• Materials prepared for the FANRPAN 2005 Regional Multi-Stakeholder Public Policy Dialogue. Theme: Creating A Conducive Policy Environment For A Food Secure SADC. 4-7 October 2005 .
  • SADC Recovery, Food Security And Trade Policies: Making Markets Work For Smallholders Farmers In SADC by Chairperson: Mr. S. Pazvakavambwa, Secretary for Agriculture- Zimbabwe. (ppt) (paper forthcoming)
  • Improving Maize Marketing and Trade Policies To Promote Household Food Security in Central and Southern Mozambique By Danilo Abdula, David Tschirley, and Michael Weber. (ppt)
  • Learning from the 2002/03 Food Crisis in Southern Africa: Lessons for the Current Year by Pedro Arlindo, David Tschirley, Jan Nijhoff, Billy Mwiinga, Michael T. Weber, and T.S. Jayne. (ppt)
  • Toward a Regional Framework for Effective Policy Responses to the Emerging Food Crisis in Southern Africa by Anthony Mwanaumo, Hyde Haantuba, Pedro Arlindo, Danilo Abdula, T.S. Jayne, David Tschirley, Jan Nijhoff, Michael Weber, Cynthia Donovan, and John Staatz. (ppt)
  • Opportunities to Improve Household Food Security Through Promoting Informal Maize Marketing Agents: Experience From Eastern Cape Province, South Africa by L. Ndibongo-Traub and T.S. Jayne. (ppt) (paper forthcoming)
• Full page article appearing in the daily Maputo newspaper "Noticias", August 6, 2004, highlighting research findings on marketing strategies to reduce the price of staple maize for low-income consumers in the region (in Portugese, English translation will be posted soon)

For related information, please also see the FANRPAN web site at: http://www.fanrpan.org/welcome.htm