article · MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMICS REVIEW
Research into selected West African nations examines how food prices affect food production and how national fragility moderates this relationship. Using dynamic panel estimators, the findings demonstrate that agricultural land availability and fertiliser application serve as primary long-term drivers of food production. Positive connections exist between food production, agricultural employment, and food prices, though regional fragility alters these connections in certain instances. Overall, state fragility exerts a direct negative influence on agricultural output across several countries. Mitigating these disruptions requires targeted conflict resolution, institutional strengthening, and political stability alongside agricultural interventions. Sustained food production relies on enhancing land access for farmers, supporting fertiliser use, and establishing market-driven incentives to stabilise prices and ensure fair producer compensation.
Food security and agricultural stability in West Africa depend heavily on predictable pricing and peaceful operating environments. By demonstrating how state fragility undermines production and dampens the benefits of food prices, this evidence helps policymakers and development organisations understand why conflict resolution and institutional stability are vital prerequisites for effective agricultural investments, input support, and rural economic resilience.
The abstract does not indicate an application pathway, focusing instead on macroeconomic analysis and public policy recommendations.
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The relationship between food prices and production significantly shapes consumer affordability and producer income in low-to-middle-income nations. While increased prices can stimulate production, excessive fluctuations pose threats to financial stability and food security, especially in regions like West Africa prone to conflicts and disruptions. This study investigated the impact of food prices on food production in selected West African countries, exploring the moderating effect of fragility on this connection. Employing non-stationary heterogeneous panel models, including Pooled Mean Group (PMG), Mean Group (MG), and Dynamic Fixed Effect (DFE) estimators based on Hausman test results, the study revealed that agricultural lands and fertiliser application drive food production in the long run. Positive links are found between food prices, agricultural employment, and food production, with fragility moderating these relationships in some instances. The study also found that fragility negatively affects food production, showing its adverse influence in several West African nations. The study recommends that governments address fragility by focusing on conflict resolution, institution strengthening, and political stability. Additionally, it suggests promoting land management policies facilitating farmer access, encouraging fertiliser use, and implementing market-driven incentives to enhance price stability and market access for fair farmer compensation.
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DOI: 10.24818/mer/2025.01-04
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