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...ch 1.6 tons/ha in 1985, double their 1960 level (Dione 1989). Research has shown that equipped farms obtain higher yields of both cotton and coarse grains than the semi-equipped and manual producers (=-=Dioné, 1990-=-; Raymond and Fok 1994; Kébé et al.,1998). Equipped farmers are also largely responsible for the majority of grain sales, primarily because of their higher per capita production. In 1986/87, farmers o...

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...out the continent, fertilizer has been shown to result in a marked difference in seed cotton production (% increase in yield), with yields increasing more than 50% in over 60% of the trials analyzed (=-=Yanggen et al., 1998-=-). Available data on cotton’s response to fertilizer has shown a decline over the last four decades. From the 1960s through the 1980s, various station trials recorded yield increases ranging from 2.6 ...

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...val, they may assess the potential short-term benefit of using the recommended technologies, not only with respect to cotton but also as they contribute to the overall attainment of their objectives (=-=Tefft et al. 1998-=-). As stated earlier, access to credit to purchase inputs and equipment, and the guaranteed market to sell their seed cotton at fixed prices have been major incentives for farmers to grow cotton. The ...

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...enders and auctions for the majority of its procurement contracts provided vast opportunity for rent-seeking, generally to the disadvantage of farmers, and resulting in higher operating costs (Banque =-=Mondiale 2002-=-). Finally, in addition to the negative impact of escalating cost inflation arising from mismanagement and the inefficient operation of critical industry functions (e.g., transport), the CMDT was unde...

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...ct of animal traction (the difference of landholdings per worker between non-equipped to well-equipped farms) and a 30% labor savings for fully equipped over manual farming (Dioné 1989; Whitney 1981; =-=Cisse 1987-=-; Doumbia et al. 1986). In other words, equipped farms had a greater cultivated area per worker and greater labor savings relative to non-equipped farms. It is important to note that the extensificati...

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...ng the area planted to cereals from 61 to 55% (Table 2). xiii By 1998, the average cotton farm in the CMDT zone planted 2.4 to seed cotton and 4.4 hectares to cereals with a total area of 8 hectares (=-=CMDT 1998-=-). Most farmers increased acreage cultivated by reducing fallow periods and clearing new lands, the latter behavior predominant in the relatively newer production zones (Giraudy, 1996; Diakité et al.,...

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...ng the area planted to cereals from 61 to 55% (Table 2). xiii By 1998, the average cotton farm in the CMDT zone planted 2.4 to seed cotton and 4.4 hectares to cereals with a total area of 8 hectares (=-=CMDT 1998-=-). Most farmers increased acreage cultivated by reducing fallow periods and clearing new lands, the latter behavior predominant in the relatively newer production zones (Giraudy, 1996; Diakité et al.,...

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...seases. Numerous studies in Mali over the last thirty years have estimated potential crop losses due to pests between 20 and 35%, far lower than the 60 to 65% average loss rates documented in Africa (=-=Delattre and Gall, 1982-=-; Michel 1999; Oerke et al. 1999). There is, however, growing concern that resistance is developing in certain areas and that current pesticides are becoming ineffective, particularly with respect to ...

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...imal traction support, training and equipping blacksmiths, animal health, cotton research, maize production, rural roads, health and potable water infrastructure and support to farmer organizations. (=-=Deveze 1994-=- ; Bingen et al. 1995). These complementary public programs, in responding to many of farmers’ multiple needs, also served to strengthen the institutional and political position of the CMDT in Mali. I...

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...on had a large impact on Mali’s economy. Cotton’s share of GDP rose in real terms from 4.23% in 1980 to 8% in 1999; during the same period, agriculture value added decreased slightly from 42% to 40% (=-=DNP, 2003-=-). With over 98% of Malian fiber exported, the cotton sector has historically accounted for a large share of total export earnings. They have ranged from 40% in the early 1990s to over 70% after the d...

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...dministered producer prices have not been immediately adjusted upward, thus providing a window of opportunity for the French and Malian governments to generate large profits and recover their losses (=-=Dorey, 1999-=-). This interaction between world market prices, institutional price rigidity and deficit financing/profit taking behavior of the two main shareholders has been a reoccurring cycle over the last three...

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...ical farmer who does not always use optimal cultural techniques (Henao et al. 1992). For example, a Malian farmer may see a 5 kg increase per kilogram of nutrient compared to 10 kilograms on station (=-=Gigou 1989-=-). More recent studies of the response per kilogram of fertilizer (rather than kilogram of nutrient), while complicating comparisons, show a 3.2 kilogram response compared to 6 kg for maize and 3.3 to...

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...ore timely and improved land preparation as well as early planting and well-timed weeding, ownership of animal traction equipment enables farmers to respect the cropping calendar and increase yields (=-=Giraudy 1999-=-; Follin 1999; Sargent et al. 1981). The acquisition of draft oxen also resulted in a consistent source of manure whose application was being promoted by the CFDT to improve productivity growth and so...

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...ore timely and improved land preparation as well as early planting and well-timed weeding, ownership of animal traction equipment enables farmers to respect the cropping calendar and increase yields (=-=Giraudy 1999-=-; Follin 1999; Sargent et al. 1981). The acquisition of draft oxen also resulted in a consistent source of manure whose application was being promoted by the CFDT to improve productivity growth and so...

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...he response per kilogram of fertilizer (rather than kilogram of nutrient), while complicating comparisons, show a 3.2 kilogram response compared to 6 kg for maize and 3.3 to 4.3 kg response for rice (=-=Kieft 1993-=-). Trials in Cote d’Ivoire also showed cotton response rates at half the level of maize (5kg versus 10 kg) (Gigou 1989). Given the low output/nutrient ratios (kilograms of output per kilogram of nutri...

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...ld increases ranging from 2.6 to 11 kilograms of seed cotton per one kilogram of fertilizer nutrient (nitrogen or N+P205+K20). Ratios, which are equal to or greater than 10, are considered efficient (=-=Pieri 1989-=-; Henao et al. 1992). These studies suggest that response rates have declined over time; one study show rates decreasing from 10 to 2.6 kilograms between 1969 and 1982. They also note that on-station ...

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... 100 kilograms per hectare. These results call attention to soil mining problem and risks of declining soil fertility to the sustainability of cotton production in Mali (Pieri 1992; van der Pol 1992; =-=Smaling 1993-=-). In 1992, van der Pol estimated an average nitrogen nutrient deficit balance over the entire CMDT zone at 25 kilograms per hectare and predicted that at this soil-mining rate, soil nutrient reserves...

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... specialized technical company to promote and develop rain fed cotton production as well as to assist in the implementation of France’s development and cooperation efforts in West and Central Africa (=-=Vinay, 1999-=-; Dione 1989). iii 2.2 Structure of CFA Zone’s Cotton Sector The cotton industry in the CFA franc zone is characterized by varying degrees of integration of the production, ginning and marketing funct...

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...s to gin” (comprising assembly, marketing, extension, roads and overhead) rose 57% in real terms. Within this line item, overhead and “public” development activity costs grew respectively 30 and 94% (=-=Waddell, 1997-=-). Between 1994/95 and 1996/97, another audit revealed that overhead costs had jumped 112% in two years, a large increase compared to 17% rise in total unit cost (SEC-Diarra/BAC+, 1999; Waddell, 1997)...

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...hat set their cost threshold, any economies could be recuperated directly by the CMDT rather than increasing profit margins that would be shared with farmers and the Malian government (Waddell, 1997; =-=Waddell, 1998-=-; SEC-Diarra/BAC+, 1999). CMDT profits were also negatively affected by the subsidized sale of cotton lint to Mali’s textile companies and seed cotton to its subsidiary processing company. And the aud...

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...ification effect of animal traction (the difference of landholdings per worker between non-equipped to well-equipped farms) and a 30% labor savings for fully equipped over manual farming (Dioné 1989; =-=Whitney 1981-=-; Cisse 1987; Doumbia et al. 1986). In other words, equipped farms had a greater cultivated area per worker and greater labor savings relative to non-equipped farms. It is important to note that the e...