Accelerating agricultural intensification in the riskier environments of sub-saharan Africa

High population growth rates and declining soil quality in risky production and marketing environments present a challenge to policy makers concerned with promoting the agricultural intensification needed to address structural food deficits. This paper discusses efforts by Sasakawa Global 2000 to introduce science-based technologies to farmers dealing with fragile soils, inadequate rainfall, excessive pressure on natural resources and poorly developed infrastructureall of which increase the production, price, income, and institutional risks associated with agricultural intensification. The paper examines the profitability and risks associated with the proposed technologies from both the researcher?s and the farmer?s perspectives. Some farmers unexpectedly evaluate the technologies more favorably than researchers. Agroeconomic and socioeconomic implications of these findings are discussed. (Resume d'auteur)