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Given the challenges facing agriculture resulting from change, building resilience is a priority. Seed systems are an important area for enhancing such resilience as seed security has direct links to food security, and resilient livelihoods in general. This study used data from a nationally representative sample to assess farmer perceptions of climate change, its effects on livelihoods and seed systems, and options for enhancing resilience of their seed systems. Drought or irregular rains were considered…

Loan outreach—financial viability nexus is among the unsettled issues in microfinance literature: unyielding stance favoring viability for increased outreach to the poor (depth) versus a trade-off view justifying subsidized Microfinance Institutions (MFIs). The concern is exceedingly relevant to developing countries that opt for right policies towards financial inclusion. Even leading microfinance industries are challenged to reach the wider poor. In their microfinance operations, Kenya and Uganda ranked first and second in Africa; fifth and eighth…

Despite the existence of many regional economic communities (RECs) in Africa, intra-regional trade remains staggeringly low compared to other trading blocs in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Hence this study tries to uncover the main factors behind the low level of intra-regional trade and the role of RECs in promoting intra-regional trade by taking four RECs in Africa (COMESA, ECOWAS, IGAD and SADC) and applying the intuitive and theoretical gravity model of Anderson-van Wincoop in…

This study seeks to assess the progress made so far and the challenges that face regional integration process in the Horn of Africa with especial emphasis on IGAD; and it provides a roadmap to enhance the regional efforts beyond the creation of free trade area. The objective of the assessment is to provide analytical policy recommendations that help to establish an effective regional economic community. The analysis shall cover diverse issues such as conceptual issues…

The Horn of Africa countries had poor economic growth for many decades before the 2000’s. Various studies were conducted to uncover the factors responsible for the poor economic performance and divergence from the developing regions. Opinions varied, however, on why the countries in the Horn sub-region have been some of the poorest in the world. In identifying growth determinants in the subregion, a diagnostics approach is applied, which reveals that limited access to finance (from…