The influence of agricultural associations on maize marketing in Mozambique (in Portuguese)

The transformation of subsistence agriculture into commercial agriculture is one of the strategic objectives of the Mozambican government. Maize, as one of the most produced and consumed cereals in the country, plays a crucial role in this transition. However, agricultural marketing of maize remains low, partly due to restrictions on production capacity and access to markets.

Agricultural associations have the potential to partially eliminate these obstacles by facilitating access to inputs and information. This study investigates the impact of agricultural associations on maize marketing in Mozambique based on a Heckman model and an instrumental variables estimator. The estimates indicate that membership of associations does not influence the decision to participate in the market, but has a significant impact on the intensity of participation. In particular, we observed that membership of associations results in an increase of around 12% in the proportion of production destined for marketing.

Download CEEG Working Paper 2024/02 here