Melinda Smale
Biographic Data
| ID | 3697076 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Melinda Smale |
| GIVEN NAMES | Melinda |
| FAMILY NAME | Smale |
| SIGNATURE | SMALE M |
| AFFILIATIONS | Michigan State University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-0986-5081 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 24 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 130 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 24 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1995 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2022 |
| H-INDEX | 7 |
Input subsidy effects on crops grown by smallholder farm women
We examine the effects of fertilizer subsidies in Mali on the non-staple crop cowpea, often described as a women’s legume crop. We utilize a 2017/2018 dataset including both men and women plot managers in 2400 households. We find that women manage cowpea plots, as a primary and a secondary crop, less frequently relative to men. Yet, women also labor on male-managed fields where cowpea is grown as an intercrop. Results from the control function ap…
The unintended consequences of the fertilizer subsidy program on crop species diversity in Mali
Viewpoint
The welfare effects of crop biodiversity as an adaptation to climate shocks in Kenya
Farm family effects of adopting improved and hybrid sorghum seed in the Sudan Savanna of West Africa
Uptake of improved sorghum varieties in the Sudan Savanna of West Africa has been limited, despite the economic importance of the crop and long-term investments in sorghum improvement. One reason why is that attaining substantial yield advantages has been difficult in this harsh, heterogeneous growing environment. Release in Mali of the first sorghum hybrids in Sub-Saharan Africa that have been developed primarily from local germplasm has the pot…
The Malian fertiliser value chain post-subsidy
This article examines the structure of the Malian fertiliser value chain and its performance in the context of the national subsidy programme, drawing on a review of the literature, farm household survey, and interviews with fertiliser suppliers. It finds that participants in the subsidy programme use more fertiliser and have significantly higher yields. The number of wholesalers and retailers has risen, but procurement remains concentrated. Poor…
Causes and Consequences of Increasing Herbicide Use in Mali
Intensification and intrahousehold decisions
In most West African countries, agricultural production is a complex process that involves multiple household members managing land and sharing agricultural inputs. We develop an intrahousehold decision-making model to illustrate how technology adoption can influence bargaining processes on farms in harsh agricultural environments of West Africa, where staple food production by extended families is organized collectively under the leadership of a…
GMOs and poverty
This essay draws on the extensive empirical literature to address the question: Can genetically modified (GM) crops help poor people? The evidence suggests that GM crops can generate sizeable yield advantages for small-scale farming families in low-income countries through avoiding losses to pests and disease. These advantages may improve considerably the welfare of people who depend on farming for most of their income. However, since poverty is …
Dynamics of variety change on wheat farms in Pakistan
How Does Gender Affect Sustainable Intensification of Cereal Production in the West African Sahel? Evidence from Burkina Faso
Better understanding of gender differences in the adoption of agricultural intensification strategies is crucial for designing effective policies to close the gender gap while sustainably enhancing farm productivity. We examine gender differences in adoption rates, likelihood and determinants of adopting strategy sets that enhance yields, protect crops, and restore soils in the West African Sahel, based on analysis of cereal production in Burkina…
How does adopting hybrid maize affect dietary diversity on family farms? Micro-evidence from Zambia
Agricultural marketing by smallholders in Kenya
Hybrid Seed and the Economic Well-Being of Smallholder Maize Farmers in Zambia
The development and diffusion of hybrid maize in Zambia since the 1970s is a major achievement in African agriculture, but other than profitability studies, analyses of how this process has affected the economic well-being of smallholder farmers have been few. We test the relationship of hybrid seed use with six indicators of economic well-being. After using the control function/instrumental variables approach to test for the endogeneity of hybri…
The impacts of hybrid maize seed on the welfare of farming households in Kenya
Location, vocation, and price shocks
This article contrasts the impacts of the global food-price crisis in 2007–08 on three types of farmer in Mali. In the Niger delta, where the government undertook an ‘emergency’ initiative, farmers organised to market their rice collectively, gaining a stronger position vis-à-vis merchants and the state. Vertically integrated into an export value chain, cotton farmers have suffered from stagnating yields, slow organisational reform, and rising in…
Global food-price shocks and poor people - an overview
Hunger has been on the rise since the mid-1990s, due to a variety of factors, including a lack of policy attention and a sense of complacency generated by long-term real declines in food prices. Food prices rose sharply after 2006, and there is considerable controversy over the reasons why. Analysts have pointed to a number of factors as possible causes, including rising fuel prices, diversion of food crops into biofuels, speculation, increased m…
The Demand for Crop Genetic Resources
Maize Diversity, Variety Attributes, and Farmers' Choices in Southeastern Guanajuato, Mexico
A Regional analysis of Maize Biological Diversity in Southeastern Guanajuato, MéXico
Farmers' use of improved seed selection practices in Mexican maize
Participatory crop improvement strategies have been proposed as incentives for farmers to continue growing traditional varieties identified as important genetic resources. This pilot study among indigenous farmers in the Sierra de Santa Marta, Mexico, raises questions about the benefits of such strategies. Genetic gains may not be realized, given the high rates of seed replacement for the same varieties. Seed selection is more complex and women a…
The Green Revolution and wheat genetic diversity
Maize is life”
Maize of the Ancestors and Modern Varieties
Intensification and intrahousehold decisions
In most West African countries, agricultural production is a complex process that involves multiple household members managing land and sharing agricultural inputs. We develop an intrahousehold decision-making model to illustrate how technology adoption can influence bargaining processes on farms in harsh agricultural environments of West Africa, where staple food production by extended families is organized collectively under the leadership of a…
How Does Gender Affect Sustainable Intensification of Cereal Production in the West African Sahel? Evidence from Burkina Faso
Better understanding of gender differences in the adoption of agricultural intensification strategies is crucial for designing effective policies to close the gender gap while sustainably enhancing farm productivity. We examine gender differences in adoption rates, likelihood and determinants of adopting strategy sets that enhance yields, protect crops, and restore soils in the West African Sahel, based on analysis of cereal production in Burkina…
Maize is life”
A Regional analysis of Maize Biological Diversity in Southeastern Guanajuato, MéXico
The impacts of hybrid maize seed on the welfare of farming households in Kenya
The welfare effects of crop biodiversity as an adaptation to climate shocks in Kenya
Maize Diversity, Variety Attributes, and Farmers' Choices in Southeastern Guanajuato, Mexico
Farmers' use of improved seed selection practices in Mexican maize
Participatory crop improvement strategies have been proposed as incentives for farmers to continue growing traditional varieties identified as important genetic resources. This pilot study among indigenous farmers in the Sierra de Santa Marta, Mexico, raises questions about the benefits of such strategies. Genetic gains may not be realized, given the high rates of seed replacement for the same varieties. Seed selection is more complex and women a…
Farm family effects of adopting improved and hybrid sorghum seed in the Sudan Savanna of West Africa
Uptake of improved sorghum varieties in the Sudan Savanna of West Africa has been limited, despite the economic importance of the crop and long-term investments in sorghum improvement. One reason why is that attaining substantial yield advantages has been difficult in this harsh, heterogeneous growing environment. Release in Mali of the first sorghum hybrids in Sub-Saharan Africa that have been developed primarily from local germplasm has the pot…
How does adopting hybrid maize affect dietary diversity on family farms? Micro-evidence from Zambia
Maize of the Ancestors and Modern Varieties
The unintended consequences of the fertilizer subsidy program on crop species diversity in Mali
Causes and Consequences of Increasing Herbicide Use in Mali
GMOs and poverty
This essay draws on the extensive empirical literature to address the question: Can genetically modified (GM) crops help poor people? The evidence suggests that GM crops can generate sizeable yield advantages for small-scale farming families in low-income countries through avoiding losses to pests and disease. These advantages may improve considerably the welfare of people who depend on farming for most of their income. However, since poverty is …
Dynamics of variety change on wheat farms in Pakistan
Agricultural marketing by smallholders in Kenya
The Demand for Crop Genetic Resources
Viewpoint
Global food-price shocks and poor people - an overview
Hunger has been on the rise since the mid-1990s, due to a variety of factors, including a lack of policy attention and a sense of complacency generated by long-term real declines in food prices. Food prices rose sharply after 2006, and there is considerable controversy over the reasons why. Analysts have pointed to a number of factors as possible causes, including rising fuel prices, diversion of food crops into biofuels, speculation, increased m…
The Green Revolution and wheat genetic diversity
The Malian fertiliser value chain post-subsidy
This article examines the structure of the Malian fertiliser value chain and its performance in the context of the national subsidy programme, drawing on a review of the literature, farm household survey, and interviews with fertiliser suppliers. It finds that participants in the subsidy programme use more fertiliser and have significantly higher yields. The number of wholesalers and retailers has risen, but procurement remains concentrated. Poor…
Maize is life”
Maize of the Ancestors and Modern Varieties
The Green Revolution and wheat genetic diversity
Farmers' use of improved seed selection practices in Mexican maize
Participatory crop improvement strategies have been proposed as incentives for farmers to continue growing traditional varieties identified as important genetic resources. This pilot study among indigenous farmers in the Sierra de Santa Marta, Mexico, raises questions about the benefits of such strategies. Genetic gains may not be realized, given the high rates of seed replacement for the same varieties. Seed selection is more complex and women a…
A Regional analysis of Maize Biological Diversity in Southeastern Guanajuato, MéXico
Maize Diversity, Variety Attributes, and Farmers' Choices in Southeastern Guanajuato, Mexico
The Demand for Crop Genetic Resources
Location, vocation, and price shocks
This article contrasts the impacts of the global food-price crisis in 2007–08 on three types of farmer in Mali. In the Niger delta, where the government undertook an ‘emergency’ initiative, farmers organised to market their rice collectively, gaining a stronger position vis-à-vis merchants and the state. Vertically integrated into an export value chain, cotton farmers have suffered from stagnating yields, slow organisational reform, and rising in…
Global food-price shocks and poor people - an overview
Hunger has been on the rise since the mid-1990s, due to a variety of factors, including a lack of policy attention and a sense of complacency generated by long-term real declines in food prices. Food prices rose sharply after 2006, and there is considerable controversy over the reasons why. Analysts have pointed to a number of factors as possible causes, including rising fuel prices, diversion of food crops into biofuels, speculation, increased m…
The impacts of hybrid maize seed on the welfare of farming households in Kenya
Hybrid Seed and the Economic Well-Being of Smallholder Maize Farmers in Zambia
The development and diffusion of hybrid maize in Zambia since the 1970s is a major achievement in African agriculture, but other than profitability studies, analyses of how this process has affected the economic well-being of smallholder farmers have been few. We test the relationship of hybrid seed use with six indicators of economic well-being. After using the control function/instrumental variables approach to test for the endogeneity of hybri…
How does adopting hybrid maize affect dietary diversity on family farms? Micro-evidence from Zambia
Agricultural marketing by smallholders in Kenya
Dynamics of variety change on wheat farms in Pakistan
How Does Gender Affect Sustainable Intensification of Cereal Production in the West African Sahel? Evidence from Burkina Faso
Better understanding of gender differences in the adoption of agricultural intensification strategies is crucial for designing effective policies to close the gender gap while sustainably enhancing farm productivity. We examine gender differences in adoption rates, likelihood and determinants of adopting strategy sets that enhance yields, protect crops, and restore soils in the West African Sahel, based on analysis of cereal production in Burkina…
Causes and Consequences of Increasing Herbicide Use in Mali
Intensification and intrahousehold decisions
In most West African countries, agricultural production is a complex process that involves multiple household members managing land and sharing agricultural inputs. We develop an intrahousehold decision-making model to illustrate how technology adoption can influence bargaining processes on farms in harsh agricultural environments of West Africa, where staple food production by extended families is organized collectively under the leadership of a…
GMOs and poverty
This essay draws on the extensive empirical literature to address the question: Can genetically modified (GM) crops help poor people? The evidence suggests that GM crops can generate sizeable yield advantages for small-scale farming families in low-income countries through avoiding losses to pests and disease. These advantages may improve considerably the welfare of people who depend on farming for most of their income. However, since poverty is …
Farm family effects of adopting improved and hybrid sorghum seed in the Sudan Savanna of West Africa
Uptake of improved sorghum varieties in the Sudan Savanna of West Africa has been limited, despite the economic importance of the crop and long-term investments in sorghum improvement. One reason why is that attaining substantial yield advantages has been difficult in this harsh, heterogeneous growing environment. Release in Mali of the first sorghum hybrids in Sub-Saharan Africa that have been developed primarily from local germplasm has the pot…
The Malian fertiliser value chain post-subsidy
This article examines the structure of the Malian fertiliser value chain and its performance in the context of the national subsidy programme, drawing on a review of the literature, farm household survey, and interviews with fertiliser suppliers. It finds that participants in the subsidy programme use more fertiliser and have significantly higher yields. The number of wholesalers and retailers has risen, but procurement remains concentrated. Poor…
Viewpoint
The welfare effects of crop biodiversity as an adaptation to climate shocks in Kenya
The unintended consequences of the fertilizer subsidy program on crop species diversity in Mali
Input subsidy effects on crops grown by smallholder farm women
We examine the effects of fertilizer subsidies in Mali on the non-staple crop cowpea, often described as a women’s legume crop. We utilize a 2017/2018 dataset including both men and women plot managers in 2400 households. We find that women manage cowpea plots, as a primary and a secondary crop, less frequently relative to men. Yet, women also labor on male-managed fields where cowpea is grown as an intercrop. Results from the control function ap…
Agricultural Innovations and Practices (22 works) · Economics (20 works) · Geography (20 works) · Business (16 works) · Agricultural economics (14 works) · Agriculture (14 works) · Biology (14 works) · Economic growth (8 works) · Political science (8 works) · Agronomy (7 works)