Agribusiness and public sector collaboration in agricultural technology development and use in Mali : a study of the mechanization of cotton production

After an overview of cotton production in Mali, the study examines the demand for different mechanical technologies (including animal traction equipment, tractors, planting and harvesting equipment, applicators for agrochemicals, and processing equipment such as cotton gins); the impacts of mechanization on yield, labor, blacksmith and farmer income, the environment, and the transportation sector; the organizational framework for research in mechanization; and the economic, business, and regulatory environment for cotton mechanization. Major conclusions are as follows. (1) Successful agribusinesses are often highly vertically integrated. (2) State interventions such as investments in infrastructure can encourage private sector growth and macro-level reforms can encourage investment in technology adoption and mechanization. (3) Technology adoption involving investment or reallocation of farmers" resources must generate enough returns to support and reward such investment. (4) Small enterprises respond to extension and financial support effectively if market conditions assure reasonable returns. (5) International, national, and business research capacity can be mobilized to provide appropriate technology when crop and market objectives are clear and potential returns on investment reasonable, thus increasing the likelihood of collaborative research.