Borlaug LEAP Fellowship for Abdel Lawani

The basic function of food stocks is to regulate supply over time and space. On the one hand, government purchasing and stockpiling of food products during abundant harvests raises the average level of producer prices; but, on the other hand, stockholding moderates price increases in lean periods by increasing the supply available through stored stocks. Government institutions, such as national offices for food security, build and use reserve stocks to stabilize agricultural product prices. These institutions are charged with reducing market supply by buying foods in times of oversupply, guaranteeing farmers a fair remunerative price, and increasing the supply during lean periods to ensure affordable prices for consumers. The general objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of these offices’ stockholding behavior on domestic rice prices. Specifically this study aims to evaluate the effects of food stocks on prices received by producers, prices paid by consumers and price volatility in four West African Countries (Benin, Niger, Burkina-Faso and Nigeria). It will also analyze the effect of less volatile price on smallholder farmers’ productivity.