Beyond access: Evaluating the impact and counterfactual outcomes of input subsidy programmes on smallholder maize farmers' yield and income in Zambia

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60460709%3A41340%2F25%3A103750" target="_blank" >RIV/60460709:41340/25:103750 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://newmedit.ciheam.org/2025/12/09/beyond-access-evaluating-the-impact-and-counterfactual-outcomes-of-input-subsidy-programmes-on-smallholder-maize-farmers-yield-and-income-in-zambia/" target="_blank" >https://newmedit.ciheam.org/2025/12/09/beyond-access-evaluating-the-impact-and-counterfactual-outcomes-of-input-subsidy-programmes-on-smallholder-maize-farmers-yield-and-income-in-zambia/</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.30682/nm2505i" target="_blank" >10.30682/nm2505i</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Beyond access: Evaluating the impact and counterfactual outcomes of input subsidy programmes on smallholder maize farmers' yield and income in Zambia

Original language description

This study examines the problems of low productivity, inefficiency and food insecurity among smallholder farmers in Zambia despite the efforts of input subsidy programs such as the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) to enhance access to improved seeds and fertilisers. Using a counterfactual non-experimental design approach, this study uses a sample of 404 maize farmers (234 FISP beneficiaries and 170 non-beneficiaries) across the Southern province of Zambia. An initial probit regression model was used to identify the determinants of FISP access, and an endogenous switching regression model was used to measure the effect of FISP access on maize yield and income. The results show that age, household size, marital status, cooperative membership, and off-farm income are all positively related to FISP access, while gender, farm size, and farming experience are all negatively related to FISP access. The endogenous switching regression results suggest that FISP access is a real boon for beneficiaries in terms of increasing maize yield and farm income. For instance, beneficiaries of FISP would have harvested 144.97kg/ha less maize and earned 744.69 ZMW less in the absence of input subsidy. On the other hand, the non-beneficiaries would have harvested 730.815kg/ha more maize and earned 2233.09 ZMW more if they had accessed the input subsidy. These results show that FISP positively impacts agricultural production and economic returns and calls for targeted policies that address gender barriers, support smallholder farmers, and improve cooperative structures.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

40101 - Agriculture

Project

—

Continuities

S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

New Medit

ISSN

1594-5685

e-ISSN

1594-5685

Volume of the periodical

24

Issue of the periodical within the volume

DEC 2025

Country of publishing house

IT - ITALY

Number of pages

19

Pages from-to

153-171

UT code for WoS article

001640261300009

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105025940484