Contract farming is a pervasive institutional arrangement in cash cropping economies in Mozambique. Empirical evidence on its nature and, especially, the extent to which policies can generate broad based income growth and poverty reduction is lacking. This study investigates the rationale for persistence, the determinants of farmer participation and performance in cotton and tobacco schemes (Essay One), and the economy-wide effects of expansion and shocks in cotton and tobacco sectors on poverty reduction in concession areas of the Zambezi valley of Mozambique (Essay Two). In the first essay, we find that in both sectors contract farming is an institutional response to widespread failure in input, credit and output markets and the absence of a functional public and market based service provision network. Two stage econometric procedures (testing for the existence of threshold effects in land holdings and educational attainment) indicate that in both areas participation in the schemes is driven by factor endowments, asset ownership and alternative income opportunities, and very little by demographic factors. Also, there are no returns to education in either sector; this result is consistent with previous research in Mozambique but surprising in an agronomically

The large and vibrant informal trade between India, and Bangladesh continues to thrive despite unilateral/regional/multilateral trade liberalisation in these two countries. This calls for an in-depth analysis of India’s informal trade with Bangladesh. Using insights from the New Institutional Economics informal and formal institutions engaged in cross-border trade are contrasted to examine whether informal trading arrangements provide better institutional solutions. The analysis, carried out on the basis of an extensive survey conducted in India and Bangladesh reveals that informal traders in India and Bangladesh have developed efficient mechanisms for contract enforcement, information flows, risk sharing and risk mitigation. Further, informal traders prefer to trade through the informal channel because the transaction costs of trading in the informal channel are significantly lower than the formal channel implying that informal trade takes place due to the inefficient institutional set up in the formal channel. The principal policy implication from the study is that unless the transacting environment of formal traders improves, informal trade will continue to coexist with formal trade, even if free trade is established in the SAARC region.

Section 2: The land security issue in the development literature............................................3 1. Land policies and their underlying theoretical basis.........................................................3 2. The case for security as an empirical, endogenous variable............................................4 3. Security and land markets................................................................................................4

this paper we only speculate on a few broad analytical themes that have not been paid enough attention in the theoretical institutional economics literature: in particular, (a) the process of persistence of dysfunctional institutions in poor countries, (b) institutional impediments as outcomes of distributive conflicts, (c) the collective action problems these conflicts exacerbate, and (d) in view of the critical need for coordination, a more complex and nuanced role of the state, which many (though not all) states fail to perform

maintains two publication series for research on food security issues. Publications under the Flash series are short (3-4 pages), carefully focused reports designated to provide timely research results on issues of great interest. Publications under the Research Paper series are designed to provide longer, more in-depth treatment of food security issues. The preparation of Flash reports and Research Reports, and their discussion with those who design and influence programs and policies in Mozambique, is an important step in the Directorate’s overall analyses and planning mission. Comments and suggestion from interested users on reports under each of these series help identify additional questions for consideration in later data analyses and report writing, and in the design of further research activities. Users of these reports are encouraged to submit comments and inform us of ongoing information and analysis needs.

The large and vibrant informal trade between India and Nepal continues to thrive despite unilateral/bilateral/regional/multilateral trade liberalisation in the two countries. This calls for an indepth analysis of India's informal trade with Nepal. Using insights from the New Institutional Economics informal and formal institutions engaged in cross-border trade are contrasted. The objective in juxtaposing formal and informal institutions in performing similar transactions viz., engaging in crossborder international trade is threefold: first, to understand how informal trading markets function vis-à-vis formal trading arrangements second, to analyse formal and informal trading arrangements particularly in the context of the relative importance of institutional factors vis-à-vis trade and domestic policy distortions, and third, to see whether informal trading arrangements provide better institutional solutions than formal trading arrangements. The analysis, carried out on the basis of an extensive survey conducted in India and Nepal reveals that informal traders in India and Nepal have developed efficient mechanisms for contract enforcement, information flows, risk sharing and risk mitigation. Further, informal traders prefer to trade through the informal channel because the transaction costs of trading in the informal channel are significantly lower

and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the author. They do not necessarily represent the views of the World Bank, its Executive Directors, the countries they represent, or

Economic stagnation in sub-Saharan Africa since 1970 is well documented. While the causes are varied, the paradigm of nationalistic state-led economic development has changed. Economic development occurs in a global marketplace. Manufacturing has shifted from developed to less developed countries, an opportunity that was seized in Asia and Latin America. South Africa’s labour, unskilled and costly by world standards, is at a disadvantage as an agile and competitive world market seeks skilled labour at the lowest cost. South Africa’s Gear economic policy suggests that 300 000 new jobs need to be created annually until 2004 in order to reduce unemployment. Small, medium and microenterprise growth is central to meeting this target. Numerous government structures to assist small enterprises have been created. Few, however, assist small business with the demands of the marketplace. Most focus on generic skills training and questionable small business finance. This thesis suggests that interfirm linkages between large and small enterprises is one strategy that can assist the growth of small business, create employment and, increase labour skills.