Policy reforms in Côte d'Ivoire : the case of the rubber, cocoa, and oil palm sub-sectors

Following the global economic crisis in the 1980s, Côte d’Ivoire adopted liberalisation reform within its agricultural sector. Although this shift in policy has led to notable achievements, evidence of its effects on improving farmers’ incomes and enhancing growth is still mixed. Three decades later, the living conditions of rural agricultural households have not improved and their degree of vulnerability has further increased. In this context, this research sheds light on the impacts of the liberalisation reform on producer price dynamics, supply and agricultural services provision to farmers in C^ote d’Ivoire. In particular, it focuses on three major commodities, namely Rubber, Cocoa, and Palm Oil, and addresses multiple questions using time series econometrics as well as game theory models. The first chapter analyses the transmission of rubber world prices to the domestic market. It highlights the link between world price and domestic Ivorian producer prices and tests the presence of asymmetry in the transmission process. The second chapter focuses on the cocoa producer price and supply responses to world price shock after the liberalisation reforms with a comparison to the neighbouring Ghana which has not fully liberalized its cocoa sub-sector. The third chapter presents a theoretical assessment of the impact of competition between processors on the provision of agricultural services to farmers. The key findings of this research will help to formulate policies to enhance the competitiveness of the agricultural export sector and improve farmers’ incomes.