Optimal Land Allocation of Maize, Cassava and Teak for Small Landholders in Southern Togo, West Africa By Amber Lily Kenny Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN FORESTRY MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY 2007 The thesis, “Optimal Land Allocation of Maize, Cassava and Teak for Small Landholders in Southern Togo, West Africa” is hereby approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN FORESTRY. SCHOOL OF FOREST RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES SIGNATURES: ADVISOR: ____________________________________ Dr. Blair D. Orr DEAN: ____________________________________ Dr. Margaret R. Gale DATE: ____________________________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES............................................................................................ ii LIST OF TABLES.............................................................................................. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................ v ABSTRACT....................................................................................................... vi CHAPTER ONE - INTRODUCTION................................................................ 1 SECTION ONE—GENERAL BACKGROUND........................................... 5 CHAPTER TWO - BACKGROUND OF TOGO............................................... 6 Climate and Topography........................................................................ 9 Politics and History of Togo................................................................... 10 The Peoples and Cultures....................................................................... 14 Economy and Resource........................................................................... 17 Farming................................................................................................... 18 CHAPTER THREE—BACKGROUND OF STUDY AREA............................ 21 CHAPTER FOUR - CROPS IN SOUTHERN TOGO....................................... 24 Cassava................................................................................................... 24 Maize....................................................................................................... 28 Teak......................................................................................................... 30 SECTION TWO—RESEARCH...................................................................... 35 CHAPTER FIVE - METHODS.......................................................................... 36 Linear Programming.............................................................................. 36 Maize, Cassava, Teak Linear Program.................................................. 38 Data Collection....................................................................................... 39 CHAPTER SIX - DATA..................................................................................... 47 Prices...................................................................................................... 47 Labor constraint...................................................................................... 48 CHAPTER SEVEN - RESULTS AND ANALYSIS......................................... 52 Farmer Types.......................................................................................... 53 Discount Rate.......................................................................................... 56 SECTION THREE—IMPLICATIONS OF STUDY..................................... 77 CHAPTER EIGHT – COMPARISONS WITH OTHER STUDIES.................. 78 CHAPTER NINE - RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS............. 82 CHAPTER TEN - CONCLUDING REMARKS................................................ 88 LITERATURE CITED ...................................................................................... 90 i List of Figures Figure 1 Remains of a forest in southern Togo................................................. 1 Figure 2 Map of Africa with Togo highlighted.…………………….........…... 7 Figure 3 Regional map of Togo………..…………………………..............…. 8 Figure 4 Children comprise over half of the Togolese population.….........….. 16 Figure 5 Village water access site……………….…………………...........….. 16 Figure 6 Young farmers clearing a field............................................................ 18 Figure 7 Smallholders creating a tree nursery to alley crop in their fields........ 20 Figure 8 Agodokpé, study site........................................................................... 21 Figure 9 Village of Agodokpé….……………………………............……….. 22 Figure 10 Harvesting cassava…..……………………..…….........…………… 25 Figure 11 Sprouted cassava cutting..…………………………..........……….... 26 Figure 12 Fufu, pounded cassava ...................................................................... 27 Figure 13 Maize field ..........………………………………...................…….... 29 Figure 14 Young mothers removing grain from maize cobs....................……. 30 Figure 15 Five year old teak ………….…………………........................……. 31 Figure 16 Six month old teak after 2nd weeding.............................................… 34 Figure 17 Teak seedling………………………………...................………….. 34 Figure 18 Key informants.................................................................................. 40 Figure 19 Interview with typical smallholder household….............………….. 40 Figure 20 Fifteen year old teak plantation ready for harvest after bush fire...... 56 Figure 21 Planted teak stump after nine months................................................ 75 Figure 22 Miagadogoo Agodokpé. Road leaving village.................................. 89 ii List of Tables Table 1 Generalized Social Status Scale for Togolese Smallholders ...................... 43 Table 2 Farmer Type Averages for Social Status, Available Labor, Hectares Owned & Yearly Income ........................................................................................................... 45 Table 3 Teak Prices .................................................................................................. 48 Table 4 Average Cassava & Maize Required for Household Consumption for Farmer Type .......................................................................................................................... 50 Table 5a Land rich, Labor poor (farmer 4) Constraints for Linear Model .............. 54 Table 5b Land rich, Labor poor (farmer 4) Land Optimal Allocation .................... 54 Table 6 Cost & Revenues of Operation for Teak Production at 8% ....................... 57 Table 7a Constraints for Land poor, Labor poor Farmer (type 1) for Cassava, Maize & Teak following a 15 year rotation plan, Sold on the Black market with a Discount Rate of 8% ........................................................................................................................... 60 Table 7b Land poor, Labor poor Farmer (type 1) Land Allocation for Cassava, Maize & Teak Following a 15 year rotation plan, Sold on the Black market with a Discount Rate of 8% ........................................................................................................................ 60 Table 8a Constraints for Land poor labor rich Farmer (type 2) for Cassava, Maize & Teak Following a 15 year rotation plan, Sold on the Black market with a Discount Rate of 8% .. ..................................................................................................................... 62 Table 8b Land poor, Labor rich Farmer (type 2) Land Allocation for Cassava, Maize & Teak Following a 15 year rotation plan, Sold on the Black market with a Discount Rate of 8%......................................................................................................................... 62 Table 9a Constraints for Medium land, Medium labor Farmer (type 3) for Cassava, Maize & Teak Following a 15 year rotation plan, Sold on the Black market with a Discount Rate of 8%................................................................................................. 64 Table 9b Medium land, Medium labor Farmer (type 3) Land Allocation for Cassava, Maize & Teak Following a 15 year rotation plan, Sold on the Black market with a Discount Rate of 8% ................................................................................................ 64 iii Table 10a Constraints for Land rich, Labor poor Farmer (type 4) for Cassava, Maize & Teak Following a 15 year Rotation Plan, Sold on the Black market with a Discount Rate of 8% . ...................................................................................................................... 66 Table 10b Land rich, Labor poor Farmer (type 4) Land Allocation for Cassava, Maize & Teak Following a 15 year rotation plan, Sold on the Black market with a Discount Rate of 8% ........................................................................................................................ 66 Table 11a Constraints for Land rich, Labor rich Farmer (type 5) for Cassava, Maize & Teak Following a 15 year rotation plan, Sold on the Black market with a Discount Rate of 8% ........................................................................................................................ 68 Table 11b Land rich, Labor rich Farmer (type 5) Land Allocation for Cassava, Maize & Teak Following a 15 year rotation plan, Sold on the Black market with a Discount Rate of 8% ......................................................................................................................