This study uses an ex-post evaluation method to estimate the optimal external funding level that maximizes the benefit of agro-pastoral enterprises supported by the youth program for the Promotion of Entrepreneurship in Agro-pastoral Activities (PEA-Youth Program) in the Centre region of Cameroon. The Linear Programming (LP) model recommends a personal contribution between 238,510 and 995,000 FCFA for each enterprise. It also recommends full use of start-up/subsidized credit (1,200,000 FCFA) for each activity, which can be justified by its zero interest rate (0%) as compared to the productive credit (15% interest rate) whose use(<1,500,000 FCFA) is recommended for short cycle activities (poultry, maize) and not recommended for long cycle activities (piggery, plantain, cassava production). The results of LP rotation restriction are similar to the profitability results using the economic rate of return (ERR) and suggest monoculture as profitable to only one activity (plantain), while the four remaining enterprises (maize, piggery, poultry, cassava) could be profitable if undertaken simultaneously or in association. Hence, the PEA-Youth Program should consider funding several activities at the same time, increasing the level of subsidized credit for short cycle agro-pastoral enterprises whereas productive credit should instead be revised downwards or eliminated completely for long cycle activities.

This paper examines the role of technological innovations on structural transformation on economies of Africa. To attain this objective, it uses a sample of 32 African countries. The estimation techniques are system GMM and two stage least Square. Results indicate that technological innovations, as measured by total patents applications, have a significant effect on per sector value added. This result supports the almost nonlinear relationship of structural transformation since this study shows that manufacturing is the dominant sector in the promotion of structural changes as far as the implementation of technological innovations is concerned. Also, our results highlight that with regards to the African context, manufacturing is the sector in which technological innovation has the greatest impact on per sector value added and by so doing, it promotes structural transformation than other sectors (services or agriculture sector). As policy implication, governments need to encourage technological infrastructure through private and public spending on research and development especially for agricultural development to foster structural transformation.

This study examines the linkages between financial integration and international trade flows in SubSaharan Africa (SSA) countries. It applies the two- stage least square (2SLS) technique to examine the contribution of financial integration on trade of goods and services using panel data on 20 SSA countries over the period 2001 to 2015. results indicate most financial integration indicators (liabilities, assets, foreign direct investment, and debts) have positive and significant effects on trade of goods and services. This result is robust to alternative notably trade of goods and services into import and export of goods and services. We therefore recommend that policy-makers of SSA countries put in place appropriate macroeconomic policies that will improve the quality of financial markets.

In response to various environmental problems facing the intensive mode of agricultural production, this study analysed the factors influencing the adoption of agri-environmental practices by maize producers organised in co-operatives in the Centre region of Cameroon by using the case study of PIDMA project. For this reason, the survey was undertaken in all the 15 villages grouping maize producers in two out of the four cooperatives under the regional coordinating unit of the project (PIDMA). Data on the socio-economic situation of producers, level of knowledge and applicability of environmental practices were gathered in the study area from 50 out of 88 (i.e. 56.8%) active maize producers. The descriptive field results revealed that the adoption of agri-environmental practices was related to social, psychological and economic characteristics of producers. The binary logit model results indicated that the adoption of agri-environmental practices was associated with the frequency of PIDMA agricultural training and cultivated area under maize. However, certain variables such as gender, age, education level, marital status, cost of implementing practice, lack of funding, labour type, time spent for the implementation of the practice, income source, technical and professional support did not seem to be associated with the adoption of agri-environmental practices. In conclusion, the study recommended to the maize farmers, the setting up of working groups of at least 10 maize producers in order to practice rotations in the fields of each member of the group. The study also recommended the agricultural development projects to define and provide relatively simple mechanisms to enhance farmers’ performance such as financial assistance, demonstration workshops in the fields and to allocate environmental assistants to each co-operative’s headquarters.Keywords: Cooperative, logit model, maize producer, agricultural development project, socio-economic factors.