This paper decomposes the gender agricultural productivity gap and measures the factors that influence the gap between male and female agricultural plot managers in Mali. The Oaxaca–Blinder approach and the recentred influence function (RIF) decomposition methodology are applied to a nationally representative survey of Mali. The results show that the agricultural productivity of female plot managers is 20.18% lower than that of male plot managers. Additionally, while more than half (56%) of the agricultural productivity gap is influenced by female-specific structural disadvantages, 44% of the gap is due to an endowment effect. Socio-economic characteristics such as the educational level and age of the plot manager, environmental factors and agricultural production practices, i.e., the differential use of inputs (organic or inorganic fertiliser and improved seeds) and the use of hired female workers seem to affect the female-specific structural disadvantages. To reduce or close the gender productivity gap, the underlying causes of female-specific structural disadvantages must be addressed to enable female farmers to obtain the same returns as men. Traditional means of addressing the gender gap, such as providing education for women in rural areas and facilitating rural women’ access to extension services and improved seeds, can mitigate the endowment deficit. This paper highlights the need to develop a better understanding of the factors influencing the structural disadvantages faced by female farmers in Mali that could feed into the development of more effective policies to address the gender gap in agricultural productivity, improving productivity and gender equity and reducing poverty.

A shortage of available labour early in the growing season, when effort is directed to the weeding of cereal crops, appeared to be a primary constraint to increased forage cropping by smallholder farmers in the semi-arid zone of central Mali. In experiments with millet, the labour requirement for weeding was reduced by an average of 45% when the crop was weeded at two rather than four weeks after emergence. A combination of weeding by hand and by ox-drawn plough or harrow only slightly increased labour productivity compared with hand weeding alone. Both lablab and cowpea produced good yields of forage when sown in mid-July, but average yield declined by 71 kg ha~' for each day's delay in sowing between mid-July and midAugust. Green gram was also productive over a two month growing period and appeared to have potential as a late-sown forage crop. Production deforraje en Mali central RESUMENLa escasez de mano de obra disponible a principios de la temporada de cultivo, cuando todo el esfuerzo esta dirigido a la extraccion de malezas de entre los cereales, parecia ser uno de los principales obstaculos para poder lograr un mayor rendimiento de cultivo de forraje en las fincas de menor tamano en la zona semiarida de Mali central. En experimentos llevados a cabo con mijo, la necesidad de mano de obra para extraer las malezas se redujo en un promedio del 45% cuando esta (area se realizo a las dos semanas de la emergencia, en lugar se hacerlo a las cuatro semanas. Una combination de extraccion manual de malezas y arado tirado por bueyes o rastra solo incremento ligeramente la productividad de la mano de obra a comparacion con el solo uso de extraccion manual de malezas. Tanto el 'lablab' como el caupi produjeron un buen rendimiento de forraje cuando se los sembro a mediados de Julio, pero el rendimiento promedio se redujo en una cantidad de 71 kg/ha~' por cada dfa de retraso en la siembra entre mediados de julio y mediados de agosto. El garbanzo verde tambien resulto productivo sobre un pen'odo de cultivo de dos meses, y parece contar con potencial como cultivo forrajero de siembra tardi'a.

This study uses the production function approach to assess and compare resistance of millet, Sorghum and Maize facing climate variability in Sikasso and Ségou regions. A robust estimation of the multiple regression models with Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method was used. Overall, the results show that: one of the major causes of the fluctuations of the chosen cereals' production is climate variability; cereals have different resistance level facing climate variability across regions; finally cereals are more related to climate in Sikasso region than Ségou region. At the sight of these results, setting up following policies was recommended: promotion of production system based on new agricultural practices to increase productivities in different areas and policies which promote ideal cultures for each region's agricultural development (regional specialization).

Le lait frais dans trois systèmes de production laitière a été estimé à partir de données collectées sur 30 troupeaux aux alentours de Bamako au Mali, à des intervalles réguliers entre juillet 1989 et juin 1990. Dans le système de production intensive (concessions rurales), le coût de production du lait est estimé entre 110 et 195 F CFA/l alors que dans le système extensif villageois et les parcs communaux, il est estimé respectivement entre 15 et 76 F CFA/l et 62 et 408 F CFA/l. L'alimentation du bétail, le transport et les soins vétérinaires constituent les principaux éléments de dépenses. L'effectif optimal du troupeau, pour que les unités de production soient rentables, est de 8,9 et 25 vaches respectivement pour les parcs communaux, le système villageois et les concessions rurales. Le lait est vendu 100 à 250 F CFA/l. Ainsi, avec ces niveaux de prix aux producteurs pratiqués avant la dévaluation du franc CFA, la production de lait est généralement rentable avec des bénéfices nets allant jusqu'a 106 F CFA/l. La récente dévaluation devrait encourager la production laitière locale afin de réduire le déséquilibre créé par la diminution des importations de produits laitiers.

This paper uses data from the National Surveys" data from the Living Standards Measurement Study and the Integrated Surveys on Agriculture for Mali of 2014 to analyze socioeconomic , pedological and climate determinants of producers" technical efficiency in Mali. To do so, a stochastic production frontier was estimated for each crop category and the full sample. Globally, the finding is that different stochastic parameters affect significantly the technical efficiency of different crop categories producing plots. On average, we have an efficiency score of 55.00% for the full sample. The cash crop producing plots are technically more efficient than cereal crop producing plots. Regarding the results, the setting up the following measures is highly recommended: provide adequate training methods of new technologies and new agricultural practices for cereal crop producers, crop diversification must be introduced to the production system and the promotion of better irrigation systems.