This study aimed at assessing different production functions for maize production in Tanzania. The maize yield performance, and agronomic – nitrogen use efficiency (AE) were evaluated under 6 rates of nitrogen (N) and water (W). Computations made for maize yield and AE shows that (i), the maximum potential maize yield increases with irrigation. (ii) less amount of fertilizer is needed to produce a unit of maize in the presence of high irrigation. Specifically, the maximum maize yield at 50 kg/ha of N is 6200 kg/ha and requires irrigation of 400mm, whereas at 100 kg/ha of N, the maximum yield is 5700 kg/ha and given 300mm of irrigation. Given the decrease in the fertilizer use efficiency, it implies that it is not plausible for farmers to apply optimum dose of nitrogen where there is water shortage. Moreover, two models, which are the quadratic function and the Mitscherlich-Baule function were fitted and compared based on a combination of agricultural, econometric and bioeconomic properties of the production process. The Mitscherlich-Baule function proved the best fit model. Results of the regression analysis shows that maize yield response to nitrogen (N) and water (W) exhibits diminishing returns. This suggests that when an extra unit of these input is added to the production process, less and less addition is observed in the total output. Based on the findings of this empirical study, it is plausible to recommend that farmers in the study area should be careful in applying the recommended dose of N where water is limited, because maize yield efficiency would not be maximized.

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This study examines the relationship between income diversification and agricultural intensification of rural households in Nigeria, using panel data models. We use the Inverse Herfindahl Index (IHI) to measure the income diversification options, while the relationship with agricultural intensification was measured using random effect instrumental variable regression. A control function approach was used to control for the potential endogeneity of the covariates. Empirical findings of this study indicate that income diversification is increasing among Nigerian rural households. This study finds that among other factors, off-farm income has a positive relationship with agricultural intensification. This study recommends, as a policy measure, that households should not only be encouraged to diversify their income, but should also transmit productivity gains from such diversification into agricultural intensification for the betterment of the rural economy.

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Social media platforms are increasingly shaping many aspects of our cultural, political, and economic decisions, including entrepreneurship, migration, trade, fashionomics, investment, mobility, education, and health. Most enterprises categorize their social media efforts and performance as a form of public relations due its level of brands and consumer interactions. Thus, the unique nature of social media disallows the lag time of old-fashion and conventional media, thereby allowing for immediate response and interaction with public which in turn enhance brand. Consequently, individuals’ profiles with large followings have been used as endorsers, influencers, and brand ambassadors.
Based on this background, the study examines the entrepreneurial engagement of selected African influencers’ followers, then analyze the content with the most engagements with focus on food choices and food systems. This research will deploy both deidentified individual-level data and publicly available aggregated entrepreneurship data on social media among African countries. The findings from this study will inform African governments and policy makers on effective strategies for optimizing social media platforms for understanding followers’ food choices and digital entrepreneurship and among women in the COVID-19 pandemic era.

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There is a growing literature trying to explain differences in African citizens’ preferences towards democratic and non-democratic political institutions. Diamond et al. (1999), Evans and Whitefield (1995), and Kitschelt (1992) argue that satisfaction with government’s effectiveness and economic performance (Individual and national economic situations) are the main determinants of the observed differences. Krieckhaus et al. (2014) propose that the current understanding of support for democratic institutions would benefit from incorporating national economic inequality as a key driver since it can generate disillusion with electoral politics leading to less trust in democratic institutions (Karl, 2000; and McClintock, 1999). Moreover, wealthier citizens often support democratic institutions because they possess the economic and cognitive resources to pursue the “luxury goods” of democratic governance and can benefit
from State capture more than the poor (Bratton, Mattes, and Gyimah-Boadi, 2005; and Welzel and Inglehart, 2008).

A strand of theoretical literature suggests that in a country with high ethnic inequality, the population of the lower income quintile will support democracy as a mechanism for redistribution1. However, the existing literature does not empirically analyze how ethnic inequalities influence support and consolidation of democratic institutions. This paper improves on existing literature in two ways. First, we empirically show that individuals support for democracy is affected by levels of ethnic inequality. Second, by considering both Between ethnic group inequality (BGI) and Within ethnic group inequality (WGI), we explore how their interaction affects individual preferences for democratic institutions. The rest of the paper is organized as follows. Section 2 provides a literature review on ethnic inequalities in political science. Section 3 provides data description and the empirical framework. Section 4 focuses on the results,
while section 5 provides the conclusions drawn from the study.

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International trade and urbanization are increasing at an unprecedented rate in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The region has also witnessed a fair share of economic growth, with minimal investment and consumption of renewables. Therefore, this study investigates the influence of economic growth, international trade, and urbanization on CO₂ emissions in SSA. The current study enriches the existing literature by employing the panel quantile regression analysis to account for existing levels of CO₂ emissions in the region. Empirical findings reveal that GDP increases CO₂ emissions across quantiles, especially in countries where the existing level of CO₂ emissions is low. International trade improves environmental sustainability in countries where the existing levels of CO₂ emissions are at their lowest and highest levels but exacts a reversed impact on CO₂ emissions at the median. Further findings suggest that urbanization increases CO₂ emissions across the observed quantiles with a more pronounced effect in countries where the existing levels of CO₂ emissions are at its lowest level. The study also reveals a bi-directional causality between economic growth, international trade, urbanization, and the emissions of CO₂. The limitations of the study and possible direction for future research have been highlighted. Policy directions are discussed.

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