Maize is the staple food and principal cash crop in Mozambique. Production is dominated by small-holders who sell their surpluses to generate income. Southern Mozambique is a maize deficit region while the North is in surplus, therefore trade between these two areas has implications for food security in the country and is expected to accelerate economic development. This study attempts to measure the extent of market integration between major maize markets in Mozambique. }The study is organised into six chapters. Chapter One presents findings of the investigation into the dynamics and operation of informal maize markets in Mozambique. Chapter Two presents a brief overview of the methods used in the analysis of market integration and gives a review of international studies and studies specific to Mozambique on market integration. Chapter Three reviews agricultural policies in Mozambique and provides an overview of the maize markets in Mozambique. The methodology applied in the study in discussed in Chapter Four while Chapter Five presents a discussion of results from the econometric analysis. In conclusion, Chapter six provides a summary of the results of the market survey and on the basis of the econometric analysis forwards recommendations.

This research examines the extent of market integration among different bean markets across Malawi. Market integration is an indicator that efficiency exists within the flow of information between markets. The study focused on beans as they are a cheap source of protein affordable by the majority of rural smallholder farmers. Market price data for beans was obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and covered the period 1995 to 2011. The markets included in the study are Chitipa, Rumphi, Mzuzu, Lilongwe, Mitundu, Lizulu, Lunzu, Luchenza, and Bangula. Like prices of other agricultural crops, bean prices follow a general seasonal pattern, rising with increasing time since the last harvest and decreasing during the harvest period. Bean prices typically peak in December when bean supply to the market is low. The research results show that beans prices in different markets move in the same direction, meaning that the markets are co-integrated. However, price information is not fully transmitted between markets. Transaction costs were found to be higher in markets which are far away from major cities and in those markets serviced by poor roads. Based on the results, the study recommends the need to improve infrastructure and market information systems to enhance bean market efficiency in Malawi.

Since 2006, global food prices have fluctuated greatly around an increasing trend and price spikes were observed for key food commodities such as rice, wheat, and maize.

"The conference was organized by the three editors of this book and took place on August 15-16, 2012 in Seattle."--Preface.

Transport is an essential service that must contribute to national development objectives in health, education, agriculture and other sectors in guiding sub-Saharan Africa out of poverty. Developing policies aimed at providing safe, reliable and affordable transport infrastructure and services can and will make a substantial and sustainable contribution to eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, improving health care and reducing HIV/AIDS. Although transport is identified as a priority in poverty reduction strategies, it has not generally been adequately addressed. Global responses tend to focus on rural transport infrastructure—principally roads—with little attention given to sub-sectors such as rivers, lakes, and railroads; and important geographical and econological differences are ignored. The needs of the urban poor have been weakly addressed, as have the access and mobility needs of women, the disabled and other disadvantaged groups, while strategies for adapting transport to agricultural production/distribution or social services (e.g. health and education) have not been adequately developed. A systematic approach to the development of sound, comprehensive transport sector programs that provide clear guidance on what is to be done is much needed. This volume—the product of an expert workshop held at Cornell University’s Institute for African Development in May, 2007—provides accounts of an array of African operational spaces in which transport is relevant to the Millennium Development Goals. It addresses many heretofore ignored dimesions of transport—mobility issues of the urban poor, of women and children, and issues of access to employment, education and health services. It provides an alignment of transport with the MDGs in what proves to be fertile ground for research with important messages for policy makers and consequences for policy.