أثر تحسين الكفاءة الإقتصادية لسلاسل قيمة التين على مكافحة الفقر بمطروح

Abstract EN

The aim of this research is to assess the impact of participation in MARSADEV program on poverty compact in Matrouh Governorate through econometric estimation of the impact of participation in value chain improvement program on farmers' income in the sample.

a Propensity Score Matching (PSM) is used to assess the impact of this program on farmers' income, which is commonly used to assess the impact of policies to reduce the bias caused by program adaption, PSM is a logistic regression model of the probability of observing a sample unit in the experimental group (participating in the program) versus the comparative group (not participating in the program).

The results of the inputs and outputs analysis of fig value chains in the sample showed that the total cost of fig production for participants is 27.5% higher than that of non-participants due to packaging item cost with paper boxes and nests, which contributed to the improvement of fruit quality compared to traditional wooden cages.

It is noted that there is no provision for pesticides due to the application of IPM, which contributed to distinguish the product brand as a clean product.

The high prices of figs for participants than those for the non-participants by 11%, 17% and 10% at the beginning, middle, and end of the season.

This may be explained by the increased bargaining power of the farmers participating in the program due to the high quality of the product.

The economic efficiency indicators of the traditional fig value chains in the sample showed that all actors except farmers achieved an economic efficiency due to rise of net income over interest rate(17.8% ,2018).

C / B Ratio was about 98.7% for the farms, 51.4% for the processor, 3.1% for the village trader, 0.31% for the wholesaler, 8.02% for the retailer and about 9% for the exporter.

For the innovative chain, all actors in addition to the farms have achieved economic efficiency, with C / B Ratio at 80.3% for the farmer and 51.6% for the agricultural cooperative (jam processing), about 0.5% for the agricultural cooperative (direct marketing), about 0.96% for wholesaler, 9.5% for retailer, and about 9.3% for exporter.

Achieving efficiency in the innovative chain may be explained by integrating farmers into activities such as packaging which contribute to add value that cannot be achieved if the figs are sold in raw form.

The econometric estimation of the impact of participation in the program on combating poverty in the sample using the PSM model showed an increase in the average income of households participating in the program by LE 24,801.6 over the income of non-participating households by about 31.3%.The program participation save the farmer income over the poverty line that account L.E.8979 per capita in frontier governorates by about L.E.927.9 per capita per year by about 10%.It is recommended to disseminate the value chain improvement program among all fig farmers to insure poverty alleviation and mainstreaming cooperative associations to add value from processing and distribution.