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The ‘food crisis’ of 2007–08 and record food commodity prices in 2010–11 have renewed interest in questions about agricultural productivity, and reinforce the recent emphasis on agricultural development as a key to economic, social and environmental improvement (e.g. World Bank 2007). This is particularly so in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where poor agricultural performance is often seen as a driver of high and persistent levels of rural poverty and food insecurity (Dorward et al 2004; Diao et al 2010; cf. Wiggins 2009) and environmental degradation (Abalu 1998; Mbow et al 2008). The renewed interest in agriculture is underlined by government commitments through the African Union’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), the emergence of new funders such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, high-profile initiatives such as the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa …