Controlling agricultural product price volatility: An empirical analysis from Cameroon
Received date: 2024-10-14
Revised date: 2025-01-30
Accepted date: 2025-03-30
Online published: 2025-05-21
Copyright
Ivette Gnitedem KEUBENG , George Achu MULUH , Vatis Christian KEMEZANG . [J]. Regional Sustainability, 2025 , 6(2) : 100215 . DOI: 10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100215
Motivated by a significant impact of price volatility on food security and economic stability in Cameroon, this study aims to understand the factors influencing agricultural product price volatility (APPV) and formulate effective policies for mitigating its negative impact and promoting sustainable economic growth. Specifically, this research used the autoregressive distributed lag-error correction model (ARDL-ECM) to analyse the impact of agricultural productivity, agricultural product imports, population, temperature variation, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, and government expenditure on APPV based on the annual data from 2000 to 2021. The ARDL-ECM estimation results revealed that agricultural productivity (β=4.901), agricultural product imports (β=1.012), population (β=13.635), and GDP per capita (β=2.794) were positively related to APPV, while temperature variation (β= -0.990) and government expenditure (β= -8.585) were negatively related to APPV in the long term. However, temperature variation had a positive relationship with APPV in the short term. Moreover, the Granger causality test showed that there were bidirectional causality of APPV with agricultural productivity and agricultural product imports, and unidirectional causality of APPV with population, temperature variation, GDP per capita, and government expenditure. The findings highlight the importance of public policies in stabilizing agricultural product prices by investing in agricultural research, improving access to agricultural inputs, strengthening farmer capacities, implementing climate adaptation measures, and enhancing rural infrastructure. These policies can reduce APPV, improve food security, and promote inclusive economic growth in Cameroon.
Fig. 1. Evolution of agricultural product prices in Cameroon during 1991-2023. |
Table 1 Description of the variables. |
Variable | Abbreviation | Unit | Period | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|
Agricultural product price volatility | APPV | - | 2000-2021 | FAOSTAT (2024) |
Agricultural productivity | AP | - | 2000-2021 | USDA ERS (2023) |
Agricultural product imports | API | 109 USD | 2000-2021 | FAOSTAT (2024) |
Population | POP | 107 persons | 2000-2021 | WDI (2024) |
Temperature variation | TV | °C | 2000-2021 | FAOSTAT (2024) |
Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita | GDP | USD/person | 2000-2021 | WDI (2024) |
Government expenditure | GOVT | 109 USD | 2000-2021 | WDI (2024) |
Note: -, dimensionless. FAOSTAT, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations; USDA ERS, Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture; WDI, World Development Indicators. |
Table 2 Descriptive statistics of the variables. |
Variable | Mean | Standard deviation | Minimum | Maximum |
---|---|---|---|---|
APPV | 1.085 | 0.489 | 0.220 | 2.600 |
AP | 88.727 | 11.163 | 70.006 | 104.652 |
API (×109 USD) | 0.853 | 0.183 | 0.562 | 1.186 |
TV (°C) | 0.872 | 0.283 | 0.230 | 1.290 |
GDP (USD/person) | 1311.289 | 97.242 | 1137.625 | 1454.564 |
POP (×107 persons) | 2.050 | 0.380 | 1.510 | 2.720 |
GOVT (×109 USD) | 3.090 | 1.010 | 1.620 | 4.580 |
Table 3 Pearson correlation coefficients of the variables. |
lnAPPV | lnAP | lnAPI | lnPOP | lnTV | lnGDP | lnGOVT | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
lnAPPV | 1.000 | ||||||
lnAP | 0.461** | 1.000 | |||||
(0.031) | |||||||
lnAPI | 0.256 | 0.652*** | 1.000 | ||||
(0.250) | (0.001) | ||||||
lnPOP | 0.419* | 0.874*** | 0.415* | 1.000 | |||
(0.052) | (0.000) | (0.055) | |||||
lnTV | -0.101 | 0.396* | 0.169 | 0.528** | 1.000 | ||
(0.656) | (0.068) | (0.452) | (0.012) | ||||
lnGDP | 0.359 | 0.736*** | 0.388* | 0.769*** | 0.608*** | 1.000 | |
(0.101) | (0.000) | (0.074) | (0.000) | (0.003) | |||
lnGOVT | 0.396* | 0.720*** | 0.519** | 0.686*** | 0.481** | 0.755*** | 1.000 |
(0.068) | (0.000) | (0.013) | (0.000) | (0.023) | (0.000) |
Note: The values in parentheses represent the P-values associated with the correlation coefficients. *, significance at the 10% level; **, significance at the 5% level; ***, significance at the 1% level. |
Table 4 Results of Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) and Phillips-Perron (PP) unit root tests for stationarity. |
Variable | ADF unit root test | PP unit root test | Stationary | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
I(0) | I(1) | I(0) | I(1) | ||
lnAPPV | -3.199** | - | -3.190** | - | I(0) |
(0.020) | - | (0.021) | - | ||
lnAP | -0.825 | -3.496*** | -0.838 | -3.473*** | I(1) |
(0.812) | (0.008) | (0.808) | (0.009) | ||
lnAPI | -2.182 | -3.989*** | -1.755 | -3.578*** | I(1) |
(0.213) | (0.002) | (0.403) | (0.006) | ||
lnTV | -4.799*** | - | -2.651* | -5.473*** | I(0) |
(0.000) | - | (0.083) | (0.000) | ||
lnGDP | -1.873 | -3.123** | -1.737 | -3.098** | I(1) |
(0.345) | (0.025) | (0.412) | (0.027) | ||
lnGOVT | -1.907 | -3.681*** | -1.806 | -3.741*** | I(1) |
(0.329) | (0.004) | (0.378) | (0.004) | ||
lnPOP | -1.130 | -3.958*** | 0.954 | -3.714*** | I(1) |
(0.703) | (0.002) | (0.994) | (0.004) |
Note: -, no value. The values in parentheses represent the P-values associated with the test statistics. I(0), at the level; I(1), at the first difference. *, significance at the 10% level; **, significance at the 5% level; ***, significance at the 1% level. |
Table 5 Bounds test results for cointegration. |
Critical value | P-value | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10% significance level | 5% significance level | 1% significance level | ||||||
Lower bound | Upper bound | Lower bound | Upper bound | Lower bound | Upper bound | Lower bound | Upper bound | |
F-value | 2.746 | 4.237 | 3.462 | 5.249 | 5.411 | 7.972 | 0.004 | 0.021 |
t-value | -2.523 | -3.963 | -2.956 | -4.527 | -3.900 | -5.770 | 0.000 | 0.004 |
Decision | Reject | Reject | Inconclusive | - | ||||
F-statistic | 6.644 | |||||||
t-statistic | -6.527 |
Note: -, no decision. |
Table 6 Autoregressive distributed lag-error correction model (ARDL-ECM) estimation results for the variables. |
Variable | Coefficient | Standard error | t-statistic | P-value | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Long-term relationship | lnAPPV | 4.901*** | 1.242 | 3.940 | 0.002 |
lnAPI | 1.012* | 0.474 | 2.130 | 0.054 | |
lnPOP | 13.635*** | 2.886 | 4.720 | 0.000 | |
lnTV | -0.990*** | 0.235 | -4.210 | 0.001 | |
lnGDP | 2.794 | 3.545 | 0.790 | 0.446 | |
lnGOVT | -8.585*** | 1.795 | -4.780 | 0.000 | |
Short-term relationship | Dl.(lnTV) | 0.519 | 0.315 | 1.650 | 0.125 |
Error correction term | -1.490*** | 0.228 | -6.530 | 0.000 | |
Constant | -146.483 | 36.453 | -4.020 | 0.002 | |
R2 | 0.831 |
Note: Dl.(lnTV) is the first difference of lnTV. R2, determination coefficient; *, significance at the 10% level; ***, significance at the 1% level. |
Table 7 Diagnostic test results of the ARDL-ECM. |
Diagnostic test | Statistic value | P-value | Decision |
---|---|---|---|
Breusch-Godfrey Lagrange Multiplier test | 2.158 | 0.142 | No serial correlation |
White test | 21.000 | 0.397 | Homoscedasticity |
Lagrange Multiplier test for ARCH | 1.968 | 0.161 | No ARCH effects |
RESET | 6.850 | 0.111 | No the omitted variables |
Jarque-Bera test | 1.760 | 0.415 | Normality |
Durbin-Watson statistic | 2.289 | - | No autocorrelation |
Note: -, no P-value. ARCH, Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity; RESET, Ramsey Regression Equation Specification Error test. |
Fig. 2. Cumulative sum of recursive residuals (a) and ordinary least squares (OLS) residuals of agricultural product price volatility (APPV) during 2000-2021. The gray area represents the 95% confidence interval around the null hypothesis of no structural break, while the red line represents the cumulative sum of residuals, indicating the stability of the model’s parameters. |
Table 8 Results of the Granger causality test. |
Variable | Excluded variable | Chi2 | df | P-value>Chi2 |
---|---|---|---|---|
lnAPPV | lnAP | 6.588 | 2 | 0.037 |
lnAPI | 9.863 | 2 | 0.007 | |
lnPOP | 526.230 | 1 | 0.000 | |
lnTV | 34.229 | 2 | 0.000 | |
lnGDP | 18.023 | 2 | 0.000 | |
lnGOVT | 2.642 | 2 | 0.267 | |
lnAP | lnAPPV | 3.747 | 2 | 0.154 |
lnAPI | 21.967 | 2 | 0.000 | |
lnPOP | 440.110 | 1 | 0.000 | |
lnTV | 2.485 | 2 | 0.289 | |
lnGDP | 1.220 | 2 | 0.543 | |
lnGOVT | 4.696 | 2 | 0.096 | |
lnAPI | lnAPPV | 0.007 | 2 | 0.997 |
lnAP | 9.828 | 2 | 0.007 | |
lnPOP | 356.450 | 1 | 0.000 | |
lnTV | 16.670 | 2 | 0.000 | |
lnGDP | 10.040 | 2 | 0.007 | |
lnGOVT | 3.594 | 2 | 0.166 | |
lnPOP | lnAPPV | 0.599 | 2 | 0.741 |
lnAP | 3.200 | 2 | 0.202 | |
lnAPI | 6.659 | 2 | 0.036 | |
lnTV | 6.619 | 2 | 0.037 | |
lnGDP | 13.391 | 2 | 0.001 | |
lnGOVT | 1.734 | 2 | 0.420 | |
lnTV | lnAPPV | 24.776 | 2 | 0.000 |
lnAP | 0.359 | 2 | 0.835 | |
lnAPI | 32.945 | 2 | 0.000 | |
lnPOP | 1983.300 | 1 | 0.000 | |
lnGDP | 26.117 | 2 | 0.000 | |
lnGOVT | 30.223 | 2 | 0.000 | |
lnGDP | lnAPPV | 25.503 | 2 | 0.000 |
lnAP | 43.133 | 2 | 0.000 | |
lnAPI | 31.420 | 2 | 0.000 | |
lnPOP | 952.450 | 1 | 0.000 | |
lnTV | 16.786 | 2 | 0.000 | |
lnGOVT | 38.956 | 2 | 0.000 | |
lnGOVT | lnAPPV | 6.064 | 2 | 0.048 |
lnAP | 128.400 | 2 | 0.000 | |
lnAPI | 158.050 | 2 | 0.000 | |
lnPOP | 699.120 | 1 | 0.000 | |
lnTV | 26.673 | 2 | 0.000 | |
lnGDP | 41.706 | 2 | 0.000 |
Note: df, degree of freedom. Chi2 statistic and associated P-value indicate whether there is a Granger causality between the variables. A low P-value (typically≤0.050) suggests that the null hypothesis of no Granger causality can be rejected, indicating that there is a causal relationship between the variables. The result of the Granger causality test indicates the direction of causality between the variables. |
The authors would like to thank Dr. Gildas TIWANG, the editors, and the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions that greatly improved the manuscript.
[1] |
|
[2] |
|
[3] |
|
[4] |
|
[5] |
|
[6] |
|
[7] |
|
[8] |
|
[9] |
|
[10] |
|
[11] |
|
[12] |
|
[13] |
|
[14] |
|
[15] |
|
[16] |
|
[17] |
|
[18] |
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), 2014. State of Food Insecurity in the World: 2014: Strengthening the Enabling Environment for Food Security and Nutrition. [2024-07-08]. https://www.fao.org/family-farming/detail/en/c/284402/
|
[19] |
FAOSTAT (Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations), 2014. FAOSTAT Database. [2024-07-08]. https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data
|
[20] |
|
[21] |
|
[22] |
|
[23] |
|
[24] |
|
[25] |
|
[26] |
|
[27] |
|
[28] |
|
[29] |
|
[30] |
|
[31] |
|
[32] |
|
[33] |
|
[34] |
|
[35] |
|
[36] |
MINEPAT Cameroon (Ministry of Economy, Planning and Territorial Development of Cameroon), 2022. Priority Investment Projects. [2025-01-03]. https://minepat.gov.cm/en/ova_doc/priority-investment-projects/
|
[37] |
|
[38] |
|
[39] |
|
[40] |
|
[41] |
|
[42] |
|
[43] |
|
[44] |
|
[45] |
|
[46] |
|
[47] |
|
[48] |
|
[49] |
|
[50] |
|
[51] |
|
[52] |
|
[53] |
|
[54] |
|
[55] |
USDA ERS (Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture), 2023. International Agricultural Productivity. [2024-07-07]. https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/international-agricultural-productivity
|
[56] |
|
[57] |
|
[58] |
WDI(World Development Indicators), 2024. Data Bank. [2024-07-08]. https://databank.worldbank.org/source/world-development-indicators
|
[59] |
World Bank, 2011. Price Volatility in Food and Agricultural Markets: Policy Responses. [2024-07-08]. https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/340261468323054148/price-volatility-in-food-and-agricultural-markets-policy-responses
|
[60] |
World Bank, 2024. Commodity Markets. [2024-07-08]. https://www.worldbank.org/en/research/commodity-markets
|
[61] |
|
/
〈 |
|
〉 |