Coarse grain yields have remained relatively constant and production has stagnated in Niger during the past six years, while the population has risen. This paper examines one proposed government intervention to increase cereal production: the application of a one-time basal dressing using phosphates fertilizers. This intervention may provide a means of raising production to keep pace with increasing cereal demand; it may also augment soil fertility in the short run. This evaluation presents a preliminary economic analysis and suggests areas for further work towards a phosphate basal dressing scheme. In order to simplify the analysis, the scheme is only considered for millet production in the Niamey Department. Sections II and III examine the technical issues of a phosphate basal dressing scheme, and derive the assumptions concerning the effects of such a scheme which are made for the base case analysis. Section IV presents the economic evaluation; and Section V draws conclusions and recommendations from the analysis.

In the early 1970s, Emile Benoit shocked development economists by presenting positive cross-country correlations between military expenditures and economic growth rates in less developed countries. Skeptics have abounded, and Benoit's research has been much worked over, both conceptually and statistically. This paper reviews this debate. We conclude that Benoit's findings were aberrant: Most studies suggest that military spending does have an adverse impact on economic growth in developing countries, largely through its adverse effect on saving and investment.