Global agricultural production is dynamic and complex as various factors impact it. Understanding global agricultural production systems and farmers’ decisions requires an internationally standardized and scientifically sound approach. The agribenchmark Network is a global, non-profit network of producers and agricultural experts which aims to analyze and understand the key drivers of current and future trends and developments in global agriculture. The Network combines its in-depth knowledge of production systems with its expertise in analyzing international commodity markets and value chains to provide scientifically sound advice to policymakers, producers and agribusinesses. This paper details the agribenchmark Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which is the step-by-step method of establishing typical farm information and quantifying their data. The paper also illustrates how the typical farm approach is applied by the agribenchmark Network to analyze and understand global agriculture, production systems and adaptation strategies. The paper provides examples of how the Network applies the approach in analyzing the status-quo of production systems, benchmarking, practice change analysis and policy analysis. The paper concludes that although the typical farm approach and the institutional settings (agri benchmark) present some limitations, the approach and the Network provide comprehensive, consistent and coherent data on farm economics.

Chicken meat consumption in Ghana has significantly increased in the last two decades. However, production has stagnated, and domestic producers are struggling to satisfy the local market. Consequently, Ghana is dependent on chicken imports. The imports have attracted criticism as they are believed to be negatively affecting producers. This paper uses typical farms to analyze broiler production systems in Ghana and the impact of chicken imports. The typical farms represent the most common broiler production systems in the most important producing regions (Accra, Kumasi, and Dormaa). Large-scale integrated, medium-scale, and small-scale production systems were identified as the most common broiler production systems. The study demonstrates that feed and day-old chick costs are the most significant production cost items. The study also shows that broiler production is profitable for all systems when only considering cash-costs. Medium-scale farms located in Dormaa are unprofitable in the medium and long-term, when depreciation and opportunity costs are reflected, respectively. Cost comparisons show that imports make it difficult for broiler producers to market their chickens in the local market throughout the whole year. Therefore, broiler production in Ghana is seasonal. Furthermore, small-scale producers are the most negatively affected by the competition from the imports.

This paper investigates the potential effects of trade restrictions and alternative tariff policies, including a tariff wedge between feed and final products on the Ghanaian poultry producers. We apply a hybrid approach that uses qualitative results of a Delphi study to define scenarios for a modified global general equilibrium model. The projected production changes are then used as inputs into a typical farm analysis that disentangles the effects for broiler farm types in Ghana. The effect of expanding a tariff wedge between final and feed products by 5 per cent, either through increasing the tariff rates of the final product or through abolishing the tariffs on feed products, is small in our case. However, increasing the tariff rate of the final product to the maximum level of bound tariff (i.e. 99 per cent) or a complete ban has a larger effect on domestic production. It increases the production by 104 per cent and up to 254 per cent, respectively. The typical farm analysis reveals that large-scale farms are better positioned to increase production than small and medium farm types.

Purpose: This study analyzed the state of broiler production in Senegal after nearly two decades of poultry import restrictions. It provides a synopsis of the Senegalese broiler value chain and evaluates the performance and economics of different broiler farm types.Design/methodology/approach: A multi-stakeholder workshop and interviews were conducted with key informants to investigate the structure and activities of the Senegalese broiler value chain. The typical farm approach (TFA) was used to construct and analyze “typical” farms that represent the most common broiler production systems in Senegal.Findings: The current situation in the Senegalese broiler value chain is favorable for hatcheries, feed mills, producers and poultry traders. However, the slaughterhouses are not faring well. The farm economic analysis demonstrates that typical medium-scale broiler farms are performing well, due to the use of high-quality feed, chicks and good husbandry. Additionally, the analysis revealed that feed and day-old chick (DOC) costs are the most significant in conventional broiler production in Senegal. Despite the high costs of feed and DOCs, broiler production is profitable for typical farms.Research limitations/implications: Athough this study provides detailed insights into broiler farm economics in Senegal, it does not include typical integrated large-scale broiler farm-types. Based on our findings, we can predict that such farm types may be more efficient and have lower production costs due to the use of high-quality inputs (chicks and feed), and economies of scale. However, future studies will need to verify this prediction.Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, only a few unpublished studies on broiler farm economics in Senegal exist. These studies only provide a basic analysis of the cost of production and profitability, with little consideration of various production systems. Contrastingly, this study provides a detailed economic analysis of different types of conventional broiler farms in key production regions.

Background: Chicken meat plays a crucial role in food and nutrition security across many African countries, serving as an affordable and high-quality source of animal protein. Driven by population growth and economic development, the demand for chicken meat in African countries has increased, resulting in significant gaps between supply and demand. To address this imbalance, several countries have turned to importing larger quantities of frozen chicken meat. However, concerns have been raised regarding these imports, as low-cost chicken meat entering African markets is seen as potentially disruptive to local markets. The study employs the typical farm approach, utilizing synthetic farms known as ‘typical farms’, to measure the competitiveness of broiler farms in Ghana (a country which is highly reliant on imports) and Senegal (a country with a complete import ban), relative to farms in European countries (Germany and the Netherland) that are significant exporters of chicken meat. Results: The study revealed that typical broiler farms in Ghana and Senegal are less competitive than those in Germany and the Netherlands due to lower farm performance (e.g. higher Feed Conversion Ratios and mortality rates) and higher cost of production. Typical Ghanaian broiler farms face substantial cost disadvantages. Their production costs are 180% to 219% higher than the typical German farm and 144% to 178% higher than the typical Dutch farm. While Senegalese farms perform somewhat better, they still lag behind the typical German and Dutch farms, with production costs 39% to 90% higher than the typical German farm and 21% to 66% higher than the typical Dutch farm, respectively. Furthermore, farm-level modeling indicates that improving farm performance alone may not sufficiently reduce production costs in Ghana and Senegal to levels comparable with those in Germany and the Netherlands. Conclusions: The study concludes that improved farm management practices and lower input prices are necessary to improve the competitiveness of broiler farms in Ghana and Senegal. Additionally, small-scale producers, who are least competitive, require targeted support in order to increase their competitiveness.