Access to credit and maize productivity in Mali Abdoul Karim Diamoutene Faculty of Economics and Management (FSEG), University of Social Sciences and Management of Bamako (USSGB), Bamako, Mali, and John Baptist D. Jatoe Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana Abstract Purpose – The aim of this paper is to analyze the effects of access to credit on maize productivity in Mali, by identifying the determinants of credit market participation and maize yield, and then estimating the impact of credit on maize yield. Design/methodology/approach – This study analyzes the impact of credit on maize productivity using data from the World Bank 2014 Living Standards Measurement Survey (LSMS) on Mali, and the endogenous switching regression (ESR) model. Findings – The results suggest a positive effect of credit on maize yield in Mali. Farm size, production shocks and the female gender exert negative effects on credit market participation, unlike education, intercropping with cotton, male family labor and fertilizer use which show positive effects. Farm size has a negative effect on maize yield, but both male family labor, and fertilizer use exert positive effects. Although the use of credit improves agricultural yields, the results show a greater potential effect for rationed producers, than credit users. Research limitations/implications – These results suggest that implementing a credit strategy that allows those currently excluded from the credit market, to participate, could substantially increase productivity and maize production output in furtherance of the country’s food security strategy. Gender-based targeting is needed to bridge the gender gap in access to credit. Originality/value – As far as the authors are aware, this study is the first to explore the credit-farm productivity links in Mali, while addressing selection bias. Keywords Agricultural productivity, Endogenous switching regression, Credit, Maize, Gender, Production shocks, Sensitivity analysis, Mali Paper type Research paper 1. Introduction Agriculture plays a major role in the world economy. It contributes one-third of the gross domestic product (GDP) and is the main source of income for about 80% of people in developing countries (World Bank, 2018). It is expected to play an increasingly important role, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where production is expected to increase by 50% by 2050 (FAO, 2017). In Mali, agriculture accounts for 12% of GDP, 43% of the rural sector and engages more than 70% of the population (INSTAT, 2015). Cereals are the main component of agricultural production in Mali, and play an important role in the country’s food security strategy. Maize, with an average contribution of 29% to national cereal production, is the main staple crop, and only falls slightly behind rice in food consumption (CPS-SDS, 2015). Despite its importance in Access to credit and maize productivity JEL Classification — O13, Q14 Conflict of Interest: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. The authors are grateful to an anonymous reviewer and an associate editor for useful comments on the manuscript of this article. The authors are also grateful to Moussa Macalou for help with translation of the initial draft from French to English. The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/0002-1466.htm Received 7 May 2020 Revised 5 October 2020 11 November 2020 20 November 2020 Accepted 23 November 2020 Agricultural Finance Review © Emerald Publishing Limited 0002-1466 DOI 10.1108/AFR-05-2020-0066