Subsistence farming in Burkina Faso is common, but selling crops can lead to better use of fertilizers and higher food crop productivity. A study of over 1100 farm households found that selling more crops leads to using more fertilizers, which in turn increases crop productivity. This means that when farmers sell more of their crops, they are more likely to adopt new technologies and see higher yields. Encouraging smallholder farmers to participate in markets can help improve agricultural productivity in Africa.