Social learning to reduce pesticides: Evidence from a French agricultural extension programme

Rose Deperrois, Adélaïde Fadhuile and Julie Subervie

European Review of Agricultural Economics, 2025, vol. 52, issue 5, 1089-1141

Abstract: Social learning is likely to play a crucial role in disseminating new agricultural technologies and driving the agroecological transition in European countries. We evaluated a French pesticide reduction programme designed to train farmers and promote practices through demonstration days on participating farms. Using pseudo-panel data from surveys conducted before and after the programme’s launch, we found evidence of decreased pesticide use among cohorts linked to farms attending demonstration days. Our analysis, supported by a placebo test and various robustness checks, suggests that peer-sharing in training programmes can scale up effectively at no additional cost.

Keywords: agricultural policy; pesticides; social learning; public policy evaluation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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