Can Peers Improve Agricultural Productivity?

Tisorn Songsermsawas, Kathy Baylis, Ashwini Chhatre and Hope Michelson

No 4958, CESifo Working Paper Series from CESifo

Abstract: Productivity varies greatly among farmers and the source of that variation is not fully understood. Using a unique Indian household survey, we estimate peer effects on agricultural revenue. Results show that 60% of farmers' revenue is explained by peers. Input expenditures and land allocation to cash crops do not fully explain the variation in revenue, implying peers may also affect management, negotiation and marketing strategies. We verify that endogenous network formation, geography, off-farm opportunities and agricultural extension do not drive our results. Peer effects are strongest for agricultural peers and in the cultivation of a new crop.

Keywords: peer effects; agricultural productivity; India; crop revenue (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C21 D85 Q12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ces:ceswps:_4958

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