Agricultural Extension and Technology Adoption for Food Security: Evidence from Uganda

Yao Pan (panyao@amazon.com), Stephen Smith and Munshi Sulaiman (munshi.slmn@gmail.com)
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Munshi Sulaiman: BRAC International

Working Papers from The George Washington University, Institute for International Economic Policy

Abstract: This article evaluates causal impacts of a large-scale agricul- tural extension program for smallholder women farmers on technology adoption and food security in Uganda through a regression discontinuity design that exploits an arbitrary distance-to-branch threshold for village program eligibility. We find eligible farmers experienced significant in- creases in agricultural production income, which leads to improved food security and better shock-coping methods. Given minimal changes in the adoption of relatively expensive inputs including HYV seeds, these gains are likely attributed to increased usage of improved cultivation methods that require low upfront monetary investment and better crop choices. These results highlight the role of information and training in boosting agricultural productivity among poor farmers.

Keywords: Agriculture; Extension; Agricultural Technology Adoption; Food Security; Information; Regression Discontinuity; Uganda (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I30 O13 Q12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 52 pages
Date: 2015-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr, nep-dev and nep-eff
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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https://www.gwu.edu/~iiep/assets/docs/papers/2015WP/SmithIIEPWP201511.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: Agricultural Extension and Technology Adoption for Food Security: Evidence from Uganda (2018)
Working Paper: Agricultural Extension and Technology Adoption for Food Security: Evidence from Uganda (2015)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gwi:wpaper:2015-11

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