INPUT CHOICES IN AGRICULTURE: IS THERE A GENDER BIAS?

Priya Bhagowalia, Susan Chen and Gerald Shively ()

No 07-09, Working Papers from Purdue University, College of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics

Abstract: Most developing countries strive to improve agricultural productivity by relaxing credit constraints, supplying better inputs, and improving marketing and distribution. However the efficacy of these reforms needs to be examined in the context of the behavioral responses of farming households. This study examines gender biases within households that affect short-term decisions with immediate and long-term implications. This study utilizes data from ICRISAT's village level studies in India (1975-85) to highlight the effects of child gender on the use of agricultural inputs. The main finding is that households with boys tend to use purchased inputs such as fertilizers and insecticides more intensively compared with households with girls. In general, household with boys also tend to have larger land holdings, and use animal and human labor to a greater extent than household with girls.

Keywords: gender bias; agricultural economics; inputs; village level studies; son (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J16 Q12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 29 pages
Date: 2007
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr, nep-cwa and nep-eff
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/7328/2/wp070009.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: Input Choices in Agriculture: Is There A Gender Bias? (2011)
Working Paper: INPUT CHOICES IN AGRICULTURE: IS THERE A GENDER BIAS? (2007)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pae:wpaper:07-09

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