|
on Agricultural Economics |
|
Issue of 2018‒10‒01
111 papers chosen by |
| By: | Bizimana, Jean-Claude; Richardson, James W. |
| Abstract: | The rural population in developing countries depends on agriculture. However, in many of these countries, agricultural productivity remains low with episodes of famines in drought-prone areas. One of the options to increase agricultural productivity is through adoption and use of improved agricultural technologies and management systems. Being a relatively high risk business due to factors related to production, marketing and finance, agriculture requires to devise risk mitigating strategies. Several models used to evaluate the adoption of agricultural technologies focus mainly on assessing the ex-post impact of technology without necessarily quantifying the profit and risk associated with the adoption of technologies. This paper introduces a farm simulation model (FARMSIM) that attempts to evaluate the potential economic and nutritional impacts of new agricultural technologies before they are adopted (ex-ante). FARMSIM is a Monte Carlo simulation model that simultaneously evaluates a baseline and an alternative farming technology. In this study, the model is used to analyze the impact of adoption of small scale irrigation technologies and fertilizers on the farm income and nutrition of smallholder farmers in Robit kebele, Amhara region of Ethiopia. The farming technologies under study comprise water lifting technologies (pulley and tank, rope and washer pump, gasoline/diesel motor pump and a solar pump) and use of fertilizers. The key output variables (KOVs) are the probability of positive annual net cash income and ending cash reserves, probability of positive net present value and a benefit cost ratio greater than one. For nutrition, the KOVs relate to the probability of consumption exceeding average daily minimum requirements of an adult for calories, protein, fat, calcium, iron, and vitamin A. The application of recommended fertilizers on grain and vegetable crops, alongside the use of irrigation to grow vegetables and fodder using a motor pump had the highest net present value compared to other scenarios. Similar results were observed for the net cash farm income and the ending cash reserves. However, the most feasible and profitable scenario is the one under the pulley system which had the highest benefit cost ratio. Solar pump system had the lowest benefit cost ratio due most likely to high initial investment cost. As for the nutrition, the simulation results show an increase in quantities available to the farm family of all nutrition variables under all alternative scenarios. However, the daily minimum requirements per adult equivalent were met only for calories, proteins, iron and vitamin A but deficiencies were observed for fat and calcium. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, International Development, Risk and Uncertainty |
| Date: | 2018–01–17 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266589&r=agr |
| By: | Akinsola, G.; Adewumi, M. |
| Abstract: | One of the goals of any government policies is to maintain an adequate rural infrastructure. This is necessary because of the significance of rural environment, especially in Nigeria since bulk of the food produced come from the rural farmers. This study therefore analyses the infrastructural profile and poverty status of farming households in Edu local government of Kwara state. 120 questionnaires were administered to farm family heads. Descriptive statistics, infrastructural index and simultaneous equation models were used to analyze the data collected. The One Sample T-Test revealed that there is significant difference between the levels of infrastructural development among the farming communities. It is therefore recommended that adequate infrastructural facilities should be readily available for the rural dwellers to improve their agricultural productivity with the resultant effect on poverty reduction |
| Keywords: | Community/Rural/Urban Development, International Development |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275960&r=agr |
| By: | Salvatierra Rojas, Ana; Torres Toledo, Victor; Mrabet, Farah; Müller, Joachim |
| Abstract: | Smallholder dairy farms are the major providers of marketed milk in Kenya, producing one to ten liters per day. Due to this low production level, farmers are usually associated in cooperatives. Dairy cooperatives are responsible for collecting the raw milk from the members to supply bigger volumes to dairy plants or to the market. These farms and cooperatives are often constrained by minimal hygienic standards and the lack of cooling systems leading to high microbial contamination of the milk. Moreover, under warm climatic conditions raw milk can exceed the maximum bacterial count established by food safety standards. As a result of these factors, 20-30% of the milk is estimated to be lost. Therefore, the Institute of Agricultural Engineering of the University of Hohenheim has conceptualized a solar milk cooling system based on the use of conventional milk-cans in Tunisia. The adopted strategy aims to offer a solution that can be adapted to different farm sizes and milk collecting scenarios. The ice, produced in a solar powered freezer, is used in the milk cans, which were designed with an integrated ice compartment and an external removable insulation for an effective cooling. The solar cooling system was transferred from the Tunisian context and adapted to the primary milk production in Siaya, Kenya. Depending on the amount of ice used, the milk cans can be used to preserve milk quality for six to 16 hours. This technology offers steady ice production year round and assures the preservation of milk quality from the farm to the main collection center or the market. The gradual introduction of the technology provided an important upgrade to the current value chain. Furthermore, the solar powered milk cooling system showed great potential to make the dairy value chain more efficient in off-grid contexts by using clean energy. |
| Keywords: | Farm Management, Livestock Production/Industries, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2018–09–24 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:ubonwp:276621&r=agr |
| By: | Grabrucker, Katharina; Grimm, Michael |
| Abstract: | Increasing weather volatility poses a significant threat to the livelihood of rural households in developing countries. While how rainfall shocks affect agricultural households has been well documented, there is not much evidence on the indirect effects on non-agricultural households. Combining household panel data with grid-level precipitation data, we analyze how rainfall shocks affect non-farm enterprises in rural Thailand. We examine the effects of rainfall shocks on labor supply for independent, non-farm activities as well as the indirect effects of rainfall shocks on non-farm enterprises through forward linkages, backward linkages and the consumption levels of farm households. We find that farm households increase their labor participation in non-farm self-employment in response to rainfall shocks. We also observe that rainfall shocks lead to increased input costs by non-farm enterprises in the food processing industry, to higher input costs by farms, to higher sales by agriculture-related non-farm enterprises and to lower expenditure by farm households on food and other consumption items. These effects are significant for surplus rainfall shocks (i.e., more rainfall than usual) but less robust for deficit rainfall shocks (i.e., less rainfall than usual), yet both surplus and deficit rainfall shocks lower agricultural production compared to normal rainfall conditions. |
| Keywords: | Keywords: Rainfall shocks, Non-farm enterprises, Farm/Non-farm linkages, Thailand |
| JEL: | D22 J22 Q12 R11 |
| Date: | 2018–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tvs:wpaper:wp-011&r=agr |
| By: | Mzyece, Agness |
| Abstract: | Crop diversification is a climate smart agricultural technique which helps improve resilience for farmers in the face of volatile weather due to climate change. Previous research on its effect on technical efficiency shows contrasting results (positive and negative effects). Other literature show that crop diversification has a positive impact on income variability. Is it possible that choosing crop diversification involves a tradeoff between efficiency and resilience (income variability) for rural smallholder farmers? It is likely that merging these two separate sets of previous literature, one on the effects of crop diversification on technical efficiency, and another on its effect on income variability, can provide valuable insights on the decision making process faced by a farmer considering to adopt crop diversification. So essentially, the question we try to answer in this study is what is the effect of crop diversification on technical efficiency and income variability on the same farm household of northern Ghana? Without addressing this question, policy makers cannot tell for sure if crop diversification is a good CSA option for their farmers, and if it is, they still may not know how to promote its adoption effectively. To answer our research question, we use the Agricultural production data from northern Ghana and employ a Cobb Douglas stochastic input distance function for efficiency, and ordinary least squares for income variability. The results show evidence against ‘tradeoff’. Crop diversification significantly improves efficiency and reduces income variability in northern Ghana so farmers do not have to give up efficiency for income stability or vice versa. Thus crop diversification is an ideal CSA strategy for promoting agricultural growth and resilience in northern Ghana. The data we use in this study has a maximum three crops, so our results cannot be generalized to farmers who grow more than three crops. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, International Development, Production Economics |
| Date: | 2018–01–17 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266608&r=agr |
| By: | Pacem, Kotchofa |
| Abstract: | Rice (Oryza sativa, L.) is considered staple food for nearly one half of the world’s population. The consumption of rice is becoming staple in many locations like in West Africa and specially in Ghana where the majority of the urban consumers value its convenience and taste. Despite its nutritional content, convenient attribute and increasing demand, the consumption of rice in the West Africa, particularly in northern Ghana, is still very little studied. Little is known about the demand for rice in the northern Ghana though this region includes over 30 % of the whole Ghanaian population. Specifically, knowing how on average household responds to a change in price or and expenditure considering their demand for rice are still missed in the current literature. This study seeks to address this knowledge gap by estimating expenditure and prices elasticities of demand for rice in the northern Ghana region. A QUAIDS model were estimated using consumer data collected from approximately 4,600 randomly selected households. A descriptive analysis of the study data indicates that more than 50 % of the respondents did consume rice. Moreover, households allocated the most part of their foods budget share to the consumption of cereals, and also to animal protein like meat and fish instead of to vegetable protein like legumes. The QUAIDS analysis indicates that all food categories like cereals including rice, roots/tubers, animal protein (meats, fish) have a positive expenditure elasticity across all income groups which strengthen the assumption that they are all normal goods. Same findings were obtained at both compensated and uncompensated prices elasticities. All the food categories had a negative compensated and uncompensated own price elasticity except the group of legumes which has a positive compensated own price elasticity. Though, all foods categories have a negative own price elasticity, the consumption of legumes has a positive own price elasticity. Several reasons were indicated to explain this surprising result among which the procedure used in generating the prices, and the main focus of the survey which was not on legumes consumption. Further research should redo this analysis by contrasting the locally produced rice to the imported rice to better understand the role that rice consumption plays in household’s food consumption. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Consumer/Household Economics, Demand and Price Analysis, Food Security and Poverty |
| Date: | 2018–01–17 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266570&r=agr |
| By: | Fatima, Hina; Shaheen, Sania; Almas, Lal; Vestal, Mallory; Haroon, Sehrish |
| Abstract: | Rice is known as an Asian crop because 90% of global rice production and consumption takes place in Asia. It is the staple food for about 50% of the world population and 75% of the people living in developing countries. Pakistan is the 11th rice producer in the world and 5th largest exporter. Comparative economic efficiency of Transplanted (TRP) and Direct Seeded (DRS) rice production in Pakistan needs evaluation. This study analyzed the economic efficiency of TRP) and DRS producers in rice producing districts of Punjab. Primary data was collected from major rice producing areas of Punjab, Pakistan and Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) was run in order to estimate the profit efficiency of rice producers. The results revealed that on average profit efficiency of TRP rice farmers and DRS farmers was 57% and 83%, respectively. Hence, there are opportunities to improve economic and technical efficiency as well as the rice production profitability through adopting improved farming practices, optimal use of inputs and production techniques. The results also demonstrated that socio-economic factors of rice producers also significantly influence the profit efficiency of rice producers. Therefore, the efficiency of rice producers can also be improved through education and enrichment of extension services in the rural areas. |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries |
| Date: | 2018–01–24 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:267162&r=agr |
| By: | Moon, W.; Pino, G. |
| Abstract: | This study draws upon research in economics and agricultural economics to demonstrate that free trade in agriculture is not poised to bring about dynamic/productivity gains. That is in contrast to the mounting evidence of dynamic/productivity gains (in addition to the static gains) from free trade in manufacturing industries/firms. We show that the lack of the dynamic gains from agricultural trade is due to the passivity of farm producers in determining their productivity and international competitiveness. It is highlighted that it is neither free trade nor greater competitive pressure on farm producers but public investments for R&D/infrastructure/extension that would bring about improvements in productivity over time. Implications of the lack of the dynamic gains are discussed for governing agricultural trade and designing development strategies in food-importing low income countries. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, International Relations/Trade |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275869&r=agr |
| By: | Di Marcantonio, F.; Ciaian, P.; Castellanos, V. |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the incidence of unfair trading practices (UTPs) in the dairy food supply chain. Drawing insights from data collected through a field survey among dairy farmers in five selected EU regions (France, Germany, Poland and Spain) we seek to understand the presence of UTPs across different stages of contract formulation and execution. The survey data were collected in 2017 and gathered 1248 observations. We identify a total of 29 types of UTPs across all different phases of contract development. Results show that 93% of surveyed farmers have reported at least one UTP, whereas 46% of surveyed farmers have reported at least three UTPs. The highest share of UTPs was found in the contract content followed by contract negotiation and contract execution. Further, our results suggest that there is not a strong relationship between the occurrence of UTPs and contract completeness although it is heterogeneous between studied regions. |
| Keywords: | Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, International Relations/Trade, Livestock Production/Industries |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275886&r=agr |
| By: | Astill, G.; Sabasi, D.; Gwatipedza, J. |
| Abstract: | Farmers are increasingly using direct marketing strategies that include farmers’ markets and community supported agriculture arrangements to connect with consumers who prefer locally produced food. We examine the relationship between the increasing use of direct marketing strategies and technical efficiency, using stochastic frontier analysis method. The results show that, on average, the farmers that use direct marketing strategies are less technically efficient compared to the farmers that do not. However, this result is reversed for the largest quantile of growers, on average those who use direct marketing strategies are more technically efficient than those not. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Farm Management, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275917&r=agr |
| By: | Rajcaniova, M.; Ciaian, P.; Guri, F.; Zhllima, E.; Shahu, E. |
| Abstract: | We estimate the impact of land fragmentation and crop rotation on farm productivity in rural Albania. We employ stochastic production frontier estimation approach and Tobit regression on survey data collected among farm households in Albania in 2013. Our estimates suggest that land fragmentation improves farm efficiency likely because it allows a better use of household labour during the production seasons. Our estimates also suggest that crop rotation increases farm efficiency. However, the land fragmentation dominates the crop rotation in impacting farm efficiency. |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries, Land Economics/Use |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275893&r=agr |
| By: | Luo, Biliang; Zhu, Wenjue; Paudel, Krishna; Liu, Kai |
| Abstract: | We develop a theoretical model to understand the progress of Land Titling initiated based on the Household Responsibility System in China since 1979. Land Titling has heterogeneous progress across different villages. We argue that farmers' resistance could hinder the implementation of the land title, but the homogenization of farmland quality and the farmers’ private agricultural investments in the village can help farmers to accept the policy in the following mechanisms. The homogenization of farmland quality can reduce the unfair cost of Land Titling; also the farmers’ private agricultural investments can evoke the need of farmers to protect property rights in the village where only partial farmers have engaged in agricultural investment. The theoretical model developed in the paper is supplemented by empirical analyses of farm household data collected from Guangdong provinces in China. We analyze data using Random Effect Generalized Ordered Probit models. Results indicate that, (1) the difference degree of farmland quality (traffic and fertility) within a village has a significant negative effect on the process level of Land Titling in this village; (2) the difference degree of farmers’ private agricultural investment (irrigation and mechanical usable proportion) within a village has a significant positive effect on the process level of Land Titling in this village; (3) as the Land Titling contains 5 procedures to implemented, the above two important factors mainly effect the implementation of the procedures which are about the titled land need to be recognized by the whole village community. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Consumer/Household Economics |
| Date: | 2018–01–17 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266712&r=agr |
| By: | Lokuge Dona, Manori Nimanthika; Zivkovic, Sanja; Lange, Kelly; Chidmi, Benaissa |
| Abstract: | As people move away from nutritionally rich diets, the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) has become one of the major challenges to the present world. However, the impact of NCDs on developing nations is more pronounced than that on developed nations. Sri Lanka, a lower-middle income developing country, is currently experiencing a rising incidence of NCDs. Close association between NCDs and unhealthy dietary habits infers the importance of studying household food and nutrient consumption in order to introduce sound policy implementations. Sri Lanka lacks national level studies related to food and nutrient consumption at household levels, thus the objective of this study is to analyze demographic and socio-economic determinants of consumption for major food commodities in Sri Lanka. Data are obtained from the latest household income and expenditure survey conducted by the Sri Lankan Department of Census and Statistics. Price and expenditure elasticities for food commodities are estimated using the Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System (QUAIDS). The zero-expenditure problem that typically exists in survey data is circumvented by employing a Tobit model. Analysis is further extended to calculate nutrient elasticities. The results of this study demonstrate the impact of price and income changes on dietary intake of households. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Demand and Price Analysis, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety |
| Date: | 2018–01–17 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266670&r=agr |
| By: | Larson, D. |
| Abstract: | In this paper we examine the consequences of extreme weather events on agricultural livelihood choices and welfare outcomes among rural households in Mozambique. We do so by first building a unique historical record of local (enumeration-area) weather event that we match with household survey data. We build the event history by drawing on daily spatial datasets for rainfall and temperature from 1981 to 2015. We build a spatial history of agricultural droughts in Mozambique that account for regional differences in growing seasons. We also utilize for the first time a dataset that maps the impact of all named tropical storms affecting Mozambique from 1968 to 2015. We use geo-referenced household data from 7,400 households in Mozambique to identify production technology choices and measure asset accumulations. Exploiting spatial cross-sectional variations, we show how weather risks adversely affect household choices about production technologies and input use. We show how past exposure to extreme weather events, including typhoons and droughts, adversely impact productive stock accumulations and household wealth. |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275916&r=agr |
| By: | Kramer, B.; Ceballos, F. |
| Abstract: | Bundling agricultural insurance with climate-smart technologies and practices (CSA) can help improve risk management for smallholder farmers. This paper analyzes how bundling affects demand for insurance and CSA. Calibrating index insurance parameters to CSA payoff profiles increases the demand for insurance, but only when basis risk is low, and these effects of reducing basis risk itself. This raises the question how to bundle insurance products that leverage new technologies to provide indemnity insurance coverage with minimal basis risk. We therefore study the effect of bundling indemnity insurance with CSA technologies. Specifically, in a field experiment in India, we test whether conditioning insurance payouts on not burning residues improves residue management as a CSA technology. We find that this is the case, suggesting that indemnity insurance can help promote CSA technology adoption, but we also discuss shortcomings of this bundling approach, and identify potential alternatives to combine indemnity insurance and CSA technologies into a complementary risk management bundle. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Environmental Economics and Policy, International Development |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275926&r=agr |
| By: | Ratliff, English; Vassalos, Michael; Hu, Wuyang |
| Abstract: | The adverse impact of overfishing in the fish stocks has generated an increased interest among consumers and producers alike for alternative seafood production and marketing practices. One innovate marketing outlet that is growing in popularity over the last years are Community Supported Fisheries (CSFs). CSFs are an arrangement between fishermen and consumers, where consumers pay a fee for a weekly share of seafood. A major challenge for further CSF development is attracting more participants. However, research on this topic is limited. This study extends the literature by investigating the impact of demographic and lifestyle characteristics on the probability that a consumer will join a CSF. The dataset was obtained from an online survey distributed to South Carolina residents the intention to join a CSF was measured by answers to the question: “Would you be interested in joining a CSF?” Respondents were provided with three choices: No, Not sure, Yes. A multinomial logit model was utilized to analyze the data. Results indicate that consumers who are most likely willing to join a CSF frequent farmer’s markets and specialty stores when purchasing seafood. Most demographic characteristics did not have a significant impact on whether or not a person is willing to join. On the other hand, consumers who purchase local food because they believe local food are of higher quality are more likely to join a CSF. |
| Keywords: | Marketing |
| Date: | 2018–01–17 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266726&r=agr |
| By: | Kinkpe, T.; Fiamohe, R.; Saito, K. |
| Abstract: | This paper aims to assess the access to rice production factors in SSA and its determinants. The data were collected from 268 farmers. The results show that male farmers had larger land for rice cultivation than females. They had lower access to extension service, chemical fertilizer and mechanization for land preparation than females. Both males and females used children for bird and rat control. The experience, the membership to associations, the education and the cropping system are the determinants. Holistic approach taking into account gender and youth is needed for enhancing the access to various rice production factors in SSA. |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries, International Relations/Trade, Land Economics/Use |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275882&r=agr |
| By: | Arslan, A. |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the impacts of the El Niño during the 2015/2016 season on maize productivity and incomes in rural Zambia. The analysis aims at identifying whether and how sustainable land management (SLM) practices and livelihood diversification strategies have contributed to moderate the impacts of the El Niño related drought. This is done using a specifically designed survey called the El Niño Impact Assessment Survey (ENIAS), which is combined with the 2015 wave of the Rural Agricultural Livelihoods Surveys (RALS), as well as high resolution rainfall data from the Africa Rainfall Climatology version 2 (ARC2). This unique data set provides an opportunity to understand the impacts of shocks like El Niño that are expected to get more frequent and severe in Zambia, as well as understand the agricultural practices and livelihood strategies that can buffer household production and welfare from the impacts of such shocks to drive policy recommendations. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, International Relations/Trade |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275905&r=agr |
| By: | Adiv Gal; David Saltz; Uzi Motro |
| Abstract: | The effect of food supplement to Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) nests during the nestling period (from hatching to fledging) was studied in two nesting colonies in Israel - Alona and Jerusalem. Our hypotheses was that food supplement will have a greater effect on fledgling success in the food-limited, urban colony of Jerusalem, than in the rural colony of Alona. Indeed, food supplement had a significantly positive effect on breeding success in both colonies. However, and contrary to our prediction, the decrease in chick mortality between supplemented and control nests in Jersualem was actually smaller than in Alona. This implies either that additional factors, possibly urbanization associated, other than food limitation, might be responsible for the difference in nesting success of Lesser Kestrels between Alona and Jersualem, and/or that the amount of additional food provided to supplemented nests (three mice per chick per week), was not enough. |
| Date: | 2018–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:huj:dispap:dp723&r=agr |
| By: | Embaye, Weldensie T.; Bergtold, Jason S. |
| Keywords: | Production Economics, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Productivity Analysis |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258107&r=agr |
| By: | Steven Helfand (Department of Economics, University of California Riverside); Lorena Viera Costa (Federal University of Viçosa); André Portela Souza (Getulio Vargas Foundation, São Paulo) |
| Abstract: | Public policies frequently are implemented simultaneously rather than in isolation. We estimate the impacts–and possible synergies–of a rural development project (Pro-Gavião) and the Brazilian conditional cash transfer program (Bolsa Família). In partnership with the State Government of Bahia, Pro-Gavião was an IFAD-supported rural development project in 13 contiguous municipalities between 1997 and 2005. Census tract level data were extracted for the analysis from the 1995-96 and 2006 Agricultural Censuses. The evaluation uses propensity score matching to construct a control group of untreated census tracts, and a difference-in-differences estimation to identify impacts. The outcomes analyzed include land productivity, agricultural income and child labor. Although Pro-Gavião involved significant investments in the region, the results suggest little if any program impact, or synergies between the two programs. The unexpected null findings are robust to alternative approaches to identifying the treated census tracts, matching techniques, and heterogeneity of impacts by initial level of poverty. We show that the lack of impacts is not driven by adverse rainfall in the treated communities, or the influence of other programs in the control communities. Alternative explanations for the null results are explored. |
| Keywords: | Rural development projects, Conditional Cash Transfers, IFAD, Synergies, Brazil |
| JEL: | O13 Q1 |
| Date: | 2018–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ucr:wpaper:201814&r=agr |
| By: | Liu, Jing; Hertel, Thomas W.; Lammers, Richard; Prusevich, Alexander; Baldos, Uris Lantz C.; Grogan, Danielle S.; Frolking, Steve |
| Keywords: | Land Economics/Use, Resource/Energy Economics and Policy, Agricultural and Food Policy |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258118&r=agr |
| By: | Hovhannisyan, Vardges; Shanoyan, Aleksan |
| Keywords: | Demand and Price Analysis, Agricultural and Food Policy, Marketing |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:259124&r=agr |
| By: | Silva, E.; Lima, R. |
| Abstract: | The objective of this article is to discuss the relationship between biofuels and food crop markets in Brazil, from August 2004 to August 2017. Prices of ethanol and food commodities (sugar, soybean and corn) were used to estimate a Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). The system also included Real/Dollar exchange rate, policy and seasonal dummies, and an exogenous variable representing international oil price. The results suggest the occurrence of linkages between biofuel and food commodity markets in Brazil. Thus, it is crucial that the development of public policies to pursue the objective of increasing the supply of renewable and less pollutant fuel do not conflict with the goals of food security. |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries, International Relations/Trade |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275883&r=agr |
| By: | Zhou, Y. |
| Abstract: | Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a farming concept that allows growers and consumers to partner together to share the risks and benefits of food production. This study examines the impact of organic certification on Canadian CSA share prices. I use Canadian CSA data collected from online sources that documents CSA share prices and characteristics of CSA farms. Results suggest that CSA farms that self-identify as organic charge a 13% premium over conventional farms. I also find that CSA farms that are certified organic charge a 16% premium. These premiums are not statistically different from each other, which suggests that organic certification does not increase the premium relative to uncertified organic. It appears as though CSA, which is a direct marketing concept, acts as a substitute for third-party certification. This study also identifies several parameters that are important for CSA programs, namely the number of weeks the CSA provides produce, the average number of vegetable varieties, and the number of pick-up locations. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, International Relations/Trade |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275901&r=agr |
| By: | Zhang, L. |
| Abstract: | Based on the survey data of 285 grain producing lessee operating units in Jiangsu province and applying the multiple regression model and the estimation method with clustered robust standard errors, this study compared the differences in agricultural productivity between small-scale farm households and large-scale operating units, and further indicated the efficiency impacts of large-scale farmland transfer. Results show that, compared to small-scale farm households, only part of large-scale operating units can obtain higher agricultural productivity. Operation scale of 40 ~ 60 mu is the moderate scale where operating units can achieve the optimal allocative efficiency of agricultural production factors (i.e., land, labor, and capital). Specifically, compared to small-scale farm households (1 ~ 20 mu), those operating units, with an operation scale ranging from 10 to 15 times of the area of arable land contracted per household in local area (40 ~ 60 mu), can achieve higher land productivity, profit rate of cost, and total factor productivity; whereas those operating units with an operation scale more than 40 mu (including 40 ~ 60 mu, 60 ~ 120 mu, 120 ~ 500 mu) can obtain greater labor productivity. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Farm Management, International Relations/Trade |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275918&r=agr |
| By: | Melo, Grace; Zhen, Chen; Colson, Gregory J. |
| Keywords: | Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Marketing, Agricultural and Food Policy |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:259202&r=agr |
| By: | Gumirakiza, Jean Dominique; VanZee, Sarah |
| Abstract: | Online shopping is increasingly becoming a common shopping venue for young generations of consumers. However, preferences for fresh produce among those who frequently shop online are still unclear. This study explains food labels that online shoppers consider most important when shopping for fresh produce. This study uses data collected from a stratified randomly selected sample of 1,205 online shoppers within the South region of the U.S. who made at least two online purchases within six months prior to participating in this study. We collected data in 2016 through the Qualtrics actively managed market research panels and those using social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Results show that 81 percent of online shoppers actually believe that food labels are very important to them. The most important label for the majority (49 percent) of those who believe so is “grown locally”. Those whose “organic” label is the most important constitute 15 percent. We found that 30 percent consider a combination of locally and organically grown fresh produce to be the most important to them. Only six percent of online shoppers have other labels they consider the most important. The most common important labels among this group include nutrition contents, price, and country of origin. This study is significant to fresh produce growers and agricultural marketers because it provides an explanation of food labels those online shoppers consider to be the most important when shopping for fresh produce. It is significant to food products regulators who are interested in enforcing regulations related to food labels. Future researchers will find this analysis useful when furthering knowledge about this increasingly popular market. online shoppers. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness |
| Date: | 2018–01–17 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266683&r=agr |
| By: | Agboje, A. |
| Abstract: | A critical view of how the various fuel pricing policies directed towards addressing the challenges of the fiscal stability of Nigerian economy will translate to improved social welfare is farfetched. This study used a static computable general equilibrium model to assess the impact of phased and withdrawal of PMS consumption subsidy as well as their alternative curtailing policies on the welfare of farm and non-farm households in Nigeria. Results showed that partial and total PMS subsidy reform with the subsidy gains conserved reduced households consumption level, increased their expenditures on all commodities and reduced social welfare by a worst ₦70.47 billion and lowest ₦40.80billion. However, an alternative policy of reallocating fuel subsidy into the crop and service sectors contributed largely to increased household consumption basket and utility increased as low as 0.11% on phased PMS subsidy reform measure among urban non-agriculture and as high as 0.35% among rural agricultural households on account of subsidy withdrawal measure. Thus, social welfare increased from a minimum gain of about ₦43.42 billion on the alternative policy to phased PMS subsidy reform and a maximum gain of about ₦67.90billion on the alternative policy to PMS subsidy withdrawal. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, International Development |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275938&r=agr |
| By: | Wu, T.; Thomassin, P.J. |
| Abstract: | This study analyzed the impact of a carbon tax on food prices and consumption patterns in Canada. The findings suggest that a carbon tax has negative impacts on both food prices and food consumption patterns in Canada. The magnitude of the impact depends on whether agriculture sectors are exempt from the carbon tax. When these sectors are exempt, the negative impacts of a carbon tax on food prices and food consumption patterns are small. A multi-regional price model was constructed to analyze the impact of the carbon tax by region. Specifically, this study compared the changes in food prices and food consumption patterns among different provinces in Canada. The results showed that food prices in Quebec are the most affected, followed by Alberta. In addition, there was no evidence that the impact of a carbon tax on the food consumption patterns would vary by income group. These results shed light on the impact of carbon taxes on food security and affordability in Canada. |
| Keywords: | Demand and Price Analysis, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, International Development |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275913&r=agr |
| By: | Salvatore Monni (Roma Tre University); Martina Iorio (Roma Tre University); Alessio Realini (Roma Tre University) |
| Abstract: | Universal access to the commons, such as to clean water, might be seen as a strong challenge to development as freedom. Beyond water scarcity, several regions are already suffering from lack of access, even where water is abundant. Meanwhile, climate change, overpopulation and agricultural demand are severely affecting the quality and availability of water resources. At the global level, concerns about water are tied to the Amazon Region, which contains the greatest potential water stock in the world, and which simultaneously faces the worst troubles in access and supply. This paper is therefore aimed at pointing out the role inclusive social innovations can play in mitigating the impact of growing water shortages and securing effective water use. After a first introduction to Brazil, Amazonas and Parà state statistics on water-related aspects, the research focuses on results emerging from the AguaSociAL project. |
| Keywords: | social innovation,natural resources,water management,freedom,Brazilian Amazon |
| Date: | 2018–06–29 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01858335&r=agr |
| By: | Ali, M. |
| Abstract: | This paper analyzes the status of Pakistan’s agriculture in the world and quantifies the potential of improving productivity and quality of value chain at its different nodes. A great potential of expansion in the value chain of large number of agricultural commodities produced in Pakistan are observed. Just bringing the average crop yield levels at par to the world average yield can generate over US$11 billion additional revenues to the producers. Despite lower yield, majority of commodities have lower prices compared to the world average prices at the farmgate. However, the country lost its comparative advantage as its export-output ratios (EOR) and export prices are lower than the world average for a large number of commodities. Similarly the quality of the produce in domestic market is observed to be low. If Pakistan can improve its EOR and export prices to the world average levels and enhance the quality of 10% its agriculture output in domestic market to the average export quality, it can generate US$8.8 to various stakeholders in the value chain. Cluster-based development approach is suggested to harness the potential in agricultural value chain. Various measures are suggested to improve productivity and quality of agricultural value chain in Pakistan. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, International Development |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275951&r=agr |
| By: | Mane, Ranjitsinh; Watkins, Bradley |
| Abstract: | The Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC-CO) program authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill provides revenue loss coverage at the county level. The ARC-CO payments are based on actual county crop revenue for a particular commodity. The county revenue is a function of county yield and national price. Since the inception of the ARC-CO program, there has been a wide disparity in crop revenue payment between two or more counties with a similar production environment. The variation in county yield has resulted in quite wide disparity of payments for Arkansas producers based on the location of their farm. This study compared ARC-CO program for corn and soybean and their respective average county yields and average multi county yields for selected eastern Arkansas counties. The study used simulation to evaluate stochastic ARC-CO payments generated by multicounty yield for 2014, 2015, and 2016 for four major corn and soybeans producing regions of Grand Prairie, White River, Upper Delta and Lower Delta regions in Arkansas. Multivariate empirical distributions of multi county yields, and prices were simulated. The likelihood of receiving ARC-CO payment under multicounty yield was more than 60, 27, and 29 percent for Corn, Irrigated Soybean and Non Irrigated Soybean based on our simulated results. The multicounty yield had an ARC-CO payment for all regions. However, individual county payment were less for corn in Grand Prairie and other regions. ARC-CO payment for irrigated soybeans and non-irrigated soybean fluctuated from year to year with highest payment at individual county level for 2014. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy |
| Date: | 2018–01–17 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266698&r=agr |
| By: | Travis, Elli; Alwang, Albert; Elliott-Engel, Jeremy |
| Abstract: | A southern Land-Grant University (LGU) conducted an economic impact study of its Cooperative Extension and Agricultural Research Centers. The Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities promotes the use of economic impact studies, however their design is business innovation-centric, deemphasizing the human capital development component that Extension provides. Literature on economic impact theoretical frameworks or proven methodological approaches to assess both the technical and human innovation side of an organization of this size, scale, and scope is limited. This led to the design of an exploratory qualitative study to determine what impacts should and could be measured, and how to attribute an economic value to particular research and extension programming. An analysis of input from industry stakeholders, administrators, and practitioners helped determine that the dominant economic impact assessment tools: large scale input-output models and small scale return on investment and productivity studies, have limitations in accurately operationalizing economic impact calculations for such a large state-wide organization. Initial results of this study demonstrate that both public and private innovations and technical assistance have impacts on the economy. This study exposed measures, methods and recommendations for future economic impact study design. |
| Keywords: | Community/Rural/Urban Development, Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession |
| Date: | 2018–01–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266789&r=agr |
| By: | Apperson, George P. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural Finance, Agricultural and Food Policy, Demand and Price Analysis |
| Date: | 2017–06–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258210&r=agr |
| By: | Shikuku, K.M. |
| Abstract: | Recent evidence has shown that direct provision of agricultural training to selected individuals as knowledge injection points (IPs) can help to implement a farmer to farmer extension approach. This study systematically assesses the determinants of information exchange links between trained IPs and their neighbors and the subsequent effect on awareness, knowledge, and adoption of improved varieties of maize and groundnuts and conservation farming. Using a panel dataset from northern Uganda, results of econometric analysis showed that ‘proximity’ in terms of sex, education, assets, and cultivated land, influenced information exchange links. Information exchange links increased awareness and knowledge for all the technologies, and adoption of maize varieties. Selection criterion for IPs, therefore, matters and considering ‘proximity’ between IPs and other farmers is important in designing farmer to farmer extension programs. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, International Development |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275974&r=agr |
| By: | Hall, D. |
| Abstract: | The integrated livestock, crops, and fish (VAC) model of integrated small scale agriculture has been important to economic and ecological sustainability in Vietnam for many centuries. Recently, emerging waterborne diseases including avian influenza have jeopardized the VAC model. In order to promote mitigation of the risk of waterborne disease in the VAC system, there needs to be recognition of the significant predictors of such behaviour, particularly with respect to water sources including well and rain water. We report on research results generated from 300 farms in each of North and South Vietnam that indicate the small scale farmers who are more likely to engage in mitigation of waterborne disease are those who raise pigs, perceive themselves to be more at risk of HPAI infection from well water, report they are good livestock managers, value the advice of health care workers, and where a female household member is the decision maker for family health. These results bear importance to water and health policy formulators in rural Vietnam. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, International Development, Land Economics/Use |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275875&r=agr |
| By: | Ifft, Jennifer; Jodlowski, Margaret |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries, Agricultural Finance, Agribusiness |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:259120&r=agr |
| By: | Sun, Yu; You, Wen; Davis, George C. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Consumer/Household Economics |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:259211&r=agr |
| By: | Benard Kwame Oppong-Kusi (University of Tsukuba); Kenichi Matsui (University of Tsukuba); Adwoa Oforiwaa Antwi (University of Tsukuba) |
| Abstract: | In Ghana, land disputes are ubiquitous largely because of its unique land tenure, governance, and management practices. Enduring land disputes are costly and have serious implications on the regional economic development and food security. In some parts of the country, land dispute issues took nearly three decades to reach court judgments. Ghana?s land disputes have been handled by both modern courts and traditional courts. This paper examines Ghana?s land dispute resolution mechanism in the Dormaa traditional area. We analyzed 11 court case proceedings, including those of High and Appeal courts. Our analysis found three major factor that triggered land disputes at court: (1) land trespassing (2) lack of clear ownership documentation (3) bias towards traditional owners or defendant. After discussing these with details, we recommend (1) land ownership documentation (2) the creation of more ADR centers. |
| Keywords: | Land Dispute, Land Tenure, Dispute Resolution |
| Date: | 2018–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sek:iacpro:7209503&r=agr |
| By: | Hejazi, Mina; Zhu, Jue; Marchant, Mary |
| Keywords: | International Relations/Trade, Agricultural and Food Policy, Marketing |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:259197&r=agr |
| By: | Tsiboe, Francis; Nalley, Lawton L.; Bajrami, Egzon |
| Abstract: | Concerns about cocoa production in Africa at the expense of forests, biodiversity and its effects on sustainability necessitate the investigation of price premiums to incentivize cocoa producers to abandon the practices of plantation style cocoa for more sustainable practices shaded cocoa. Thus, this study first employs a multiple regression on a sample of 2,076 Ghanaian cocoa households over five cocoa growing seasons (2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2010), to estimate the yield difference among three varieties of cocoa. These yield differentials in addition to published yield curves are then used to simulate variety specific yield curves under shaded and unshaded cocoa production. These yield curves in addition to cost curves, are then used to estimate the price premium that reflects the opportunity cost of cultivating shaded cocoa. Results indicates that the mean price premium of approximately 4.95% currently offered by third-party production certification schemes (e.g. UTZ Certified) for biodiversity friendly cocoa are well below this study’s price premium of 20.5%. Estimating the opportunity cost of shaded cocoa production is important to producers to determine whether growing cocoa under shade is sufficiently profitable. For manufacturers and consumers, these premiums indicate the cost needed to secure a supply of sustainably produced cocoa |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management, International Development, Production Economics |
| Date: | 2018–01–17 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266614&r=agr |
| By: | Torres, Ariana; Marshall, Maria I. |
| Keywords: | Marketing, Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy |
| Date: | 2017–06–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258264&r=agr |
| By: | Mao, Hui; Zhou, Li; Ifft, Jennifer |
| Abstract: | This study expands on existing research on farmers’ risk preferences and technology adoption, with novel analysis of the relationship between risk preferences, production contract participation, and technology investment levels and adoption time. Our analysis uses farm-level data from 345 Chinese broiler growers and an instrumental variables strategy to address the potential endogeneity of the contracting decision. Both the distance of the farm to the nearest broiler business and the distance of the farm to the nearest market for broiler sale are used as instrumental variables for the contracting decision. Results indicate that farmers with higher risk aversion are more likely to participate in contracts, less likely to adopt new technology, adopt technology later, and invest less in technology. In the subsample of contract farmers, contracts with longer terms, lower upfront deposit requirements and higher cost sharing with enterprises for technology adoption may make farmers more likely to adopt technology, to adopt technology early and to invest more. These findings jointly suggest that contract terms that help alleviate credit constraints may be more effective at promoting technology adoption in developing countries. |
| Keywords: | Farm Management, Livestock Production/Industries, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Risk and Uncertainty |
| Date: | 2017–05–22 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:257248&r=agr |
| By: | Villegas, Laura |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Resource/Energy Economics and Policy, Production Economics |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:259136&r=agr |
| By: | Pozo, Veronica F.; Akhundjanov, Sherzod B.; Thomas, Briana |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Marketing, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety |
| Date: | 2017–06–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258014&r=agr |
| By: | Nehring, Richard F.; McFadden, Jonathan; Ball, Virgil Eldon; Ghosh, Nilabja; Marquardt, David; Reinsch, Thomas |
| Keywords: | International Development, Production Economics, Land Economics/Use |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258117&r=agr |
| By: | Sun, Shanxia; Gramig, Ben; Delgado, Michael; Sesmero, Juan Pablo |
| Keywords: | Resource/Energy Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use, Crop Production/Industries |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:259142&r=agr |
| By: | Seok, Jun Ho; Kim, GwanSeon; Mark, Tyler B. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Demand and Price Analysis, Agricultural and Food Policy |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:259201&r=agr |
| By: | Juarez-Torres, Miriam |
| Keywords: | Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Demand and Price Analysis, Community/Rural/Urban Development |
| Date: | 2017–06–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258238&r=agr |
| By: | Arnaud Daymard (Université de Cergy-Pontoise, THEMA) |
| Abstract: | This paper analyzes a simple two-sector model of structural change to illuminate the factor bias of technical change in the process of structural transformation. Both land- and labor-augmenting technical changes are effective when households enjoy food level consumption close to the level of subsistence. However, as the economy moves away from the state of subsistence, the absolute and relative effectiveness of land- and labor-augmenting technical changes depends on the elasticity of substitution between land and labor. Calibration of the model for today’s developing countries suggest that all countries can benefit from labor improvements but only some regions of the world will benefit from an emphasis on land improvements. |
| Keywords: | structural transformation, agricultural productivity, technical change |
| JEL: | O11 O13 O14 O33 |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ema:worpap:2018-11&r=agr |
| By: | Svetlana Ivanova (PRUE - Plekhanov Russian University of Economics [Moscow]); Artyom Latyshov (PRUE - Plekhanov Russian University of Economics [Moscow]) |
| Abstract: | This paper focuses on the issues of sustainable entrepreneurship using an example of South Korea (also known as the Republic of Korea). Mainly, it is tackling the problem of preserving the vulnerable agricultural sector and its social structure according to South Korean general course for increasing the openness of the economy. We build upon the historical approach, economic and comparative analysis in order to classify and formulate the features of the South Korean agrarian model. Moreover, we analyze how this model is applied for the stages of the state agricultural policy, including the foreign trade component, domestic support measures for agriculture. Our results reveal the importance of the gradualness and flexibility of the transition to a market efficiency model with the active use of non-market methods and the preservation of selective protection of the domestic market from commodity imports. It becomes apparent that following the FAO approaches to the concept of food security, South Korea uses the policy of combining self-sufficiency and imports, increasingly diversifying the structure of consumed food products. |
| Keywords: | South Korea,agricultural products,foreign trade,agrarian policy,sustainability,entrepreneurship,cooperation |
| Date: | 2018–06–29 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01857436&r=agr |
| By: | Damien J.A. BAZIN; Sylvie FERRARI; Richard B. HOWARTH |
| Abstract: | This paper addresses how environmental ethics could be incorporated in economic analysis and more particularly how the Responsibility Principle of H. Jonas can provide useful insights into the analysis of sustainability issues. The challenges of environmental and social sustainability in terms of intergenerational fairness are analysed and involve a moral duty applicable to economic governance. The paper also explores to what extent responsibility, as an alternative to utilitarianism and as a principle facilitating the coordination of the agents involved, can be a first step towards the long-term and sustainable conservation of Nature. |
| Keywords: | Environmental ethics, intergenerational fairness, responsibility principle, self-binding behaviour, sustainability. |
| JEL: | Q01 Q20 Q32 Q57 |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:grt:wpegrt:2018-17&r=agr |
| By: | Rico Jimena; Panlasigui Stephanie; Loucks Colby J.; Swenson Jennifer; Pfaff Alexander |
| Abstract: | In this paper, we use geospatial data and difference-in-differences models to identify the deforestation effects, during 2000-2013, of the leading forest policies in the Peruvian Amazon: i) logging concessions, ii) third-party certification of concessions, and iii) Protected Areas (PAs). We find that on average logging concessions have no effect on tree-cover loss, while the PAs do reduce loss. Further, the PAs allowing limited private extraction save more forest than do more restrictive PAs. Certification has an impact (reduces loss) only in the single region where concessions reduce loss, suggesting a complementarity of third parties with private and public efforts to govern concessions. Our results suggest roles for private rights within conservation, given oversight. |
| Keywords: | certification;FSC;deforestation;concessions;protected areas;impact evaluation |
| JEL: | Q23 Q56 Q24 O13 |
| Date: | 2018–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bdm:wpaper:2018-11&r=agr |
| By: | Katare, Bhagyashree; Ren, Lifeng; Marshall, Maria I. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Industrial Organization, Agricultural and Food Policy |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258103&r=agr |
| By: | Zhang, Xumin; Khachatryan, Hayk |
| Abstract: | To mitigate potential impacts from the increasing maintained residential landscapes to the environment, state and local governments and water management organizations are interested in policies that promote resource-efficient landscaping practices by individual homeowners. Incentives including rebates, tax returns, and low rate financing, are common monetary instruments used to promote the adoption of eco-friendly equipment or practices (e.g., water-saving appliances). However, the effects of monetary incentives on homeowners’ preferences for alternative landscapes are less understood. Using discrete choice experimentation, this study investigated homeowners’ preferences for rebate incentive programs and willingness to pay (WTP) for alternative landscape attributes. The results reveal that homeowners are willing to pay a premium for rebate programs, and that the environmental benefit information improves homeowners’ preference and WTP for alternative landscape attributes. Also, we clustered homeowners into low, medium, and high rebate preference groups, which allowed investigating the difference in WTP estimates for alternative landscape attributes. Results estimated by mixed logit in WTP space model revealed that homeowners in high rebate preference group assign higher weights to economic attributes, such as rebate and maintenance, while homeowners in the low rebate preference group give more importance to environmental friendly attributes such as smart irrigation or pollinator friendly habitat. The results offer implications for policy makers as they develop water conservation programs. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, Institutional and Behavioral Economics |
| Date: | 2018–02–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266684&r=agr |
| By: | Ward, Patrick S.; Kumar, Neha; De Nicola, Francesca; Hill, Ruth; Makhija, Simrin; Spielman, David J.; Magnan, Nicholas |
| Keywords: | International Development, Risk and Uncertainty, Institutional and Behavioral Economics |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258090&r=agr |
| By: | Mehrjerdi, Mahla Zare; Woods, Timothy |
| Abstract: | Our study is a national consumer survey with 612 usable observations categorizes consumers according to their preference for local products utilizing a ‘periphery’, ‘mid-level’, and ‘core’ consumer designation. The main goal of the study is to determine how these designations, together with other demographic variables, explains frequency of local products purchased in each of three market channels – farmers markets, restaurants, and grocery. Tobit regression models for each market suggest greater frequency of purchases by ‘core’ consumers over ‘mid-level’ and ‘periphery’ take place in farm markets, followed by restaurants and then grocery. Positive income effects are observed in each model, as expected, while a negative age effect is only observed in local product purchase frequency in the restaurant setting. Female consumers were observed to have lower frequency of local food products only in farm markets. |
| Keywords: | Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety |
| Date: | 2018–01–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266769&r=agr |
| By: | Garbero, Alessandra; Songsermsawas, Tisorn |
| Keywords: | International Development, Consumer/Household Economics, Community/Rural/Urban Development |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258097&r=agr |
| By: | Wolf, David M.; Klaiber, Allen; Gopalakrishnan, Sathya |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, Resource/Energy Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258136&r=agr |
| By: | Nora E. Gordon; Krista J. Ruffini |
| Abstract: | Under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), schools serving sufficiently high-poverty populations may enroll their entire student bodies in free lunch and breakfast programs, extending free meals to some students who would not qualify individually and potentially decreasing the stigma associated with free meals. We examine whether CEP affects disciplinary outcomes, focusing on the use of suspensions. We use school discipline measures from the Civil Rights Data Collection and rely on the timing of pilot implementation of CEP across states to assess how disciplinary infractions evolve within a school as it adopts CEP. We find modest reductions in suspension rates among elementary and middle but not high school students. While we are unable to observe how the expansion of free school meals affects the dietary intake of students in our national sample, we do observe that for younger students, these reductions are concentrated in areas with higher levels of estimated child food insecurity. Our findings suggest that the impact of school-based child nutrition services extends beyond the academic gains identified in some of the existing literature. |
| JEL: | H52 I0 I20 |
| Date: | 2018–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:24986&r=agr |
| By: | Devadoss, Stephen; Luckstead, Jeff |
| Abstract: | Abstract We develop a model for a representative risk-averse cotton farmer to analyze the impact of crop insurance policies (RP, YP, STAX, and SCO). The model is calibrated and numerically optimized to quantify the effects of different insurance policy combinations on input use, insurance coverage levels, premiums, and certainty equivalent. When the farmer elects only RP, the optimal coverage rate is 80%. Under RP&STAX, the optimal RP coverage rate is 70% and the STAX coverage rate is 90%. RP&STAX is the optimal policy combination based on certainty equivalents. The RP&SCO combination has the lowest impact of input use. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Risk and Uncertainty |
| Date: | 2018–01–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266763&r=agr |
| By: | Wade, Shelby; Shockley, Jordan M.; Dillon, Carl R.; McGrath, Joshua M. |
| Abstract: | Commercial fertilization has long been the preferred method amongst Kentucky grain farmers. However, emerging technology of poultry litter sub-surface injection will challenge the normal fertilization methods though there have been concerns over added costs and time in the field. A resource allocation linear programming model was performed in AIMMS software comparing the two methods. Results showed that the injection method yielded higher net returns then the typical commercial fertilization despite the additional costs and field hours. This information will be useful to farm managers looking to increase profit margins once the technology hits the market. |
| Keywords: | Farm Management, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies |
| Date: | 2018–01–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266764&r=agr |
| By: | Fan, Linlin |
| Keywords: | Demand and Price Analysis, Agricultural and Food Policy, Industrial Organization |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:259164&r=agr |
| By: | Davidson, Kelly A.; Kropp, Jaclyn D. |
| Keywords: | Risk and Uncertainty, Production Economics, International Development |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:259175&r=agr |
| By: | Mkondiwa, M. |
| Abstract: | Should a typical developing country invest more in agriculture or education? At what stage of development is it optimal to invest more in each of these sectors? Every developing country government grapples with these questions annually when designing a national budget. In this paper, I provide estimates of agricultural returns to schooling in Malawi- evidence of such returns implies a more complex non-separable decision process to answer the first question. While a large development economics literature has documented the effects of schooling on agricultural incomes, such estimates are potentially biased because of unobserved heterogeneity and selection bias. In this paper, I use 2010-2013 two period nationally representative panel survey data in Malawi and rely on the exogenous education policy changes and spatial variation in access to schooling to identify effects of schooling on agricultural incomes. In addition, I use recent econometric methods to correct for selection into income activities within a panel data and instrumental variables estimation framework. I find annual agricultural returns to one additional year of schooling in Malawi that range from 3% to 7%. |
| Keywords: | Financial Economics |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275914&r=agr |
| By: | Nunez, H. |
| Abstract: | This article aims to develop a framework to forecast bioethanol policies impacts a decade ahead in Mexico, where there have been several attempts to introduce biofuels into the market but so far no success. Technically, an endogenous-price mathematical programming model is developed emphasizing the Mexican agricultural and fuel sectors, which are embedded in a multi-region, multi-product, spatial partial equilibrium model of the world economy. There is a module for the U.S. and another for ROW. Mexico is disaggregated into 193 crop districts. Production functions are specified for 14 major crops and pasture. Bioethanol can be produced both from a dedicated crop and from agroindustrial residues. Three policy alternatives are considered as well as a base case in which, as now, liquid fuels are all derived from fossil sources. The rest alternative consists of subsidies to biofuel producers, the second of blending mandates and the third of both combined. Biofuel imports are allowed in all cases. Results show some losses for fuel and agricultural consumers, that are not o set by both ethanol producer and GHG emissions reduction gains. This suggests that some compensating redistribution may be needed if these policies are to be seen as politically sustainable. |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries, International Relations/Trade, Marketing |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275921&r=agr |
| By: | Hamory Hicks, Joan; Kleemans, Marieke; Li, Nicholas; Miguel, Edward |
| Keywords: | International Development, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Consumer/Household Economics |
| Date: | 2017–06–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258015&r=agr |
| By: | Hovhannisyan, Vardges; Urutyan, Vardan |
| Keywords: | Demand and Price Analysis, Marketing, Agricultural and Food Policy |
| Date: | 2017–06–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258200&r=agr |
| By: | Mehrjerdi, Mahla Zare; Mark, Tyler |
| Abstract: | Production resources are limited, world’s population is growing. One way to increase the production is to increase the area under cultivation, but this solution is not possible in all situations. Besides, increasing the cultivation area does not guarantee an increase in production. Another way is to increase the production is using more advanced machinery and production techniques. Wheat is the most strategic agricultural product in Iran. It forms the significant portion of Iranian diet. Policymakers have always been interested in new methods that can make the country independent of importing wheat. T reach this goal, it is essential to evaluate the productivity of wheat production. Using data from surveys done by Agriculture ministry of Iran, this study estimates the productivity of wheat production using a Cobb-Douglas production function in Tehran. The proposed method to estimate the productivity is Stochastic Frontier Production Function Model. The result suggests Farm size shows the highest marginal rate of productivity. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Production Economics, Productivity Analysis |
| Date: | 2018–01–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266774&r=agr |
| By: | Li, Tongzhe; Fooks, Jacob; Messer, Kent D. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, Resource/Energy Economics and Policy, Institutional and Behavioral Economics |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:259127&r=agr |
| By: | Bhagowalia, Priya |
| Keywords: | International Development, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Agricultural and Food Policy |
| Date: | 2017–06–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258284&r=agr |
| By: | Richards, Timothy J.; Klein, Gordon; Bonnet, Celine; Bouamra-Mechemache, Zohra |
| Keywords: | Industrial Organization, Demand and Price Analysis, Research Methods/Statistical Methods |
| Date: | 2017–06–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258021&r=agr |
| By: | Chen, Junhong; Gao, Zhifeng; Zhang, Lisha |
| Abstract: | Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) serves as platform for local producers, especially for small size farms, to sell local fresh products directly to local residents. Joining CSA will benefit the local economy as well as the local agriculture. Although CSA is widely accepted across the United States, the amount of CSA membership is still very low. Some people argue that the CSA membership is prevented by lack of choices in variety of products, or inconvenience of picking-up. In this study, we apply quantitative methods to identifying barriers that prohibit CSA participation or factors affecting unsubscribe of the CSA membership. We also compare characteristics and food perception of different consumers group (non-CSA members, previous CSA members and current CSA members). Based on the 780 responses collected from a consumer survey at the national level, our results show that only 6% of the total sample is current CSA members. The top two reasons for unsubscribing of the CSA membership are that they prefer farmer’s market and not cooking at home. On the other hand, the top two important factors for participation in CSA are supporting local and family farms. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Consumer/Household Economics |
| Date: | 2018–02–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266603&r=agr |
| By: | Ritter, Matthias; Yang, Xinyue; Odening, Martin |
| Keywords: | Demand and Price Analysis, Agribusiness, Agricultural Finance |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258133&r=agr |
| By: | Mandal, Bidisha; Cochrane, Nancy J. |
| Keywords: | International Development, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Agricultural and Food Policy |
| Date: | 2017–06–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258192&r=agr |
| By: | Merk, Christine; Pönitzsch, Gert; Rehdanz, Katrin |
| Abstract: | Discourse analyses and expert interviews about climate engineering (CE) report high levels of reflectivity about the technologies’ risks and challenges, implying that CE experts are unlikely to display moral hazard behaviour, i.e. a reduced focus on mitigation. This has, however, not been empirically tested. Within CE experts we distinguish between experts for radiation management (RM) and for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and analyse whether RM and CDR experts display moral hazard behaviour. For RM experts, we furthermore look at whether they agree to laboratory and field research, and how they perceive the risks and benefits of one specific RM method, Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI). Analyzing experts’ preferences for climate-policy options, we do not find a reduction of the mitigation budget, i.e. moral hazard, for RM or CDR experts compared to climate-change experts who are neither experts for RM nor for CDR. In particular, the budget shares earmarked for RM are low. The perceptions of risks and benefits of SAI are similar for RM and climate-change experts. Despite the difference in knowledge and expertise, experts and laypersons share an understanding of the benefits, while their perceptions of the risks differ: experts perceive the risks to be larger. |
| Keywords: | Stratospheric Aerosol injection (SAI),climate engineering,geoengineering,risk perception,expert perception,moral hazard |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:ifwkie:182103&r=agr |
| By: | Chen, Huang |
| Keywords: | Risk and Uncertainty, Agricultural and Food Policy, Production Economics |
| Date: | 2017–06–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258212&r=agr |
| By: | Suh, Dong Hee |
| Keywords: | Production Economics, Resource/Energy Economics and Policy, Productivity Analysis |
| Date: | 2017–06–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258198&r=agr |
| By: | Ferguson, Shon; Gars, Johan |
| Keywords: | International Relations/Trade, Land Economics/Use, Resource/Energy Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258089&r=agr |
| By: | Chavas, Jean-Paul; Li, Jian |
| Keywords: | Demand and Price Analysis, Research Methods/Statistical Methods, Risk and Uncertainty |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:259185&r=agr |
| By: | DOGBE, Wisdom; Gil, Jose M. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Demand and Price Analysis, Public Economics |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258132&r=agr |
| By: | Tamara L. Sheldon (University of South Carolina); Chandini Sankaran (Boston College) |
| Abstract: | Forest burning in Indonesia results in severe episodes of “seasonal haze” in neighboring Singapore. We offer the first causal analysis of the transboundary health effects of the Indonesian forest burning. Using a two-stage approach and instrumenting for air pollution with satellite fire data, we estimate the impacts of the Indonesian fires on Singaporean polyclinic attendances for acute upper respiratory tract infections and acute conjunctivitis. We also estimate the change in electricity demand in Singapore attributable to the fires, finding that demand increases as people respond to haze episodes by staying indoors. We estimate partial health and avoidance costs of US$333 million from January 2010 to June 2016. Our estimates suggest avoidance behavior is significant, accounting for over three quarters of our estimate. |
| Keywords: | air pollution; health; avoidance behavior; externalities; forestry |
| JEL: | D62 I1 Q23 Q51 Q53 |
| Date: | 2016–12–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:boc:bocoec:960&r=agr |
| By: | Espinosa, Maria; Louhichi, Kamel; Perni, Angel; Ciaian, Pavel; Gomez y Paloma, Sergio |
| Abstract: | This paper analyses the impact of the new direct payments (DPs) system introduced by the 2013 CAP reform on EU farming sector. We apply the EU-wide individual farm level model (IFM-CAP) which allows capturing farm specific implementation of DPs and assessing their distributional effects. Simulation results show that although the 2013 CAP reform succeeded to partially harmonize DPs between MS, relatively strong differences in DPs still remain in place. An important result of the 2013 CAP reform is also internal convergence of DPs within MS. The 2013 CAP reform reduced inequality of DPs as measured by the Gini coefficient from 0.581 to 0.561. The farm income decreases by around 1.3% at EU level due to the introduction of the new DPs. Around 60% of farms loose, whereas the remaining 40% of farms gain from the reform in EU-27. Small farms benefit, while large farms lose from the 2013 CAP reform. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Agricultural Finance, Farm Management |
| Date: | 2017–06–28 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258071&r=agr |
| By: | Gallenstein, Richard; Flatnes, Jon Einar; Dougherty, John; Mishra, Khushbu; Miranda, Mario; Sam, Abdoul |
| Keywords: | Financial Economics, International Development, Agricultural Finance |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:259210&r=agr |
| By: | Cardebat, Jean-Marie; Paroissien, Emmanuel; Visser, Michael |
| Keywords: | Demand and Price Analysis, Research Methods/Statistical Methods, Agribusiness |
| Date: | 2017–06–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258023&r=agr |
| By: | Sinha, Nishita; Lacewell, Ronald D.; Ribera, Luis; Fipps, Guy |
| Abstract: | A well-defined market for tradable water rights can achieve allocative and productive efficiency. Allocative efficiency refers to water allocation to highest valued use, while productive efficiency allows for water conservation since conserved water can be sold in the market (McCann and Garrick, 2014). The issues surrounding water requirements in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in South Texas include rising water demand and falling supply levels from frequent droughts and under deliveries by Mexico. A probability distribution for water deliveries in the next delivery cycle (2021-2025) is developed using a multivariate time series model. Based on the model, it is highly likely that Mexico will under deliver in the next cycle. Consequently, a market solution called the Dry Year Option Program (DYOP) is proposed as a near-term solution while making gradual efforts to revise the delivery mechanism, and improve irrigation efficiency. DYOP will involve temporary “transfer” of water rights from agriculture to urban water users. The farmers, in turn, will receive payments per acre-feet of water right enrolled in the program. These payments equal the value of irrigation water, calculated using the Residual Imputation Method. The program will ensure water security for urban water users while helping farmers to minimize losses. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2018–01–17 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266604&r=agr |
| By: | Steven Helfand (Department of Economics, University of California Riverside); Vilma Sielawa (Saint Mary's College of California); Deepak Singhania (Evidence for Policy Design at IFMR, India) |
| Abstract: | This paper provides an impact evaluation of the Programa Nacional de Crédito Fundiário, a market assisted land reform program in Brazil. The paper uses a panel dataset and pipeline control group to evaluate the program’s impact on agricultural production and earned income, using a difference in differences model with either municipal or individual fixed effects. The heterogeneous effect of additional years of land ownership is investigated. The findings suggest that the program increases production and earned income by about 75% and 35%, but only after four years of land ownership. The conclusions are supported by a number of robustness tests, although considerable attrition and potential bias due to unobserved variables suggests caution. The benefits of the program largely go to making debt payments. If the impact on income continues to grow, as it did in the first five years, improvements in net wealth and current welfare could both be achieved. |
| Keywords: | Market Assisted Land Reform, Asset Transfers, Programa Nacional de Crédito Fundiário, Rural Poverty, Brazil. |
| JEL: | Q15 O13 O22 |
| Date: | 2018–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ucr:wpaper:201815&r=agr |
| By: | Leschewski, Andrea M.; Weatherspoon, Dave D. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Food Security and Poverty, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:259139&r=agr |
| By: | Steele, Marie E.; Weatherspoon, Dave D. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Industrial Organization, Agricultural and Food Policy |
| Date: | 2017–06–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258202&r=agr |
| By: | He, Xi; Chen, Zhenshan |
| Keywords: | Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Agricultural and Food Policy, Consumer/Household Economics |
| Date: | 2017–06–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258263&r=agr |
| By: | Peckham, Janet G.; Galloway, Emily |
| Keywords: | Demand and Price Analysis, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Agricultural and Food Policy |
| Date: | 2017–06–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258267&r=agr |
| By: | Dieter von Fintel (Department of Economics, Stellenbosch University) |
| Abstract: | New economic geography theories predict that historically densely settled areas also become more industrialised. Industrial agglomeration has therefore cultivated spatial inequalities in all parts of the world. South Africa presents an interesting case study, where institutional failures interrupted the ‘usual’ agglomeration process. On the one hand, current day metropolitan regions are located in historically densely populated areas. On the other hand, apartheid-era homelands also had highly concentrated populations, but did not industrialise to the same extent as other parts of South Africa. Much earlier in history, following the mfecane, these locations attracted migrants in search of favourable agricultural conditions and physical security in the face of conflict (they were high rainfall, rugged areas). The benefit of settling in these areas, however, only remained prior to imposed restrictions on land ownership (1913 Land Act) and movement of people (during apartheid). This paper decomposes modern spatial inequality, and establishes that agglomerations and historical institutional failures explain large proportions of spatial inequality. Furthermore, the homelands wage penalty reverses once these controls are introduced into various models: had agglomeration taken its course without institutional constraints, the homelands would likely have developed into high paying local economies. While new economic geography theories hold in the urban core, the densely populated former homelands did not follow this trajectory. Spatial inequality is therefore more severe than it would have been had institutional failures not prevented the former homelands from industrialising at the same pace as other historically densely populated areas. |
| Keywords: | Spatial inequality, economic geography, apartheid homelands, African economic history |
| JEL: | N97 R11 D31 |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sza:wpaper:wpapers309&r=agr |
| By: | Rodriguez,Divina Gracia P.; Hegrenes, Agnar; Rejesus, Roderick M. |
| Keywords: | Production Economics, Risk and Uncertainty, Research Methods/Statistical Methods |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258108&r=agr |
| By: | McNamara, Paul E.; Lee, Han Bum |
| Keywords: | International Development, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Consumer/Household Economics |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258091&r=agr |
| By: | Herbst, Brian; Knapek, George; Anderson, David; Outlaw, Joe; Richardson, James |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy |
| Date: | 2018–02–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266700&r=agr |
| By: | Che, Yuyuan; Feng, Hongli; Hennessy, David A. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Institutional and Behavioral Economics, Risk and Uncertainty |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:259190&r=agr |
| By: | Thayer, Anastasia W.; McCarl, Bruce A. |
| Keywords: | Resource /Energy Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2018–02–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266615&r=agr |
| By: | Meemken, Eva-Marie; Qaim, Matin |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Consumer/Household Economics, International Development |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258088&r=agr |
| By: | Cao, Xiang; Bosch, Darrell J.; Pease, Jim |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Resource/Energy Economics and Policy, Risk and Uncertainty |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:259126&r=agr |
| By: | Guertin, France; Polzin, Thomas; Rogers, Martha; Witt, Betsy |
| Abstract: | This case study deals with The Dow Chemical Company’s (Dow) decision on how to restore a greenbelt area with historical issue that borders a brownfield property owned by the city of Midland, Michigan. Dow has a stated goal to apply a “business-decision process that values nature” and to deliver $1 billion in “value through projects that are good for business and good for ecosystems.” In line with this goal, Dow wanted to restore the greenbelt area by enhancing habitat and ecosystem services to Dow and Midland in a way that was also beneficial to the company’s bottom line. This case study presents three alternative restoration designs along with detailed financial cost and environmental data for each design. Students perform cost-benefit analysis, highlighting potential differences between how costs are calculated in a public setting relative to a private setting. In addition, students assess how the inclusion of important non-financial environmental data may be used to inform decision making. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy |
| Date: | 2018–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea18:274842&r=agr |
| By: | Zhu, Wenjue; Luo, Biliang; Paudel, Krishna |
| Abstract: | We develop a game theoretical model to understand the stability problem in the farmland lease contract in China where most land-owners are small landholders. When these small land-owners lease their land to large landholders, they take a high-rent-threaten strategy that can result in contract instability. Results obtained from doubly-robust estimation used on randomly selected interview data from 1611 households in nine provinces in China indicate that, (1) compared to those land-owners who transfer the farmland to the small landholders, the land-owners who transfer the farmland to large landholders will have a higher 46.57% possibility to ask for higher rent in the contract duration (high-rent-threaten strategy); (2) land-owners’ high-rent-threaten strategy will increase 4.49% possibility of the contract breaks; (3) in general, compared with those contracts that the transfer objects are not large landholders, the contracts that the transfer objects are large landholders has a 6.81% higher possibility of breakdown; (4) if we isolate the influence of land-owners’ high-rent-threaten strategy on the contract break, the contracts that the transfer objects are large landholders still has a 5.65% higher possibility of breakdown. The empirical results entail that, comparing to the stable farmland lease contract between two small farmers, contract instability can arise endogenously when large landholders lease farmlands. We conclude that a suitable rent control regime may be necessary to promote a large scale farmland transfer in China. |
| Keywords: | Farm Management, Institutional and Behavioral Economics, Risk and Uncertainty |
| Date: | 2018–01–17 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266601&r=agr |
| By: | Allen, S.; Goddard, E. |
| Abstract: | Many approaches have been suggested in various countries to improve the public’s diet, especially that of children. One potential mechanism to influence food choice is to implement warning labels on less healthy food products, specifically those consumed frequently by children, to help parents make more informed food purchases. The objective of this study is to determine whether an explicit, text-based warning label would affect the breakfast cereal purchases of parents who have children aged 8-12 in the home. We explore how their responsiveness to a warning label is affected by their individual characteristics, in particular nutrition knowledge, and how receiving information about the warning label influences their choices. Our findings indicate that although parents would be less likely to choose a product with a warning label, there is significant heterogeneity in responsiveness, and in many cases people are WTP more to get a desired brand than to avoid a warning label. |
| Keywords: | Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety |
| Date: | 2018–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae18:275885&r=agr |
| By: | Martin L. Weitzman; Bjart J. Holtsmark |
| Abstract: | Linkage of cap-and-trade systems is typically advocated by economists on a general analogy with the beneficial linking of free-trade areas and on the specific grounds that linkage will ensure cost effectiveness among the linked jurisdictions. An appropriate and widely accepted specification for the damages of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions within a relatively short (say 5-10 year) period is that marginal damages for each jurisdiction are constant (although they can differ among jurisdictions). With this defensible assumption, the analysis is significantly clarified and yields simple closed-form expressions for all CO2 permit prices. Some implications for linked and unlinked voluntary CO2 cap-and-trade systems are derived and discussed. |
| Keywords: | linkage, cap and trade, pollution, climate change |
| JEL: | Q50 Q51 Q52 Q54 Q58 |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_7225&r=agr |
| By: | Thibault Fally; James Sayre |
| Abstract: | Primary commodities are used as inputs into all production processes, yet they account for approximately 16 percent of world trade. Despite their share in trade, we show that the aggregate gains from trade are largely understated if we ignore key features of commodities: low price elasticities of demand (difficulty in finding substitutes), low price elasticities of supply, and high dispersion of natural resources across countries. We develop a general-equilibrium model of consumption, production, and input-output linkages that explicitly accounts for these features. Our simulations confirm that the gains from trade are significantly larger, especially when considering large trade cost changes. |
| JEL: | F10 O13 |
| Date: | 2018–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:24965&r=agr |
| By: | Kim, Booyoung; Kim, Sanghyo; Lee, Kyei-im |
| Keywords: | Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety |
| Date: | 2018–02–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:saea18:266727&r=agr |
| By: | Root, Christopher; Maredia, Mywish K. |
| Keywords: | International Development, Research Methods/Statistical Methods, Community/Rural/Urban Development |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258098&r=agr |
| By: | Rim Lahmandi-Ayed (UR MASE - Modélisation et Analyse Statistique et Economique - ESSAIT - Ecole Supérieure de la Statistique et de l'Analyse de l'Information - Université de Carthage); Mohamed Matoussi (Université de Tunis [Tunis]) |
| Abstract: | We aim at checking from a theoretical viewpoint the claims made about water markets in the literature. We prove that water markets improve farmers' profits and production efficiency but do not necessarily improve total production and do not always encourage private investments. Taking into account the transaction cost of water markets and the social cost due to the inactivity of some farmers that may result from water markets, we prove that water markets do not always improve total surplus. JEL Classification: Q25, C72, O33. |
| Keywords: | Water markets,Water scarcity,Production efficiency,Total production,Private investment,Social costs,Transaction costs |
| Date: | 2018–08–28 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-01863372&r=agr |
| By: | Luo, Tianyuan; Kostandini, Genti; Jordan, Jeffrey L. |
| Keywords: | Labor and Human Capital, Productivity Analysis, Research Methods/Statistical Methods |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:259198&r=agr |
| By: | Wolf, David M.; Georgic, Will C.; Klaiber, Allen |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, Resource/Energy Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use |
| Date: | 2017–06–15 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea17:258096&r=agr |
| By: | Chatellier, Vincent; Pouch, Thierry; Le Roy, Cécile; Mathieu, Quentin |
| Abstract: | Russia has been for many years an important outlet for the European Union (EU) in the agri-food sector. Following the break-up of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1991, Russian agriculture, which until then had been dominated by sovkhozes and kolkhozes, had suffered a drastic fall in domestic production, in particular in animal production. Over the past fifteen years, and due to a policy encouraging investment in agriculture, especially in agro-industrial complexes where the integration model prevails, agricultural production progressed rapidly, at least in certain sectors, including cereals, poultry meat and pork. This development of domestic supply and the diversification of supplier countries (including the United States, Brazil, etc.) had, even before the embargo imposed since August 2014, led to a substantial loss of European exports to Russia. Since the embargo was effective, Russia is no longer a privileged partner for European animal productions. Thanks to the growth of imports in several Asian countries, especially in China, several European animal sectors have nevertheless managed, despite the closure of the Russian market, to increase their exports. This paper deals, first of all, with the main stages of the Russian agricultural and trade policy, the development of agricultural production in this country, and the implementation of the embargo. Using customs statistics data (from BACI and COMEXT databases) over the period 2000 to 2016, it then discusses the evolution of trade flows following the implementation of the embargo, with particular emphasis on Russia's bilateral relations with the EU in four animal sectors: milk and milk products, beef and veal, poultry meat, and pork. |
| Keywords: | International Relations/Trade |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:inrasl:276471&r=agr |