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on Agricultural Economics |
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Issue of 2024‒06‒10
35 papers chosen by |
| By: | Visser, Martine (Environmental-Economics Policy Research Unit, University of Cape Town, South Africa.); Roux, Leonard Le (Sciences Po, Paris, France); Mulwa, Chalmers Kyalo (University of Cape Town); Tibesigwa, Byela (University of Dar es Salaam); Ayele, Mintewab Bezabih (Environment and Climate Research Center, Policy Studies Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.) |
| Abstract: | Two important risks faced by many smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa are erratic weather patterns and insecure land tenure. It is likely these risks will increasingly interact as projections of more erratic weather make small-scale farming more difficult and demand for rural land grows. This paper asks how farmers in Western Tanzania view these compound risks and the influence this has on levels of investment in adaptive agricultural technologies and the demand for land certification in a labin-the-field setting. Presenting novel data from a series of framed decision tasks linked to a household survey, this paper explores the relationship between individual risk preferences, adaptive investment, and the demand for land certification from a group of 650 rural households in Kigoma, Tanzania. While adaptive investment increases with weather-related risk, we find it responds negatively to land tenure risk. Individual risk preferences and past experiences of real-world land disputes play significant roles in adaptive investment. We also find that demand for land certification is high; investment increases significantly after certification; and risk-averse individuals show much larger increases in investment after obtaining land certification. |
| Keywords: | agricultural investment; climate change adaptation; tenure risk |
| JEL: | C91 C93 D80 O13 Q15 |
| Date: | 2022–09–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:gunefd:2022_014&r= |
| By: | Surendran-Padmaja, Subash; Parlasca, Martin C.; Qaim, Matin; Krishna, Vijesh V. |
| Abstract: | This study investigates key institutional factors promoting the adoption of laser land levelling (LLL), a technology that has gained wide popularity among farmers in northwestern India despite being indivisible. The main objective is to evaluate the role of service providers, offering LLL on a rental basis to farmers, for technology dissemination among smallholders with fragmented plots. Plot-level data from 1, 661 households across 84 villages in Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh in India were collected and used to analyse farmers’ LLL technology perceptions and adoption decisions. Regression models were developed to estimate the role of local service provision for LLL adoption while controlling for farm, household, and other contextual variables. The analysis pays particular attention to the heterogeneous effects of service provision on farmers with different farm and plot sizes. The data and estimates reveal that local access to a larger number of service providers is associated with higher rates of LLL adoption among farmers. The effect of service providers on adoption varies by farm and plot size: it is larger on smaller farms/plots. The findings suggest that a conducive institutional environment that accommodates the specific needs of different farm sizes can speed up innovation adoption. This finding makes a case for re-evaluating traditional agricultural technology scaling models to include individual service provision for broader and more inclusive adoption. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies |
| Date: | 2024–05–17 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:ubzefd:342427&r= |
| By: | Abebe, Meseret Birhane (Addis Ababa University); Endale, Kefyalew (Addis Ababa University) |
| Abstract: | A large body of literature in development economics has investigated the impact of improved agricultural technologies on productivity and the welfare of smallholder farmers. This paper studies the impact of new technologies on a relatively under-researched outcome variable of interest, nutrition security. We use a two-step panel Endogenous Switching Regression (ESR) on two rounds of household panel data from rural Ethiopia and show that improved seed adoption resulted in a significant increase in households’ protein, fat, and iron consumption. Improved seed adopter households also exhibit a significantly larger household diet diversity index, implying that they consume a wide range of nutritious food items. The results suggest that the impact of the adoption of improved agricultural technologies may be significantly larger than what has been documented by previous studies. |
| Keywords: | Technology adoption; Food security; Nutrition; Vulnerability; and Ethiopia |
| JEL: | C33 C34 D13 |
| Date: | 2023–02–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:gunefd:2023_001&r= |
| By: | Rabi Mohtar |
| Abstract: | National and regional visions for the future of water and food security have been at the forefront of sustainability talks. Nevertheless, the role of soil in water and food security and carbon management needs to be highlighted and integrated into these discussions and visions. The dynamic characterization of soil as a medium that accounts for the long-term impact of the agro-environmental conditions is of utmost importance to sustainability of these resources and to sustainable development in general. |
| Date: | 2024–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ocp:ppaper:pb14-24&r= |
| By: | NES Kjersti (European Commission - JRC); ANTONIOLI Federico (European Commission - JRC); CIAIAN Pavel (European Commission - JRC) |
| Abstract: | The objective of the report is to analyse purchasing patterns of organic food products and plant-based alternatives and examine how sensitive the consumption of these products is to changes in prices. The report analyses are based on consumer purchasing panel data from five EU countries – Germany, Spain, France, Italy and Finland – for 2018–2022. The report finds that consumption patterns of organic food products and plant-based alternatives are heterogeneous across countries, products and socioeconomic household groups. The econometric estimates show that (i) the magnitudes of the own-price elasticities of organic products, plant-based alternatives and conventional products vary across products and countries, ranging between – 0.13 and – 1.30, (ii) the price sensitivity of the sustainable products is more heterogeneous than that of their conventional counterparts and (iii) changes in the prices of organic products minimally affect the purchasing quantities of their conventional counterparts (i.e. the corresponding cross-price elasticities mostly range between – 0.05 and 0.05), while changes in the prices of the conventional products tend to affect the purchases of organic products (i.e. the corresponding cross-price elasticities mostly range between – 0.50 and 0.50). |
| Date: | 2024–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ipt:iptwpa:jrc134549&r= |
| By: | Cassimon, Danny; Fadare, Olusegun; Mavrotas, George |
| Abstract: | The focus on Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG-2) to address hunger and food security has led to increased foreign capital flows into Sub-Saharan Africa, yet the region continues to grapple with rising food insecurity and malnutrition rates, exacerbated by governance challenges and dependency on imported staple crops. Recent research underscores the critical relationship between governance quality, capital flows, and food insecurity in the region, particularly in the context of post-pandemic challenges. |
| Keywords: | Sub-Saharan Africa, food security, development finance, governance quality |
| Date: | 2024–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iob:apbrfs:2024002&r= |
| By: | Balma, Lacina; Heidland, Tobias; Jävervall, Sebastian; Mahlkow, Hendrik; Mukasa, Adamon N.; Woldemichael, Andinet |
| Abstract: | Russia's invasion of Ukraine has threatened global grain supplies as it reduces production and exports while increasing trade costs. While the overall share of Africa's trade with Ukraine and Russia is small, the concentration of imports in products such as wheat, other grains, and fertilizer is critical to food security. This paper investigates the long‐term impacts of the conflict on grain imports and prices in Africa. We use a long‐run general equilibrium trade model to study three scenarios that may evolve as a consequence of the conflict: (1) a heavily reduced Ukrainian production of wheat and other grains; (2) rising trade costs with Ukraine and Russia due to disrupted trade routes in the Black Sea and the sanctions against trading with Russia; and (3) an outright ban on Russian grain export. The model simulations show that the conflict severely affects grain imports, raising local prices for wheat and other grains, with especially strong effects in high import‐dependent countries. That creates risks for food security in some African countries. |
| Keywords: | agriculture, food insecurity, food prices, grain, trade, trade disruptions, war, wheat |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:ifwkie:294185&r= |
| By: | Stephen Ayerst; Loren Brandt; Diego Restuccia |
| Abstract: | In less developed economies the allocation of factor inputs to more productive farms is often hindered. To analyze how distortions to factor reallocation affect farm dynamics and agricultural productivity, we develop a model of heterogeneous farms that make cropping choices and invest in productivity improvements. We calibrate the model using detailed farm-level panel data from Vietnam, exploiting regional differences in agricultural institutions and outcomes. We focus on south Vietnam and quantify the effect of higher measured distortions in the North on farm choices and agricultural productivity. We find that the higher distortions in north Vietnam reduce agricultural productivity by 41%, accounting for 61% of the observed 2.5-fold difference between regions. Moreover, two-thirds of the productivity loss is driven by farms' choice of lower productivity crops and reductions in productivity-enhancing investment, which more than doubles the productivity loss from static misallocation. |
| Keywords: | Farm dynamics, productivity, size, distortions, misallocation, Vietnam. |
| JEL: | O11 O14 O4 |
| Date: | 2024–05–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tor:tecipa:tecipa-775&r= |
| By: | Franck Duquesnois (UBM - Université Bordeaux Montaigne); Hervé Hannin (UMR MoISA - Montpellier Interdisciplinary center on Sustainable Agri-food systems (Social and nutritional sciences) - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - CIHEAM-IAMM - Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen de Montpellier - CIHEAM - Centre International de Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement, IHEV Institut des hautes études de la vigne et du vin - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier); Françoise Brugière (France Agrimer) |
| Abstract: | Why is it relevant for actors in a territory in crisis to carry out a foresight exercise? The actors in a territory in crisis (economic crisis, climate crisis, etc.) are collectively facing a decrease in resources and performance. Among these actors, the gap between the realities and the perception of these realities becomes more pronounced, resulting in a loss of meaning and even identity. Opportunistic strategies multiply to the detriment of the common interest. Through a participatory process, the foresight exercise is likely to bring out different contributions within the territory in crisis: the reconstruction of common shared representations, the disarmament of short-term conflicts, the exit from the dictatorship of urgency, the creation of collective strategies to proactively bring about a common future that is most favorable for all. |
| Keywords: | Strategic foresight, Strategic foresight territory future crisis strategies, territory, future, crisis strategies |
| Date: | 2024–02–29 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04562443&r= |
| By: | Beyene, Abebe D. (EfD-Ethiopia); Mekonnen, Alemu (Addis Ababa University); Bluffstone, Randall (Portland State University); Tesfaye, Yemiru (Wondogenet College of Forestry and Natural Resources, Hawassa University) |
| Abstract: | The government of Ethiopia has extensively adopted participatory forest management (PFM) programs. However, there is very little empirical evidence on whether PFM practices in Ethiopia enhance the capacity of rural households to cope with shocks. This study looks into whether forest income and share of forest income are higher for PFM members than non-members when faced with shocks. The study also examines the role of shocks on the decision to participate in PFM and the effect of PFM membership on forest income and share of forest income. We use household level data collected in 2018 from a large, representative sample of PFM sites and, unlike most other studies, we apply both propensity score matching and switching regression models in the analysis. Unlike most other studies, our findings show that forest income and share of forest income are not responsive to either idiosyncratic or covariate shocks for either PFM participants or non-participants. However, we find that households are more likely to become PFM members if they have experienced economic shocks. Considering the role of forest income in general (not specifically during a time of shocks), we find that PFM participants obtain more forest income than nonparticipants, but that the share of forest income in total income is higher for non-participants. |
| Keywords: | PFM; shocks; forests; rural Ethiopia; switching regression |
| JEL: | O12 O13 Q23 |
| Date: | 2022–06–23 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:gunefd:2022_012&r= |
| By: | Akinbode Okunola; Elliott Dennis; John Beghin |
| Abstract: | We analyze the distribution of maximum residue limits (MRLs) on veterinary drugs used in animal production and aquaculture in a global context of food consumption and trade. We compare MRLs by drug–commodity pairs for a large set of countries, commodities, and drugs. We find that international standards by Codex Alimentarius only cover a small fraction of the drug-commodity pairs. We compare countries’ MRLs to Codex MRLs when they exist and look at potential deviations from the science-based MRLs in either direction (more or less stringent than Codex). For drugs without Codex standard, we look at deviation from median values. When Codex MRLs exist, variation and stringency above codex MRLs are minimal, a somewhat surprising and hopeful finding. Little protectionism prevails when a Codex standard exists. We find higher variation when Codex standards do not exist. We test for significant differences in MRL variation for cases with and without a Codex MRL and find robust evidence of higher variation for the latter. Increasing the institutional capacity of Codex for establishing a larger set of MRLs would reduce the heterogeneity of MRLs across countries. |
| Keywords: | Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, International Relations/Trade |
| Date: | 2024–05–22 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:nbaesp:342915&r= |
| By: | Shujaat Farooq (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics); Durr-e-Nayab (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics); Saddam Hussein (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics); Nabila Kunwal (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics) |
| Abstract: | Human species' dependence on forests is as old as the beginning of the times. Thus, the conservation of forests is important both for the existence of human beings and the protection of renewable natural resources. The forest ecosystem has an extended value-chain in the economy by providing a range of direct and indirect goods and services that benefit humankind in numerous ways. Hence, forests play a significant but often unrecognized role at multiple scales of human organization. For this very reason, Ministry of Climate Change and REDD+Pakistan joined hands with Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) to undertake a "Comprehensive National Level Assessment of Demand and Supply of Forest Products and Services in Pakistan". |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pid:kbrief:2024:120&r= |
| By: | Mustapha El Jarari (Laboratoire de Recherche en Économie Sociale et Solidaire, Gouvernance et Développement (LARESSGD) - Laboratoire de Recherche en Économie Sociale et Solidaire, Gouvernance et Développement (LARESSGD)) |
| Abstract: | Climate risks compromise economic prospects and exacerbate poverty. The adverse impacts of climate change on sectors heavily dependent on natural resources, such as agriculture, represent a significant global threat, putting pressure on political, economic and environmental stability. Economists are interested in climate change because of the direct and indirect economic losses it causes, with significant consequences for developing countries and poor populations. Consequently, strengthening the resilience of vulnerable individuals has become a priority aligned with sustainable development goals and public policies. This paper explores the relationships between climate change, smallholder resilience and food insecurity through a narrative review of scientific literature. For small-scale farmers facing the challenges of climate change, resilience has become a central conceptual tool in development research. Gaining increasing importance in the development field, the concept of resilience has introduced an innovative framework for understanding poverty reduction and promoting development. This approach has aroused considerable interest in academic circles, and has been widely embraced by policy-makers, donors and international organizations. However, the literature reflects a lively debate about the criticisms levelled at resilience theory. Researchers have voiced a number of objections to its usefulness and innovative contribution, with these differences manifesting themselves even in the definition of the concept. The multiple meanings attributed to the term have led to severe criticism of the validity of resilience theory. The inherent complexity of the concept makes it particularly tricky to measure or operationalize. |
| Abstract: | Résumé : Les risques climatiques compromettent les perspectives économiques et exacerbent la pauvreté. Les impacts néfastes du changement climatique sur des secteurs fortement tributaires des ressources naturelles, tels que l'agriculture, constituent une menace mondiale significative, exerçant une pression sur la stabilité politique, économique et environnementale. Les économistes s'intéressent au changement climatique en raison des pertes économiques directes et indirectes qu'il engendre, avec des conséquences significatives pour les pays en développement et les populations pauvres. Par conséquent, le renforcement de la résilience des individus vulnérables est devenu une priorité alignée avec les objectifs du développement durable et les politiques publiques. Ce papier explore les relations entre le changement climatique, la résilience des petits paysans et l'insécurité alimentaire à travers une revue de littérature scientifique de type narratif. Pour les petits paysans confrontés aux défis du changement climatique, la résilience est devenue un instrument conceptuel central dans la recherche sur le développement. En gagnant une importance grandissante dans le domaine du développement, le concept de résilience a introduit un cadre novateur pour appréhender la réduction de la pauvreté et la promotion du développement. Cette approche a suscité un intérêt marqué au sein des milieux académiques et a été largement embrassée par les décideurs politiques, les donateurs, et les organismes internationaux de développement. Cependant, la littérature reflète un débat animé concernant les critiques adressées à la théorie de la résilience. Les chercheurs ont formulé plusieurs objections quant à son utilité et à sa contribution innovante, ces divergences se manifestant même dans la définition du concept. Les multiples significations attribuées au terme ont donné lieu à des critiques sévères sur la validité de la théorie de la résilience. La complexité inhérente à ce concept rend particulièrement délicate sa mesure ou son opérationnalisation. Mots-clés : Résilience, Changement climatique, sécurité alimentaire, petits paysans. JEL Classification : O13, Q18 Type du papier : Recherche théorique Abstract Climate risks compromise economic prospects and exacerbate poverty. The adverse impacts of climate change on sectors heavily dependent on natural resources, such as agriculture, represent a significant global threat, putting pressure on political, economic and environmental stability. Economists are interested in climate change because of the direct and indirect economic losses it causes, with significant consequences for developing countries and poor populations. Consequently, strengthening the resilience of vulnerable individuals has become a priority aligned with sustainable development goals and public policies. This paper explores the relationships between climate change, smallholder resilience and food insecurity through a narrative review of scientific literature. For small-scale farmers facing the challenges of climate change, resilience has become a central conceptual tool in development research. Gaining increasing importance in the development field, the concept of resilience has introduced an innovative framework for understanding poverty reduction and promoting development. This approach has aroused considerable interest in academic circles, and has been widely embraced by policy-makers, donors and international organizations. However, the literature reflects a lively debate about the criticisms levelled at resilience theory. Researchers have voiced a number of objections to its usefulness and innovative contribution, with these differences manifesting themselves even in the definition of the concept. The multiple meanings attributed to the term have led to severe criticism of the validity of resilience theory. The inherent complexity of the concept makes it particularly tricky to measure or operationalize. Mots-clés: Resilience, climate change, food security, small farmers. JEL Classification : O13, Q18 Paper type : Theoretical Research Mustapha EL JARARI (Doctorant en sciences économiques) Laboratoire de recherche en économie sociale et solidaire, gouvernance et développement. Faculté des sciences juridiques, économiques et sociales, Université Cadi Ayyad, Marrakech, Maroc. |
| Keywords: | Resilience, climate change, food security, small farmers., Résilience, Changement climatique, sécurité alimentaire, petits paysans., Résilience Changement climatique sécurité alimentaire petits paysans. JEL Classification : O13 Q18 Type du papier : Recherche théorique Resilience climate change food security small farmers. JEL Classification : O13 Q18 Paper type : Theoretical Research, petits paysans. JEL Classification : O13, Q18 Type du papier : Recherche théorique Resilience, small farmers. JEL Classification : O13, Q18 Paper type : Theoretical Research |
| Date: | 2024–04–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04555453&r= |
| By: | Shujaat Farooq (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics); Durr-e-Nayab (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics); Saddam Hussein (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics); Nabila Kunwal (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics) |
| Abstract: | Forests and well-vegetated rangelands/pasture lands play an important role in protecting watersheds and in preventing the flooding of plain areas of the river basins through regulating water flows (in terms of timing, quantity, and quality). These also protect landscapes, infrastructure, and soil by preventing, controlling, and minimizing landslides and erosion. Therefore, this policy brief identifies, assesses, quantifies, and evaluates the forest ecosystem pertaining to the soil and water conservation services. For the purpose, this study utilized the secondary data sets obtained through satellite imagery and the published documents in the form of research papers, reports, etc. |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pid:kbrief:2024:117&r= |
| By: | Deng, Yaguo |
| Abstract: | In this chapter, we present a semiparametric Bayesian approach for stochastic frontier (SF) models that incorporates exogenous covariates into the inefficiency component by using a Dirichlet process model for conditional distributions. We highlight the advantages of our method by contrasting it with traditional SF models and parametric Bayesian SF models using two different applications in the agricultural sector. In the first application, the accounting data of 2, 500 dairy farms from five countries are analyzed. In the second case study, data from forty-three smallholder rice producers in the Tarlac region of the Philippines from 1990 to 1997 are analyzed. Our empirical results suggest that the semi-parametric Bayesian stochastic frontier model outperforms its counterparts in predictive efficiency, highlighting its robustness and utility in different agricultural contexts. |
| Keywords: | Bayesian semi-parametric inference; Efficiency; Heterogeneity; Production function; Stochastic frontier analysis |
| Date: | 2024–04–23 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cte:wsrepe:43837&r= |
| By: | Musili, Beverly |
| Abstract: | The paper reviews complex discussions on loss and damage (L&D) and conducts an in-depth evaluation of the corresponding scope and award criteria. Specific attention is paid to the origins of L&D negotiations, ranging from the 1991 proposal of an insurance mechanism for climate change impacts to the historic establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund in 2022. The article also outlines the gendered impacts of L&D, highlighting that, as compared to their male counterparts, women are more adversely impacted by climate change. Another key concern identified in this paper is that the Loss and Damage Fund may not be sufficient to cover all losses and damages that follow a climate event. This emphasizes the need for a balanced and transparent disbursement mechanism that would ensure a timely and efficient delivery of support to affected communities. |
| Keywords: | Climate change, loss and damage, climate finance, climate justice, Africa, sustainable development, environment. |
| Date: | 2023–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cpm:notfdl:2311&r= |
| By: | Rutledge, Zachariah; Rickman, Samuel |
| Abstract: | On November 2, 2023, the Michigan State University Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics held a farm labor conference to investigate labor challenges that domestic agricultural employers and employees are facing, discuss potential solutions, and provide Michigan's agricultural stakeholders with information and resources to help address these challenges. One hundred and twenty individuals registered for the conference and 90 guests attended in person. The specific objectives of the conference were to (i) determine the most pressing labor challenges being faced by agricultural employers and employees, (ii) identify industry and government resources that can help address these challenges and disseminate this information to agricultural stakeholders, and (iii) find and discuss (amongst academia, industry, and government) potential policy and regulatory solutions. |
| Keywords: | Farm Management, Labor and Human Capital |
| Date: | 2024–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:midaae:342307&r= |
| By: | Michele Di Maio; Patricia Justino; Valerio Leone Sciabolazza; Cecilia Nardi |
| Abstract: | We show that the Russia-Ukraine-war-induced changes in the international price of wheat affected political violence in Asia. Using data from 13 countries and more than four million cell-level observations, we show that a higher wheat price increases political violence in areas that are more suitable to produce that crop. We interpret this evidence as consistent with a rapacity effect being at play: the higher value of agricultural output increases the incentive to violently appropriate it. Our result is robust to a number of falsification and robustness tests. |
| Keywords: | War, Commodity shocks, Trade, Political violence, Agricultural market performance, Asia |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2024-30&r= |
| By: | Valentin Laprie |
| Abstract: | Low-carbon technical change in the building sector is a promising solution to address the challenges of climate change, energy security, and public health. We aim to investigate the effects of various environmental policies on low-carbon innovation in the building sector where strong investment barriers transpire, focusing on France as a case study. Pollution taxes, subsidies, standards, which induce more low-carbon innovation? Using a quality index for patents and a Polynomial Distributed Lag Model, our results suggest a limited impact of a carbon tax on promoting low-carbon innovation within the building sector in France. Moreover, our findings indicate that subsidies targeting less polluting technologies emerge as a primary driver of qualitative innovation. Additionally, our study reveals that energy standards for buildings exert a significant albeit temporary influence on the number of patents in relevant technological domains. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Policy, Technical Change, Patents, Energy Efficiency, Buildings |
| JEL: | O33 O34 O38 Q54 Q55 Q58 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:drm:wpaper:2024-17&r= |
| By: | Otienoa, Jackson (Athi Water Works; and Environment for Development Kenya); Cook, Joseph (School of Economic Sciences, Washington State University, USA); Fuente, David (School of the Ocean, Earth and the Environment, University of South Carolina, USA) |
| Abstract: | Commercial businesses are vulnerable to shortages or reliability in water supply, particularly those for whom water is a significant input and water prices and quality are likely to be salient. Depending on their ability to substitute to alternative water sources, reliance on unreliable municipal water may result into higher water input costs for firms, which may reduce profits or be partially or fully passed to consumers. In this study we surveyed 400 commercial firms in Nairobi, Kenya that had piped water connections to the municipal network to examine their water-related coping mechanisms and costs. Only 20% receive water for seven days in a week; 48% receive water for between one to four days in a week. We find that one quarter of firms share water with neighbouring businesses that are not experiencing water rationing. Additionally, 94% of businesses rely on water storage facilities as their main coping strategy. 6% of the surveyed firms invested in their own private boreholes, and one quarter rely on water vendors. We valued these costs using information reported by respondents, finding that the average monthly coping costs are approximately US$300, which are in addition to the $130 paid monthly to the municipal provider by the average firm. These coping costs were driven by the cost for vended water ($118.5). The levelized cost of water storage equipment was $11. We estimate that coping costs are greater than 130% of the monthly cost of piped water network in the case where businesses depend on boreholes. A multivariate analysis of total coping costs suggests that the age of business, connection to the piped network, and number of toilet facilities within business premise significantly drive the coping costs. |
| Keywords: | Coping Cost; Commercial Sector; Water Supply; Kenya |
| JEL: | Q25 |
| Date: | 2023–03–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:gunefd:2023_003&r= |
| By: | Shujaat Farooq (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics); Durr-e-Nayab (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics); Saddam Hussein (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics); Nabila Kunwal (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics) |
| Abstract: | Rangelands are largest land cover category in Pakistan accounting for around 57% of the total land area. These are a broad category of lands and include different vegetation cover types, such as high elevation pasture lands, forest lands – used as grazing lands, shrublands, brushwood lands, grass lands and river banks as well as stream banks that are used for animal grazing. On a global level, these account for more than 40% of the land area. These lands are characterized by native plant communities. which besides providing forage resources to livestock, also provide a number of other goods and services and are therefore important for a large segment of society in Pakistan. |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pid:kbrief:2024:113&r= |
| By: | OECD |
| Abstract: | The consumption of products, services and transportation has significant environmental consequences and account for the majority of global greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, demand-side policy measures have the potential to reduce the environmental footprint of these activities by up to 40-70%. This Policy Paper draws on the OECD’s recent household survey on environmental policy and behavioural change to provide insights and policy recommendations for specific measures that can encourage more sustainable household consumption of energy, transport and food as well as more sustainable waste practices. The report was prepared in support of Japan’s 2023 G7 presidency. |
| Keywords: | Demand-side policy, Energy, Food, Household behaviour, Sustainable consumption, Transport, Waste |
| Date: | 2024–05–17 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:envaac:42-en&r= |
| By: | R. Terminel Zaragoza (Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora); Julián Esparza R. (Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora); F. Legarreta Muela (Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora); R. Ulloa Mercado (Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora); A. Serna Gutiérrez (Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora); L. Díaz Tenorio (Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora); A. Rentería Mexía (Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora); C. Robles Aguilar (Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora) |
| Abstract: | Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between body fat percentage and the consumption of ultra-processed foods, classified according to the NOVA system and adjusted for other predictor variables, in freshman university adolescents. The adjustment model was developed using various lifestyle factors, such as physical activity, tobacco use, and family history of cardiovascular disease, in addition to ultra-processed food variables. The adjustment model was created using Stata through a series of steps, beginning with exploratory analysis, moving on to univariate analysis, and concluding with stepwise analysis. The resultant model was assessed for interaction, multicollinearity, and linear regression hypotheses. Data from 230 freshman university students enrolled at the Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora (ITSON) were examined. |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:boc:mexi23:11&r= |
| By: | Romane Vandroux (ANTHROPO LAB - Laboratoire d'Anthropologie Expérimentale - ETHICS EA 7446 - Experience ; Technology & Human Interactions ; Care & Society : - ICL - Institut Catholique de Lille - UCL - Université catholique de Lille); François-charles Wolff |
| Date: | 2024–03–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04562943&r= |
| By: | MASKAEVA Asiya; MGENI Charles; MSAFIRI Mgeni; KINYONDO Godbertha; MSEMO Emanuel Mbazi; NECHIFOR Victor (European Commission - JRC); EL MELIGI Andrea (European Commission - JRC); FERREIRA Valeria; BOYSEN Ole (European Commission - JRC); SIMOLA Antti (European Commission - JRC) |
| Abstract: | This study utilises the DEMETRA (Dynamic Equilibrium Model for Economic Development, Resources and Agriculture) computable general equilibrium model to conduct an economy-wide assessment of the impacts of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on mainland Tanzania. The model provides a comprehensive description of the trade agreements effects on the economy as a whole, and on the agriculture and industrial sectors in particular. The study also employs a global, multiregional model to determine the trade creation and diversion effects of four liberalisation schedules defined by various policy objectives. The findings show that the AfCFTA will have a positive effect on both economic growth and welfare, mainly because the reduction in trade barriers, especially non-tariff barriers, will result in increased consumption and output (by reducing distortions) and consequently an improvement in efficiency. The Tanzanian national income is expected to improve as exports increase. Exporting sectors that are expected to gain include the agriculture, food processing, textiles, chemicals, paper and glass sectors. The AfCFTA will lead to increased output in industries that employ a large number of women, leading to a rise in their relative wages. In the agriculture sector, cash crops production will expand to a greater extent than that of food crops, and male labour employment in this sector will expand. Primary commodities will continue to be the most important exports. The study shows that trade in Tanzania is dominated by trade in raw materials, with trade in manufactured goods correspondingly weak, which is clearly reflected in current patterns in intra- and extra-African trade. The findings thus highlight the need for the Tanzanian government to promote industrialisation. |
| Date: | 2024–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ipt:iptwpa:jrc136637&r= |
| By: | Justine Hervé (Stevens Institute of Technology); Subha Mani (Fordham University, the Population Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania, IZA and GLO); Jere Behrman (University of Pennsylvania); Ramanan Laxminarayan (One Health Trust and Princeton University) |
| Abstract: | Food coma, also known as postprandial somnolence, is a commonly cited reason for experiencing reduced alertness during mid-afternoon worldwide. By using exogenous variation in the timing of tests and, hence, by extension, plausibly exogenous variation in the temporal distance between an individual’s last meal and the time of test, we examine the causal impact of postprandial somnolence on cognitive capacities. Analyzing novel time use data on ~ 4, 600 Indian adolescents and young adults, we find that testing within an hour after a meal reduces test-takers’ scores on English, native language, math, and Raven’s tests by 8, 8, 8, and 16 percent, respectively, compared to test-takers who took the tests more than an hour after their meal. We further find that the negative effect of postprandial somnolence on cognition operates through increased feelings of fatigue and depletion of cognitive resources that become more pronounced while dealing with more challenging test questions. |
| Keywords: | Post-meal fatigue, Cognitive skills, Low-stakes tests, India, Adolescents |
| JEL: | I12 I18 I21 J24 |
| Date: | 2024–04–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pen:papers:24-011&r= |
| By: | Sabrina Camélia Pagop; Luc Savard |
| Abstract: | This study conducts an in-depth exploration of the increasing interest in voluntary carbon markets (VCMs) in Africa, shedding light on the potential opportunities and challenges associated with African participation in these markets. VCMs have gained prominence as promising means to address climate change, driven by substantial financial incentives and market expansion. Nonetheless, persistent debates revolve around the legitimacy of carbon credits and their tangible contributions to climate change mitigation and adaptation. |
| Date: | 2024–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ocp:rpaper:pp-0524&r= |
| By: | Otieno, Jackson (Athi Water Works; and Environment for Development Kenya); Cook, Joseph (School of Economic Sciences, Washington State University, USA); Fuente, David (School of the Ocean, Earth and the Environment, University of South Carolina, USA) |
| Abstract: | We investigate the price responsiveness of commercial and industrial water users in Nairobi, Kenya using billing data from 32, 793 commercial and industrial customers over five years that includes 663, 000 billing records with usable, metered water use data. We examine water demand before and after a relatively substantial tariff increase in 2015 that collapsed the increasing block tariff from four blocks to three and created a new zero-cost ”lifeline” block of seven cubic meters. Rather than estimate an instrumental variables approach, we use a simple price specification that we believe fits the available evidence on price perception from the household demand literature: lagged average total price. Pooling all data, we find inelastic demand: a 10% increase in average total price is associated with a 1.1% reduction in monthly water use. Firms that have a lower mean monthly water use are more price responsive than firms with moderate water use. We find no price effect among the largest water users. Finally, we estimate separate demand models for various types of businesses, finding inelastic demand in six of seven categories (construction, garages, industrial users, markets/retail, and small office buildings). Large office buildings are not price responsive, and we find wrong-signed price elasticities for restaurants. |
| Keywords: | Water Demand; Commercial firms; Water Elasticity; Kenya |
| JEL: | L20 Q25 Q31 Q51 |
| Date: | 2023–03–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:gunefd:2023_004&r= |
| By: | Shujaat Farooq (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics); Durr-e-Nayab (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics); Saddam Hussein (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics); Nabila Kunwal (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics) |
| Abstract: | Pakistan is the world fifth most populous country with more than 230 million population which is growing at a growth rate of 1.7% (World Population Review, 2022). This growing population requires huge quantity of timber to meet the demands for building construction, furniture, panel and ply wood, and pulp and paper on one hand and fuelwood to meet the energy demands of domestic, commercial and industrial sectors on the other hand. In the face of these demands the country’s forest resources are deficient and primarily managed for sustenance of the crucial ecosystem services like watershed protection, biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, environmental amelioration, recreation and tourism. Pakistan has only 5% forest area against the international standard of 20-25% which is required to meet economic and environmental demands of a country (MoCC, 2020). |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pid:kbrief:2024:119&r= |
| By: | Jacinthe Cloutier; Karima Afif; Marie-Claude Roy |
| Abstract: | "Humanity wastes more than a billion meals a day." So stated the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on March 27, 2024, on the occasion of the publication of the latest Food Waste Index report. Each inhabitant of the planet wastes an average of 79 kg of food, which represents around 1 billion tonnes of food waste. In Quebec, the total amount of food waste produced annually is over 3 million tonnes, equivalent to 1 kg per person per day. What can be done about it? A CIRANO study offers insights into the key success factors for implementing initiatives to reduce food loss and waste. « L’humanité gaspille plus d’un milliard de repas par jour. » C’est ce qu’affirmait le Programme des Nations Unies pour l’environnement (PNUE) le 27 mars 2024 à l’occasion de la publication du plus récent rapport sur l'indice de gaspillage alimentaire. Chaque habitant de la planète gaspillerait en moyenne 79 kg de nourriture, ce qui représente environ 1 milliard de tonnes de déchets alimentaires. Au Québec, la quantité totale de résidus alimentaires produite annuellement s’élève à plus de 3 millions de tonnes, soit 1 kg par habitant par jour. Comment y remédier ? Une étude CIRANO propose des pistes de réflexion quant aux facteurs clés de succès pour la mise en œuvre d’initiatives visant la réduction des pertes et gaspillages alimentaires. |
| Keywords: | Food wastage, Reducing losses, Gaspillage alimentaire, Réduction des pertes |
| Date: | 2024–05–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cir:circah:2024pj-06&r= |
| By: | Agung Suryawan Wiranatha (Udayana University [Bali]); I Gusti Ayu Oka Suryawardani (Udayana University [Bali]); Christine Petr (LEGO - Laboratoire d'Economie et de Gestion de l'Ouest - UBS - Université de Bretagne Sud - UBO - Université de Brest - IMT - Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris] - IBSHS - Institut Brestois des Sciences de l'Homme et de la Société - UBO - Université de Brest - UBL - Université Bretagne Loire - IMT Atlantique - IMT Atlantique - IMT - Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris], CREM - Centre de recherche en économie et management - UNICAEN - Université de Caen Normandie - NU - Normandie Université - UR - Université de Rennes - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); I Putu Eka Nila Kencana (Udayana University [Bali]) |
| Abstract: | Agritourism in Bali has not been developed optimally yet. As a basis for development of agritourism, the criteria should be determined and priorities among criteria need to be set. The objectives of this research were: (i) to identify criteria for agritourism development; and (ii) to analyze the priorities for selected criteria according to the agritourism stakeholders in Bali. This research implemented Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method which involved 20 key informants representing agritourism stakeholders. The finding was the priority criteria for agritourism development in Bali, namely: (1) Attractions, followed by (2) Local Community Involvement, (3) Ancillary Services, (4) Marketing, (5) Amenities, and (6) Accessibility. This kind of research has not been undertaken previously in Bali. It contributes to academic and practical implications, particularly in agritourism development planning in Bali, in which development of agritourism should be focused on the diversification of agritourism attractions supported by professional management and community participation. |
| Keywords: | agriculture, agricultural industry, AHP, priority criteria, tourism, Bali |
| Date: | 2024–04–13 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04555036&r= |
| By: | HARDING Richard; NAUWELAERS Claire; HAEGEMAN Karel (European Commission - JRC) |
| Abstract: | This report looks at the key features of territorial Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) strategies, as they are developing throughout the EU, and examines whether and how the adoption of a Transformative Innovation (TI) approach could add value to these strategies and their implementation. The analysis is based on a literature review covering the two fields. Starting from rationales for linking TI and CCA strategies, seven key TI features are identified which are further explored in this report, in order to form a picture of the possible beneficial contributions TI might make to the design and implementation of CCA strategies. For each feature, potential contributions to climate adaptation are identified. Also, barriers to integrating TI in CCA strategies are formulated, both to strategy formulation and strategy implementation. Infusing TI approaches into the design and implementation of CCA strategies holds a promise to raise their effectiveness, and calls for more experimentation. As a way to start such experimentation, the framework developed in this report has been applied to 16 territories, covered in 14 separate case study reports listed in annex 2, drawing meaningful insights per territory as regards accelerating climate adaptation through transformative innovation. It targets public authorities in EU territories (and beyond) at different governance levels (from national to local), as well as other territorial stakeholders involved in or affected by climate adaptation policies and transformative innovation policies. |
| Date: | 2024–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ipt:iptwpa:jrc137300&r= |
| By: | Nazam Maqbool (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics) |
| Abstract: | Cities in Pakistan are increasingly faced with problems of erratic supply of piped water and unsafe and declining levels of groundwater. Additionally, over one-third (35 to 40 percent) of piped water is wasted through leakages and theft in the water distribution networks.[1] By 2050, the country’s urban population is expected to double in size (from 81 million in 2022 to 160 million in 2050 or from 37.7 percent of the total population to 52.2 percent) (see table 1). Providing water for these citizens is a challenging task; finding money to pay for the provision of that water is at least as daunting. Urban water tariffs are low and infrequently adjusted, even with current efforts at reform. |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pid:kbrief:2024:115&r= |
| By: | Sascha Keil; Walter Paternesi Meloni |
| Abstract: | Over the past decades, models of circular and cumulative causation, based on the endogenous relations between prices, exports, and labour productivity, have lost prominence in explaining economic dynamics. We argue that, in the absence of counterbalancing mechanisms, the combination of price-sensitive exports and the triggering effect of exports on productivity can enable feedback loops and can significantly shape macroeconomic reality in the short-to-medium run. We apply an adapted export-led model of cumulative causation to 10 major countries belonging the Euro area, a region characterized by divergent wage growth trajectories reflected in divergent export competitiveness and lack of equilibrating mechanisms. Specifically, the model is tested for the period 1995–2020 employing a country-level system of equations (3SLS-ARDL). Our findings indicate that for the majority of the countries examined, this feedback mechanism – comprising price-sensitive exports and export demand affecting productivity growth – exacerbates macroeconomic disparities in terms of labour productivity. While nominal wages act as a potential trigger through their impact on price competitiveness, they also serve as a central factor that retards the feedback mechanism due to the Verdoorn effect of wage-induced demand. Overall, our results affirm the significance of price-induced and export-led theories of cumulative causation while also delineating its limitations, particularly regarding price competitiveness-oriented export-led growth strategies. |
| Keywords: | international trade, export, competitiveness, unit labour cost, wages, productivity, european imbalances |
| JEL: | F16 F41 J30 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:imk:fmmpap:103-2024&r= |
| By: | Lanot, Gauthier (Department of Economics, Umeå University); Tribe, Keith (University of Jyväskylä) |
| Abstract: | During the 1790s Britain experienced a series of poor harvests which, given an expanding population and wartime disruption to the European grain trade, resulted in sudden and rapid increases in the domestic price of wheat. In modern discussion of Corn and Poor Laws the severity of these fluctuations has been obscured by the use of annual average grain prices, despite weekly county prices being available from 1771 as published in the London Gazette. We highlight the uncertainties of grain prices during the period 1794-96, drawing upon extensive contemporary discussion published in the Annals of Agriculture of the problems arising from rapid fluctuations in the price of wheat. Our purpose is to demonstrate that the tropes usually today associated with the Corn and Poor Laws – pauperism, a clash between merchant, manufacturing and landlord interests, population and impoverishment – are absent from discussion during this period. A doctrinaire “political economy” would develop in the early 1800s, but did not yet exist. Policy argument drew upon casuistic reasoning from circumstance and past experience. We also show that this approach undermines any idea that Edmund Burke’s Thoughts and Details on Scarcity is in some way connected to “political economy”. |
| Keywords: | Corn Laws; grain prices; London Gazette; Annals of Agriculture; political economy; dearth |
| JEL: | B11 B12 P00 |
| Date: | 2024–05–20 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:umnees:1025&r= |