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on Agricultural Economics |
| By: | Kumara, Kiran T. M.; Birthal, Pratap Singh |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries, Food Security and Poverty, Sustainability |
| Date: | 2024–11–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:icarpb:349213 |
| By: | Prem, Chand; Kumara TM, Kiran; Pal, Suresh; Naik, Kalu |
| Abstract: | Sustainable development of agriculture is essential to achieve the multiple goals of improving food and nutrition security, improving farmers’ income, and reducing poverty, especially in developing countries like India where agriculture is the main source of livelihood for millions of small-scale producers. Hence, understanding the dimensions and indicators of sustainability is important for targeting technologies and policies for ensuring inter-general equity in agriculture. Considering several dimensions and indicators related to soil health, water management, ecology, and socioeconomic conditions this study has constructed composite indices of agricultural sustainability for major states of India. These indices will aid policymakers to identify weak linkages in agricultural development at a spatial scale, and accordingly take corrective actions. |
| Keywords: | Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty, Production Economics, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Sustainability |
| Date: | 2024–01–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:icarpp:344993 |
| By: | Kumar, Sant; Birthal, Pratap S.; Chand, Prem; Kingsly, I. T. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries |
| Date: | 2024–03–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:icarpb:344937 |
| By: | Lopez, Rigoberto A.; Steinbach, Sandro; Li, Mengjie |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Agricultural Finance, Consumer/Household Economics |
| Date: | 2024–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea23:339614 |
| By: | Kishore, Prabhat; Birthal, Pratap S.; Srivastava, Shivendra Kumar |
| Abstract: | Propelled by advancements in agricultural technology, irrigation expansion, infrastructure development, and incentives such as subsidies on inputs and guaranteed purchase of produce at government-determined prices, India’s food system has evolved, transforming the country from a state of food deficit to food surplus. However, this transformation has come at a cost. The incentive structure that contributed to this transformation has now become unsupportive of agricultural sustainability, damaging natural resources, agrobiodiversity, and the environment. This paradoxical situation necessitates a critical examination of current policies and practices. In this study, we evaluated the impact of Minimum Support Prices (MSP), one of the key components of agricultural policy, on crop yields, market prices, farmers’ income, and groundwater levels. The findings demonstrate that MSP-based procurement, by mitigating market uncertainties and price risks, and incentivizing production, serves as an income safety net for farming communities. |
| Keywords: | Food Security and Poverty, Sustainability |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:icarpp:358869 |
| By: | Sharma, Purushottam; Yeasin, Md; Paul, Ranjit Kumar; Anwer, Md. Ejaz; Meena, Dinesh Chand |
| Abstract: | Frequent fluctuations in food prices are a matter of significant policy concern. The rising food prices affect the food and nutrition security of the poor. Farmers although benefit from the rising food prices, they also suffer when the prices fall. The high price volatility induces uncertainty in farmers’ decisions regarding crop choice, input use, and farm investment. Prices of perishable commodities are more volatile than prices of nonperishable commodities. Amongst non-perishables, the prices of the commodities with significant government intervention, in terms of price support and procurement, are the least volatile. No size fits all. Managing food price volatility requires differentiated strategies for different commodities. Nonetheless, the need for a market intelligence system for all the commodities to foresee likely changes in production and prices and to track commodity flows and inter-market trade cannot be undermined. I hope this study will be helpful for farmers in deciding their cropping patterns, traders and processors in deciding the stocking and processing levels, and policymakers in taking appropriate measures to contain food price inflation. I congratulate authors for their important contribution. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Agricultural Finance, Demand and Price Analysis, International Relations/Trade |
| Date: | 2024–09–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:icarpp:349209 |
| By: | Saxena, Raka; Birthal, Pratap S.; Agrawal, R. C.; Sharma, Purushottam; Paul, Ranjit Kumar; Pant, Devesh K.; Joshi, Neha; Balaji, S. J. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, International Relations/Trade |
| Date: | 2024–12–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:icarpp:349211 |
| By: | Sun, Dingqiang; Qie, Xueting; Huang, Kaixing |
| Abstract: | The overuse of chemical fertilizers is a global problem that has led to a series of adverse effects on the environment and human well-being. This study identifies a novel cause of fertilizer overuse: farmers’ irrational responses to lagged droughts. Employing unique plot-level data from maize production in China, we find that while drought shocks in any given year are independent, a drought in the previous year increases fertilizer use in the current year by 14.2%, with no positive effect on yield. A simple extrapolation suggests that this irrational response to lagged droughts causes an annual total fertilizer overuse of 1.1 million tons in China. This could translate to a monetary cost of 486 mil lion USD, drinking water pollution of 2-6 billion cubic meters, and carbon emissions of 8.9 million tons. Fertilizer overuse is expected to increase substantially under future climate change scenarios. We identify investment in irrigation, land consolidation toward high-productivity farmers, and the promotion of drought-tolerant crop varieties as key approaches to mitigating drought-induced fertilizer overuse. |
| Keywords: | drought, irrational response, fertilizer overuse, environmental pollution |
| JEL: | D91 Q12 Q15 Q18 Q54 |
| Date: | 2025–09–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:126068 |
| By: | Birthal, Pratap S.; Srivastava, Shivendra Kumar; Saxena, Raka; Godara, S.; Chand, Prem; Kishore, Prabhat; Jumrani, Jaya; Kandpal, Ankita; Sharma, Purushottam; Pant, Devesh Kumar |
| Abstract: | Indian agriculture has reached the stage of unprecedented achievements, accompanied by unprecedented challenges. It has witnessed an all-time high growth of approximately 4% during the past decade ending 2023-24, which is likely to continue with the right set of technologies, policies and institutions. However, it is pertinent to examine the factors underlying these achievements and their associated costs to prepare a roadmap for sustainable growth of agriculture to achieve the national goals of food and nutrition security, and inclusive development. In some states, agricultural sector has emerged as the primary driver of economic growth. However, this occurred because of the intensive use of resources and prioritizing short-term gains over long-term sustainability in most cases. This is evidenced by the factors such as increased use of fertilizers to produce the same amount of output, declining groundwater levels, soil degradation, and environmental pollution. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Sustainability |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:icarpp:358871 |
| By: | Birthal, Pratap S.; Hazrana, Jaweriah; Roy, Devesh; Satyasai, K. J. S |
| Abstract: | Climate change is one of the biggest challenges to sustainable development of agriculture, and consequently to the livelihood of farming communities, and the governments’ efforts to improve food and nutrition security and reduce poverty, especially in countries more exposed to climate risks and dominated by small-scale producers who often lack finance for investment in risk management. During the past two decades, climate finance for agriculture has attracted considerable attention in policy debates, yet agriculture’s share in the total climate finance has remained minimal. Empirical evidence presented in this paper distinctly highlight the role of finance in building resilience of agriculture. These provide a basis for a change in policy stance to emphasize climate finance in investment and credit planning in agriculture, and the need for innovative approaches to deliver finance that is climate sensitive. Climate risks are predicted to be severe in plausible future climate scenarios; hence, the need for climate finance for agriculture cannot be understated. Current level of climate finance for agriculture is not commensurate with its requirement. Today’s investments in climate actions will shape future trajectory of agricultural growth, and its economic and social outcomes. I hope this paper will be useful for policymakers, financial institutions and other stakeholders to take informed decisions on financing agriculture for risk management. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Agricultural Finance, Environmental Economics and Policy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty, Risk and Uncertainty, Sustainability |
| Date: | 2024–01–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:icarpp:344992 |
| By: | Kandpal, Ankita; Birthal, Pratap S.; Mishra, Shruti |
| Abstract: | Research in and for agriculture has significant potential to address the current and future challenges to transforming agri-food production systems as more productive, efficient, and sustainable. In India, most research in agriculture and allied activities is carried out in public-sector institutions. Agricultural R&D, however, remains underinvested. In 2020-21, the country spent about 0.54% of agricultural gross domestic product on research and 0.11% on extension, much less than their corresponding global levels. Nevertheless, there is a strong justification for more investment in agricultural R&D. Every rupee spent on research pays back Rs 13.85, and on extension, Rs 7.40. Hence, by 2030, investment in R&D should be raised to at least one percent of the agricultural gross domestic product. Importantly, it should be accompanied by revamping of the research agenda, considering the likely demand for different food and non-food commodities, the current and future challenges, and opportunities. This study suggests more resources for research on livestock, fisheries, natural resource management, and climate adaptation and mitigation, and bridging the regional R&D gaps. The past is the guide to the future. Investment in R&D made today will decide the future course of agricultural development. The evidence presented in this study are of significant importance to research administrators and policymakers in taking informed decisions regarding investment in agricultural R&D and its prioritization for the smooth transformation of agri-food systems. |
| Keywords: | Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Research Methods/Statistical Methods |
| Date: | 2024–04–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:icarpp:344995 |
| By: | Kumar, Suresh; Birthal, Pratap S.; Kumar, S.; Yadav, R. K. |
| Abstract: | Sustaining livelihoods in fragile environments, characterized by land degradation amidst the increasing threat of climate change, is a significant challenge. Soil salinity and other forms of land degradation severely affect crop yield and food supply. Hence, both preventive and curative strategies are essential for managing salt-affected and waterlogged saline soils. To effectively promote such strategies, policymakers need robust evidence on their socioeconomic impacts. This study provides evidence of the economic impact of subsurface drainage technologies. In addition, it identifies constraints faced by farmers and project implementation agencies during the execution and operation of the subsurface drainage system. By highlighting these challenges, this study offers valuable insights into the practical difficulties in implementing strategies for reclamation of waterlogged saline soils. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, Crop Production/Industries, Food Security and Poverty, Land Economics/Use, Sustainability |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:icarpp:358870 |
| By: | Melkadze, Ketevan; Engemann, Helena; Jafari, Yaghoob |
| Keywords: | International Relations/Trade |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:gewi24:364724 |
| By: | Nikzad, Mojtaba; Gerharz, Eva |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:gewi24:364752 |
| By: | Goeb, Joseph; Htar, May Thet; Zu, A Myint |
| Abstract: | This Research Note presents results from an August 2025 phone survey of 227 agricultural input retailers – who provide agricultural inputs and informal credit to farmers – in Myanmar’s major agro-ecological zones. Key Findings • Input sales declined sharply in the 2025 monsoon relative to 2024. Fewer retailers sold inorganic fertilizers and pesticides, and aggregate sales for those who did sell declined by 31 percent for inorganic fertilizer and 10 percent for pesticides. • The decline is not solely due to supply shortages: smaller areas planted, weaker farm profits, and conflict have dampened demand, while climate change and the 2025 earthquake add to input market stress. Two-thirds of retailers cite lower input demand from climate change in the past three years, and earthquake impacts – while more localized – disrupted market access and areas planted. • Transport remains the dominant business disruption. Even with a slight drop in overall reported disruptions compared to 2024, transport problems – higher costs, checkpoints and roadblocks – still dominate. Long input supply chains dependent on imports and flowing through Yangon mean that checkpoints and higher costs compound as inputs reach rural farmers. • Farmer finances are stressed, especially in rice-dominant areas. Farmers are asking for and taking more credit from input retailers. This likely reflects tighter liquidity following the recent global rice price decline, which has reduced incentives and profitability for monsoon paddy. • Credit provision is expanding but adding risk. More retailers are providing credit to farmers and sourcing their inputs on credit from suppliers. Yet, two-thirds of retailers that provided credit in 2024 still have unpaid debts from farmers, raising the risks of cascading financial stress. • Measures to ease transport constraints, stabilize access to imported fertilizers and pesticides, and expand formal credit options for both farmers and retailers would help sustain this essential link in the agrifood system. |
| Keywords: | farm inputs; markets; transport; supply chains; prices; rice; Myanmar; Asia; South-eastern Asia |
| Date: | 2025–10–22 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:othbrf:177266 |
| By: | Steinbach, Sandro; Yildirim, Yasin; Zurita, Carlos |
| Abstract: | U.S. agriculture faces heightened exposure to retaliatory trade actions. This report evaluates the potential risks to U.S. and North Dakota agriculture under four trade policy scenarios involving Canada, Mexico, and China. We quantify trade risks across key commodities using detailed trade elasticity estimates and projected agricultural export data. The results show that soybean and wheat exports are particularly vulnerable, with southeastern and north-central counties in North Dakota projected to experience the greatest economic impact. These findings underscore the substantial vulnerability of North Dakota’s agricultural economy to retaliatory tariffs and highlight the need for targeted risk mitigation strategies that enhance market resilience, stabilize farm revenues, and reduce dependence on a narrow set of export markets. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries, International Relations/Trade, Risk and Uncertainty, Supply Chain |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:captsr:356548 |
| By: | Plastina, Alejandro; Wongpiyabovorn, Oranuch; Palange, Kyra; Steinbach, Sandro |
| Abstract: | This joint report from the Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center (RaFF) and the Center for Agricultural Policy and Trade Studies (CAPTS) provides an updated forecast for North Dakota farm income in 2025 and a preliminary outlook for 2026. Using the RaFF Farm Income Model—calibrated with USDA administrative data and regional projections from FAPRI-MU—the analysis projects a 39% increase in North Dakota net farm income (NFI) in 2025, reaching $4.79 billion. The primary driver of this increase is a sharp rise in direct government payments, which more than offset a $1 billion decline in crop receipts and stable production expenses. Livestock receipts are expected to rise modestly, led by record cattle prices. In 2026, NFI is projected to fall by 48% as government payments return to typical levels and commodity receipts weaken further. These projections provide a benchmark for evaluating short-term income dynamics in the state’s farm economy under current policy and market conditions. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Agricultural Finance, Crop Production/Industries, Farm Management, Livestock Production/Industries, Marketing |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:captsr:358582 |
| By: | Yim, Hyungsun; Dall’erba, Sandy |
| Abstract: | In the United States, like in other countries, the agrifood supply chain faces challenges from a growing population and less predictable weather conditions. Extreme weather events decrease agricultural yield, which leads to changes in the domestic trade of agricultural products and, in turn, in the manufacturing of food products. This paper investigates the extent to which food manufacturing in any single state is dependent on drought events affecting locally sourced inputs and/or imported inputs. For this purpose, we estimate the food manufacturing production function in a two-stage process. In the first stage, we assess the role of drought on trade in animals and fish (SCTG 01), cereal grains (SCTG 02), and all other crop products (SCTG 03). In the second stage, we estimate a nested production function for processed food at the state level. Our findings indicate that the agrifood supply chain always adapt to a weather-induced shock on inputs but, depending on the location of the latter, it leads to either an increase or a decrease in a state’s food manufacturing production. We end with simulations showing how drought events affect food manufacturing production in California and Texas, the largest players in the national agrifood network. |
| Keywords: | Demand and Price Analysis |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:assa25:359270 |
| By: | Boukaka, Sedi Anne; Geoffrey, Baragu; Azzarri, Carlo |
| Abstract: | Potato farmers in Kenya grapple with various challenges along the value chain, including limited access to quality planting materials such as seeds and fertilizers, insufficient storage and postharvest handling facilities, fluctuating market prices, and unreliable market information systems. These challenges are further exacerbated for women and youth because of persistent social gaps in the agriculture sector. Digital tools can play a vital role in addressing these challenges by providing access to valuable agricultural information, weather forecasts, and best practices that help farmers make informed decisions and improve crop management. However, challenges persist in digital tool adoption within the agricultural value chains in sub-Saharan Africa. The study aims to assess the impact of digital tool adoption and support on socioeconomic and agriculture-related outcomes in Kenya’s potato value chain. It piggybacks on an ongoing digital tool integration program, Business Development and Coaching (BDEC), conducted by the Farm to Market Alliance (FtMA), which targets agripreneurs in Farmer Service Centers (FSCs). By comparing a treatment group that receives this training with a control group continuing business as usual, the study evaluates the effects of agripreneurs’ adoption and expanded use of digital tools on farmers’ agriculture-based livelihoods, income generation, and job creation metrics, with a focus on youth employment and gender disparities. |
| Keywords: | biodiversity; decision making; potatoes; value chains; surveys; youth; sex-disaggregated data; Kenya; Africa; Eastern Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Date: | 2025–10–28 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:sfs4yp:177389 |
| By: | Amare, Mulubrhan; Omamo, Steven Were; Balana, Bedru; Andam, Kwaw S.; Nwagboso, Chibuzo; Iraoya, Augustine; Popoola, Olufemi; Loum, Serigne; Jawed, Khusro |
| Abstract: | Over the past decade Nigeria has experienced persistent food price inflation and substantial volatility, driven by domestic fragilities and global shocks. Three major shocks – the COVID-19 pandemic (2020), the Ukraine-Russia war (2022), and fuel subsidy reform (2023) – drove large and uneven price increases, with wheat prices rising by 63.3% and brown sorghum by 83.9%. Volatility was highest for wheat flour and groundnuts, with coefficients of variation of 0.53 and 0.51, reflecting Nigeria’s dependence on imports and sensitivity to external price shocks. This study utilizes high-frequency retail price data for eight staple food commodities across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to analyze spatial and temporal food price dynamics, volatility patterns, and their welfare implications. To quantify welfare impacts, we use the International Food Policy Research Institute’s Food Price Simulator. Results show a 9.1 percentage point increase in food poverty (from 42.9% to 52.0%) and an 11.6-point rise in undernourishment (from 40.0% to 51.6%). Lower-income households reduced food expenditures by 12.7%, compared to 9.5% for higher-income groups, reflecting disproportionate exposure to food inflation. Northern zones had relatively lower prices for traditional grains due to more favorable agroecological conditions, while southern regions faced higher prices due to higher transport costs and limited local production. Conflict-affected northeastern states exhibited the highest volatility and food insecurity. We propose a three-pronged policy agenda: short-term safety nets and strategic reserves, medium-term reforms to strengthen market connectivity through improved transport and storage infrastructure, and long-term investments in climate-resilient, inclusive food systems. |
| Keywords: | food prices; food security; households; markets; policy innovation; price volatility; Nigeria; Africa; Western Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Date: | 2025–10–28 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:177382 |
| By: | Van Campenhout, Bjorn; Abate, Gashaw T.; Colen, Liesbeth; Kramer, Berber |
| Abstract: | Free samples are a widely used strategy to introduce new products or technologies, offering prospective users the opportunity to gain firsthand experience and potentially facilitate diffusion through social networks. However, concerns remain that giving away products for free may reduce their perceived value, increasing the risk that recipients will underutilize, repurpose, or resell the product rather than use it for its intended purpose. We explore three mechanisms through which charging a positive price may increase uptake, intended use and subsequent adoption of a new technology: (1) a signaling effect, where a positive price conveys higher product quality; (2) a screening effect, whereby payment deters users who do not value the product and targets those more likely to use it; and (3) a sunk cost effect, where paying a positive price induces a psychological commitment to use. We test how these pricing mechanisms shape uptake, use, and subsequent adoption of recently released seed varieties of staple food crops, drawing on a field experiment with smallholder farmers in Uganda and Ethiopia. We find that willingness to pay is a reliable predictor of subsequent use of seed trial packs, pointing to the value of modest prices for targeting likely adopters. At the same time, sunk cost effects are context specific and often negative, suggesting that charging farmers can reduce their ability or willingness to experiment. These findings carry important implications for how pricing strategies can be designed to promote technology adoption in low-income settings. |
| Keywords: | technology adoption; prices; crops; seeds; costs; agricultural technology; Uganda; Ethiopia; Africa; Eastern Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Date: | 2025–10–24 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:177343 |
| By: | Paparella, Antonio; Petsakos, Athanasios; Davis, Kristin E.; Song, Chun |
| Abstract: | Agro-silvo-pastoralism is an agricultural practice combining crop cultivation (agro), forestry (silvo), and animal husbandry (pastoralism) within the same system. It is an integrated approach to land management, applicable to a wide range of ecological conditions [1] that aims to create a harmonious interconnection between its components, thereby maximizing overall system productivity, promoting production diversification and biodiversity, and ensuring sustainability [2]. Agro-silvo-pastoralism systems were already known during the Roman Empire; such systems are mentioned in works like "De Agri Cultura" by Cato (second century B.C.), "Naturalis Historia" by Pliny the Elder (first century B.C.), and "De Re Rustica" by Varro (37 B.C.) [3]. Archeological studies prove that the practice is rooted in the Bronze Age [4], [5]. In recent years, the interest in agro-silvo-pastoralism has been renewed because of its potential to sustain rural farming in marginal areas and to adapt to the challenges posed by climate change [6]. In Brazil, for example, areas under agro-silvo-pastoralism amount to 17 million hectares, with a potential to reach three times that number. |
| Keywords: | pastoralism; agrosilvopastoral systems; natural resources; nature conservation |
| Date: | 2025–10–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:issbrf:177485 |
| By: | Kumar, Anil; Birthal, Pratap S. |
| Abstract: | In developing countries, rural communities have long recognized the importance of dung as a source of renewable energy for domestic purposes and organic fertilizers for crop production. However, the utility of dung, both as a source of energy and fertilizers, has diminished owing to the increasing use of chemical fertilizers and fossil fuels, rendering it a less essential resource and a potential environmental contaminant. Nevertheless, owing to their increasingly negative externalities on natural resources and the environment, a new perspective has emerged on the utility of dung as biogas and bio-compressed natural gas (CNG), while maintaining its traditional use as an organic fertiilizer. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries, Supply Chain |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:icarpb:358873 |
| By: | Bachewe, Fantu Nisrane; Andam, Kwaw S.; Mawia, Harriet; Popoola, Olufemi |
| Abstract: | Food systems (FS) are critically important for youth employment in sub-Saharan Africa. FS must grow rapidly to guarantee food and nutrition security for growing populations, provide the quantity and quality of food demanded by increased urbanization and income, and to complement technological changes in other sectors. Expansion of nonfarm components of FS also reinforces efforts to transition out of agriculture. The impact of these factors, their inevitability and amenability to policy interventions, and the extent of FS transformation needed differ across countries. Future FS also face several emerging challenges. Employment and job creation are among the areas significantly affected by FS transformation. Demographic changes that accompany expanding FS employment are also critical for gender equity and youth inclusion. The extent, speed, and complementarity of the FS transformation and increased employment also vary across countries. However, few systems are currently in place to monitor the extent of FS transformation or its interactions with other aspects of the economy. This study explores the evolution of employment in Nigeria’s FS over the past two decades, focusing on youth and gender inclusion amid broader demographic, economic, and policy shifts. As Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria is experiencing all the factors that typically shape FS and labor markets. With the working-age population growing by nearly 90 percent between 2000 and 2023 and youth unemployment remaining high, the agrifood system (AFS) presents both a challenge and an opportunity for inclusive economic transformation. The paper begins by situating FS as critical to Nigeria’s economy, highlighting their contributions to GDP and employment. Using national living standards survey data, it examines structural changes in employment, particularly the shift away from on-farm agricultural work toward nonfarm segments such as food processing, trade, and services. Between 2003 and 2022, agriculture’s share in total employment fell from 58 percent to 35 percent, while nonfarm AFS employment grew from 12 percent to 33 percent. Women and youth have been central to this shift, with women’s participation in nonfarm AFS increasing by 190 percent and youth participation growing by over 300 percent—growth was especially faster in trade and food manufacturing. The analysis links these labor trends to key drivers such as economic growth, policy reforms, urbanization, and conflict. While Nigeria’s economy nearly tripled between 2000 and 2023 and poverty declined, economic gains have been uneven and fragile, particularly in the northern regions affected by insecurity. Government efforts—including the Agricultural Promotion Policy (2016-2020), National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (2022-2027), and the creation of the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit (2023)—signal a growing shift toward an FS approach in policy thinking. However, gaps in institutional coordination, inadequate investment in enabling infrastructure, and limited inclusion of vulnerable groups constrain the impact of these reforms. The study concludes that Nigeria’s AFS holds potential for inclusive growth and employment generation. However, realizing this potential requires sustaining the policy focus from narrow agricultural productivity to a broader FS strategy that centers on employment quality, gender equity, youth entrepreneurship, and institutional alignment. Without such a transformation, Nigeria risks even more youth unemployment and discontent, thus missing the demographic dividend. But with targeted investments in skills, infrastructure, and policy coherence, the AFS can serve as a powerful lever for sustainable development and economic opportunity. |
| Keywords: | demographic transition; food systems; youth; youth employment; employment; Nigeria; Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Western Africa |
| Date: | 2025–11–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:sfs4yp:177513 |
| By: | Ulimwengu, John M.; Hema, Aboubacar; Marivoet, Wim; Omamo, Steven Were |
| Abstract: | This policy brief distills insights from a decade of IFPRI’s research and engagement across 54 African countries, offering a strategic synthesis to inform the Kampala 2026–2035 implementation phase of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). Drawing from almost 5, 700 publications between 2015 and 2025, and using a combination of natural language processing (NLP), deep learning algorithms and rule-based approaches, the review maps key findings against CAADP’s six strategic objectives: (1) intensifying sustainable food production, agro-industrialization, and trade; (2) boosting investment and financing for agrifood systems transformation; (3) ensuring food and nutrition security; (4) advancing inclusivity and equitable livelihoods; (5) building resilient agrifood systems; and (6) strengthening agrifood systems governance. By aligning evidence with strategic priorities, this synthesis aims to sharpen the research and policy agenda needed to accelerate agricultural transformation, ensure food security, and deepen resilience across the continent. The review reveals areas of significant progress—such as advances innovative finance, nutrition policy, social protection design, gender equity, and market functioning—while also exposing enduring gaps in data, investment diagnostics, and imple mentation capacity. The brief is thus both a stocktaking and a springboard, harnessing what is known to guide the next phase of CAADP. |
| Keywords: | research; CAADP; food systems; development; social protection; food security; livelihoods; Africa |
| Date: | 2025–05–20 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:pacerp:174708 |
| By: | Yu Lilin Wätzold, Marlene; Cooke, Amanda; Ocampo-Ariza, Carolina; Umarishavu, Françoise; Wollni, Meike |
| Abstract: | Voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) provide consumers with the assurance that certified products are produced under more sustainable conditions. While the literature on VSS has expanded considerably, most studies rely on cross-sectional data, thereby providing only a snapshot in time and focus on the effects on single sustainability dimensions, thereby neglecting potential trade-offs between multiple dimensions. In addition, little is known of the extent outcomes are influenced by the duration of participation. Economic gains may accrue in the short to medium term, whereas ecological effects often take longer to materialize. Our study addresses these gaps by using a unique three-wave panel dataset from Rwanda’s smallholder coffee sector. We combine household-, buyer- and plot-level data to estimate how in-house certification (C.A.F.E. Practices), third-party certification (The Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade, Organic, 4C), and certification duration are associated with both socioeconomic and ecological outcomes. Our results suggest that only third-party certification is significantly positively associated with socioeconomic outcomes such as coffee yield, prices, profits and returns to land. Moreover, we find that for both VSS types the socioeconomic outcomes increase, the longer a household is certified. Regarding ecological outcomes, only third-party certification duration shows significant positive associations with shade tree density. In addition, for both VSS types, we do not find any significant associations with outcomes related to animal diversity. Overall, the findings highlight that VSS should be understood as a long-term process where sustainability-related changes materialize over time. The findings also suggest that the environmental requirements – especially of in-house schemes – may be set too low. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Environmental Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use, Sustainability |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:gausfs:373420 |
| By: | Petrick, Cora; Nowak, Wiebke; Grethe, Harald |
| Keywords: | Land Economics/Use |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:gewi24:364728 |
| By: | Yousuf Daas; Sameh Hallaq; Kenichi Kashiwagi; Keiichi Ogawa |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the effect of climate shocks on olive oil production in Palestine, a region acutely vulnerable to both environmental change and political instability. We estimate the influences of temperature and rainfall fluctuations on four key outcomes: the olive-to-oil yield ratio, extracted oil quantity, cultivated olive volume, and olive oil prices. Our findings reveal that higher maximum temperatures significantly reduce both olive yields and oil output, while an increase in minimum temperatures exerts a positive effect. Increased rainfall enhances oil yield and production but simultaneously depresses prices through supply expansion. Results are robust to fixed-effect specifications and non-linear models, and show strong regional heterogeneity. Southern districts are particularly sensitive to rainfall variability and high temperatures. These findings highlight the economic risks of climate shocks to Palestinian olive oil producers and demonstrate the urgent need for adaptive strategies that are regionally tailored and climate resilient. |
| Keywords: | Climate Change and Economic Policy; Olive Oil; Agricultural Shocks; Palestine |
| JEL: | Q54 Q12 O13 N55 |
| Date: | 2025–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lev:wrkpap:wp_1089 |
| By: | Thies, Annika Johanna; Altmann, Brianne Andrea; Countryman, Amanda; Smith, Colton; Holloway, Maggie; Nair, Mahesh N. |
| Keywords: | Consumer/Household Economics |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:gewi24:364731 |
| By: | Domke, Niklas; Gocht, Alexander; Grethe, Harald |
| Keywords: | Land Economics/Use |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:gewi24:364713 |
| By: | Kodama, Wataru; Friederichs, Petra; Nematbakhsh, Amin; Odening, Martin; Szemkus, Svenja; Seifert, Stefan; Hüttel, Silke |
| Abstract: | Farms and landowners seem reluctant to invest in climate change adaptation despite socio-economic benefits. However, a dynamic economic model suggests that under uncertain future climate change, observed adaptation “reluctance” may be in fact optimal from the decision-makers’ perspective. This is because decision-makers consider the value of waiting to gather information about future climate and weather before committing to investment. To investi-gate how future climate change shapes adaptation behavior, this study presents an analytical framework that integrate scenario-based climate model projections into a dynamic economic model of the adaptation decision. Using adaptation decision of the Austrian farms as a case example, we use projections of temperature and precipitation under the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP) scenarios from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) simulations. The future projections are used to calibrate the climate change parameters within the economic model to analyze adaptation responses. We find that adaptation reluctance in-tensifies particularly in response to revenue downside shocks induced by weather extremes, and due to increased uncertainty in future climate change the likelihood of adaptation under severe climate change scenarios is not necessarily higher than under mild scenarios. We also find that adaptation subsidies can enhance the likelihood. These results suggest that with in-creasing frequency and intensity of extreme events in future, the expected loss without adap-tation will increase while the reluctance will also increase, and the adaptation investment tim-ing will appear even more delayed. Such delays may incentivize policymakers to provide public interventions such as subsidies to induce adaptation investment. However, they should carefully compare the value of adaptation reluctance and the social costs of the reluctance (e.g., negative externalities) to justify the interventions. |
| Keywords: | climate change adaptation, real options approach, climate change projection, weather extremes, Shared Socioeconomic Pathways |
| JEL: | D25 D81 Q54 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:esprep:330341 |
| By: | Kim, Jiyeon; Gammans, Matthew; Steinbach, Sandro |
| Abstract: | In February 2025, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) proposed a set of trade measures to counter China’s maritime and shipbuilding dominance. These proposals raised concerns about potential impacts on U.S. agricultural exports. However, such concerns were substantially revised in the final April 17, 2025, determination. This white paper—the first series of analysis in USTR’s Section 301 actions—examines the February 2025 proposal and simulates its hypothetical impacts on U.S. agricultural products exported via ocean bulk cargo shipping. The findings, related to USTR’s original proposal, indicate that port entry fees on Chinese-built vessels could increase U.S. bulk cargo agricultural export costs, while proposed fees targeting Chinese operators would likely have a more modest impact. Additionally, the proposed mandate to shift exports to U.S.-built vessels would be extremely challenging over the proposed timeline, given the current limited availability of U.S.-built vessels. Readers should interpret these findings as an upper bound estimate of the impact of the previously proposed policies, rather than a reflection of current policy. Part 2 of this series will assess the finalized measures. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, International Relations/Trade, Risk and Uncertainty, Supply Chain |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:arpcwp:356835 |
| By: | Tsiboe, Francis; Steinbach, Sandro |
| Abstract: | This white paper reviews the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation’s (FCIC) deferral of interest on unpaid premiums after natural disasters. Since the 2012 shift to an August 15 billing date, FCIC has routinely granted 60-day waivers during severe weather or national emergencies, providing producers liquidity but delaying federal receipts. Between 2019 and 2023, over $18 billion in premiums were deferred, representing $510 million in implicit subsidies. The analysis examines effects on actuarial soundness, budget scoring, and moral hazard, and outlines policy options to balance producer relief with fiscal discipline amid rising weather risks. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Agricultural Finance, Risk and Uncertainty |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:arpcwp:364685 |
| By: | Finaret, Amelia B.; Masters, William A. |
| Abstract: | This article introduces "Food Economics: Agriculture, Nutrition, and Health, " a new open access textbook that helps equip students with the skills needed to analyze complex food systems issues and contribute to a sustainable, equitable, and healthy future of food. Recognizing that students enter courses with pre-existing beliefs about food and face barriers to sustained engagement in coursework, the textbook uses analytical diagrams, data visualizations, and real-world applications to spark and keep interest. Food economics education plays an important role for cultivating a skilled workforce, promoting evidence-based policy, and bridging cultural and disciplinary divides to address food system problems. |
| Keywords: | Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:assa25:359268 |
| By: | Turner, Dylan; Tsiboe, Francis; Arita, Shawn; Steinbach, Sandro |
| Abstract: | This report examines the policy and market landscape shaping risk management in the U.S. sugar sector, with a focus on the potential introduction of Revenue Protection (RP) crop insurance for sugar beets under the Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP). It analyzes the relative price volatility of sugar compared to other major crops, evaluates historical adoption patterns of yield versus revenue protection plans, and projects the fiscal implications of introducing RP coverage. The findings provide insights into likely shifts in insurance participation and cost outcomes under alternative adoption scenarios. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Demand and Price Analysis, Risk and Uncertainty |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:arpcre:364764 |
| By: | Kim, Jiyeon; Plastina, Alejandro; Rosenbohm, Marc; Steinbach, Sandro |
| Abstract: | This white paper provides preliminary estimates of the economic assistance payments allocated to North Dakota crop producers under the American Relief Act of 2025. The legislation, enacted on December 20, 2024, authorizes $10 billion in federal support for U.S. crop producers and extends the 2018 Farm Bill through September 2025. Using national data on projected prices, yields, and production costs, the study calculates per-acre assistance rates and applies them to county-level planted and prevented planted acreage reported by the USDA Farm Service Agency. Results show that total projected payments to North Dakota producers reach $597 million, with soybeans, wheat, and corn accounting for over 95% of aid. The analysis highlights variation in assistance across counties and commodities, shaped by crop-specific economic losses and program formulas. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy |
| Date: | 2025–02–13 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:captsw:349393 |
| By: | Srivastava, S. K.; Kishore, Prabhat; Birthal, Pratap Singh; Shirsath, P. B. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, Crop Production/Industries, Sustainability |
| Date: | 2024–11–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:icarpp:349210 |
| By: | Jacob Moscona |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates how innovation responded to and shaped the economic impact of the American Dust Bowl, an environmental catastrophe that led to widespread soil erosion on the US Plains during the 1930s. Combining data on county-level erosion, the historical geography of crop production, and crop-specific innovation, I document that in the wake of the environmental crisis, agricultural technology development was strongly and persistently re-directed toward more Dust Bowl-exposed crops and, within crops, toward bio-chemical and planting technologies that could directly mitigate economic losses from environmental distress. County-level exposure to Dust Bowl-induced innovation significantly dampened the effect of land erosion on agricultural land values and revenue. These results highlight the role of crises in spurring innovation and the importance of endogenous technological progress as an adaptive force in the face of disasters. |
| JEL: | O3 O31 O33 Q1 Q16 Q54 |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34438 |
| By: | Michels, Marius; Bonke, Vanessa; Wever, Hendrik; Mußhoff, Oliver |
| Keywords: | Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:gewi24:364725 |
| By: | Thissen, Hannah Katharina; Schulz, Frederik Nikolai; Hanf, Jon H. |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:gewi24:364732 |
| By: | Ghvanidze, Sophie; Scasny, Milan; Svanidze, Miranda; Hanf, Jon |
| Keywords: | Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:gewi24:364715 |
| By: | Kumar, Nalini Ranjan; Athare, Prakash G |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries, Labor and Human Capital, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Sustainability |
| Date: | 2025–01–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:icarpb:349214 |
| By: | A. Haroon Akram-Lodhi |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the relationship between the work of reproductive labor and the efficiency of gender-segmented farm production in Malawi. It starts by presenting quantitative estimates of the gender gap in agricultural productivity among small-scale petty commodity producers in Malawi, along with estimates of the proximate drivers of this gap, which demonstrate that men are more productive than women on the plots of land they operate even when accounting for differences in land quantity and quality. The paper then presents the results of qualitative research into the causes of the gender gap in agricultural productivity in Malawi. It is demonstrated that the principal cause of the gender gap in agricultural productivity in Malawi is women's responsibility to provide the reproductive labor of social reproduction. This, along with women's responsibility to provide unpaid farm labor on land that is operated by their husbands, generates significant time poverty for women farmers in Malawi. It also results in wives sustaining the accumulation practices of their husbands. These gender-segmented tasks are then reinforced in some households by gender-based violence, which has strong economic consequences. It is argued that the patriarchal structures that result in a lack of income pooling and wealth serve to materially undermine women's intrahousehold bargaining positions, a trend which is then reinforced by the lack of social legitimacy of the work that is typically assigned to women. The result is that it cannot be assumed that women and men share the same class location within rural petty commodity production in Malawi. Cumulatively, gender gaps in agricultural productivity among small-scale petty commodity producers in Malawi are a function of strongly gender-biased social norms and values that assign the reproductive labor of social reproduction to women. |
| Keywords: | Time poverty; Gender Gaps; Gendered Division of Labor |
| Date: | 2025–09 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lev:wrkpap:wp_1093 |
| By: | Steinbach, Sandro; Yildirim, Yasin |
| Abstract: | California’s almond industry faces increasing economic uncertainty from trade policy shifts and potential tariff retaliation. This report evaluates the trade risks associated with seven trade policy scenarios using trade elasticity estimates and historical trade data. The findings indicate that broad-based tariff measures could significantly reduce export demand, with Fresno, Kern, and Stanislaus counties experiencing the largest losses. These potential disruptions underscore the need for strategic planning, including market diversification and policy adaptations, to mitigate risks and sustain the industry’s global position. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, International Relations/Trade |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:captsr:352088 |
| By: | Siddig, Khalid; Rakhy, Tarig; Nigus, Halefom Yigzaw; Mohamed, Shima; Abushama, Hala |
| Abstract: | This report analyzes key market trends in Sudan from February to June 2025, focusing on the prices, availability, and quality of essential commodities—cereals, vegetables, animal products, agricultural inputs, fuel, and exchange rates. Consistent with previous editions, it reveals significant spatial and temporal disparities across Sudan’s 18 states. Cereals showed mixed trends. Wheat prices stabilized in June after a mid-May spike, while sorghum and millet fluctuated modestly. Wheat flour prices continued rising. Perceived availability and quality, particularly of wheat and wheat flour, deteriorated in June, with highest prices in conflict-affected and remote areas. Vegetables—particularly tomatoes and potatoes—experienced sharp price hikes in June, largely due to seasonal pressures and logistical disruptions. Onion prices were more stable but showed regional variation. Animal products faced upward price pressure and volatility. Prices of lamb, beef, and eggs rose steadily; chicken and fish were erratic, and milk prices fluctuated. Availability declined, especially for beef and eggs. Perceived quality improved for meat but dropped for chicken and fish. Other staples, including sugar, cooking oil, fava beans, and oilseeds, had relatively stable trends overall, but prices varied widely by state. Sugar and fava beans rose sharply, particularly in South Kordofan and Kas sala. Agricultural inputs showed moderate price fluctuations. Improved seed varieties remained costlier than local ones, with peaks for wheat and potato seeds. Fuel prices in parallel markets spiked in April–May before easing in June. South Kordofan and Central Darfur recorded the highest prices. Exchange rates continued to diverge between official and parallel markets, with wide regional dis parities—Khartoum, Gedaref, and North Kordofan reported the highest parallel rates. |
| Keywords: | commodities; prices; market economies; shock; capacity building; Sudan; Africa; Northern Africa |
| Date: | 2025–07–16 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ssspwp:175659 |
| By: | Gammans, Matthew |
| Abstract: | In June 2025, a large derecho–tornado weather system damaged or destroyed an estimated 50 to 80 million bushels of on‑farm grain‑handling capacity across North Dakota (AgWeek, 2025). To prevent post‑harvest losses and to alleviate working-capital shortfalls, the Bank of North Dakota rolled out two emergency initiatives: (1) a Temporary Grain Storage Support program and (2) a Facility Repair & Replacement program. These are collectively referred to as the 2025 Grain Storage & Facility Rebuilder Programs. This white paper uses a representative farm (1, 000 acres of corn and 1, 000 acres of soybeans) to simulate the benefits of the program to North Dakota farmers, as well as the fiscal cost for the State of North Dakota. We find that the programs generate large net economic gains when farms utilize the program instead of entirely foregoing on-farm storage. When farms use the programs as a substitute to privately financed loans, the programs represent a transfer from State funds to farm operations. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Risk and Uncertainty |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:captsw:362809 |
| By: | de Jesus Souza, Gilvan; da Silva, Aline Veronese |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the resilience of Brazil’s soybean supply chain to climatic and economic shocks by identifying structural breaks in production, yields, and price trends from 2006 to 2024. Using econometric techniques such as Bai-Perron multiple break tests, as well as stationarity diagnostics (ADF, CUSUM), the analysis reveals that climate induced disruptions can be key drivers of volatility in soybean prices and yields. Four structural breaks were detected in October 2008, June 2012, February 2016, and November 2020, aligning with global crises, severe droughts, and supply chain disruptions. Results highlight strong regional disparities: Southern states (Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná) exhibit increasing vulnerability to droughts and reduced resilience, while the Central-West (notably Mato Grosso) demonstrates adaptive capacity supported by investments in irrigation and climate smart agriculture. These findings emphasize the need for region specific adaptation strategies and policies that integrate climate risk management, infrastructure, and sustainable production practices. This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brasil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:eaae25:369136 |
| By: | Thös, Anatol; Schuler, Johannes; Zander, Peter; Gutser, Klaus |
| Keywords: | Livestock Production/Industries |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:gewi24:364759 |
| By: | Srivastava, S.K.; Kishore, Prabhat; Birthal, P.S.; Shirsath, P.B. |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies |
| Date: | 2024–03–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:icarpb:344938 |
| By: | Kishore, Prabhat; Roy, Devesh; Birthal, Pratap S.; Srivastava, Shivendra Kumar |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries, Sustainability |
| Date: | 2024–04–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:icarpp:345044 |
| By: | Hamidou Diallo (World Bank); Anne-Sophie Robilliard (IRD, LEDa-DIAL (IRD, CNRS, and PSL Research University), France) |
| Abstract: | Using 37 years of longitudinal data on over 60, 000 children, we examine how rainfall affects child survival in rural Senegal. Two contrasting effects are likely to be at play: a beneficial effect from increased rainfall stemming from improved income and nutrition, and a detrimental effect resulting from a more adverse disease environment. To assess the effects of rainfall on child survival rates, we use highresolution rainfall data matched with discrete-time event data at the person-month level. Our analysis uses two distinct measures of rainfall deviations: one representing rainfall deviations during the previous rainy season, and another for current rainfall deviations. Additionally, we explore the heterogeneity of the impact over different groups. Next, we make use of causes of death data to try and support the interpretation of our main results and, finally, present some tentative simulation results. Our results confirm that the rates of child mortality are influenced by fluctuations in income and nutrition related to rainfall, as well as by the seasonality of the burden of disease. This burden escalates notably during the rainy season, compounded by food scarcity in lean periods. The severity of this stress amplifies when rainfall in the preceding rainy season has been insufficient. We also present simulations of child mortality under different rainfall scenarios, providing a policyrelevant perspective on how future climate variability may affect child survival in semi-arid, rain-fed agricultural settings. |
| Keywords: | Rainfall, Child mortality, Gender, HDSS, Rural Senegal |
| JEL: | I15 J16 Q54 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dia:wpaper:dt202508 |
| By: | Langanke, Nils; Noack, Marlene; Grunenberg, Michael; Latacz-Lohmann, Uwe |
| Keywords: | Research Methods/Statistical Methods |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:gewi24:364745 |
| By: | Akinsete, Ebun; Velias, Alina; Papadaki, Lydia; Chatzilazarou, Lazaros-Antonios; Koundouri, Phoebe |
| Abstract: | The increasing pressure on global water supplies from overexploitation, drought, and pollution necessitates efficient and sustainable water management. Integrated water resource management strategies have shown effectiveness in decision support, but a deeper integration of economic and participative methodologies is needed. This research reviews the core characteristics and directions of experimental economics and living labs (LLs) and aims to address three research questions, namely, how the participatory, real-world environment of living laboratories can be incorporated into the controlled, hypothesis-driven nature of experimental economics; what is the significance of behavioral insights that are derived from experimental economics in the design and implementation of living labs; and how these two approaches can be merged under one framework. The focus of this review is the improvement of water resource management through collaborative and stakeholder-driven innovation. LLs provide authentic environments for cocreation, allowing scientists and stakeholders to address water-related issues such as supply, demand, and shortage. These environments connect controlled experimental conditions with real applications, providing comprehensive insights into behavioral reactions and policy formulation. LLs can enhance and be strengthened by economic methodologies, particularly in water valuation through integrated frameworks accounting for environmental externalities and opportunity costs. Finally, this article shows that integrating behavioral insights and experimental approaches within LLs improves the external validity of experimental economics by putting interventions in real-world settings. |
| Keywords: | behavioral microeconomics; field experiments; water resource management; water supply and demand; analysis of collective decision-making |
| JEL: | C92 C93 D70 D90 Q25 Q53 |
| Date: | 2025–10–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:129901 |
| By: | Epperson, James E. |
| Abstract: | A catastrophe (CAT) bond is designed for peanut production as a means of transferring natural disaster risks from insurance purveyors to the global capital market. The CAT bond so designed is priced using state-level historical yields for peanut production in the southern part of the United States in the State of Georgia. The index triggering the CAT bond contract was based on percent deviation from state average yield. The principal finding of the study is that it appears feasible for crop insurance purveyors to issue insurance-linked securities. CAT bonds can reduce the variance of the loss ratio when issued optimally with regard to the number of bonds and contract specifications. CAT bonds could therefore be used in hedging catastrophic risk effectively in peanut production given that crop insurance purveyors normally seek to minimize the variance of the loss ratio. CAT bonds were found to be feasible as hedging instruments even in the range of normal losses commonly covered by crop insurance and reinsurance. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural Finance, Crop Production/Industries, Risk and Uncertainty |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:ugeocr:44512 |
| By: | Chand, Khem; Birthal, P. S.; Kachhawaha, Subhash |
| Keywords: | Livestock Production/Industries, Production Economics |
| Date: | 2024–04–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:icarpb:344940 |
| By: | Mandal, Subhasis; Kumar, Suresh; Singh, Jogendra; Jain, Rajni; Kandpal, Ankita |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, Crop Production/Industries, Environmental Economics and Policy, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies |
| Date: | 2024–04–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:icarpb:344939 |
| By: | Roush, Jack |
| Abstract: | In 1957, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi commissioned US agricultural economist Joseph R. Motheral to study Iran’s land tenure system and propose reforms. The resulting Motheral Report laid the foundation for later land redistribution programs, which sought to address, through rural development, the issue of political instability. The report drew upon the Shah’s pre-existing objectives and efforts to advocate for US support in implementing large-scale land reform, including financial assistance and technical training, and outlined a five-year timeline for redistribution. While the report failed to spur immediate action, its key points shaped subsequent efforts by both the US and Iranian governments, including Prime Minister Ali Amini’s land reform efforts in 1961 and the Shah’s White Revolution in 1963 |
| Keywords: | agrarian and rural; international basic economy corporation; international relations; near east foundation |
| JEL: | R14 J01 N0 |
| Date: | 2025–08–14 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:129842 |
| By: | Siddig, Khalid; Nigus, Halefom Yigzaw; Rakhy, Tarig; Mohamed, Shima; Abushama, Hala |
| Abstract: | Sudan’s market systems continue to face severe disruptions due to ongoing conflict, political instability, and economic disruptions. These challenges have led to volatile prices, limited availability of essential commodities, and rising food and fuel costs, especially in conflict-affected areas. Insecurity, infrastructure damage, and transport disruptions further exacerbate price disparities, making key goods increasingly unaffordable for vulnerable populations. To monitor these dynamics, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is implementing a nationwide market monitoring initiative covering 36 markets, two in each of Sudan’s 18 states. The initiative tracks prices, availability, and quality of essential commodities, monitors exchange rate movements, and gathers qualitative insights from market actors. Each month, data is collected in two rounds: the first during the first two weeks, and the second during the last two weeks. In each round, five merchants per market are interviewed using structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. This fortnightly approach enables timely and consistent tracking of market trends. |
| Keywords: | commodities; prices; markets; shock; Sudan; Africa; Northern Africa |
| Date: | 2025–05–19 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ssspwp:174762 |
| By: | Jorissen, Tobias; Ohmann, Felix Sebastian; Recke, Guido; Olfs, Hans-Werner |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:gewi24:364743 |
| By: | Bublik, Nikolas; Mittag, Franziska; Hess, Sebastian |
| Keywords: | Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:gewi24:364711 |
| By: | Bruers, Stijn |
| Abstract: | A literature review is conducted of five recently developed methodologies to determine an optimal non-anthropocentric animal welfare levy that internalizes the social costs of animal suffering into the price of animal products, whereby animal and human welfare are counted equally. Chicken meat may get a levy of €30 to €8000 per kilogram, where the best estimates are closer to this upper value. Products from animals larger than chickens usually have a more than ten times lower levy than chicken meat and eggs. The non-anthropocentric animal welfare levy is several orders of magnitude higher than an anthropocentric animal welfare levy that is purely based on human’s altruistic preferences for animal welfare. At such high levels, farmed animal suffering could easily be the largest market failure in our global economy. A politically feasible implementation of a fee-and-dividend animal welfare levy is discussed. |
| Keywords: | animal welfare, meat, externalities, market failure, welfare economics, optimal tax |
| JEL: | Q18 Q50 H21 H23 I31 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:esprep:330515 |
| By: | Yun-Shi Dai; Peng-Fei Dai; St\'ephane Goutte; Duc Khuong Nguyen; Wei-Xing Zhou |
| Abstract: | With escalating macroeconomic uncertainty, the risk interlinkages between energy and food markets have become increasingly complex, posing serious challenges to global energy and food security. This paper proposes an integrated framework combining the GJRSK model, the time-frequency connectedness analysis, and the random forest method to systematically investigate the moment connectedness within the energy-food nexus and explore the key drivers of various spillover effects. The results reveal significant multidimensional risk spillovers with pronounced time variation, heterogeneity, and crisis sensitivity. Return and skewness connectedness are primarily driven by short-term spillovers, kurtosis connectedness is more prominent over the medium term, while volatility connectedness is dominated by long-term dynamics. Notably, crude oil consistently serves as a central transmitter in diverse connectedness networks. Furthermore, the spillover effects are influenced by multiple factors, including macro-financial conditions, oil supply-demand fundamentals, policy uncertainties, and climate-related shocks, with the core drivers of connectedness varying considerably across different moments and timescales. These findings provide valuable insights for the coordinated governance of energy and food markets, the improvement of multilayered risk early-warning systems, and the optimization of investment strategies. |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2510.24174 |