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on Agricultural Economics |
| By: | Geoffrey Heal; Claudio Rizzi; Simon Xu |
| Abstract: | Human-driven degradation of ecosystems threatens both global biodiversity and the livelihoods of communities that depend on natural systems for production and income. Yet empirical evidence on the economic returns to restoring nature remains scarce. We examine whether nature-enhancing interventions can generate measurable improvements in household wealth, in addition to environmental benefits. We study a large-scale agroecological intervention implemented by Trees for the Future (TREES) across farms in sub-Saharan Africa, combining detailed household surveys with high-resolution satellite imagery. We show that quasi-exogenous increases in natural capital lead to substantial gains in household wealth, proxied by livestock ownership, of about 75% by the third year of treatment. Each dollar invested in the intervention returns about $2.28 in direct wealth benefits for participating farmers, before accounting for positive health impacts and carbon sequestration. We further document dramatic increases in tree cover and crop diversity, significant improvements in food security and dietary diversity, and detectable enhancements in vegetation indices measured from space. Together, these results demonstrate that restoring natural capital generates both ecological and economic returns, offering a scalable pathway for nature-positive development in rural economies where biodiversity remains a critical productive asset. |
| JEL: | O13 Q01 Q13 |
| Date: | 2026–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34929 |
| By: | Aragie, Emerta A.; Thurlow, James; Warner, James; Niyonsingiza, Josue |
| Abstract: | This research extends IFPRI’s RIAPA modeling to include both the full implementation of PSTA 5’s climate smart agriculture and a once-in-five-year weather shock, and the interactions of both on agricultural sectors, agricultural GDP, and on national GDP. Main findings include: Rwanda’s agri-food system is highly vulnerable to climate variability due to its structural characteristics. Results indicate that CSA practices during the PSTA-5 period (2024/25–2028/29) increase agricultural GDP growth by 0.9 percentage points annually, with the largest impacts on horticulture and roots and tubers. However, several CSA interventions relate to infrastructural improvements and therefore the benefits extend over a longer time horizon, ultimately having even greater impact beyond PSTA 5. The weather shock causes dramatic declines in agricultural GDP (-1.6 percent), with horticulture affected most negatively, suffering a 2.4 percent decline. The joint Climate + CSA scenario depicts how CSA helps mitigate, but not fully eliminate, the negative impacts of weather shocks during the PSTA 5 period. |
| Keywords: | climate-smart agriculture; modelling; food systems; agricultural policies; Rwanda; Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Eastern Africa |
| Date: | 2026–01–14 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:polbrf:179844 |
| By: | Takeshima, Hiroyuki; Masias, Ian; Minten, Bart; van Asselt, Joanna; Naing, Phyo Thandar; Ei Win, Hnin |
| Abstract: | Resilient food and nutrition systems that support dietary diversity are central to improving welfare outcomes and fostering the formation of human capital, with lasting implications for socioeconomic development. Historically, while smallholders in developing countries have accessed food both from diversified farms or kitchen gardens, markets have increasingly become the more dominant source of diet diversity as agrifood systems continue their transformation. Yet little is known regarding how intensifying conflicts and social instability affect these linkages between agrifood systems and households’ dietary diversity. Addressing this knowledge gap is particularly relevant for countries like Myanmar, which is characterized not only by escalating conflicts in recent years but also by relatively lower levels of overall crop diversification and dietary diversity at the national level compared to many other countries in East and Southeast Asia. By using unique panel datasets from Myanmar that cover significant spatiotemporal variation in conflict intensity and addressing the potential endogeneity of crop diversification, we provide new evidence on the resilience of household dietary diversity in conflict-affected settings. We find that increased incidence of violent events at township levels (a proxy for conflict intensity) significantly lowers household dietary diversity during the post-monsoon season, particularly the diversity derived from purchased food items. These adverse effects are relatively more pronounced for healthier food items, such as pulses/legumes/nuts and vegetables/leaves. However, the negative impacts of conflicts on dietary diversity in the post-monsoon season are significantly mitigated by greater diversity in food crop production for farm households during the preceding monsoon season. Results are robust across different measurements of crop diversification and violent events. These findings suggest that in conflict-prone developing countries like Myanmar, household-level crop diversification remains an important strategy for farmers to safeguard household dietary diversity. |
| Keywords: | conflicts; diversification; diet; crop production; resilience; Myanmar; South-eastern Asia |
| Date: | 2026–03–06 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:gsspwp:181989 |
| By: | Dey, Durjoy; Belton, Ben; Kurdi, Sikandra; Ecker, Olivier |
| Abstract: | Fish is the most frequently consumed animal-source food in Yemen, apart from dairy. Fish consumption is highest in coastal southern Yemen but also very common in southern inland districts. Nine percent of households in coastal southern Yemen earned income from fishing. Earning fishing income is highly positively associated with consumption of fish or meat and with the frequency of fish or meat consumption. Sustaining fish stocks and fishing livelihoods is critical to food security and nutrition in southern Yemen. |
| Keywords: | fish; food security; surveys; fish consumption; fishing; livelihoods; Yemen; Asia; Western Asia |
| Date: | 2026–01–09 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:menapn:179637 |
| By: | Kumar Burman, Amit; Bahera, Biswajit |
| Abstract: | Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) are increasingly recognized as engines of inclusive agricultural growth. By enabling small and marginal farmers to aggregate produce, access inputs, and improve bargaining power, FPOs hold the promise of transforming rural economies. Yet, many continue to struggle with weak governance structures, limited managerial capacity, and challenges in accessing markets and finance. To unlock their true potential, FPOs need systematic capacity-building. Recognizing this, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment (DA&FE), Government of Odisha, in collaboration with IFPRI, organized state-level trainings to strengthen FPOs across the state. Over three days, 130 representatives, including board members, chief executive officers (CEOs), and staff from 38 FPOs covering all districts, participated in three batches. The training was designed not only to impart technical knowledge but also to create a platform for peer learning, reflection, and problem-solving. The overarching goal was clear: move FPOs from scheme-driven entities to self-sustaining, market-ready businesses. |
| Keywords: | capacity building; resilience; farmers associations; farmers; rural areas; India; Asia; Southern Asia |
| Date: | 2026–03–06 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:prnote:181985 |
| By: | Ulimwengu, John M. |
| Abstract: | Households in low- and middle-income countries increasingly face overlapping economic, climatic, health, and conflict-related shocks that jointly erode welfare and food security. Yet many empirical and operational tools still measure shocks one at a time or aggregate them using ad hoc rules that assume equal severity and linear effects. This paper proposes a non-parametric multi-shock index (MSI) that summarizes household exposure to multiple shocks using an assumption-light, data-driven approach. The MSI construction proceeds in two steps: (i) shocks are empirically filtered based on their observed negative association with food security outcomes (anchored to the Food Consumption Score), and (ii) retained shocks are aggregated using alternative weighting schemes, including unweighted, population-weighted, and prevalence-weighted variants. We validate the MSI using multiple food security measures—Food Consumption Score (FCS), Reduced Coping Strategy Index (rCSI), Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), and Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS). An application using FAO’s Data in Emergencies (DIEM) household survey for Nigeria illustrates the approach and shows that cumulative exposure—especially systemic and compound exposure—is strongly associated with deteriorating food security outcomes. Among tested variants, the prevalence-weighted MSI provides the clearest discriminatory power and distributional sensitivity, supporting its use for targeting, monitoring, and shock-responsive programming (FAO, 2016; Maxwell et al., 2014; World Bank, 2018). |
| Keywords: | food security; diet; resilience; modelling; indicators; surveys; Nigeria; Western Africa |
| Date: | 2026–03–06 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:gsspwp:181990 |
| By: | Davide Pietrobon; Alessandro Ruggieri |
| Abstract: | We study the impact of incomplete consumption risk-sharing on land misallocation in rural economies. We develop a general equilibrium model of land cultivation choices, where heterogeneous agricultural households face idiosyncratic output shocks and insure themselves by participating in a risk-sharing arrangement. Incomplete insurance distorts households' land cultivation choices, leading them away from maximizing expected incomes and resulting in land misallocation. Using the latest ICRISAT panel data from rural India, we quantify the losses attributable to limited risk-sharing. Completing insurance markets leads to output and welfare gains of 19% and 29%, respectively. Improving the functioning of consumption insurance markets can yield gains comparable to those achieved by removing distortions in factor markets. |
| Keywords: | agriculture, misallocation, productivity, risk-sharing, welfare |
| JEL: | O11 D61 Q12 D52 |
| Date: | 2026–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bge:wpaper:1565 |
| By: | Baker, Quinton; Zachary, James Chandler |
| Abstract: | For decades, the USDA, Economic Research Serviceʼs (ERS) Food Dollar has measured the costs of producing and marketing food from the farm to the final point of sale. These measures have come to be known as the farm share and the marketing share of the Food Dollar. In 2011, industry group shares were introduced, which measure the distribution of costs across supply chain industries, also in terms of consumer food expenditures. Methodological and data source quality improvements have led to historical revisions of the Food Dollar. These revisions provide a more detailed accounting of the U.S. food system and variation in farm, marketing, and supply chain costs over time and across products and outlets. This report highlights major differences in the Food Dollar from the change in the underlying model from 2011 to the new model used for 2026 and the impact of these modeling changes on estimated value shares. |
| Keywords: | Demand and Price Analysis, Marketing, Production Economics, Research Research Methods/Statistical Methods, Supply Chain |
| Date: | 2026–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:uersrr:396236 |
| By: | Geoffrey, Baragu; Boukaka, Sedi Anne; Azzarri, Carlo |
| Abstract: | Potato is the second most important staple crop in Kenya after maize, supporting its food security and providing livelihoods for millions in the value chain, including over 800, 000 smallholder farmers. However, fragmented marketing systems, inadequate post-harvest infrastructure, and limited access to quality inputs constrain the performance of the sector and result in severe post-harvest losses. This qualitative study provides empirical analysis on potato tuber quality among 233 farmers in Nakuru and Nyandarua counties, and among traders six different main markets in Kenya. Our findings establish a baseline for potato quality at the farm-level and in major markets, tracking individual shipments to measure degradation during transit due to lack of crucial market conditions and logistical bottlenecks. Our main results reveal some important elements that need to be addressed. Overall, potato quality is compromised at the farm gate, but this initial damage is dramatically amplified post-harvest, with skin abrasions more than doubling and rotting increasing threefold as produce moves along the value chain. Critically, these losses are compounded by limited quality-based sorting and the inadequate use of storage infrastructure, with negligible adoption of cold storage. The study also demonstrates that local/traditional handling practices and poor infrastructure quality are bigger drivers of loss than transport distance. Our research concludes that most economic losses could be addressed, being the direct result of identifiable failures in infrastructure, handling, access to information, and quality governance throughout the value chain. Most aspects of which can be mitigated with digital tools. Indeed, digital tools can enhance farmer-buyer linkages, promote digital education and advisory services -also through collaboration with Farmer Service Centers, encourage cold storage via digital incentives. These recommendations position digital tools as a catalyst for transforming the potato value chain, both directly and indirectly mitigating post-harvest losses while boosting resilience and incomes. |
| Keywords: | potatoes; quality; surveys; tubers; quality assurance; value chains; Kenya; Eastern Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Africa |
| Date: | 2026–02–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:poshdn:181383 |
| By: | Khyati Malik |
| Abstract: | Agricultural soils represent one of the largest underutilized opportunities for climate mitigation through land-based carbon sequestration. This study analyzes how farmers make long-term decisions about adopting soil conservation practices, such as no-till and reduced tillage, when soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation generates additional payments, while explicitly considering risk associated with SOC sequestration variability. Using an infinite-horizon dynamic optimization model, the study quantifies the carbon payment levels required to incentivize adoption across different soil types. Results show that the required payments vary widely, from $8/ton C/year on well-drained soils to $32/ton C/year on poorly drained soils, highlighting the need for spatially targeted carbon incentives. The analysis demonstrates that risk in the SOC sequestration amount affects farmer choices: higher uncertainty increases the payments needed and can lead farmers to prefer lower-risk, lower-reward practices. For farmers who value intertemporal consumption smoothing, compensation requirements rise with the elasticity of intertemporal substitution. These findings underscore the importance of accounting for soil heterogeneity, outcome variability, and intertemporal preferences when designing effective carbon payment programs to promote long-term soil carbon sequestration. |
| JEL: | Q10 Q15 Q50 |
| Date: | 2026–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34902 |
| By: | van Asselt, Joanna; Ei Win, Hnin; Oo, Theingi |
| Abstract: | The ninth round of the Myanmar Household Welfare Survey, a nationally and regionally representative phone survey, was implemented in July-October 2025 (Q2–Q3) with a recall period covering the previous 3 months. It follows eight earlier rounds of surveys that have been carried out since December 2021. This report documents recent livelihood and welfare dynamics over this survey period. Overall, household welfare conditions remain highly fragile. In terms of income sources, own farming, farm wages, and non-farm businesses continue to be the most important livelihoods in rural areas, while non-farm businesses and non-farm salaried employment remain most important in urban areas. Non-farm wage and non-farm salaried employment each account for around 20 percent of households nationally. Production-related constraints in rural areas such as weather, pests, and input costs have remained broadly similar to previous rounds, but a growing share of households reported low selling prices as their main challenge. Among crop farmers, low selling prices became the most frequently cited challenge in Q2–Q3 2025. Livestock producers faced fewer price-related pressures and were more affected by high input costs, while fishing households reported both access constraints, a quarter of fishers could not reach their ponds, and low selling prices. Non-farm businesses continued to report weak demand, with many households indicating that fewer customers are purchasing their products. Production-related constraints in rural areas such as weather, pests, and input costs have remained broadly similar to previous rounds, but a growing share of households reported low selling prices as their main challenge. Among crop farmers, low selling prices became the most frequently cited challenge in Q2–Q3 2025. Livestock producers faced fewer price-related pressures and were more affected by high input costs, while fishing households reported both access constraints, a quarter of fishers could not reach their ponds, and low selling prices. Non-farm businesses continued to report weak demand, with many households indicating that fewer customers are purchasing their products. In rural areas, nominal income growth was far more modest, rising by just 3 percent in real terms between Q3-Q4 2024 and Q2-Q3 2025. Although agricultural wage rates increased significantly, falling prices for most crops compressed farm revenues. Given that a large share of rural households depended directly on agriculture and farm-linked non-farm businesses, lower commodity prices offset wage gains and limited overall income growth. As a result, rural real incomes remained more than 30 percent below Q2 2022 levels. In Q2-Q3 2025, income poverty declined by 2 percentage points. This reduction was driven entirely by urban areas, where poverty fell by 6 percentage points, reflecting the strong rebound in urban real incomes. Rural poverty, by contrast, remained unchanged. The recovery was uneven across socioeconomic groups. Asset-rich households experienced the largest gains, while poverty among asset-poor households remained persistently high. Poverty rates increased among farmers, when compared to the entire year of 2024. Conflict-affected households also continued to face very high poverty rates, with no meaningful improvement. In contrast, households receiving remittances maintained substantially lower poverty rates than those without remittance income. |
| Keywords: | livelihoods; welfare; social welfare; income; poverty; Myanmar; Asia; South-eastern Asia |
| Date: | 2026–02–25 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprwp:181856 |
| By: | Yesigat, Habtamu; Abate, Gashaw T.; Spielman, David J. |
| Abstract: | Ethiopia is making gradual but notable progress toward the digital transformation of its agricultural sector, driven by investments in connectivity, digital infrastructure, and cross-institutional coordination. Recent policy milestones have established an enabling foundation for scale, including the Digital Ethiopia 2025 and Digital Ethiopia 2030, personal data protection regulation and governance frameworks, and national roadmaps that will steer investment and implementation over the next decade—particularly the Digital Agriculture Extension and Advisory Services (DAEAS) roadmap and the Digital Agriculture Roadmap (DAR). However, persistent structural constraints such as limited rural internet coverage, low smartphone penetration, and unreliable electricity continue to shape the pace and equity of adoption. This paper synthesizes Ethiopia’s digital agriculture ecosystem with a focus on technology, data and analytical capacity, and policy environment. In the technology landscape, work is ongoing to develop decision-support applications alongside digital channels for delivering advisory services. Evidence from multiple pilot initiatives suggests these tools can expand outreach cost-effectively and improve the timeliness and relevance of agronomic guidance. The success of various pilot projects, along with valuable lessons from earlier efforts, strong government commitment, and supportive policies, has driven further investment in Ethiopia’s digital ecosystem. Nonetheless, substantial gaps remain in data availability and quality that limits the production of high-quality and context-specific advisory content. In addition, the reach and intensity of extension services needed to translate digital innovation into sustained productivity gains, income and livelihoods is not yet at the level desired. While Ethiopia’s digital agriculture agenda is well-positioned for accelerated scale, its impact will depend on resolving foundational constraints in last-mile connectivity, power reliability, and the institutions and pipelines required for trustworthy data and localized advisory at national scale. |
| Keywords: | assessment; digital agriculture; data; Ethiopia; Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Eastern Africa |
| Date: | 2026–01–20 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:prnote:180318 |
| By: | Luca Di Corato (Universit`a Ca’ Foscari Venezia); Dimitrios Zormpas (University of Macedonia) |
| Abstract: | We develop a real-options model to assess how the post-2023 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) income support scheme influences landholders’ investment behavior. The reformed CAP increased per-hectare support for small farms through redistributive payments linked to “first hectares†. Small farms respond to higher payments with more aggressive investment strategies. Instead large farms exhibit a nuanced response since higher basic payments encourage investments, but greater redistributive payments lead to more conservative behavior. These dynamics create a “pooling effect†around the farm-size threshold distinguishing large from small farms. Our analysis contributes to the broader debate regarding land value capitalization and CAP’s fiscal implications. |
| Keywords: | Real Options; Common Agricultural Policy; Income stability; Land Development. |
| JEL: | C61 Q15 R14 |
| Date: | 2026–06 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mcd:mcddps:2026_06 |
| By: | Tsiboe, Francis,; Turner, Dylan; Aglasan, Serkan; Rejesus, Roderick M |
| Abstract: | Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are a common approach for offering agricultural insurance, but their stability can be threatened by asymmetric information, which allows private insurers to strategically transfer risk to the public sector. This study quantifies the economic value of routine premium rate updates in mitigating the ability of private insurers to extract economic rents via underwriting gains within the U.S. Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP). Using a counterfactual simulation on program data from 2001-2024, we model potential underwriting gains for private insurers by counterfactually simulating underwriting gains in a scenario where premium rating updates are delayed. Results indicate that forgoing a single annual rate update would allow private insurers to capture an additional $1.3 billion in underwriting gains on average, equivalent to 17% of total premiums. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Agricultural Finance, Risk and Uncertainty |
| Date: | 2026–03–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:arpcwo:396238 |
| By: | David Mensah Otoo (University of Cape Coast [Ghana]); Michael Danquah (GIMPA - Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration [Accra]); Bazoumana Ouattara (University of Manchester [Manchester]); Emmanuel Fourmann (AFD - Agence française de développement) |
| Abstract: | In this study we incorporate the economic resources of countries and measure how countries are combining their resources to reduce income inequality. We also examine the effects of climate — temperature and rainfall — on effort by countries to reduce income inequality. We use an unbalanced panel of 160 countries from 1990 to 2020, and Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) for this exercise. We find that on average, countries have exerted only 50 percent of their effort in reducing income inequality, but this effort differs from region to region. Sub Saharan Africa recorded the least average effort of 39 percent, albeit this varies across countries. This is an indication that the potential and scope for improvement to reduce income inequality differs across SSA countries. The findings show that introducing temperature and precipitation in the frontier model reduced the effort of countries in several regions. This implies the negative effects of climate as countries combine their economic resources to reduce income inequality. The direct effect of climate on countries' efforts to reduce inequality shows that both temperature and rainfall decrease the effort for developing countries. In the SSA sample, the negative effect of temperature on effort was significant whilst that of rainfall was negligible. |
| Keywords: | Income Inequality, Climate Change, Developing Countries, Sub Saharan Africa, Efficiency |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05521129 |
| By: | Kabir, Hauwa; Myers, Emily; Nwagboso, Chibuzo; Hassan, Salisu; Popoola, Olufemi; Heckert, Jessica; Raghunathan, Kalyani |
| Abstract: | In Africa, the population of youth ages 15–35 is expected to exceed 100 million by 2030, underscoring the need for the inclusion of youth in the design of programs and policies that promote sustainable livelihoods (International Labour Organization [ILO], 2017). Moreover, half of the youth population will be young women, emphasizing the need for gender-sensitive approaches. While many rural African youth are involved in various nodes of agricultural value chains (AVCs), far fewer—particularly young women—have access to dignified and fulfilling work. Many of the barriers that youth face in fully participating in the agricultural sector are reinforced by gender norms. Addressing the barriers to dignified and fulfilling work can help transform AVCs to be more inclusive of youth and ensure both young women and young men have access to improved livelihood opportunities. Considering the great potential of African youth for inclusive growth, in 2018, the Mastercard Foundation launched its Young Africa Works Strategy in nine countries, including Nigeria. The objective of the strategy is to increase access to dignified and fulfilling work opportunities for African youth, particularly young women (Mastercard Foundation, 2025b; Wallace, Lindsay, 2020). This report presents findings from a qualitative research study on the barriers and opportunities experienced by young women and young men who participate in key AVCs in northern Nigeria. This study is especially important given that many who reside in the region are somehow involved in agriculture and that youths’ livelihood experiences may be influenced by religious and gender norms, as well as the ongoing conflict. We investigate youth participation in key AVCs, their perceptions of dignified and fulfilling work, facilitators and constraints to their participation in AVCs, with an emphasis on gender norms, and their experiences with financial services. To investigate these topics, we conducted semi-structured interviews (SSIs) and sex-segregated focus group discussions (FGDs) with young women and young men. We also interviewed non-youth adults (those ages 35 and older), including value chain actors, financial service providers, and frontline program staff using key informant interviews (KIIs), and conducted community profiles (group interviews with community leaders) to gain a holistic perspective on the experiences of youth in AVCs. While our study emphasizes the opportunities and challenges faced by youth, it relies on perspectives from a diverse range of youth and non-youth adults to provide comprehensive insights into the context in which youth live and work. All participants were recruited by liaising with local community leaders, except for program staff, who were recruited with support from project partners, and financial service providers, who were recruited by field team members scouting banks in the study area. The qualitative methods used for this study do not allow for generalizable, population-level results; rather, they provide rich insights into the “how” and “why” behind various experiences, perspectives, and opinions underpinning youths’ livelihood opportunities. In other words, the findings presented in this report offer insights into the processes that underlie youths’ experiences with dignified and fulfilling work, particularly regarding their participation in AVCs. Unsurprisingly, young women and young men participate in processing and marketing in different ways, which is often reinforced by gender and religious norms. For instance, young women are discouraged from working outside the home and are largely confined to home-based processing, where they can be monitored and remain separated from unrelated men. Such concerns may limit the ability of young women to participate in AVCs in more public roles, such as selling goods in the town market. Moreover, young women’s family members, either her husband or parents, are often responsible for enforcing these norms. Women of all ages are responsible for housework and childcare, which limits them from pursuing income-generating activities. However, some young women are able to circumvent these restrictive norms. Non-Muslim women are not subject to the same religious gender norms, internally displaced young women are able to engage in a wider range of economic activities, some young women violate gender norms despite criticism, and others participate in AVC activities through others, such as by using hired labor. Young men may also participate in some aspects of processing, particularly when it involves mechanization, as using equipment is considered a man’s domain. As for marketing, young men predominantly sell raw agricultural products in bulk. Young women typically purchase raw goods from men and process them into various food products for home-based sale. Importantly, the findings presented in this report inform potential solutions to mitigate the constraints faced by youth participating in AVCs, including but not limited to the specific constraints imposed by gender norms. We discuss gender-transformative approaches, such as household and community dialogues, to challenge norms that restrict the ability of young women to pursue livelihood opportunities. We also highlight several promising approaches that can be paired with gender-transformative approaches. The development of systematized cottage industries may facilitate young women’s entrance into AVCs in a gender-responsive way (meaning in a way that works with existing gender norms). Stronger mentorship programs and financial services that are responsive to youth needs may also bolster young women’s and men’s participation in AVCs in northern Nigeria. |
| Keywords: | capacity building; youth; agrifood systems; value chains; opportunity structures; qualitative analysis |
| Date: | 2026–03–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:poshdn:181952 |
| By: | Rehkamp, Sarah; Zachary, James Chandler; Baker, Quinton; Canning, Patrick |
| Abstract: | The Agri-Food Economic Data System (Ag-FEDS) is an integrated system of economic data that elaborates the linkages between all production and consumption activities throughout the U.S. economy. This data system incorporates developments to provide the most complete accounting of the U.S. food economy to date and is a flexible modeling platform that supports research in this area. This report makes three extensions to Ag-FEDS in preparation for multiplier analysis: (1) complete passthrough accounting of food commodities, (2) inclusion of non-farm food commodities in the food supply chain, and (3) partitioning import/export commodity flows to avoid re-exporting imports. Ag-FEDS is used as the underlying data source for two food-system-specific multiplier models: the Food Dollar and the Resource Requirements of Food Demand. The multiplier models based on the extended Ag-FEDS data are then derived in this report. The resulting output data of this analysis present greater detail and insights into the U.S. food economyʼs costs and resource use than previously available. |
| Keywords: | International Relations/Trade, Marketing, Production Economics, Research Research Methods/Statistical Methods, Supply Chain |
| Date: | 2026–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:uerstb:396235 |
| By: | Koppolu, Sarath Chandra; Steinhuebel-Rasheed, Linda; Maruejols, Lucie |
| Abstract: | In this study, we pilot a workflow in Fayoum, Egypt, using freely available high-resolution imagery and an iteratively expanded, custom-labeled dataset, to explore whether small-object detection can feasibly track solar-powered irrigation adoption. If feasible, this approach can provide a low-cost, scalable foundation for evidence-based policy. Beyond mapping adoption, the method also has potential to link solar irrigation detection to environmental and agricultural outcomes, such as vegetation dynamics, cropping intensity, or water use efficiency. |
| Keywords: | irrigation; solar powered irrigation systems; monitoring systems; Egypt; Africa; Northern Africa |
| Date: | 2026–02–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:menapn:181060 |
| By: | Raphael Corbi (University of São Paulo); Chiara Falco (University of Milan); Luca J. Uberti (University of Milano-Bicocca) |
| Abstract: | We estimate the impact of infrastructure investment on conflict using 163 hydroelectric dams in Brazil (2002–2022). Leveraging the staggered rollout of construction in a difference-in-differences framework, we find that dams trigger sharp, temporary surges in land invasions, water disputes, and homicides. These effects peak during construction and dissipate upon operation, suggesting they stem from the displacement process rather than the public good itself. Crucially, conflict is mediated by local institutions: violence occurs only where property rights are weak and displacement affects vulnerable smallholders. Our results demonstrate that without effective compensation, state-led modernization generates destabilizing redistributive shocks. |
| Keywords: | Infrastructure, Institutional Friction, Property Rights, Conflict |
| JEL: | D61 D74 H41 O13 O22 |
| Date: | 2026–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fem:femwpa:2026.01 |
| By: | Li, Junkan |
| Abstract: | This brief examines how county-level yield volatility has evolved over time across major U.S. crops and discusses implications for crop insurance modeling. Using USDA NASS county yield data from 1980–2024 for corn, cotton, soybeans, and winter wheat, we construct normalized yield shocks under alternative detrending methods and compare volatility across two subperiods. Results show that yield volatility has generally declined for corn, cotton, and soybeans, while winter wheat remains relatively stable. Spatial patterns reveal substantial geographic heterogeneity, with the most pronounced reductions in yield volatility concentrated in core production regions that also exhibited stronger yield growth over the same period. These findings highlight the need to incorporate time-varying yield risk in insurance simulation frameworks. |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries, Research Research Methods/Statistical Methods, Risk and Uncertainty |
| Date: | 2026–02–23 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:arpcbr:396226 |
| By: | Belton, Ben; Abdelhadi, Ali; Dey, Durjoy; Jovanovic, Nina; Kurdi, Sikandra; Ecker, Olivier |
| Abstract: | In this project note, we review prior research and integrate insights from 14 semi-structured key informant interviews with experts on fisheries in southern Yemen to synthesize current knowledge on fisheries in Hadramawt governorate—home to the largest population of fishers in Yemen—and identify gaps that warrant further investigation. |
| Keywords: | fisheries; systematic reviews; stakeholders; value chains; fishing vessels; fishery industry equipment; governance; markets; postharvest losses; fish consumption; Yemen; Asia; Western Asia |
| Date: | 2026–01–14 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:menapn:179858 |
| By: | Meinzen-Dick, Laura; Doss, Cheryl; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S. |
| Abstract: | Women’s property rights and tenure security are recognized as critical for development policy and practice. Yet there is no consensus on how to conceptualize or measure these concepts. In this paper, we explore the relationships between perceived tenure security, as reported by survey respondents, with documentation and the bundle of rights that are often used to define property ownership. We use data from the pilot of the Women’s Empowerment Metrics for National Statistics (WEMNS) in Malawi, Nepal, and Bangladesh on both agricultural land and housing. The land rights module was designed to match indicators being collected to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Similar questions were asked regarding the dwelling. Regression results find few associations between perceived tenure security and property rights (holding individual or sole land rights, having your name on a document, and holding rights to sell and bequeath). We thus use Sankey diagrams to visualize these relationships. In Malawi, two-thirds of those without documents, both men and women, are tenure secure. In Bangladesh, over half of the respondents are landless and thus do not have tenure security. Two-thirds of Bangladeshi women respondents in landed households report that they are tenure secure, in spite of not having their own names on the documents. In Nepal, we find a high level of both property ownership (90 percent) and tenure security (80 percent). The patterns differ across contexts and between land and housing. The results confirm that the documentation of rights and having sole or joint rights are important but should not be conflated with tenure security. |
| Keywords: | property rights; property; tenure; tenure security; land ownership; gender; gender analysis; gender equity in access to land; Malawi; Bangladesh; Nepal; Africa; Asia; Southern Asia; Southern Africa |
| Date: | 2026–03–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:gsspwp:182034 |
| By: | Cockx, Lara; De Weerdt, Joachim; Duchoslav, Jan; Nagoli, Joseph |
| Abstract: | Malawi’s policy ambitions increasingly emphasize the need for greater crop and diet diversity. De-spite these stated goals, the country’s food system continues to revolve around maize, both in pro-duction and consumption. This brief discusses the economic imperatives that drive low-income, land-constrained Malawians to prioritize maize. Only by addressing these underlying incentives can policy effectively reduce maize dominance and support the diversification agenda it seeks to advance. |
| Keywords: | maize; consumer behaviour; consumer economics; feeding habits; economic behaviour; crop production; Malawi; Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Eastern Africa |
| Date: | 2026–02–20 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:impass:181792 |
| By: | International Food Policy Research Institute; Benson, Anderson |
| Abstract: | Average retail prices of maize declined in all monitored markets in January by 16 percent on average. The price decline was driven by cheap imports of maize. Imports dominated cross-border trade in maize despite some strong but localized informal exports to Zambia. |
| Keywords: | maize; markets; market prices; retail prices; food prices; Malawi; Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Eastern Africa |
| Date: | 2026–02–12 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:lacwps:181503 |
| By: | Faisal, Md. Zaki; Uddin, Md. Shihab; Islam, Mohammad Tarikul |
| Abstract: | In an era defined by escalating climate change, Bangladesh stands as one of the world's most vulnerable nations, where the well-being of millions and the prospects for sustainable development is intrinsically linked to the health of its environment. This research was undertaken to address a critical question at the heart of this challenge: How effective is local government in strengthening environmental governance and building resilience at the grassroots level? With such a basic unit of rural governance as the Union Parishad, this study evaluates the role, influence of the institution and the systemic pressures that limits its performance. The results indicate a deep and disturbing paradox. A majority of the rural communities agreed that environmental degradation, which is coming in the form of massive floods, uncontrollable erosion of rivers and globally advancing salinity is a grave and imminent danger to their lives and livelihood. Such strong local action should in theory have a strong mandate because of this high level of public concern. However, the study also revealed a very profound and widespread sense of disillusionment between the people and the very establishments that are supposed to defend the people. The paper has concluded that, this disjoint is not due to indifference of the citizens, but is the effect of a malfunctioning system of governance. The Union Parishad, which in theory is the foundation stone of local action, is substantively disempowered and in practice emasculated by three kinds of paralysing problems: a debilitating shortage of financial resources, the corrosive effects of corruption which eats away at its credibility, and the unwarranted political interference which eats away at the proper planning and fair action. These fundamental problems are further enhanced by the inferior institutional capacity, insufficient technical skills and inability of the local, regional and national organizations to coordinate their efforts. |
| Keywords: | Bangladesh; climate change; environmental governance; local government; resilience; sustainable development; Union Parishad |
| JEL: | N0 |
| Date: | 2026–03–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:137518 |
| By: | International Food Policy Research Institute; Hayoge, Glen; Kedir Jemal, Mekamu |
| Abstract: | This bulletin reports on food price trends from major markets in Papua New Guinea, for the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025 based on data collected by Fresh Produce Development Authority (FPDA). Consistent data collection continues to be a challenge during the fourth quarter: no data was collected for the month of October (except for one round in Goroka and Kokopo, respectively). To provide up-to-date analysis, this bulletin incorporates all available data from October 2025 - January 2026 data. For Port Moresby, food price data were collected only for December and one round in January. This report compares Q4 2025 (November & December) prices with the same period in 2024 and 2023. Prices are reported in PGK per kilogram and represent real prices adjusted for inflation using the FAO Consumer Food Price Index (PCI) and price gaps (July 2025 to January 2026) filled using a growth rate calculated from the PNG National Statistical Office - June quarterly PCI data. This bulletin focuses on selected important staples (sweet potato, taro, cassava, cooking banana and rice), vegetables (aibika, English cabbage, capsicum, carrot, and choko-tips) and fruits (lemon, orange, pawpaw and pineapple). For longer time series data and interactive tools, visit the IFPRI website and download food price data here. |
| Keywords: | food prices; legumes; markets; staple foods; rice; fruits; food security; nutrition; Papua New Guinea; Oceania |
| Date: | 2026–02–20 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:nsspwp:181789 |
| By: | Ondrej Kusenda (National Bank of Slovakia); Michal Marencak (National Bank of Slovakia) |
| Abstract: | During the 2022-2023 inflation surge, the gap between households’ inflation expectations and realized inflation in Slovakia widened from 7 to 17 p.p., contradicting the view that greater attention to inflation might mitigate the upward bias. Using LASSO and other machine-learning variableselection techniques, we find that movements in food prices which rose faster than headline inflation are strongly associated with the upward bias increase. This evidence highlights selective attention in expectation formation and suggests that, when sectoral price dynamics greatly exceed aggregate inflation, central banks might assign those sectors greater weight in their inflation target. |
| JEL: | C14 C38 C52 D83 D84 E31 E52 |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:svk:wpaper:1124 |
| By: | Sauvé, Edwige |
| Abstract: | This paper develops a framework in which a multiproduct ecosystem competes with multiple single-product firms in both price and innovation. The ecosystem can use data from one product to improve the quality of its other products. We use the framework to study three regulatory policies aimed at leveling the playing field. Restricting the ecosystem’s cross-product data usage, or forcing it to share data with single-product firms, benefits those firms and induces them to innovate more. However, these policies also dampen the ecosystem’s incentive to collect data and innovate, potentially raising prices. Consumers are better off only when single-product firms are sufficiently good at innovating. Facilitating data exchange between single-product firms via a data cooperative can backfire and harm them, because it induces the ecosystem to price more aggressively. For both the data-sharing and data-cooperative policies, there exist data-compensation schemes such that consumers are better off compared to no regulation. |
| Keywords: | Digital ecosystems; innovation; data regulation; data cooperative |
| Date: | 2026–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tse:wpaper:131492 |