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on Agricultural Economics |
| By: | Aihounton, Dossou Ghislain Boris; Christiaensen, Luc |
| Abstract: | Modern inputs and mechanization are promoted across Africa to raise smallholder labor productivity and broker the structural transformation. Yet, adoption has remained low and the implications for returns to labor and labor allocation remain poorly understood. This paper explores the effects of different intensification packages on farm performance, market orientation, and food security using data from lowland rice farmers in Côte d'Ivoire. Employing a multinomial treatment effect model, the findings reveal that intensification increases land and labor productivity, especially when agro-chemicals and mechanized land preparation are combined. Returns to labor double to triple, inducing specialization and greater market orientation as well as greater food security, while productively releasing agricultural labor for other activities. Labor in agriculture becomes more waged. The gender balance remains the same. Child labor input does not decrease. The findings call for greater attention to labor productivity and confirm that agricultural intensification can pay and enhance rural transformation. |
| Date: | 2023–04–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10405 |
| By: | R.M.R, Ahammed; Perera, Rasitha Thilini Suranjana; K.G.D, Piyumali; Kaluarachchi, K.D. K. G; D, Silva S. K. B.; Munagamage, Thilini; P, Piyankarage C. S.; Shahmy, Seyed (National Science and Technology Commission); Karunaratne, Veranja |
| Abstract: | Agriculture in Sri Lanka occupies 46% of the land and consumes over 80% of the country's freshwater resources. Rice farming is the most prominent agricultural practice, with 1.8 million families engaged in it. The annual tea production contributes to 285, 877 metric tons of export volume, which accounts for nearly 38% of the total agricultural products, with a target of $2, 044 million in income by 2025. Climate change and natural resources significantly impact agriculture, with irregular rainfall patterns, temperature variation, and drought causing substantial challenges as a whole. The proposed interventions at BICOST IX 2023 under the food crops, plantation, and export crops sectors include enhancing certified seed production, promoting value-added products, and developing training and awareness programs for low-carbon lifestyles with the view of addressing them all in all. Also, food security is another area that has negative consequences linked to climate change impacts in the sector, with nearly 26% of the population expected to be affected by food security by 2050. The COVID-19 pandemic consequences and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine might worsen the situation further. From a Sri Lankan perspective, the implications of proposed strategic interventions could help sustain a healthy national economy while committing to the universal goals of SDGs 1, 2, and 13, the Paris Accords, and the Milan Urban Food Policy Fund. However, more concerns can be put forward to minimise or eliminate diseases in the agriculture sector due to climate change and minimise food waste or loss, which is lacking in the report. |
| Date: | 2023–10–26 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:64grs_v1 |
| By: | Wang, Zhuanlin; Wang, Jinxia; Huang, Kaixing |
| Abstract: | Leveraging exogenous government irrigation investments and longitudinal household survey data over 15 years, we investigate how irrigation affects agricultural productivity under climate change. We find that the irrigation investment increased the share of irrigated farmland by 11.0%, which, in turn, increased per-area output by 14.9%, net agricultural income by 15.6%, agricultural TFP by 13.7%, and per-labor output by 36.2%. These effects are driven by four key mechanisms: increased use of high-productivity inputs, expanded cultivation area, labor reallocation from farm work to off-farm work, and mitigation of drought damage. The induced land expansion and labor reallocation explain the much larger increase in per-labor output. A cost-benefit analysis suggests a high rate of return to irrigation investment, with about half of the return stemming from labor reallocation that increased off-farm income. This study highlights the policy relevance of irrigation investments in improving agricultural productivity and accelerating rural transformation under climate change. |
| Keywords: | irrigation investment, agricultural productivity, labor reallocation, climate change |
| JEL: | C23 O13 O15 Q12 Q54 |
| Date: | 2025–02–18 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:123705 |
| By: | Pede, Valerien; Valera, Harold Glenn; Mishra, Ashok; Balié, Jean |
| Abstract: | To meet the rice demand 2050, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) estimates that an extra 75 million tons of rice will need to be produced worldwide compared to 2020. This represents a substantial leap forward when rice yields are plateauing in most countries. Several factors are likely to drive the supply response, including the actual surface planted to rice when the competition for land is fierce, the extent of adoption of high-yielding varieties when variety turnover has remained low, farmer's access to and price of inputs especially fertilizers as the price of fossil energy soars, rapidly changing consumers preference with a growing rice market segmentation that calls for shorter and more responsive value chains, evolving public incentives to address production but also consumption environmental policy objectives, and the more or less rapid integration of rice market in Asia but also the rice market outlook in Africa. Authors borrow from foresight methods and rely on quantitative models such as the IRRI Global Rice Model (IGRM) to analyze projections in terms of supply, demand, trade, and prices. Under the climate change adaptation and mitigation imperative, the paper also discusses the likely tradeoffs between food and nutrition security and methane emission reduction and higher water use efficiency in Asian rice-based agri-food systems. |
| Keywords: | Rice, food security, foresight, Asia |
| JEL: | Q11 Q17 Q18 |
| Date: | 2023–07–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:123639 |
| By: | Dietz, Simon; Lanz, Bruno |
| Abstract: | As the climate is changing, the global economy is adapting. This paper describes a novel method of estimating climate adaptation globally. We quantify how much the global economy has adapted to climate change historically, how much it has cost, and how much it has reduced the direct impacts of climate change. The method is based on a structurally estimated model of long-run growth, which identifies how changes in consumption, fertility, innovation, and land use allow the economy to adapt to climate change. Agriculture plays a key role, because it is vulnerable to climate change and food cannot be perfectly substituted. We estimate that adaptation has been highly effective in reducing negative climate impacts on agricultural production. However, the cost of adaptation has been a reallocation of resources out of the rest of the economy, which has in effect slowed down the process of structural change out of agriculture into manufacturing and services. We also use the model to estimate optimal future carbon taxation. Because adaptation is effective but costly, reducing future greenhouse gas emissions would improve welfare substantially. |
| Keywords: | agriculture; climate change; directed technical change; economic growth; energy; population growth; structural change; structural estimation; uncertainty |
| JEL: | C51 O13 Q54 |
| Date: | 2025–04–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:127218 |
| By: | Ebadi, Ebad; Russ, Jason Daniel; Zaveri, Esha Dilip |
| Abstract: | Agricultural subsidies make up a large share of public budgets, exceeding 40 percent of total agricultural production value in some countries. Subsidies are often important components of government strategies to raise agricultural productivity, support agricultural households, and promote fo od security. They do so by reducing production costs, promoting the use of inputs or modern farming techniques, encouraging the production of certain crops, and raising household incomes. Given the magnitude of these subsidies, their distributional implications and the externalities they impose on the environment are of significant consequence. This paper uses a new spatial analysis to explore the distributional implications of agricultural output subsidies across 16 countries/regions and the distributional and select environmental implications of input subsidies across 23 countries/regions. The findings show that, relative to the spatial distribution of income, both types of subsidy are distributionally mixed. Output subsidies are relatively progressive in 10 countries/regions and regressive in six, while input subsidies are relatively progressive in 11 countries/regions, regressive in nine, and neutral in three. The results also show that input subsidy schemes significantly increase fertilizer use, particularly in richer regions within countries, leading to soil saturation of nitrogen, an indicator of accelerated environmental degradation. |
| Date: | 2023–04–19 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10414 |
| By: | Blanchard, Paul Baptiste; Ishizawa Escudero, Oscar Anil; Humbert, Thibaut; Van Der Borght, Rafael |
| Abstract: | Weather-related shocks and climate variability contribute to hampering progress toward poverty reduction in Sub-Saharan Africa. Droughts have a direct impact on weather-dependent livelihood means and the potential to affect key dimensions of households’ welfare, including food consumption. Yet, the ability to forecast food insecurity for intervention planning remains limited and current approaches mainly rely on qualitative methods. This paper incorporates microeconomic estimates of the effect of the rainy season quality on food consumption into a catastrophe risk modeling approach to develop a novel framework for early forecasting of food insecurity at sub-national levels. The model relies on three usual components of catastrophe risk models that are adapted for estimation of the impact of rainy season quality on food insecurity: natural hazards, households’ vulnerability and exposure. The paper applies this framework in the context of rural Mauritania and optimizes the model calibration with a machine learning procedure. The model can produce fairly accurate lean season food insecurity predictions very early on in the agricultural season (October-November), that is six to eight months ahead of the lean season. Comparisons of model predictions with survey-based estimates yield a mean absolute error of 1.2 percentage points at the national level and a high degree of correlation at the regional level (0.84). |
| Date: | 2023–05–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10457 |
| By: | Isabelle Piot-Lepetit (UMR MoISA - Montpellier Interdisciplinary center on Sustainable Agri-food systems (Social and nutritional sciences) - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - CIHEAM-IAMM - Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen de Montpellier - CIHEAM - Centre International de Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement) |
| Abstract: | Editorial on the Research Topic Strategies of digitalization and sustainability in agrifood value chains |
| Keywords: | digitalization, sustainability, agrifood value chains, innovation, strategies, food production, food distribution, digital literacy |
| Date: | 2025–02–20 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04965786 |
| By: | Omar Faruque (Begum Rokeya University [Rangpur, Bangladesh]) |
| Abstract: | This study examines the socioeconomic conditions of marginal farmers in Rangpur District, Bangladesh. This research aims to assess their living conditions, financial stability, and agricultural productivity through a survey of 150 randomly selected farmers. Marginal farmers, constituting approximately 70% of the farming community, play a crucial role in food security and economic stability but face persistent challenges that hinder their progress. The study highlights key demographic and economic factors, including gender, education, land ownership, earnings, and financial conditions. Findings reveal that most farmers are male (93.33%) and middle-aged, with 42.67% having education below the SSC level. A majority (92%) follow farming as a generational occupation, with family sizes typically ranging from 4 to 5 members. About 71.33% have 10-20 years of farming experience, and 72% rely on additional labor. Land ownership is generally limited to 20-30 decimals (40.67%), with daily earnings ranging from 250 to 500 taka (72.67%). Financial constraints are evident, as 65.33% have loans, and only 4.67% possess savings. Despite some improvements in education-64.67% of farmers report their children attend school-significant barriers remain in asset accumulation, income growth, and living standards. The study underscores the need for targeted policy interventions to enhance financial support, education, and access to resources for marginal farmers, ensuring their long-term sustainability and improved livelihoods. |
| Keywords: | Marginal Farmers, Socioeconomic Status, Agricultural Challenges, Rural Development, Food Security, Financial Stability |
| Date: | 2024–12–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04928093 |
| By: | Manogna R. L.; Nishil Kulkarni |
| Abstract: | The financialization of agricultural commodities and its impact on food security has become an increasing concern. This study empirically investigates the role of financialization in global food markets and its policy implications for a stable and secure food system. Using panel data regression models, moderating effects models, and panel regression with a threshold variable, we analyze wheat, maize, and soybean futures traded on the Chicago Board of Trade. We incorporate data on annual trading volume, open interest contracts, and their ratio. The sample consists of five developed countries (United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany) and seven developing countries (China, Russia, India, Indonesia, Brazil, Vietnam, Thailand), covering the period 2000 to 2021. The Human Development Index (HDI) serves as a threshold variable to differentiate the impact across countries. Our findings indicate that the financialization of agricultural commodities has negatively affected global food security, with wheat and soybean showing a greater adverse impact than maize. The effects are more pronounced in developing countries. Additionally, we find that monetary policy has the potential to mitigate these negative effects. These results provide insights for policymakers to design strategies that ensure a secure and accessible global food supply. |
| Date: | 2025–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2502.05560 |
| By: | Dizon, Felipe Jr Fadullon; Sherwani, Hina Khan; Su, Rui |
| Abstract: | Where and how cities grow will influence food production and the risks to food production. This paper estimates the overlap of future urban expansion in 2040 and 2100 with current crop and livestock production under different climate scenarios. First, it finds that urban areas will expand most into areas with fruits, vegetables, and chickens, and urban areas will expand most under a scenario with significant challenges to climate change mitigation. Second, the share of food producing areas that will overlap with urban expansion will be largest in Africa, particularly under a scenario of significant challenges to climate change adaptation. Third, across all scenarios, urban expansion is likely to take place in areas with higher crop or livestock production, but even more so when there are significant challenges to both mitigation and adaptation. |
| Date: | 2023–04–17 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10411 |
| By: | Antonio, Ronald Jeremy; Valera, Harold Glenn; Durant-Morat, Alvaro; Hoang, Hoa; Diagne, Mandiaye; Malakhail, Fazal; Pede, Valerien |
| Abstract: | This Handbook aims to provide a global coverage of policy instruments used by governments to realize objectives related to rice production and supply, rice markets, and trade. The handbook covers major rice markets in Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East. There are similarities in policies in general and within regions. Given the importance of food security to all countries, policies are designed to increase and supplement farm income to sustain domestic production while ensuring access to and availability of affordable rice for consumers. Rice trade is still regulated mainly through import tariffs to protect domestic producers. Import tariffs are implemented in several countries in Southeast and South Asia and Africa, and in all countries reviewed in East Asia and the Americas. Based on the summary tables below, we can also see that two-tier tariffs are most common in East Asia, with them being implemented in all four of the countries reviewed. Several Asian countries procure rice through state-owned enterprises (SOEs). These countries provide significant control to SOEs to ensure stable domestic prices and control of foreign trade. From the recent developments brought about by the export restrictions imposed by India, state trading as well as government-to-government procurement have both been used to ensure that domestic supplies remain adequate. Asian importers such as Indonesia and Bangladesh have set up government-to-government trade agreements with major Asian exporters such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar to ensure domestic food availability. India has also secured several exemptions to its trade restrictions for some of its trade partners, most of which are for African countries to provide them with access to lower-priced rice while allowing India to remain as the top rice exporter in the world. Subsidies also remain prevalent, especially in South and Southeast Asia, as well as in some African countries. These subsidies are aimed toward raising farmer income and providing aid for farmers to produce efficiently and continuously. Recent subsidies have been implemented to help farmers navigate increases in fertilizer prices. Aside from providing incentive and aid to farmers, ensuring consistent production also leads to higher domestic supply, less reliance on imports, and lower consumer prices. † Published by the International Rice Research Institute. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14799014. To protect domestic farmers, several countries in Asia and the Americas also implement minimum support prices. Similar to subsidies, minimum support prices are used to encourage domestic production for both rice-importing and -exporting countries. Major exporting countries such as Thailand and India implement them to ensure their place in the world market while importers such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Laos, Nepal, and Sri Lanka implement them to secure food availability in their domestic markets. Lastly, measures such as temporary export bans and price controls are implemented in several African countries. Such measures are usually implemented to control volatile domestic prices and ensure domestic food access. |
| Keywords: | Rice policies, global rice economy, export and import restrictions, subsidies |
| JEL: | F13 Q11 Q17 Q18 |
| Date: | 2024–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:123642 |
| By: | Brudevold-Newman, Andrew Peter; Donald, Aletheia Amalia; Rouanet, Lea Marie |
| Abstract: | Mechanization has the potential to boost agricultural production and reduce poverty in rural economies, but its impacts remain poorly understood. This paper randomizes the subsidized provision of a pair of traction oxen among 2, 546 farmers in Côte d’Ivoire through a matching grant. The analysis finds positive impacts on households’ agricultural production during the agricultural season overlapping with oxen delivery, and additional increases in total land holdings and use of complementary inputs in the subsequent season. The intervention affected household members in different ways, with wives and daughters substantially reducing their work on the farm—especially in districts with more stringent gender norms around handling oxen. In these districts, introducing traction oxen resulted in women shifting to off-farm work. The intervention also improved girls’ health and reduced school dropout among boys. The results provide novel evidence on the human development effects of mechanization, while highlighting how social prescriptions mediate the impacts of technology within the household. |
| Date: | 2023–06–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10516 |
| By: | Koolwal, Gayatri B.; Grown, Caren; Ahmed, Nasiruddin |
| Abstract: | Using newly available customs data from Bangladesh, along with additional administrative and survey data, this study examines how variation in import tariffs on key agricultural inputs affects men’s and women’s agricultural employment and production—given a high degree of segmentation among men and women in different agricultural activities. In Bangladesh, women and men in agriculture are typically smallholders and maintain distinct occupations within the sector (women in livestock and poultry rearing, and men in crop agriculture). These areas are both heavily dependent on imported commodities (grains and oilseed for livestock and poultry feed, as well as seeds and fertilizer for crop agriculture). The paper shows that import tariff rates are much higher on feed-related inputs; imported inputs for crop agriculture, such as fertilizer, are also heavily subsidized. The paper also shows that the higher resulting prices for inputs used in feed are significantly negatively associated with employment and earnings in poultry and livestock activity, where women are heavily concentrated. Among those marketing output, earnings also tend to be substantially higher in crop agriculture than in livestock/poultry activity, underscoring the need for closely examining how import tariffs can affect more vulnerable groups. Individual producers are also heavily reliant on livestock for own-consumption activity, reducing their ability to pass on increased input costs. |
| Date: | 2023–06–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10488 |
| By: | Dizon, Felipe Jr Fadullon; Imtiaz, Muhammad Saad; Yu, Jisang |
| Abstract: | This paper uses two years of agriculture census data to build a panel dataset that consists of all the small towns in Bhutan. This dataset is used to estimate the impact of irrigation gaps and drought on the yields of paddy, maize, and other crops. The paper compares the estimated impacts from a panel fixed effects model and a spatial first differences model. The findings show that irrigation gaps reduce paddy yields and droughts reduce maize yields. Estimates from the spatial first differences model are found to be consistent relative to those from the panel fixed effects model. The paper further finds that water constraints reduce yields of vegetable crops, and other constraints, such as labor shortages, wild animals, insects, and diseases, also reduce the yields of cereal crops. |
| Date: | 2023–04–17 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10410 |
| By: | Deininger, Klaus W.; Ali, Daniel Ayalew; Fang, Ming |
| Abstract: | Data from 2, 251 small and medium-size farms for 2021 and 2022 show that area reductions in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine remained limited. However, worsening terms of trade reduced farm profitability, implying that 46 percent of farms had a negative cash flow and 54 percent (67 percent in the 50-120 hectare group) were credit constrained in 2022, implying that longer term effects may be more adverse. Total factor productivity varies significantly across size groups but is not significantly different between formal and informal farms in the same size group. This suggests that limited transferability of land use rights that are disproportionately used by smaller farms may be one reason for low productivity. Improving transferability of land, digital access to markets, and mortgage lending could thus trigger investment and growth in higher value products by small and medium-size farms to solidify Ukraine’s comparative advantage in agriculture and improve rural living conditions in the context of reconstruction. |
| Date: | 2023–05–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10464 |
| By: | Nguyen Huy, Tung; Adjognon, Guigonan Serge; van Soest, Daan |
| Abstract: | Forest fires are among the main drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in the drylands of Sub-Saharan Africa. This paper uses remote sensing data on forest fires and remaining tree cover to estimate the effectiveness of a project targeted at reducing fire incidences in twelve protected forests in arid Burkina Faso. The project consisted of two components that were implemented in the villages surrounding the target forests: a campaign aimed at raising community awareness about the detrimental effects of forest fires, and a program to support establishing and maintaining forest fire prevention infrastructures. Using the Synthetic Control Method the paper finds that the project resulted in a 35% reduction in forest fire occurrences in the period of the year when they tend to be most prevalent —in November, at the very end of the agricultural season. However, this impact is short-lived (as the reduction only occurred in the first four years of the program). The reduction in forest fires also did not result in a detectable increase in vegetation cover—because the reduction in November was not sufficiently large to be captured via remote sensing, or because the duration of the reduction was too short for the vegetation to recover. The paper then tries to uncover the underlying mechanisms to shed light on which of the project’s components were effective and to also learn how the program can be improved. |
| Date: | 2023–03–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10336 |
| By: | Céline Vial (UMR MoISA - Montpellier Interdisciplinary center on Sustainable Agri-food systems (Social and nutritional sciences) - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - CIHEAM-IAMM - Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen de Montpellier - CIHEAM - Centre International de Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement, IFCE - Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation [Saumur]); Arnaud Lamy (UMR MoISA - Montpellier Interdisciplinary center on Sustainable Agri-food systems (Social and nutritional sciences) - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - CIHEAM-IAMM - Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen de Montpellier - CIHEAM - Centre International de Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement); Maxime Sebbane (UMR MoISA - Montpellier Interdisciplinary center on Sustainable Agri-food systems (Social and nutritional sciences) - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - CIHEAM-IAMM - Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen de Montpellier - CIHEAM - Centre International de Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement) |
| Abstract: | This study investigates French chefs' perceptions and knowledge of horse meat as a sustainable alternative in gastronomy. The research addresses the dual challenges of reducing the environmental impact of traditional meat production and reviving horse meat consumption, which has declined significantly in France due to cultural shifts and accessibility issues. Using semi-structured interviews with 12 chefs, including trainers and practicing professionals, the study explores their attitudes, personal consumption patterns, and professional willingness to incorporate horse meat into menus. The findings reveal that horse meat is valued for its nutritional and organoleptic properties, as well as its lower environmental impact compared to ruminant meats such as beef. However, barriers such as cultural taboos, limited knowledge, and insufficient culinary traditions impede its adoption. The chefs are categorized into three profiles—connoisseur, pragmatic, and reluctant—based on their personal and professional attitudes toward horse meat. The study concludes that promoting horse meat in select restaurants through education, recipe development, and targeted communication could enhance its acceptability and sustainability credentials. This work highlights the potential of horse meat to diversify protein sources in line with environmental and societal goals while addressing the specific needs of the equine sector. |
| Keywords: | restaurant, chefs, market, sustainable food systems, gastronomy, meat consumption, horse meat |
| Date: | 2025–02–14 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04950952 |
| By: | Philippe Jeanneaux (VAS - VetAgro Sup - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur et de recherche en alimentation, santé animale, sciences agronomiques et de l'environnement, Territoires - Territoires - AgroParisTech - VAS - VetAgro Sup - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur et de recherche en alimentation, santé animale, sciences agronomiques et de l'environnement - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - UCA - Université Clermont Auvergne); Eliot Wendling; Yann Desjeux (BSE - Bordeaux Sciences Economiques - UB - Université de Bordeaux - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Geoffroy Enjolras; Laure Latruffe (BSE - Bordeaux Sciences Economiques - UB - Université de Bordeaux - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) |
| Abstract: | The experience of young farmers setting up in business has important implications for the rejuvenation of the age profile of the farming profession. The cost of taking over a farm is a key factor governing access to the profession. We focus here on the cost that young farmers must incur in order to take control of a farm business, and the determinants of this cost at the time of transfer. The contribution of this paper is that we investigate the total cost of setting up a farm, which includes not only the purchase price paid by the farmer on taking over the farm, but also the cost of adapting the farm for their projects and needs; that is, the investment costs in the first 4 years following the set up. Our analysis is based on an original database of administrative records for grants to young farmers in the French region of Puy-de-Dôme during the period 2007–2017. The results show that the average purchase price is around 80, 000 Euros, while the investment required during the first 4 years following set-up is an additional cost of almost 200, 000 Euros. The total cost of setting up depends on the young farmer's age and education, the size of the farm, its legal status, the main production on the farm, and the levers used to create value, such as short supply chains, on-farm processing, and using a quality label, however, producing using organic practices and setting up in a family context do not influence the cost. |
| Keywords: | Farm, Young farmer grant, Value, Setting-up costs, Transaction price, Investments |
| Date: | 2025–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04969713 |
| By: | Fruttero, Anna; Halim, Daniel Zefanya; Broccolini, Chiara; Dantas Pereira Coelho, Bernardo; Gninafon, Horace Mahugnon Akim; Muller, Noel |
| Abstract: | Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time. While the impacts of climate change on people’s well-being can hardly be denied, it may not be as obvious that the impacts could differ by gender. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, a shock can impact men and women differently due to social norms and pre-existing gender differences. This paper reviews the economic literature linking weather shocks (such as floods, droughts, and extreme temperatures, among others) and a large range of outcomes (from endowments to economic opportunities and agency). Men and women indeed have specific vulnerabilities and exposures. Specific physiological vulnerabilities are relatively minor: boys are more vulnerable to shocks in utero and girls and women to heat. The biggest gendered impacts are due to existing gaps and social responses to shocks. In places with strong boy preferences, families facing scarcity due to disasters are more likely to give food and other resources to boys, take their daughters out of school or marry them young, or withdraw women from agricultural work so they focus on household chores. During or after weather shocks, boys can also be taken out of schools to be put at work and men working in agriculture are often forced to migrate to find alternative sources of income. Unless climate policy acknowledges and accounts for these differences, climate change will remain an amplifier of existing gender inequalities. |
| Date: | 2023–05–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10442 |
| By: | See, Priti |
| Abstract: | This paper explores the potential of biomimetics to revolutionize medical and food waste management systems in the United States. By forging circular economies in these fields, biomimetics can provide robust financial benefits. Furthermore, biomimetics can mitigate waste accumulation and related health hazards from such systems. In light of this paper’s findings, ongoing and long-term financial investments in biomimetic technology are recommended to create sustainable medical and food waste systems on a nationwide scale. |
| Date: | 2023–08–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:x62k5_v1 |
| By: | Zaveri, Esha Dilip; Damania, Richard; Engle, Nathan Lee |
| Abstract: | As climate change intensifies, dry rainfall shocks and droughts are a growing concern. At the same time, scientific evidence suggests that the world has surpassed the safe planetary boundary for green water, which is water stored in biomass and soil that is crucial for maintaining climate resilience. Yet, evidence at the global scale of these combined forces on economic growth is poorly understood. This paper attempts to fill this gap by using data on annual subnational gross domestic product for 82 countries from 1990–2014. Using rainfall shocks as plausibly exogenous variations in a spatially specific panel at the grid level, the analysis finds that the global effects of droughts on economic activity are substantial. Moderate to extreme droughts reduce gross domestic product per capita growth between 0.39 and 0.85 percentage point, on average, depending on the level of development and baseline climatic conditions, with low- and middle-income countries in arid areas sustaining the highest relative losses. In high-income countries, moderate droughts have no impact, and only extreme droughts have adverse effects, reducing growth by about 0.3 percentage point, a little less than half the impact felt in the low- and middle-income country sample for the same intensity of drought. Crucially, the impact of a dry shock of a given magnitude also depends on antecedent green water availability. The results show that increases in soil moisture in previous years can neutralize the harmful impacts from a dry shock, with suggestive evidence that local and upstream forest cover are key channels through which these impacts manifest. These findings have important implications for measuring the economic impact of droughts and can inform adaptation investments. |
| Date: | 2023–05–23 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10453 |
| By: | Behrer, Arnold Patrick |
| Abstract: | This paper uses an exogenous shock to wages from the world’s largest anti-poverty program to show that higher wages can lead to increased air pollution, likely by inducing farmers to shift into a labor-saving and mechanized production process. Using a difference-in-differences approach on the staggered roll-out of India’s Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), combined with data on nearly 1 million fires, the paper shows that the frequency of agricultural fires increases by 21 percent after the shock. The increase in fires is concentrated in districts that appear more likely to mechanize the harvest. MNREGA did not lead to changes in area planted or tonnage produced in fire intensive crops. The estimates show that nationally, the shock increased the rate of particulate emissions from biomass burning by 30 to 50 percent. The results suggest that absent policies to correct for environmental externalities of mechanization at all stages of development, labor market shocks may lead to inefficient levels of mechanization. |
| Date: | 2023–03–27 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10376 |
| By: | Linh Nguyen; Russ, Jason Daniel; Triyana, Margaret Maggie |
| Abstract: | This paper systematically analyzes the effect of agricultural input subsidies in developing countries on yield and income, using a meta-analysis. From three databases, the analysis identifies 12 studies with 32 estimated effects on yield and 23 estimated effects on income. The findings show that programs that provide subsidized fertilizer and improved seeds are associated with average increases of 18 percent in yields and 16 percent in farming household incomes. These findings suggest that agricultural subsidies can lead to increased yields and contribute to improved living standards. |
| Date: | 2023–04–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10399 |
| By: | Lerva, Benedetta |
| Abstract: | Understanding the value of the externalities associated with a technology is crucial to correctly estimate the welfare benefits of public policies and investments. Suboptimal adoption rates of agricultural technologies in low-income countries partly result from farmers not fully internalizing the positive externalities of adoption. This paper designs an experiment to measure the monetary value of the externalities of an agricultural pest-control technology; it elicits a farmer’s willingness-to-pay for another farmer to adopt the technology, as a measure of the externalities generated by the other farmer. The findings show that externalities are large, as mean willingness-to-pay for others is equal to two days’ wage, or half the willingness-to-pay for themselves. Willingness-to-pay for another farmer depends on social proximity (as it is easier to learn about the technology from closer connections), and the distance between their two plots (as pest-control is more beneficial for plot neighbors). Targeting the technology to farmers with geographically central plots and more socially connected farmers generates greater positive externalities and more social value than targeting farmers with the highest willingness-to-pay for themselves. |
| Date: | 2023–07–24 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10521 |
| By: | Jedwab, Remi Camille; Haslop, Federico; Zarate Vasquez, Roman David; Rodriguez Castelan, Carlos |
| Abstract: | Empirical studies of the economic effects of climate change largely rely on climate anomalies for causal identification purposes. Slow and permanent changes in climate-driven geographical conditions, that is, climate change as defined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, have been relatively less studied, especially in Africa, which remains the most vulnerable continent to climate change. This paper focuses on Lake Chad, which used to be the 11th largest lake in the world. Lake Chad, which is the size of El Salvador, Israel, or Massachusetts, slowly shrank by 90 percent for exogenous reasons between 1963 and 1990. While the water supply decreased, the land supply increased, generating a priori ambiguous effects. These effects make the increasing global disappearance of lakes a critical trend to study. For Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria, and Niger—25 percent of Sub-Saharan Africa’s population— the paper constructs a novel data set tracking population patterns at a fine spatial level from the 1940s to the 2010s. Difference-in-differences show much slower growth in the proximity of the lake, but only after the lake started shrinking. These effects persist two decades after the lake stopped shrinking, implying limited adaptation. Additionally, the negative water supply effects on fishing, farming, and herding outweighed the growth of land supply and other positive effects. A quantitative spatial model used to rationalize these results and estimate aggregate welfare losses, which accounts for adaptation, shows overall losses of about 6 percent. The model also allows studying the aggregate and spatial effects of policies related to migration, land use, trade, roads, and cities. |
| Date: | 2023–09–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10561 |
| By: | Nikiema, Pouirkèta Rita; Kponou, Monsoi Kenneth Colombiano |
| Abstract: | Across developing countries, women play an important role both as producers of major food crops and in improving household nutrition. This research paper aims to assess the effect of improving women's empowerment on the nutritional status of children in rural Burkina Faso. Based on data from the 2014 Multisectoral Continuous Survey, the paper uses variables such as income control, access to land, autonomy in production decisions, access to credit, and social group membership to compute a composite index of women’s empowerment. Accounting for potential endogeneity of empowerment, the study adopts a dual-estimation approach that, first, uses average empowerment by stratum and, second, applies an instrumental variable. The results show a low baseline level of women’s empowerment in rural areas, but an improvement in empowerment has a relatively high and positive correlation with children’s nutritional outcomes. The study suggests that improving women’s empowerment components will translate into significant gains in children’s nutritional outcomes in rural households. |
| Date: | 2023–09–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10560 |
| By: | Emile Esmaili; Michael J. Puma; Francis Ludlow; Eva Jobbova |
| Abstract: | The complex interplay between famine, warfare, and climate constitutes a multifaceted and context-dependent relationship that has profoundly influenced human history, particularly in early modern Europe. This study advances the literature on climate-economy interactions by leveraging multi-scale statistical techniques to quantify the compounded effects of climate variability and socio-political factors on food prices, offering novel model-based insights into the historical dynamics of climate and economic systems. Using Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA), we investigate the influence of temperature fluctuations and drought severity on food prices across 14 European cities from 1565 to 1785. Our findings confirm a persistent negative relationship between temperature and food prices over the long term, while the relationship between drought severity and price dynamics appears positive yet inconsistent. Extending our analysis to higher-frequency patterns, we demonstrate that cold anomalies are strongly associated with food price that caused large-scale famines of the 1590s and 1690s. Likewise, we show that the severe and consecutive droughts of 1634 to 1636, coinciding with the Thirty Years' War, significantly amplified food price volatility, illustrating how climatic shocks can compound socio-economic and political crises. Furthermore, we identify years characterized by the simultaneous occurrence of extreme cold and drought as periods of heightened price instability, underscoring the compounded impact of concurrent climatic stressors on food prices during the early modern period. |
| Date: | 2025–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2502.06080 |
| By: | Antonio, Ronald Jeremy; Valera, Harold Glenn; Mishra, Ashok; Pede, Valerien; Yamano, Takashi; Vieira, Bernardo Oliva |
| Abstract: | In recent years, prices fertilizer, cereals and rice prices have increased significantly due to the Russia-Ukraine war and the export restrictions imposed by India. Thus resulting in higher rice prices in the Philippines. This paper examines the dynamic relationship between rice price inflation and key drivers in the Philippines by estimating a panel vector auto-regression model using monthly data from 1994 to 2023. We find evidence that the effect of world rice price shock is generally the larger and more persistent than the effects of other factors. We also find that movements in rice price inflation are explained by domestic fuel price shocks and to a lesser extent by the world urea price shocks. The impulse response functions driven by those three shocks vary over the sample, especially before a change in food policy such as the imposition of the rice tariffication in 2019. Further analysis suggests that El Niño Southern Oscillation shocks tend to induce an inflationary effect on rice prices in high-poverty and rice-sufficient regions. Our results have important food policy implications for rice markets, and offer timely insights into the desirability of current proposals to reduce rice prices for consumers and improve existing support for famers to boost rice production. |
| Keywords: | Panel data, consumer price index, input prices, weather, fuel price persistence shocks, commodities |
| JEL: | C23 E31 N35 Q18 |
| Date: | 2024–04–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:123641 |
| By: | Rupprecht, Christoph David Dietfried (Ehime University); Gärtner, Nadine; Cui, Lihua; Sardeshpande, Mallika; McGreevy, Steven R.; Spiegelberg, Maximilian |
| Abstract: | The concept of edible landscapes seeks to combine a participatory approach to food production with wider concerns about well-designed, sustainable human-landscape relationships. Despite its decade-long history and seeming potential for holistically addressing multiple intertwined socio-ecological crises, the concept has received much less attention than related ideas such as green infrastructure or nature-based solutions. We conducted a systematic, multilingual review of 79 studies to understand how edible landscapes are defined, what their characteristics are, what trends exist in the literature, and how edible landscapes can be situated in the broader context of food production. Findings suggest that no clear definition of the term ‘edible landscape’ currently exists, although the implicit consensus is that edible landscapes feature food production as well as an aesthetic contribution. The literature holds high expectations but provides only limited empirical evidence for benefits. Edible landscape frames a unique conceptual space, which we visualize by placing it in relation with related concepts. We then propose two concise, genus-differentia definitions as a basis for academic debate, one of which expands the concept to include multispecies agency in designing landscapes. We conclude with a call for more empirical as well as theory-focused research to facilitate edible landscapes’ contributions to more sustainable human-nature relationships. |
| Date: | 2023–03–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:64uvj_v1 |
| By: | Sonja Radosavljevic; Ezio Venturino; Francesca Acotto; Quanli Wang; Jie Su; Alexandros Gasparatos |
| Abstract: | Aquaculture has been the fastest growing food production sector globally due to its potential to improve food security, stimulate economic growth, and reduce poverty. Its rapid development has been linked to sustainability challenges, many of which are still unresolved and poorly understood. Small-scale producers account for an increasing fraction of aquacultural output. At the same time, many of these producers experience poverty, food insecurity, and rely on unimproved production practices. We develop a stylized mathematical model to explore the effects of ecological, social, and economic factors on the dynamics of a small-scale pond aquaculture system. Using analytical and numerical methods, we explore the stability, asymptotic dynamics, and bifurcations of the model. Depending on the characteristics of the system, the model exhibits one of three distinct configurations: monostability with a global poverty trap in a nutrient-dominated or fish-dominated system; bistability with poverty trap and well-being attractors; multistability with poverty trap and two well-being attractors with different characteristics. The model results show that intensification can be sustainable only if it takes into account the local social-ecological context. In addition, the heterogeneity of small-scale aquaculture producers matters, as the effects of intensification can be unevenly distributed among them. Finally, more is not always better because too high nutrient input or productivity can lead to a suboptimal attractor or system collapse. |
| Date: | 2025–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2502.18488 |
| By: | Alexander C. Abajian; Cassandra Cole; Kelsey Jack; Kyle C. Meng; Martine Visser |
| Abstract: | A near-catastrophic drought in Cape Town, South Africa illustrates three general implications of climate change for publicly-provided utility services. First, to reduce aggregate water demand, the public utility increased prices, leading to large demand reductions by richer households. Prior to the drought they use twice the public piped water of poorer households. At the peak of the drought, they use less. Second, some of the differential demand reduction comes from richer households substituting away from public water toward privately financed groundwater. This private adaptation both lowers the public utility's total revenue and shifts costs onto poorer households, consequences that persist after the drought abates. Third, policy interventions mitigate some of the fiscal and distributional impacts of private adaptation. These findings highlight how climate adaptation, in the context of publicly provided goods and services, can create pecuniary and environmental externalities with equity consequences. |
| JEL: | H42 O13 Q25 Q54 |
| Date: | 2025–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:33468 |
| By: | Brooks, Weston |
| Abstract: | This paper discusses the interplay between environmental challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic, and economic dynamics across the American continent, utilizing the Environmental Kuznets Curve framework to explain how economic growth interacts with environmental degradation amid unprecedented market volatility. By synthesizing empirical research from Latin and North America, diverse responses in environmental policies and economic performance are noticed, highlighting shifts in sustainable investments and disruptions in food supply chains. The analysis underscores the critical need for coordinated, data-driven policy efforts that align short-term recovery measures with long-term environmental sustainability in a post-pandemic landscape. |
| Keywords: | Covid; Enviroment; Financial; Economic growth; data-driven |
| JEL: | E61 G29 H0 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:123708 |
| By: | Deininger, Klaus W.; Ali, Daniel Ayalew |
| Abstract: | Almost throughout Ukraine’s independent history, agricultural land sales were prohibited. Measures to allow them and make land governance more transparent in 2020/21 were expected to improve equity, investment, credit access, and decentralization. This paper draws on administrative data and satellite imagery to describe land market performance before and after the Russian invasion, assess changes in land use for transacted parcels, and analyze determinants of land prices. Agricultural land market volume soon exceeded that of residential land and continued at a reduced level and with prices some 15–20 percent lower even after the invasion, with little sign of speculative land acquisition. Mortgage market activity and credit access remained below expectations. The paper discusses reasons and options for addressing them in a way that also factors in the needs of post-war reconstruction. |
| Date: | 2023–03–28 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10385 |
| By: | Holmes, Mark; Valera, Harold Glenn; Pede, Valerien; Balié, Jean |
| Abstract: | We study the relationship between export prices and domestic fragrant basmati rice markets in Pakistan over the period 2009 to 2022, combining monthly price data from five locations and six international references rice markets. Unlike previous studies, we use a quantile cointegration model to study market cointegration between the international and domestic rice markets. We find that cointegration is less likely when domestic prices are relatively low. In this, we argue that higher domestic prices will serve to motivate arbitrage thereby making domestic prices sensitive to export prices. Furthermore, we find evidence of inelastic relationship in which domestic prices seem insensitive to export prices. The results further suggest that if cointegration is more likely at the higher quantiles, then there might be an increase in sensivity, though an inelastic relationship remains. |
| Keywords: | Rice markets, Cointegration, Quantile regression, Pakistan |
| JEL: | Q11 Q17 Q18 |
| Date: | 2023–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:123724 |
| By: | Gaël Thébaud (UMR PHIM - Plant Health Institute of Montpellier - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement - UM - Université de Montpellier); César Martinez (BioSP - Biostatistique et Processus Spatiaux - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement - UM - Université de Montpellier); Mabell Tidball (CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement - UM - Université de Montpellier); Pierre Courtois (CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement - UM - Université de Montpellier) |
| Abstract: | Most plant disease epidemics spread both within and between farms. However, in the absence of collective action, each farmer generally takes disease control decisions based on personal costs and benefits. It is important to identify under which conditions the combination of such private control decisions can have synergistic or antagonistic effects, and can lead to collective economic inefficiencies. We used the game theory framework to investigate these questions, considering a simplified two-period game where two farmers decide whether or not to control an epidemic on their farm. Taking the example of sharka epidemics, caused by plum pox virus in Prunus orchards, we characterized the game and its outcomes according to initial epidemic conditions and focused on those likely to produce economic inefficiencies. Our results show that depending on the initial infection levels, a broad range of games may arise, some of which involving synergistic or antagonistic control decisions. This means that the nature of strategic interactions between famers may change depending on the state of the epidemic. After a thorough characterization of the epidemic conditions for which private management produces collective economic inefficiencies, we investigated the expected effect of different public policy incentives aiming to reduce such inefficiencies. |
| Keywords: | Epidemiology, Economics, Strategy, Collective action, Plum pox virus |
| Date: | 2025–01–19 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04957505 |
| By: | Dang, Hai-Anh H.; Nguyen, Minh Cong; Trinh, Trong-Anh |
| Abstract: | Despite a vast literature documenting the harmful effects of climate change on various socio-economic outcomes, little evidence exists on the global impacts of hotter temperature on poverty and inequality. Analysis of a new global panel dataset of subnational poverty in 134 countries finds that a one-degree Celsius increase in temperature leads to a 9.1 percent increase in poverty, using the US$1.90 daily poverty threshold. A similar increase in temperature causes a 0.8 percent increase in the Gini inequality index. The paper also finds negative effects of colder temperature on poverty and inequality. Yet, while poorer countries—particularly those in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa—are more affected by climate change, household adaptation could have mitigated some adverse effects in the long run. The findings provide relevant and timely inputs for the global fight against climate change as well as the current policy debate on the responsibilities of richer countries versus poorer countries. |
| Date: | 2023–06–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10466 |
| By: | Ambasz, Diego; Gupta, Anshuman Kamal; Patrinos, Harry Anthony |
| Abstract: | As climate change and its impact on the physical environment become increasingly evident, its relationship with human development outcomes is becoming a key area of research. While numerous researchers have studied the ways in which the immediate environment affects human capital, literature on the impact of human capital on the environment remains scarce. Despite the heightened interest in understanding the linkages between human development outcomes and environmental factors, most studies of this relationship are theoretical, correlational, or observational, thus lacking causality. This paper surveys the literature and explores how evidence can be established for policies focusing on human development and environmental outcomes. The paper presents a conceptual framework incorporating direct and indirect pathways – including cognitive and noncognitive factors through which improved education can lead to better environmental behaviors. Of the 31 studies reviewed, a majority (27 studies) present observational findings, while only a few (four studies, or 13 percent) use a quasi-experimental design to establish causality. The few causal studies suggest that it is possible to change attitudes but more difficult to change environmental behaviors. The review raises the key question of whether policies aimed at improving climate change awareness through education can effectively produce long-lasting changes in pro-environmental behaviors. Much more work is needed to advance understanding of how human capital policy can help mitigate or promote adaptation to climate change. |
| Date: | 2023–05–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10438 |
| By: | Englander, Aaron Gabriel Ratliffe; Zhang, Jihua; Villaseñor-Derbez, Juan Carlos; Jiang, Qutu; Hu, Mingzhao; Deschenes, Olivier; Costello, Christopher |
| Abstract: | Input subsidies in natural resource sectors are widely believed to deplete the natural capital on which these sectors depend. However, estimating the causal effect of subsidies on resource extraction has been stymied by identification and data challenges. China’s fishing fleet is the world’s largest, and in 2016 the government changed its fuel subsidy policy for distant water vessels to one that increases with predetermined vessel characteristics. Regression discontinuity estimates imply a long-run elasticity of fishing hours with respect to fuel subsidies of 2.2. Consequently, reducing Chinese fuel subsidies by 50 percent could eliminate biological overfishing in several ocean regions. By demonstrating the substantial impact of fuel subsidies on fishing activity and fish stocks, the findings inform ongoing subsidy reform in China, other nations with subsidized fishing vessel fuel, and the World Trade Organization. |
| Date: | 2023–04–17 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10412 |
| By: | Alberto González-García (IGE - Institut des Géosciences de l’Environnement - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - INSU - CNRS - Institut national des sciences de l'Univers - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Fédération OSUG - Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes - Grenoble INP - Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes); Ignacio Palomo (IGE - Institut des Géosciences de l’Environnement - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - INSU - CNRS - Institut national des sciences de l'Univers - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Fédération OSUG - Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes - Grenoble INP - Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes); Anna Codemo; Mirco Rodeghiero; Titouan Dubo; Améline Vallet (CIRED - Centre International de Recherche sur l'Environnement et le Développement - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AgroParisTech - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - Université Paris-Saclay - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, ESE - Ecologie Systématique et Evolution - AgroParisTech - Université Paris-Saclay - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Sandra Lavorel (LECA - Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine - USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry] - Université Savoie Mont Blanc - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Fédération OSUG - Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes) |
| Abstract: | Nature-based solutions offer multiple benefits for ecosystems and societies, supporting their inclusion in policy and practice. This study contributes to closing the gap in quantifying the multiple outcomes of nature-based solutions by assessing 83 nature-based solutions in the Alps. We assessed biodiversity co-benefits and the monetary value of four ecosystem services (heatwave mitigation, flood regulation, climate regulation, and landslide protection) provided by these nature-based solutions to their respective beneficiaries. Forest nature-based solutions showed high values for the four ecosystem services, river and wetland nature-based solutions showed high values for biodiversity, and urban nature-based solutions contributed a lower biodiversity value but were highly cost effective, benefiting a larger population. We estimated a 2.8:1 return on investment benefiting a total of 91, 324 persons. We highlight the need for integrating biodiversity and multiple ecosystem services for future nature-based solutions funding and implementation, together with their role to mitigate and adapt to climate change. |
| Date: | 2025–02–21 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04963043 |
| By: | Deininger, Klaus W.; Goyal, Aparajita |
| Abstract: | In coming decades, Africa’s urban populations will expand, and effects of climate change more keenly felt. In this context, land policies and institutions will be essential to allow urban dwellers to access productive jobs, breathe clean air, and live in decent housing; entrepreneurs, especially women, to leverage land for productive investment; and farmers to diversify, insure against shocks, and accumulate capital. Yet, many African land registries perform poorly, command little trust, and have failed to capitalize on opportunities to improve quality, relevance, and outreach via digital interoperability, use of earth observation, and connectivity. Reform examples and literature suggest that (i) regulatory and institutional reforms are key to building state capacity even in the absence of titling programs; (ii) title issuance in urban areas that aims to improve property tax collection, develop markets for long-term finance, and support infrastructure planning, financing, and construction will have higher returns than rural titling; (iii) issuance of digital georeferenced land use rights can help activate rural factor markets and, if linked to farmer registries, improve subsidy targeting and effectiveness; and (iv) demarcation and transparent decentralized management of public land is essential to attract investment, including climate finance without fueling corruption and manage disputes before they escalate into ethnic violence. |
| Date: | 2023–03–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10389 |
| By: | Faieta, Elena (University of Essex); Feng, Zhexin (University of Essex); Serafinelli, Michel (King's College London) |
| Abstract: | A quarter of the population in high-income countries lives in rural areas. However, existing empirical evidence on these areas in OECD countries is scarce. Over the past several decades, many rural areas have been declining. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether these struggling rural areas are representative of the broad experience of the universe of rural areas. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of employment evolutions for rural areas in Western Europe during the period 1970–2010. We first analyse 846 rural areas in France, Germany, Italy and the UK, and document large differences in overall employment growth across rural areas in all four countries. A sizable fraction of rural areas lost employment. However, employment in a significant number of rural areas grew during this period. The 90–10 percentile difference in decadal total employment growth of rural areas is 17.4 log points, representing an economically large difference. We then show, using data for Italy and the UK, that changes in the industry structure are fast in rural areas. The estimates also indicate that industry turnover is positively associated with employment growth. Moreover, the evidence shows that areas with stronger total employment growth exhibit stronger employment growth in the manufacturing of food and beverages. All conclusions are similar for rural remote areas. Taken together, our results lend support to the hypothesis that rural economies are not static entities; change is common in these areas, and employment evolutions often result from industry-level dynamics. |
| Keywords: | rural employment, spatial heterogeneity, industry turnover |
| JEL: | R12 R32 J21 R11 |
| Date: | 2025–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17715 |
| By: | Thomas W. Bodey (School of Biological Sciences [Aberdeen] - University of Aberdeen); Ross N. Cuthbert (School of Biological Sciences [Belfast] - QUB - Queen's University [Belfast]); Christophe Diagne (UMR CBGP - Centre de Biologie pour la Gestion des Populations - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - IRD [Occitanie] - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement - UM - Université de Montpellier); Clara Marino (ESE - Ecologie Systématique et Evolution - AgroParisTech - Université Paris-Saclay - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, CESAB - Centre de Synthèse et d’Analyse sur la Biodiversité - FRB - Fondation pour la recherche sur la Biodiversité); Anna Turbelin (GLFC - Great Lakes Forestry Centre - NRCan - Natural Resources Canada - Canadian Forest Service - CFS (CANADA)); Elena Angulo (EBD - Estación Biológica de Doñana - CSIC - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas [España] = Spanish National Research Council [Spain]); Jean Fantle-Lepczyk (AU - Auburn University, Forest Economics and Policy, School of Forestry and Wildlife Science - AU - Auburn University); Daniel Pincheira-Donoso (School of Biological Sciences [Belfast] - QUB - Queen's University [Belfast]); Franck Courchamp (ESE - Ecologie Systématique et Evolution - AgroParisTech - Université Paris-Saclay - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Emma J. Hudgins (University of Melbourne, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Carleton University - Department of Biology [Ottawa] - Carleton University) |
| Abstract: | Highlights: • Global economic costs of invasive tetrapods conservatively sum to >US$55 billion. • Costs are predicted by species traits — longevity, female maturation age, diet and invasion pathway. • Directionality of predictions can differ between ecto- and endothermic invaders. • Significant discrepancies exist between databases documenting ecological and economic impacts. • Profiling of life history traits can help to identify and mitigate future costs. Abstract: Globalisation has accelerated rates of biological invasions worldwide, leading to widespread environmental perturbations that often translate into rapidly expanding socio-economic costs. Although such monetary costs can be estimated from the observed effects of invasions, the pathways that lead invasive species to become economically impactful remain poorly understood. Here, we implement the first global-scale test of the hypothesis that adaptive traits that influence demographic resilience predict economic costs, using invasive terrestrial vertebrates as models given their well-catalogued impacts and characteristics. Our results reveal that total global costs of invasive tetrapods are conservatively in the tens of billions of dollars, with the vast majority due to damage costs from invasive mammals. These monetary impacts are predicted by longevity, female maturation age, diet and invasion pathway traits, although the directionality in the association between impacts and these drivers varied across classes. Alarmingly, costs remain unknown for >90 % of recorded established alien tetrapods worldwide, and across the majority of invaded countries. These huge socio-economic costs demonstrate the necessity of mitigating tetrapod invasions and filling knowledge gaps. Effective identification of traits predictive of costs among and within these groups can facilitate the prioritisation of resources to efficiently target the most damaging existing and emerging invasive tetrapod species. |
| Keywords: | Amphibian, Bird, Mammal, Monetary impact, Reptile, Ecological trait profiling |
| Date: | 2025–02–14 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04963316 |
| By: | Lenihan, Helena; Perez-Alaniz, Mauricio; Rammer, Christian |
| Abstract: | Firm-level Climate Action Response Plans (CARPs) are strategic plans comprising firms' climate change mitigation and adaptation commitments. Given the importance of CARPs for meeting climate change targets, encouraging firms to develop CARPs is paramount. When designing evidence-based approaches to drive firm-level CARPs, it is essential to know the resources and capabilities that enable firms to develop CARPs. Drawing on novel and highly detailed data on firms in Ireland, and using a direct matching approach, our study examines the characteristics that distinguish firms that develop and do not develop CARPs. We find that firms developing CARPs: (1) Exhibit strong market performance, in terms of productivity and sales; (2) Engage in international markets; (3) Are highly R&D and innovation active; and (4) Already use digital technologies. Such insights suggest that CARPs require firms to have high levels of resources and skills when designing their responses to climate change. The paper proffers potential policy and managerial implications, in terms of encouraging firms to develop CARPs. |
| Keywords: | Firm-level climate action, Climate Action Response Plans, Climate Change Adaptation, Climate Change Mitigation, Firms' R&D and innovation, Greenwashing |
| JEL: | Q54 Q56 Q57 L21 M14 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:zewdip:312182 |
| By: | Baseler, Travis Andreas; Narayan, Ambar; Ng, Odyssia Sophie Si Jia; Sinha Roy, Sutirtha |
| Abstract: | People may avoid migrating if they cannot insure themselves against the risk of a bad outcome. Governments can reduce the consumption risk faced by migrants by allowing them to access social protection programs in the destination. This study randomly informed around 62, 000 households across 18 Indian states about a new program allowing migrants to collect their food ration across the country, together with information about practical barriers to using the program. Four months later, treated households held lower beliefs about food ration portability, and were less likely to migrate to cities. The findings indicate that food insecurity risk reduces urban migration. |
| Date: | 2023–08–22 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10549 |
| By: | Valentin Mathieu (AgroParisTech, SILVA - SILVA - AgroParisTech - UL - Université de Lorraine - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, BETA - Bureau d'Économie Théorique et Appliquée - AgroParisTech - UNISTRA - Université de Strasbourg - Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) - Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) Mulhouse - Colmar - UL - Université de Lorraine - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement) |
| Abstract: | Introductory lecture on international wood trade for Master students in Forestry Science and Engineering. The objective of this lecture is to diagnose the current state of the international wood trade and to identify the issues at stake through the following objectives: 1. To define what international timber trade is, its conceptual framework and its scope. 2. To identify the main databases on international timber trade and their limitations. 3. To understand the current structure of the international trade in roundwood and its recent dynamics. 4. To identify the current determinants that drive the international timber trade and explore some perspectives. 5. To identify current issues related to the international timber trade through a series of case studies. |
| Abstract: | Cours d'introduction au commerce international du bois destiné aux étudiants de Master en sciences et ingénierie forestières. L'objectif de ce cours est de diagnostiquer l'état actuel du commerce international du bois et d'en identifier les enjeux à travers les objectifs suivants : 1. Définir ce qu'est le commerce international du bois, son cadre conceptuel et sa portée. 2. Identifier les principales bases de données sur le commerce international du bois et leurs limites. 3. Comprendre la structure actuelle du commerce international de bois rond et sa dynamique récente. 4. Identifier les déterminants actuels du commerce international du bois et explorer certaines perspectives. 5. Identifier les problèmes actuels liés au commerce international du bois à travers une série d'études de cas. |
| Keywords: | International trade, Forest economics, Wood products, Forest science |
| Date: | 2024–11–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04917942 |
| By: | Jappe, Arlette |
| Abstract: | Research on research policy is often characterized by heavily normative notions of development and progress, as in contemporary discourse about societal challenges and sustainability transformations. When these normative concepts are simultaneously used as descriptive terminology for empirical changes in society, they become problematic for social science. This paper explores how insights from historical institutionalism can be applied to achieve a stricter separation between the analysis of institutional change and contemporary policy discourse. The material for this study are two contrasting cases of merger reforms of public sector research institutes with universities. In the Netherlands, the former governmental Agricultural Research Service was merged with Wageningen University in 1997-1998. In Denmark, several former governmental research institutes were merged with Aarhus University and Technical University of Denmark in 2007. The reforms exemplify changing conceptions of societal impact of research. The information on each case is taken from prior literature and analyzed in a historical institutionalist comparative framework. In particular, the concept of “political development”, defined by Karen Orren and Stephen Skowronek as “enduring shifts in government authority” is applied to define the observable event of change in each case. It is then analyzed how these reforms were politically achieved (“intercurrence of political institutions”), what were the respective policy objectives and how they were framed (“policy discourse”), to what extent they resulted in continuity or discontinuity of governmental research (“institutional change”), and what were institutional implications for later research policies in each case (“institutional platform for political action”). The paper aims to show how a more temporal, developmental understanding of institutions in real-world polities could help us to reflect better about relevant institutional change from the perspective of particular policy objectives. |
| Date: | 2023–10–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:35kfa_v1 |