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on Agricultural Economics |
| By: | Ulimwengu, John M.; Warner, James; Mutyasira, Vine; Keizire, Boaz |
| Abstract: | Rwanda has made significant strides in improving its food systems, with notable progress in reducing malnutrition and stunting, especially among children. Stunting rates declined from over 50% in the early 2000s to 33% by 2020, reflecting the government’s commitment to addressing food insecurity and enhancing nutrition through a range of agricultural and public health initiatives. The country’s Crop Intensification Program (CIP) has played a pivotal role in increasing agricultural productivity, especially for staple crops like maize, beans, and Irish potatoes, which has contributed to better food availability across the country. Despite these achievements, substantial challenges persist. Almost 19% of households still face food insecurity, with the highest prevalence in rural areas. Additionally, malnutrition continues to affect vulnerable populations, with anemia rates among women of reproductive age at 37%, signaling gaps in nutrition security. Environmental concerns, including soil degradation, water scarcity, and climate change, further complicate efforts to sustain agricultural productivity. Approximately 40% of Rwanda’s land is affected by soil erosion, and shifting climate patterns pose increasing risks to agricultural yields. These challenges indicate the need for a more strategic, research-based approach to understanding and transforming Rwanda’s food system. |
| Keywords: | food systems; malnutrition; stunting; food security; agriculture; public health; intensification; agricultural productivity; sustainability; Rwanda; Africa; Eastern Africa; Southern Africa |
| Date: | 2025–01–17 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:rssppn:169384 |
| By: | Maria Laura Ojeda; Exequiel Romero-Gomez; Luca Salvatici; Cristina Vaquero-Piñeiro |
| Abstract: | Satisfying the increasing food demand while supporting the sustainability of agri-food systems in the face of climate change is seen as a major global challenge in the future. This study investigates how environmental policies, such as higher organic production targets, might affect the sustainability of agri-food systems. By using simulations from the Simplified International Model of Agricultural Prices, Land Use, and Environment (SIMPLE) model, extended for the first time to distinguish organic from conventional production, we project socio-economic and emission outcomes in response to the 25% of organic farmland by 2030 fixed by the European Union Farm to Fork (F2F) strategy in Italy. Overall, results indicate that even though the F2F strategy in Italy is projected to increase crop production and reduce Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030, it will also raise crop prices, slightly increase land use, and intensify non-land input demands under conventional agriculture. The findings underscore the need for complementary policies and coordinated action plans to balance economic, social, and environmental sustainability. |
| Keywords: | organic transition, organic farming, agriculture, SIMPLE model, Italy |
| JEL: | Q18 O13 C63 F63 |
| Date: | 2025–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rtr:wpaper:0287 |
| By: | Vos, Rob; Martin, Will |
| Abstract: | Food systems generate about one third of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Without reducing them, it will not be possible to stabilize the climate and keep the increase in global temperature below 1.5 oC from pre-industrial levels. About 50 percent of agricultural emissions (in CO2eq) come from methane, a super potent GHG, mostly from livestock production and rice cultivation. We consider six broad potential approaches to reducing emissions from agriculture—emission taxes; repurposing of farm support; regulations and conditionality; investing in green innovations; emission reduction credits, and demand-side interventions. We find that carbon taxes on most agricultural production emissions are likely much less effective than for emissions from combustion. Simple rearrangement or reduction of agricultural support will have only small impacts in terms of improving human and planetary health. By contrast, repurposing agricultural support towards R&D on sustainable agricultural intensification could generate major efficiency gains, sharply reduce emissions and improve food security. Regulatory approaches, including conditionality and payment for environmental services (PES) can be counterproductive if they lower yields and require expansion of agricultural land use. The potential benefits of emission reduction credits are greatly diminished by challenges in defining their baselines. Demand interventions designed to contribute both to environmental goals and improvements in health outcomes may also play a supporting role. Since multiple sustainable development goals are to be achieved, no single instrument by itself will be effective. Instead, multiple policy instruments will need to be bundled and targeted to create synergies and address trade-offs. |
| Keywords: | climate change mitigation; agriculture; food security; agricultural policies; greenhouse gas emissions; sustainability |
| Date: | 2025–05–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:174515 |
| By: | Benimana, Gilberthe Uwera; Warner, James; Missiame, Arnold Kwesi |
| Abstract: | Agriculture is central to Rwanda's economy, supporting the livelihood of about 70% of the population and contributing significantly to GDP. Smallholder farmers face many production challenges such as limited use of modern inputs, low productivity, and vulnerability to climate change. Despite efforts like the Crop Intensification Program and the Smart Nkunganire System, which aim to en hance access to resources, agricultural productivity remains suboptimal for Rwanda smallholder farmers. This study seeks to identify specific sources of technical inefficiencies among smallholder farmers, focusing on the total value of farmer’s crop output. By using stochastic frontier analysis, a robust quantitative method for separating inefficiencies and random shocks, the study assessed the overall technical efficiency of smallholder farmers in Rwanda and identified the key factors influencing crop output value. The analysis reveals that fertilizer use, pesticide application, labor, seed use, and land size are key drivers of crop output value. This research further indicates that farmers operate at only 45% of their potential productivity, given the same level of input and technology, highlighting substantial room for efficiency improvements to reach the optimal output value frontier. Furthermore, additional analysis emphasizes the critical role of socioeconomic factors in shaping technical efficiency. The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to optimize resource utilization, streamline labor allocation and strengthen access to extension services and government initiatives aimed at boosting agricultural production value. These strategies can substantially improve technical efficiency, enabling farmers to achieve optimal crop output values and advancing Rwanda's agricultural development objectives. |
| Keywords: | agriculture; smallholders; stochastic models; crops; agricultural development; Rwanda; Africa; Eastern Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Date: | 2025–05–12 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:rsspwp:174560 |
| By: | Yao, Feng; Hernandez, Manuel A. |
| Abstract: | Low adoption of improved land management practices, including fertilizer use, is one of the main factors for low agricultural productivity in many developing countries. Rising agricultural productivity in many countries has been accompanied by greater fertilizer use. For example, sub-Saharan African countries, characterized by low agricultural productivity, have a very low fertilizer application rate, averaging 10 kilograms per hectare (kg/ha) of nutrients of arable land, compared to 288 kg/ha in a high-income country (Hernandez and Torero, 2011). Considering the essential role that agriculture plays in the rural economy of many developing countries, many policies have been implemented to encourage sustainable fertilizer adoption. The effectiveness of different mechanisms remains though a topic of discussion. Hernandez and Torero (2013) and Hernandez and Torero (2018), for instance, note that fertilizer prices are generally higher in more concentrated markets at the global and local level. The authors argue that better understanding the dynamics of fertilizer prices in international markets can help in designing policies that promote sustainable fertilizer use in developing countries, which are increasingly dependent on imported fertilizer. |
| Keywords: | food prices; fertilizers; agricultural productivity; prices; shock; commodities |
| Date: | 2025–04–28 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:othbrf:174361 |
| By: | Omamo, Steven Were; Andam, Kwaw S.; Balana, Bedru; Amare, Mulubrhan; Popoola, Olufemi; Nwagboso, Chibuzo |
| Abstract: | Main Messages: 1. Low-income households in both urban and rural areas are hardest hit by rising food prices. Post-reform (fuel subsidies removal and exchange rate liberalization) price shocks and persistent inflation have disproportionately affected poor urban and rural households, forcing them to reduce food consumption and dietary diversity. Malnutrition and food insecurity are on the rise, particularly among children and women-headed households, with sharpest impacts in conflict-affected areas. 2. Small-scale farmers are not benefiting proportionately from price increases. Despite surging food prices, small-scale farmers face escalating input costs, poor market access, and structural in-efficiencies that leave them with marginal gains far below the rate of inflation. 3. Trading networks maintain healthy margins, amplifying systemic inefficiencies. Traders and intermediaries dominate the food supply chain, passing on increased costs to consumers while pre-serving or even increasing their profit margins, highlighting inequities in the distribution of benefits along the value chain. 4. Recent economic reforms and external shocks exacerbate structural weaknesses. Economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies and exchange rate adjustments, have amplified existing challenges in the food system, including high transport costs, inadequate infrastructure, and fragmented markets. 5. Policy interventions should protect vulnerable groups and strengthen local food systems. Addressing these disparities requires targeted safety nets for consumers, support for small-scale farmers, and systemic investments to reduce inefficiencies in the value chain while promoting cli-mate-resilient food systems. |
| Keywords: | economics; food systems; households; inflation; Nigeria; Africa; Western Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Date: | 2025–04–24 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:nssppn:174326 |
| By: | Khakimov, Parviz; Diao, Xinshen; Goibov, Manuchehr; Ashurov, Timur |
| Abstract: | On March 1, 2023, the Government of Tajikistan adopted a new sectoral program, “Agrifood System and Sustainable Development Program, ” for the period up to 2030. The program defined six priorities, namely (1) strengthening institutions, (2) enabling physical infrastructure, (3) creating an agriculture extension system, (4) ensuring food and nutrition security, (5) ensuring food safety and, veterinary and plant protection, and (6) establishing effectively functioning value chains. The Program aims to ensure sustainable development of the sector and enhance its competitiveness through structural and institutional reforms, by boosting sector productivity, creating new jobs, and ensuring food security. To inform the policy by providing empirical evidence, in this brief, first we assess and compare diverse contributions of different agrifood value chains to broad development outcomes, second, we assess the effectiveness of agricultural productivity-led growth across agrifood value chain groups for achieving multiple development outcomes (economic growth, job creation, declining poverty, and improved diets) and inclusive agrifood system transformation in Tajikistan. |
| Keywords: | agrifood systems; development; infrastructure; agricultural extension systems; food security; Tajikistan; Asia; Central Asia |
| Date: | 2025–04–25 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ceaspb:174330 |
| By: | Chatellier, Vincent |
| Abstract: | This article reports on the evolution and dispersion of income for French herbivore breeders, distinguishing across farms’ production specialization (dairy cattle, beef cattle, mixed cattle, sheep/goat, and mixed farming/poly-breeding) and forage systems (using the weight of forage maize and permanent grassland in the main forage area as segmentation criteria). This analysis is based on processing applied to data from the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) over a long period (i.e. from 2010 to 2023) and a shorter period (from 2020 to 2023), expressing all values quoted in constant 2023 euros. The income indicator used here is the family farm income per non-salaried agricultural work unit. Several lessons can be drawn from this work: i) on average over the period 2010 to 2023, French farms specialized in herbivore production generated an annual income (28, 300 euros) significantly lower than by other farms (42, 300 euros); ii) there is a high degree of income dispersion, both between and within forage systems; iii) labor productivity, productive efficiency, and the burden of debt servicing are decisive indicators of income levels; iv) subsidies play a major role in the income of many livestock farms. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural Finance, Farm Management, Livestock Production/Industries, Productivity Analysis |
| Date: | 2025–05–14 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:inrasl:356831 |
| By: | Magalhaes, Marilia; Bryan, Elizabeth; Ringler, Claudia; Nyukuri, Elvin; Choudhury, Zahid ul Arifin |
| Abstract: | As in other low- and middle-income countries, more intense climate hazards and a warmer climate negatively impact agricultural production and livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Kenya, as well as household diets, national food security and gender equality. Improving climate policy and investments to address these negative impacts requires suitable policy and investment structures that are, moreover, adequately networked among each other and with equity and nutrition efforts for effective climate action. This paper explores the institutional arrangements of the climate change policy landscape in Kenya by mapping governmental and non-governmental actors involved in climate action and how connected and influential they are. Data for this paper was collected through two participatory workshops, one at the national level and one at the county level, using the Net-Map approach. This approach provides novel insights into the highly complex climate policy landscape in Kenya. Although several climate policies and actions are in place in the country, workshop participants called for better coordination across climate change actors and stronger implementation capacity. The recent structural changes in the donor landscape might be an entry point for better alignment and coordination among different actor groups, and specifically among different government actor groups. A lack of operational monitoring and evaluation systems was also considered an important impediment to assess to what extent women and other vulnerable groups are benefitting from climate action in the country. |
| Keywords: | climate change; gender; nutrition; stakeholders; policies; impact; Kenya; Africa; Eastern Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Date: | 2025–05–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:174475 |
| By: | Wamalwa, Peter Simiyu; Kamau, Anne; Odongo, Maureen; Misati, Roseline Nyakerario |
| Abstract: | The study analyzed the relationship between climate change, bank credit, and cereal production in Kenya based on quarterly data covering the period 2000-2023 using autoregressive distributed lag approach. The study used CO2 emissions, average precipitation, and average temperature as indicators of climate change and private sector credit and credit to agriculture sector as indicators of bank credit. The empirical findings show that there is a long-run relationship between cereal production and banks' domestic credit, CO2 average precipitation, average temperature, and cereal production area. The results also indicate that bank credit, average precipitation and increase in cereal production area stimulate cereal production, while CO2 emissions and average temperature reduces cereal production in the long run. In the short run, precipitation, bank credit, mechanization increase cereal yield, while CO2 emissions and acreage under cereal cultivation, and average temperature reduce cereals production. The increase in CO2 emissions and average temperature interfere with growth and development of plants and hence the yields. However, bank credit enables farmers to counteract the impacts of climate change as it facilitates purchase of farm inputs, which in turn boost cereal production. These findings imply that there is need to mitigate climate change, because it has adverse impact on cereal production. There is also a need to enhance lending to the agriculture sector so that farmers can boost cereal production, enhance capacity to mitigate climate change as well as wither the impact of climate change on cereal production. |
| Keywords: | Bank Credit, Climate Change Risk, Cereal Production |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:kbawps:316418 |
| By: | Levert, Fabrice; Alapetite, Julien; Alliot, Christophe; Carel, Yannick; Courtonne, Jean-Yves; Diot, Valérie; Dornier, Xavier; Drogué, Sophie; Duflot, Boris; Fourdin, Simon; Levet, Anne-Laure; Madelrieux, Sophie; Smadja, Tiana |
| Abstract: | Material flow diagrams are a visual representation of sector data that allows visualizing the size of the relative flows between the different actors. The RéfFlux project (2022-2023) is a project which purpose was, for different French sectors represented by their technical institutes, to equip themselves with a common methodology for representing public and expert data. This article presents the common approach adopted for the creation of a common reference framework for the different plant and animal sectors in a context of great diversity of data, actors, technologies and issues. We propose a reading grid for the diagrams that can be produced, in particular those posted online on the RMT FILARMONI website via 3 types of possible thematic analyses: questions of food sovereignty and sector dependency, questions of co-product flows linked to the bioeconomy and finally adaptation to household consumption, at home and outside the home. We show how this type of tool can contribute to informing the public debate by facilitating dialogue between stakeholders. The main objective of this work is to contribute to a better understanding of the origin and future of plant and animal production in France in order to inform the choices of public policies and private decision-makers. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Crop Production/Industries, Industrial Organization, Livestock Production/Industries, Production Economics, Research Research Methods/Statistical Methods |
| Date: | 2025–05–13 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:inrasl:356824 |
| By: | Kaoutar Benkachchach (Faculté des Sciences Juridiques, Economiques et Sociales - UM5 - Université Mohammed V de Rabat [Agdal]); Khadija El Issaoui (Faculté des Sciences Juridiques, Economiques et Sociales - UM5 - Université Mohammed V de Rabat [Agdal]) |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the trajectory of agricultural revenues in Morocco between 1995 and 2021, with the aim of elucidating the intricate relationships among vulnerability and resilience to climate change and agricultural economic performance. Agricultural revenues are analysed in relation to two main sets of independent variables: vulnerability and resilience. The assessment of resilience is grounded in a range of indicators, encompassing economic, social, and governance aspects. Conversely, vulnerability is examined through key dimensions such as the sensitivity of health, food security, ecosystems, human habitation, water resources, and infrastructure. The methodological approach employs an ARDL (Autoregressive Distributed Lag) and vector error correction model (VECM) to capture the long-term interactions and dynamics among these variables. The results reveal that the effects of vulnerability are significantly more pronounced than those of resilience. The agricultural sector is more susceptible to vulnerability, with a relatively lower capacity for resilience. The insights derived from this research are expected to contribute to a deeper understanding of the factors affecting agricultural revenues in Morocco. Furthermore, the findings hold potential for informing policy recommendations aimed at enhancing the resilience of the agricultural sector within the unique context of the country. |
| Keywords: | Climate change, Vulnerability, Resilience, Agricultural revenues, Morocco, Changement climatique, Vulnérabilité, Résilience, Revenus agricoles, Maroc |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05036861 |
| By: | Carl Gaigne (SMART - Structures et Marché Agricoles, Ressources et Territoires - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Rennes Angers - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement); Elsa Leromain (UA - University of Antwerp); Riccardo Norbiato (PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, EU Tax - EU Tax Observatory); Mathieu Parenti (PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, PJSE - Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, EU Tax - EU Tax Observatory); Giulia Varaschin (EU Tax - EU Tax Observatory) |
| Abstract: | EU policies promoting higher environmental standards in agriculture are often perceived as a challenge to the sector's economic competitiveness. However, well-designed policies can align the EU's environmental and economic goals, fostering sustainable and inclusive growth. This policy note examines the case of pesticide-reduction targets and finds that competitiveness trade-offs can be mitigated through complementary trade measures. Our analysis highlights that 44% of pesticide use embedded in EU agricultural consumption comes from imports, despite them representing only 16% of the consumption. Particularly striking, a substantial amount of the pesticide use embedded in imports is represented by banned pesticides, exposing a blind spot in current trade policies. Without appropriate safeguards, stricter EU pesticide regulations can shift production to less-regulated markets, undermining global pesticide reduction efforts while disadvantaging EU agriculture. Analysing the potential for policy solutions, we consider different border-adjustment mechanisms, drawing parallels with the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Our findings indicate that such measures preserve EU agricultural competitiveness without compromising on environmental ambition. Aligning trade and environmental policies is therefore not only feasible but essential for effectively reducing global pesticide use while safeguarding EU agriculture. |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-05046970 |
| By: | Khakimov, Parviz; Diao, Xinshen; Goibov, Manuchehr; Ashurov, Timur |
| Abstract: | The agricultural sector accounted for one-third and one-fourth of total GDP in 2011 in 2022, respectively. In 2022 compared to 2011, both primary and off farm agricultural GDPs dropped, respectively by 13.2 and 3 percentage points, while primary agriculture employment share fell by 10.4 percentage points. The domestic market played a vital role in the recent agrifood system (AFS) growth, and a sizable portion of locally produced agrifood products was able to meet domestic demand. Though agroprocessing an important off-farm component of the AFS, grew more rapidly and thus contributed the most to off farm AFS growth, the aggregate size of off-farm components of the AFS did not increase to match with the structural change in the broader economy. |
| Keywords: | agrifood systems; markets; productivity; value chains; Tajikistan; Asia; Central Asia |
| Date: | 2025–04–25 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ceaspb:174329 |
| By: | Mehdi Guelmamen |
| Abstract: | Drinking water governance has emerged as a critical issue for policymakers. Climate change and the increase in human consumption exacerbate drought episodes, and the institutional arrangements for providing drinking water are increasingly diverse but vary in effectiveness. This paper explores the various contemporary organizational pathways in drinking water governance. Our aim is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics and implications of different organizational approaches in water management, shedding light on policy and strategic choices for sustainable and effective governance. Recommendations for future research are also considered. |
| Keywords: | Drinking water governance, local government, public services, literature review. |
| JEL: | H11 L11 L95 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ulp:sbbeta:2024-48 |
| By: | Banerjee, Sumanta; Mohapatra, Souryabrata |
| Abstract: | Adaptation measures are crucial tools in combating the adverse effects of climate change. Assessing the progress of adaptation efforts in developing countries like India, particularly in disaster-prone states like Odisha, is of utmost importance. This study explores how adaptation initiatives help to reduce vulnerability, mitigate disaster risks, and enhance socio-ecological resilience. Utilizing insights from the Sustainable Livelihood Framework, Sendai Framework, and Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, we identify various adaptation strategies and compile an inventory. This inventory is derived from diverse sources, including peer-reviewed literature, gray literature, and documents from International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) and state-level Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). The key results from the inventory indicate that the government is the leading adaptation provider, followed by the interventions of the INGOs and NGOs. It is observed from the qualitative data analysis that 35 percent of the adaptation reduces disaster risk, 45 percent of the activities/interventions help in reducing vulnerability, and 20 percent of the interventions promote and strengthen ecological resilience building. The research is limited by the fact that the adaptation inventory created is not a comprehensive list of adaptation interventions but rather an indicative one. It does not consider autonomous or household-level adaptations. Additionally, it offers for expanding successful adaptation interventions from local to regional or national levels, as demonstrated by experiences in Coastal Odisha, which can be applied to broader geographical areas. |
| Keywords: | Climate Adaptation, Disaster Risk Reduction, Socio-Ecological Resilience, Coastal India |
| JEL: | H84 Q54 R58 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:124193 |
| By: | Wang, Yuton; Guo, Jingyuan; Deng, Kent |
| Abstract: | Since Kenneth Pomeranz’s Great Divergence that was published in 2000, the scholarly debate has been focused on when the divergence was likely to begin. But a lack of real data for the Pomeranz framework has been noticeable. For our purpose, real data are imperative. The primary-source data this study uses are from the first large-scale modern survey of the rural economy in China in the 1920s and 30s to establish correlations between inputs, outputs and living standards in China’s rural sector. This study views China’s traditional growth trajectory continuing from the Qing to troubled times of the 1920s and 1930s despite considerable negative externalities from a regime change. The present view is that given that the rural economy managed to hang on during the Republican Period despite many disadvantages Qing China would have performed at least at the 1920s-30s’ level. Our findings indicate that rural population did indeed eat quite well during the politically troubled time, supporting Pomeranz’s pathbreaking comparison of utility functions between China’s Yangzi Delta and Western Europe. Secondly, food consumption proved incentives for improvement in labour productivity. Thirdly, China’s peasants were rational operators to maximise their returns. Fourthly, China’s highyield farming depended on land and labour inputs along a production probability frontier, which explains the root cause of the Great Divergence. Finally, there was a ‘little divergence’ inside China which was dictated by rice production, which justifies the Yangzi Delta as the best scenario. |
| Keywords: | Great Divergence; little divergence; primary-source data; inputs and outputs; living standards |
| JEL: | N35 N55 C51 |
| Date: | 2023–09–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:120277 |
| By: | Roy, Tirthankar |
| Abstract: | The economic emergence of societies in arid and semi-arid tropical regions depended on their ability to extract and recycle water and manipulate the environment for this purpose. India is a prominent example of this process. This pathway to economic growth has significant political and environmental costs. In light of climate change, a key question for the future is: Is tropical development sustainable in this way? The paper answers by drawing on the economic history of the tropical arid regions and a recent literature on climate impact on water resources. |
| JEL: | N50 N55 O13 Q56 |
| Date: | 2024–10–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:125641 |
| By: | Mehdi Guelmamen; Serge Garcia; Alexandre Mayol |
| Abstract: | Inter-municipal cooperation (IMC) is frequently promoted as a solution to improve the management of local utilities such as drinking water. Yet its effectiveness remains ambiguous: while IMC can create economies of scale, it may also induce transaction costs that undermine its benefits. In France, drinking water services are managed at the municipal level, where local governments can decide whether to cooperate—and if so, whether to adopt a purely technical cooperative arrangement or a more politically integrated, supra-municipal governance structure. Using a comprehensive panel of French water utilities from 2008 to 2021, we investigate the factors that lead municipalities to remain independent. Our econometric analysis, based on a correlated random effects probit model with a control function approach, yields several key findings. First, while IMC is associated with higher water prices, these increased tariffs are offset by better network performance, as indicated by lower water loss indices and improved water quality. Second, we find that the more politically integrated form of cooperation is more common among publicly managed utilities and among municipalities seeking to reduce their dependence on imported water. These findings provide new insights into the governance of common-pool resources, suggesting that while cooperation can improve service provision, its institutional design must carefully balance organizational costs against expected efficiency gains. |
| Keywords: | water resource management, public utilities, local government, inter-municipal cooperation (IMC), transaction costs. |
| JEL: | H11 L11 L95 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ulp:sbbeta:2025-07 |
| By: | Chene, Oriane (École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon I, Université de Lyon, 69342 Lyon Cedex 07, France); Chambaron, Stéphanie; Gaëlle, Arvisenet; Laurence, Dujourdy |
| Abstract: | To preserve the planet's ecosystems and ensure the well-being of its inhabitants, the adoption of more sustainable diets is necessary. At present, however, consumer dietary practices often remain unsustainable. One main barrier to adopting sustainable diets is the lack of both knowledge and motivation. The primary objective of this study was to examine whether a link exists between knowledge about sustainable diets and sustainable eating practices, and whether this link is mediated by motivations. Additionally, we compared the respective roles of objective and subjective knowledge about sustainable diets. To this end, 273 participants aged 20 to 60 years responded to questionnaires about their motivations concerning sustainable food choices, as well as their objective and subjective knowledge about sustainable diets, and their self-reported sustainable eating practices. A PLS-SEM model was used to analyze the relationships among these variables, demonstrating good reliability of the indicators, internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validity, and no multicollinearity. The predictive power of this model was found to be satisfactory, with 18% of the variance explained for motivations and 34% for practices. Our results indicate a significant link between knowledge about sustainable diets and sustainable eating practices, with motivations acting as a crucial mediator in this relationship. This finding was confirmed for both objective and subjective knowledge. Subjective knowledge was thus also revealed to have a direct effect on sustainable eating practices. These findings suggest that the manner in which individuals perceive their own knowledge about sustainable diets may have a greater impact on their practices than their actual knowledge, and that motivations play a central role in shaping sustainable behaviors. |
| Date: | 2025–05–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:osfxxx:hwc2p_v1 |
| By: | Mehdi Guelmamen |
| Abstract: | The provision of drinking water has become a central concern for public authorities due to climate change, prompting policymakers to reevaluate their approach to this semi-renewable resource. In this paper, we assess the effect of inter-municipal cooperation on performance. Using a comprehensive panel dataset comprising all French drinking water providers from 2008 to 2021, we show that organizational forms chosen by municipalities have an effect on prices of drinking water paid by consumers. More precisely, our empirical findings reveal a selection bias in the estimation of price equations and we show that consumer prices are significantly higher on average when municipalities decide to cooperate. Inter-municipal cooperation does not necessarily lead to better performance in the provision of drinking water. |
| Keywords: | Intermunicipal cooperation, local government, public services, drinking water prices, selection bias. |
| JEL: | H11 H77 L11 L95 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ulp:sbbeta:2024-40 |
| By: | Giorgos Galanis; Giorgio Ricchiuti; Ben Tippet |
| Abstract: | Unexpected climate disasters have been shown to increase public concern for tackling climate change, but not change the attitudes of policy makers. This raises the question of what the overall impact of climate disasters are on mitigation laws and policies? This paper utilises a natural experiment to estimate the impact of extreme and unexpected disaster shocks on mitigation laws and policies for 17 Western European countries. Over the period from 1980 to 2020, we identify 1990 as a particularly extreme year of climate shocks for some countries in Western Europe. Using a simple difference in difference estimation, we show that these countries which experienced the extreme climate disaster shock in 1990 implemented less mitigation laws relative to the control group over the next 10 years. This suggests that while disasters may increase public concern for the environment, they do not necessarily translate into more mitigation laws. |
| Keywords: | Climate Risk, Climate Disasters, Natural Experiment, Environmental Laws |
| JEL: | C1 C9 Q54 Q57 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:frz:wpaper:wp2025_10.rdf |
| By: | Berniell, Inés; Marchionni, Mariana; Pedrazzi, Julián; Viollaz, Mariana |
| Abstract: | This paper explores how female political leaders impact environmental outcomes and climate change policy actions using data from mixed-gender mayoral races in Brazil. We rely on a Regression Discontinuity design that compares municipalities where women narrowly won the election with those where men narrowly won. This strategy allows us to identify the causal effect of a woman winning the mayoral election. We find that, compared to male mayors, female mayors significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation in the municipalities with Amazon biome. Specifically, when a woman wins the election, annual greenhouse gas emissions decrease by 1, 510 thousand tons of CO2e per municipality in the Amazon. This effect alone represents 23% of the average annual emissions of all municipalities within the Amazon biome and 6.4% of Brazil's nationwide average. This reduction is driven by a reduction in emissions intensity (CO2e/GDP) in the Land Use sector, without changes in municipal economic activity. Part of the reduction in emissions in the Land Use sector is attributable to a decline in deforestation. Specifically, female-led municipalities in the Amazon experience a reduction in deforestation, with a 3 percentage-point decrease in the loss of forest formations relative to the baseline forest cover. This represents a 32% reduction compared to deforestation levels in the comparison municipalities. We examine potential mechanisms that could explain the positive environmental impact of narrowly electing a female mayor over a male counterpart and find that in Amazon municipalities, female elected mayors allocate more space to the environment in their government proposals and are more likely to invest in environmental initiatives. Differences in the enforcement of environmental regulations and the level of education of elected female and male mayors do not explain the results. |
| Keywords: | gender;climate change;Mayoral elections;Amazon |
| JEL: | J16 D72 Q54 Q56 Q58 |
| Date: | 2025–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:idb:brikps:14088 |
| By: | International Food Policy Research Institute; Benson, Anderson |
| Abstract: | Retail prices of maize fell by 21% in April due to the arrival of newly harvested maize on the market. Relatively cheap imports from all three neighboring countries contributed to the decline in maize prices. Maize retailed below the government-mandated price in 21 out of 26 monitored markets. |
| Keywords: | maize; market prices; retail prices; food prices; imports; Malawi; Africa; Eastern Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:masspr:174476 |
| By: | Ahmad, Saba; Khan, Abdullah; Baig, Zenab Tariq |
| Abstract: | Access to safe drinking water is essential for human health. In Abbottabad, tap and bore water are commonly used, but there has been a recent increase in bottled water consumption. This study aimed to compare tap and bottled water quality in Jinnahabad, Abbottabad. Physicochemical and bacteriological analysis was conducted on water samples collected from various sources. Surveys and interviews were also conducted to assess consumer perceptions and costs. The study found that, on average, bottled water had better physicochemical quality, although both alternatives met WHO limits. Tap water had higher levels of E. coli due to a weak sanitation system. Interestingly, despite perceiving bottled water as safer, most respondents still consumed tap water daily. Shopkeepers reported higher bottled water purchases for travel but lower daily consumption. Tap water was the main source, according to the Cantonment Board Abbottabad, though resources were insufficient. Doctors confirmed tap water-related diseases. The study suggests further research into consumer behavior and recommends monitoring measures, staff evaluations, and penalties to reduce costs and waste. |
| Keywords: | drinking water; contamination; health; consumer perception; Pakistan |
| JEL: | Q53 |
| Date: | 2023–06–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:124547 |
| By: | Koundouri, Phoebe; Alamanos, Angelos; Arampatzidis, Ioannis; Devves, Stathis; Dellis, Konstantinos; Deranian, Christopher; Nisiforou, Olympia; Sachs, Jeffrey D. |
| Abstract: | Achieving climate-neutrality is a global imperative that demands coordinated efforts from both science and robust policies supporting a smooth transition across multiple sectors. However, the interdisciplinary and complex science-to-policy nature of this effort makes it particularly challenging for several countries. Greece has set ambitious goals across different policies; however, their progress is often debated. For the first time, we simulated a scenario representing Greece’s climate-neutrality goals drawing upon its main relevant energy, agricultural and water policies, and compared it with a ‘current accounts’ scenario by 2050. The results indicate that most individual policies have the potential to significantly reduce carbon emissions across all sectors of the economy (residential, industrial, transportation, services, agriculture, and energy production). However, their implementation seems to be based on economic and governance assumptions that often overlook sectoral interdependencies, infrastructure constraints, and social aspects, hindering progress towards a unified and more holistic sustainable transition. |
| Keywords: | Climate Neutrality; Energy-emissions modelling; LEAP; FABLE Calculator; MaritimeGCH; WaterReqGCH; Decarbonization; Greece. |
| JEL: | Q28 Q54 Q58 |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:124660 |
| By: | Lucile Marescot (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, Cirad-BIOS - Département Systèmes Biologiques - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement); Elodie Fernandez (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); Hichem Dridi (FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa - FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [Rome, Italie], CLCPRO - Commission de Lutte Contre le Criquet Pèlerin en Région Occidentale); Ahmed Salem Benahi (CNLA - Centre National de Lutte Antiacridienne); Mohamed Lemine Hamouny (FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa - FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [Rome, Italie], CLCPRO - Commission de Lutte Contre le Criquet Pèlerin en Région Occidentale); Koutaro Ould Maeno (JIRCAS - Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences); Maria-José Escorihuela (isardSAT); Giovanni Paolini (isardSAT); Cyril Piou (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, Cirad-BIOS - Département Systèmes Biologiques - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement) |
| Abstract: | Highlights: • We built an operational forecasting system for Desert locust preventive management. • We used random forest model for real-time forecasting of locust presence and update every decade. • Pest distribution was explained by sand cover, ecoregions, temperature, precipitations and vegetation cover. • Field evaluation revealed a strong correlation between predicted probabilities and observed locust densities. Abstract: Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is a major agricultural pest that poses significant socioeconomic challenges to food security. This study aims to enhance preventive management of desert locusts in Western and Northern Africa by improving an operational model developed by Piou et al. (2019). The model employs satellite remote sensing data and machine learning to forecast locust occurrence at a 1 km 2 resolution every ten days. Objectives include identifying environmental risk factors, training random forest models with high-predictive power and providing updated forecasts via a web interface. It is the first implementation of a statistical forecasting model for this species within an automated system, delivering updated locust presence probabilities every ten days. Validated through field surveys with a positive error rate of 23%, the forecasting tool shows a strong correlation between predicted probabilities and observed locust densities. This operational tool can guide survey teams, optimize resource allocation, and mitigate environmental impacts efficiently. We believe continuous evaluation and integration of the forecast system will enhance its effectiveness in preventing locust outbreaks, thereby safeguarding food security in the region. |
| Keywords: | Automatic forecast system, Locust outbreak, Machine learning, Remote sensing, Schistocerca gregaria |
| Date: | 2025–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04995261 |
| By: | Khakimov, Parviz; Diao, Xinshen; Goibov, Manuchehr; Ashurov, Timur |
| Abstract: | Tajikistan’s agrifood system (AFS) accounted for 34.7 percent of Tajikistan’s national GDP and 58 percent of employment in 2022. Primary agriculture alone contributed one-quarter of total GDP and 54.9 percent of employment, while the four off-farm components of the AFS contributed about 10 percent of GDP and 3.2 percent of employment. The share of employment in primary agriculture in total employment in AFS (AgEmp+) is huge, 94 percent. The off-farm components of the AFS therefore accounted for close to 30 percent of AgGDP+ and only 5 percent of AgEMP+. Though Tajikistan is an agrarian economy, it imports a lot of foods, and the shares of imports in the country’s total merchandise imports are consistently high, around 22 percent between 2016 and 2022. For the same period, food exports as a percentage of total merchandise exports were just 3 percent (World Bank 2023). Agrifood imports also grew more rapidly, increasing by a multiple of 16 between 2000 and 2023, while exports only doubled over the same period (Khakimov, et al. 2024). |
| Keywords: | agrifood systems; imports; food supply; commodities; Tajikistan; Asia; Central Asia |
| Date: | 2025–04–25 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ceaspb:174328 |
| By: | Lasdun, Violet; Harou, Aurélie; Magomba, Chris; Guereña, Davíd |
| Abstract: | Information constraints rank high among barriers to agricultural technology adoption among small-scale farmers, particularly for complex bundles of complementary practices. Information communication technologies are emerging to extend the reach of agricultural training, with potential to deliver information through mobile and smartphones at little or no cost to farmers. In this study, we develop a low-cost digital extension platform that facilitates peer-to-peer learning through SMS-based chat groups on basic feature phones. Using a randomized controlled trial, we evaluate its effectiveness in promoting the adoption of beneficial agricultural practices compared to a one-way SMS extension program. We measure strong positive effects of treatment on adoption of practices discussed in the chat groups, increasing intercropping and organic fertilizer production by 11-18 and 15 percentage points, respectively, suggesting that a simple group discussion forum can be a powerful addition to digital extension initiatives. However, chat group participation declined over the course of the study, underscoring the challenges of designing technological interventions that sustain user engagement. |
| Keywords: | digital peer-to-peer farmer extension; information communication technology; peer learning; regenerative agriculture; Tanzania; technology adoption |
| JEL: | O12 O13 Q16 |
| Date: | 2025–09–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:127762 |
| By: | Bouamra-Mechemache, Zohra; Gaigné, Carl; Turolla, Stéphane |
| Abstract: | We develop a methodology to evaluate the role of both price and non-price competitiveness factors for domestic industries competing with foreign imports. Using a structural trade model and an instrumental variables approach, we estimate the elasticities of the imported-to-domestic consumption ratio (i.e. the imported-to-domestic ratio) with respect to changes in labor cost, productivity, and product quality. We then perform counterfactual simulations to assess the impact of unilateral changes in labor cost or product quality at the country-industry level. By adapting the widely-used exact-hat algebra approach, we compute the effects on imports, domestic consumption, and both producer and consumer revenues. We apply this methodology to the EU food sector using publicly available trade and production data. Our results highlight the importance of both price and non-price factors in explaining the share of food expenditure on imports. However, the counterfactual analysis shows that improving the cost or quality channel generates very different outcomes across countries, but also across industries within a country. Furthermore, competitiveness gains vary substantially between consumers and producers. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, International Relations/Trade, Productivity Analysis |
| Date: | 2025–05–14 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:inrasl:356832 |
| By: | Monkovic, Mia; Ward, Ben |
| Abstract: | Excerpt from the Executive Summary: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides nutrition assistance to eligible individuals and households in need. SNAP is the largest of the domestic nutrition assistance programs administered by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This report uses SNAP Quality Control (QC) data to describe the characteristics of households and individuals who participated in SNAP in fiscal year (FY) 2023 (October 2022 through September 2023). It also presents an overview of SNAP eligibility requirements and benefit levels in FY 2023. |
| Keywords: | Agricultural and Food Policy, Consumer/Household Economics, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty, Research Research Methods/Statistical Methods |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:usdami:358301 |
| By: | Rueda-Gallardo, Jorge; Mateus, Daniel Vergara; Piñeiro, Valeria; Escalante, Luis Enrique |
| Abstract: | We live in a complex world facing uncertainties, crises-including conflict and extreme weather- and a global economic slowdown. These challenges highlight the importance of understanding the agricultural sector's contributions to the economy and designing effective policies to support its resilience and growth. Within this context, examining the gender gap in the Colombian agricultural sector takes on even greater relevance. The sector plays a crucial role in the country’s economy, contributing 6.4% of the total value-added in 2019 and providing 82.1% of agricultural employment in rural areas. However, a significant gender gap exists, with women facing disadvantages in terms of participation, wages, and income generation. Women's participation in the agricultural workforce is significantly lower than men's. In 2019, only 6.1% of employed women worked in agriculture, compared to 21.6% of men, creating a gap of 15.4 percentage points. This disparity is the largest among all the economic sectors analyzed. This lower participation translates into an unequal distribution of labor income. While the agricultural sector accounts for 11.3% of the total labor income for men, it contributes only 2.6% for women. Women in agriculture also earn considerably less than men. The average salary for women in the sector was USD 117.4, while men earned USD 168.7, a 43.7% difference. These disparities are persistent across different areas and qualification levels. To promote a more equitable and resilient agricultural sector, it is essential to understand and address the underlying causes of this gender gap. This paper aims to comprehensively analyze the gender gap in Colombian agriculture by examining its various dimensions and identifying potential solutions. By highlighting the disparities in participation, wages, and income generation across different areas and qualification levels, this paper aims to inform the design of policies and interventions that promote gender equality, empower women in agriculture, and enhance the sector's overall contribution to the country's social and economic development. |
| Keywords: | agricultural sector; gender; employment; policies; Colombia; Americas; South America |
| Date: | 2025–04–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:lacwps:174402 |
| By: | Cabuay, Christopher James (De La Salle University); Sawada, Yasuyuki (University of Tokyo); Tan, Elaine (Asian Development Bank); Martinez, Jr., Arturo (Asian Development Bank); Bulan, Joseph Albert Nino (Asian Development Bank); Durante, Ron Lester (Asian Development Bank); Boller, Daniel (World Bank); Okamura, Soyoka (University of Tokyo); Yanagimoto, Kazuharu (Center for Monetary and Financial Studies) |
| Abstract: | At the onset of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown in the Philippines in April 2020, the Asian Development Bank, in partnership with the Philippine government and the private sector, implemented the Bayan Bayanihan (BB) food relief program which served approximately 162, 000 households in the National Capital Region and nearby provinces. This study evaluates the impact of in-kind transfers on social distancing by examining the effectiveness of the BB program in restricting mobility by enabling households to stay at home. We leverage plausibly random variations in the timing of the rollout of the program by employing recent developments in estimating staggered difference-in-differences strategies to more accurately identify the effect of the program. We find supportive evidence that the program could generally discourage mobility. Our findings suggest that in addition to mitigating food insecurity, food transfer programs can also generate multiple dividends by helping families stay home and reducing the spread of COVID-19. |
| Keywords: | COVID-19; impact evaluation; mobile phone location data; food program; staggered DID |
| JEL: | D04 I10 O12 |
| Date: | 2025–05–16 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:adbewp:0781 |
| By: | Morteza Alaeddini (AUT - Amirkabir University of Technology, UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes, CERAG - Centre d'études et de recherches appliquées à la gestion - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes, ICN Business School, CEREFIGE - Centre Européen de Recherche en Economie Financière et Gestion des Entreprises - UL - Université de Lorraine); Alireza Asgari (UGA INP IAE - Grenoble Institut d'Administration des Entreprises - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes - Grenoble INP - Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes, CERAG - Centre d'études et de recherches appliquées à la gestion - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes) |
| Abstract: | In the wake of global crises and the rising need for robust supply chains, this study delves into the role of big data analytics in agrifood logistics. Emphasizing the need for uninterrupted access to essential food supplies, we use a case study approach to outline the requirements for a comprehensive big data solution. This solution, which includes descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics, is based on industry standards, academic research, and the specific needs of a large B2B2C last-mile food delivery company. The proposed system architecture enhances resilience by integrating these three types of analytics, enabling improved anticipation, response, and recovery from supply chain disruptions. |
| Keywords: | Agri-food supply chain Big data analytics Last-mile delivery Social-ecological resilience Sustainability System architecture Agri-food supply chain Big data analytics Last-mile delivery Social-ecological resilience Sustainability System architecture, Agri-food supply chain, Big data analytics, Last-mile delivery, Social-ecological resilience, Sustainability, System architecture Agri-food supply chain, System architecture |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05045283 |
| By: | Paulo Santos (Economics, Monash University.); Benjamin Chipperfield (Economics, Monash University.); Shipra Shah (Forestry, Fiji National University) |
| Abstract: | REDD+ is a promising mechanism for financing carbon sequestration, but limited research exists on the contract designs that maximise this outcome. We estimate the supply of carbon under different agroforestry contracts using primary data collected in Fiji through procurement auctions, artefactual experiments, and household surveys. Our findings indicate that the densest and longest-duration contract offers the most cost-effective opportunities for carbon sequestration. We contrast auctions with contracts defined on the basis of important drivers of bidding decisions (identified using regression trees), under different assumptions of variables that can be used to administratively target beneficiaries. Our analysis shows that for relatively high values of carbon sequestration, auctions outperform such targeted payments, supporting their use for implementing REDD+ in Fiji. |
| Keywords: | agroforestry, auction, REDD+, Fiji |
| JEL: | Q23 D44 |
| Date: | 2025–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mos:moswps:2025-07 |
| By: | Lary Nel B. Abao (Department of Agriculture-National Livestock Program, Quezon City, Philippines); Deborah Kim Sy; Nobuhiro Hosoe (National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Tokyo, Japan); Yuko Akune (Nihon University - College of Bioresource Science, Kanagawa, Japan) |
| Abstract: | We study the impact and drivers of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks in the Philippines in 2017, using a static computable general equilibrium model. Observed data that indicate the market impact of the HPAI are partial; profit and welfare impacts have not been quantified yet. We investigate two major drivers of productivity declines by culling and death of birds and supply disruptions in the poultry sector and consumer avoidance behavior in meat consumption behind the observed market price drop of 7%. We estimate that possible combinations of productivity declines and consumer avoidance were 1–10% and 60–90% and that the HPAI inflicted a welfare loss of 25–56 billion PHP (500 million–1.12 billion USD) and a profit loss of 15–23 billion PHP (295–467 million USD). |
| Date: | 2025–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ngi:dpaper:25-04 |
| By: | Kohnert, Dirk |
| Abstract: | On 28 March 2025, the Trump administration formally notified Congress of its intent to dismantle nearly all remaining positions within the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), including the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). This decision effectively terminates the operations of a key foreign aid institution, concluding over six decades of purported humanitarian and development engagement. USAID has long been a focal point of criticism for both the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). However, the role of US and European aid in Africa has been fraught with contradictions. While framed as a mechanism for development, such assistance has frequently served geopolitical and neo-colonial interests rather than fostering sustainable, autonomous growth. Under the guise of economic liberalisation, aid has been instrumentalised to impose privatisation and deregulation policies, often to the detriment of local economies. USAID, in concert with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB), has prioritised large-scale agribusiness and monoculture production systems, undermining indigenous food sovereignty and displacing traditional agrarian practices. Consequently, African peasants have become increasingly dependent on imported seeds, chemical fertilisers, and industrial farming techniques, a paradigm that disproportionately benefits Western agribusiness conglomerates while exacerbating food insecurity across the continent. Compounding these challenges, concurrent reductions in aid budgets by the UK and EU, driven by militarisation priorities, threaten to inflict severe humanitarian consequences, particularly upon Africa’s most marginalised populations. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) stands to bear the brunt of these cuts, as critical prevention initiatives, including condom distribution and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) programs, face imminent discontinuation. The repercussions could reverse decades of progress, particularly in curbing mother-to-child HIV transmission and reducing paediatric HIV mortality. Yet, this crisis also presents a pivotal opportunity: the potential for Africa to reclaim agency over its developmental trajectory, unshackled from external conditionalities and structural dependencies. This juncture could catalyse an era of self-reliance, marked by regional collaboration, endogenous innovation, and economic sovereignty—principles embodied by initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). However, the feasibility of such measures remains precarious, given entrenched elite capture and systemic corruption within many SSA governance structures. The subsequent analysis will demonstrate, drawing upon case studies from South Africa, Nigeria, Zambia, and Ethiopia, the political economy of aid withdrawal often renders transformative alternatives unviable, as ruling elites prioritise self-enrichment over structural reform. |
| Keywords: | ODA; Development aid; USAID; NGOs; sub-Sahara Africa; trade policy; health policy; HIV; tuberculosis; protectionism; nationalism; self-reliance; import substitution; AfCFTA; Uganda; South Africa; Nigeria; Zambia; Ethiopia; |
| JEL: | D04 D12 D18 D31 D43 D62 D73 E26 F13 F35 F52 F54 H42 H51 H62 I14 I15 J16 N37 O55 Z13 |
| Date: | 2025–04–21 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:124485 |
| By: | Harris, Nicholas |
| Abstract: | Literature attesting to the existence of a resource ‘curse’ implied that economic prospects for resource abundant nations were poor and out of their hands. Not only had resource abundance created difficult-tomanage structural conditions, but it had also corrupted institutions and, in turn, condemned nations to further negative management of resources in the future. A critical branch of literature rose in opposition, suggesting that the outcomes of resource abundant nations had not been predetermined by their resources, but had been contingent on active institutional management. Correct management could not only have mitigated the immediate structural and institutional impacts of the socalled ‘curse, ’ but it could also have prevented the degradation of these virtuous institutional behaviours themselves. This comment will add to the debate by demonstrating which theory applies better to the case of Chile during its nitrate era: which stated ‘curse’ effects struck Chile, and how culpable was institutional management in this process? I find that whilst there are definite ‘curse’ symptoms, institutional management played a larger role than ‘determinists’ would predict, supporting the ‘activist’ strand of argument. This is not to downplay, however, the pressures that resource abundance exerted, even in countries that had a claim to institutional exceptionality. |
| JEL: | O13 N56 |
| Date: | 2024–11–22 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:126154 |
| By: | Yang, Guanyu; Rodger, Amy Dr (University of Edinburgh); Coker, Elif; Shipworth, David |
| Abstract: | As the climate crisis becomes more urgent, fostering sustainable behaviours across sectors is essential. Developing effective policy interventions requires insights into how environmental behaviours and policy support vary across geographical regions and energy, transport, and food sectors. Using data from the 2022 OECD Survey on Environmental Policies and Individual Behaviour Change across nine countries, we applied Multi-level Latent Class Analyses (MLCA) to identify population segments with different behavioural patterns in energy, transport, and food. We found distinct population segments with varying levels of sustainable behaviours and socio-demographic characteristics. More sustainable segments generally showed stronger policy support, while cross-sector analyses implied that individuals in sustainable segments of one sector were more likely to behave sustainably in others. Regional disparities exist in segment distribution across the sectors. This study is among the first to apply MLCA to cross-sectoral and cross-regional behavioural patterns, highlighting the importance of tailored policy strategies and harmonised sectoral approaches. |
| Date: | 2025–05–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:osfxxx:8y9h6_v1 |