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on Development |
| By: | Tien Manh Vu (Faculty of Global Management, Chuo University); Hiroyuki Yamada (Faculty of Economics, Keio University) |
| Abstract: | We examine the impacts of perceived landmine risk on the welfare of agricultural villagers more than two decades after the end of civil conflict in Cambodia, which lasted from 1970 to 1998, using Cambodian censuses. Using an instrumental variable approach, we find that the perceived risk of landmines has some long-lasting effects despite significant efforts toward demining. Perceived landmine risk is associated with lower crop productivity, higher crop diversity, and higher labor rates among children aged 5–14 years. However, we do not find any significant transition away from agricultural production due to perceived landmine risk or effects on school attendance among the 5–9-year cohort or on child marriage among the 13–14-year cohort. |
| Keywords: | Landmines, Agriculture, Welfare, Household, Children, Cambodia |
| JEL: | N45 O13 O15 O14 |
| Date: | 2025–11–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:keo:dpaper:dp2025-026 |
| By: | Jaime Bonet-Morón; Jorge Guerra-España; Jhorland Ayala-García |
| Abstract: | En diversas regiones del mundo, se han promovido reorganizaciones territoriales mediante la división y creación de unidades administrativas, como mecanismos para mejorar el desarrollo local y la representación política. Este trabajo evalúa las consecuencias a largo plazo de las separaciones regionales en Colombia, comparando los municipios que permanecieron en sus regiones originales con aquellos que se integraron a las nuevas. A partir de datos históricos sobre divisiones regionales en el siglo XX, implementamos un diseño de regresión discontinua geográfica, utilizando la distancia de cada municipio al límite de separación como variable continua. Esto nos permite estimar el impacto de la separación administrativa sobre los indicadores actuales de desarrollo (pobreza multidimensional y necesidades básicas insatisfechas), bajo el supuesto de que los municipios cercanos a la frontera eran similares ex ante. Los resultados muestran que no hay efectos significativos a largo plazo de la separación sobre el desarrollo de los municipios. **** ABSTRACT: In various regions around the world, territorial reorganizations have been promoted through the division and creation of administrative units as mechanisms to improve local development and political representation. This study evaluates the long-term consequences of regional separations in Colombia by comparing municipalities that remained in their original regions with those that joined newly created ones. Using historical data on regional divisions, we implement a geographic regression discontinuity design, using each municipality’s distance to the separation boundary as a continuous variable. This allows us to estimate the causal impact of administrative separation on current development indicators, under the assumption that municipalities near the border were similar ex ante. The results do not reveal significant long-term effects of separation on municipal poverty. |
| Keywords: | separación territorial, autonomía, pobreza, regresión discontinua geográfica, territorial separation, autonomy, poverty, geographic regression discontinuity |
| JEL: | P25 H72 D72 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bdr:cheedt:67 |
| By: | Dairo Estrada; Clark Granger; Valeria Salas; Jhuliana Sofía Segura |
| Abstract: | Este documento analiza el funcionamiento del sistema de crédito agropecuario en el país con énfasis en el acceso al financiamiento por parte del pequeño productor, quien representa una proporción significativa de la producción y de la población rural. Se examinan las características del Sistema Nacional de Crédito Agropecuario (SNCA), la evolución reciente de los desembolsos de créditos del sector utilizando información de FINAGRO, los costos enfrentados por los intermediarios financieros y las restricciones de oferta y demanda que limitan el acceso al crédito formal. Adicionalmente, se presenta un análisis econométrico que identifica posibles determinantes del acceso al crédito rural. Se encuentra que las condiciones geográficas y de infraestructura en Colombia limitan el acceso de pequeños productores agropecuarios al crédito, generando una concentración de colocaciones en la Región Andina. Esta distribución refleja desigualdades estructurales relacionadas con densidad poblacional, acceso a servicios, capacitación y rentabilidad productiva. En general, se evidencia la necesidad de ajustes en las políticas de fomento para mejorar la inclusión financiera del pequeño productor agropecuario. **** ABSTRACT: This document analyzes the functioning of the agricultural credit system in Colombia, with emphasis on access to financing for small-scale producers, who represent a significant share of both agricultural output and the rural population. It examines the characteristics of the National Agricultural Credit System (SNCA), the recent evolution of credit disbursements in the sector using data from FINAGRO, the costs faced by financial intermediaries, and the supply and demand constraints that limit access to formal credit. Additionally, it presents an econometric analysis that identifies potential determinants of rural credit access. The findings suggest that Colombia’s geographic and infrastructure conditions restrict small agricultural producers’ access to credit, resulting in a concentration of credit placements in the Andean Region. This distribution reflects structural inequalities related to population density, access to services, training, and productive profitability. Overall, the analysis highlights the need for adjustments in development policies to improve financial inclusion for small-scale agricultural producers. |
| Keywords: | Crédito agropecuario, pequeño productor rural, inclusión financiera, agricultural credit, small rural producer, financial inclusion |
| JEL: | Q14 G21 O18 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bdr:region:337 |
| By: | Kulshreshtha, Shobhit |
| Abstract: | In this study, I investigate the determinants of agricultural technology adoption among Indian farmers, emphasizing the critical role of information access and its sources. I use nationally representative data on rural households of India, collected by the National Sample Survey Office, Government of India for 2019, to estimate the effect of access to information on technology adoption. Using logistic regression, I estimate the likelihood of whether a farmer will adopt new farming techniques if it receives information from different sources. I also conduct spatial Durbin linear regression analysis to compute spatial spillovers of access to information on farmers’ decision to adopt new farming practices across districts. Findings highlight that the source of information matters in adopting new farming practices. Progressive farmers and input dealers emerge as influential sources. Spatial analysis reveals compelling spatial spillovers, indicating that access to information and the dominant source of information provider in neighboring districts can strongly influence a district's adoption patterns. The findings of this study can help in framing targeted policies to influence the decision-making process of farmers to adopt new farming practices. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Farm Management, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Research Methods/Statistical Methods |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aes024:355344 |
| By: | Luisito Bertinelli (DEM, Université du Luxembourg); Evie Graus (DEM, Université du Luxembourg); Jean-François Maystadt (UC Louvain, B); Silvia Peracchi (UC Louvain, B) |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the causal impact of road access on child health in Sub-Saharan Africa between 1980 and 2012 by combining geolocated data on child anthropometric outcomes with spatial data on road networks. To address endogeneity, we employ an instrumental variable approach based on the inconsequential units framework, constructing hypothetical road networks that connect historical cities and active mines. Our results show that closer proximity to paved roads significantly improves child health. The main mechanisms operate through improved healthcare access and utilization, higher household wealth, early signs of structural transformation, and cropland expansion. We find no evidence that these gains are offset by adverse environmental or epidemiological effects of improved road access. Overall, the findings underscore the role of road infrastructure in fostering development across Sub-Saharan Africa. |
| Keywords: | roads, Sub-Saharan Africa, child health, causal analysis. |
| JEL: | O15 I15 O18 O55 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:luc:wpaper:25-18 |
| By: | Tiwari, Sailesh; Skoufias, Emmanuel; Kshirsagar, Varun Sridhar |
| Abstract: | This paper uses cross-sectional surveys of households over 2007–21 from Thailand’s Socio-Economic Expenditure Survey to conduct one of the first investigations of the impacts of climatic variability on two key statistics characterizing the distribution of welfare in Thailand: the mean and the variance (or inequality). It shows that historically higher rainfall is positively associated with the mean level of welfare, as measured by household consumption expenditures per capita, and negatively associated with poverty and a variety of measures of inequality in the country. These results validate concerns about the impacts of increased climatic variability and more frequent and intense weather extremes associated with the process of climate change. More frequent and more intense shortages of rainfall will decrease welfare and increase inequality at the national level and in both urban and rural areas. There is considerable variation in the extent to which access to social assistance and credit programs in their current configuration mitigates the negative impacts of rainfall shortages on welfare and prevents increases in inequality. Investing in irrigation infrastructure and strengthening the insurance components of social protection and credit support programs, such as the Village Funds program, through increasing the identification, targeting, and coverage of those vulnerable to poverty from exposure to such shocks, provide promising options for mitigating the impacts of climatic variability on welfare, poverty, and overall inequality in Thailand. |
| Date: | 2025–11–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:11253 |
| By: | María-Isabel Ayuda (Universidad de Zaragoza, Department of Economic Analysis and Institute of Employment, Digital Society and Sustainability (Spain)); Ignacio Belloch (Universidad de Zaragoza, Department of Economic Analysis and Institute of Employment, Digital Society and Sustainability (Spain)); Vicente Pinilla (Universidad de Zaragoza, Department of Applied Economics and Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (Spain)) |
| Abstract: | Since the final decade of the twentieth century, Latin American countries have increasingly regarded the signing of Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) as a promising strategy for expanding their exports. Within this context, the main objective of this study is to assess the impact of RTAs on agri-food exports in Latin America over the period 1990–2019, during which such exports experienced significant growth. To this end, our analysis starts with an examination of the various trade agreements signed in the region and the export flows they have progressively channeled. Second, we estimate the effects of each type of agreement on agri-food trade using gravity models and export data from nineteen Latin American countries to their main trading partners (239 in total) between 1990 and 2019. Our main finding regarding the average effect of RTAs is that the estimates are robust to recent developments in gravity modeling. However, when we estimate the effects of each agreement type separately, we find considerable heterogeneity. This variation depends not only on the type of agreement, but also on the export destination region and the period under analysis. |
| Keywords: | Latin American Exports, Regional Trade Agreements, Agri-food International Trade, Gravity Models, Globalization |
| JEL: | F13 F14 N56 N76 Q17 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ahe:dtaehe:2503 |
| By: | Banerjee, Souvik; Mukhopadhyay, Sankar (University of Nevada, Reno); Jaiswal, Preeti |
| Abstract: | Using nationally representative longitudinal data from the Consumer Pyramids Household Survey, we examine the effect of childbirth on female labour market outcomes in India. Contrary to findings from similar studies in developed countries, we do not observe any motherhood penalty in earnings, employment or work hours post-childbirth, after accounting for unobserved individual heterogeneity. Interestingly, we find that the birth of a child leads to a 27.4% and 32.6% increase in women’s average earnings in urban and rural regions, respectively, relative to non-mothers. This motherhood premium seems to arise partly due to higher employment after childbirth. Further, we find that the increase in the likelihood of employment is predominantly observed among women from lower caste, Hindu religion, lower income quartiles, those with primary education, and higher order births in urban regions. In rural regions, the effect is restricted to women from the lowest income quartiles. We find that the presence of older siblings in the household increases the likelihood of women’s employment by 3.7 percentage points. These findings underscore the role of socio-economic factors in shaping the labour market outcomes of women in India. |
| Keywords: | earnings, employment, motherhood penalty, female labour market, childbirth, event study, India |
| JEL: | J13 J21 J31 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18246 |
| By: | Velloso, Helvia; Perrotti, Daniel E.; Sobreira, Rudá |
| Abstract: | This study examines the role of green, social, sustainable, and sustainability-linked (GSSS) bonds in financing the energy transition in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). It combines a descriptive assessment of sectoral bond issuance patterns from 2014 to 2024 with an econometric exercise focusing on the region’s top five issuers. The results indicate that GSSS bonds have contributed to the expansion of renewable energy capacity but have not yet produced a structural shift in the overall energy mix. These findings underscore both the opportunities and limitations of sustainable finance, highlighting the importance of complementary policies, market reforms, and effective governance to maximize its transformative potential. |
| Date: | 2025–10–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ecr:col034:82543 |
| By: | Colette Salemi; Sebastian Anti; Jonathan Rigberg; Karishma Silva; Johannes Hoogeveen |
| Abstract: | One in five refugees live in camps or camp-like settings, and three-quarters of encamped refugees are in sub-Saharan Africa. No reliable public data has systematically tracked camp locations, operations, or populations over time. To address this, we introduce the African Refugee Camps Dataset (ARCD), a geospatial panel dataset. We describe its creation and use ARCD to analyze major trends over 25 years. We then show two applications combining ARCD with complementary data. First, we assess spatial features of camp locations compared to stratified random sites. Camps align with logistical guidelines—flat terrain, moderate vegetation—but are often near borders, protected areas, and far from provincial capitals. Second, we estimate the effect of camp openings on forest and vegetation cover using a differences-in-differences approach. Camp establishment reduces forest cover by 1–2 percentage points within two years, largely due to land clearing for shelter, infrastructure, and roads. |
| Keywords: | deforestation, geospatial data, refugee camps, spatial analysis, sub-saharan africa |
| JEL: | C81 F22 J15 O18 O55 Q56 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hic:wpaper:442 |
| By: | Saani Rawat |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the causal effect of urban local governance on public goods provision in India. We exploit quasi-random variation in multi-threshold criteria utilized for classifying Census Towns (CTs) and focus on settlements near the thresholds that are likely to obtain statutory recognition. Using a fuzzy regression discontinuity design, we instrument for urban local governance to identify the Local Average Treatment Effect (LATE). We document a strong first stage relationship between meeting CT thresholds and statutory recognition. Our results show that obtaining an Urban Local Body (ULB) increases local public good provision: government schools increase by approximately 14 (primary), 8 (middle), and 5 (secondary), healthcare infrastructure expands by 2 hospitals and 3 family welfare centers, and financial access deepens with 15 private banks, 2 cooperative banks, and 2 agricultural credit societies. Community amenities improve modestly with an additional public library, reading room, and cinema hall. Sports infrastructure declines by 5 facilities, consistent with our understanding of reallocation of urban space and investments. Our findings suggest that timely municipalization of emerging urban areas can expand provision of certain public goods, which may improve living standards and economic opportunities in urbanizing economies. |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2511.06562 |
| By: | Barreto, Yuri (Bocconi University); Britto, Diogo (University of Milan Bicocca); Carrillo, Bladimir (Universidade Federal de Pernambuco); Da Mata, Daniel (São Paulo School of Economics-FGV); Emanuel, Lucas (Universidade Federal de Pernambuco); Sampaio, Breno (Universidade Federal de Pernambuco) |
| Abstract: | Worsening climatic conditions and water scarcity pose major threats to rural livelihoods and to the economic development of arid regions. This paper evaluates a large-scale, low-cost climate adaptation program that built one million rain-fed water storage cisterns in Brazil’s poorest and most drought-prone areas. Using novel individual-level administrative data and a difference-in-differences design, we show that the program substantially improved both economic and health outcomes, benefiting adults and children alike. Within ten years, household dependency on cash transfers fell by up to 34%, while formal labor income increased by 20%. Hospitalizations due to waterborne diseases declined by 16% among adults and 37% among children, and compliance with cash transfer conditionalities on child health and education improved. Additional evidence suggests that these gains were driven by a relaxation of time constraints: cisterns markedly reduced the time burden of water collection, enabling beneficiaries to allocate more time to productive activities. A cost-benefit analysis indicates a high marginal value of public funds relative to a broad range of public policies. |
| Keywords: | water, cisterns, labor market, climate adaptation, health |
| JEL: | Q54 Q25 Q58 J01 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18250 |