University of Sussex
Browse
Manuscript_gm_final.pdf (956.84 kB)

Heterogeneous effects of sustainable agriculture practices: micro-evidence from Malawi

Download (956.84 kB)
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 20:52 authored by Giuseppe Maggio, Solomon Asfaw
Are the effects of sustainable agricultural practices heterogeneous across agro-ecology and wealth in Malawi? Would a wealth-enhancing policy be associated with increased effectiveness of these practices? Focusing on a nationally representative set of Malawian agricultural households, the article answers the above questions by employing plot-level panel data matched with a set of geo-referenced rainfall and temperature records. The findings suggest a positive correlation between aggregate yield and the adoption of organic fertilizer. A similar result holds for legume intercropping and for hybrid seeds, which are associated to reductions in yield volatility between the two waves. Nevertheless, these effects appear heterogeneous across the agro-ecological zone of adoption, since a reduced number of farmers in selected locations can improve yields through the adoption of these practices. Further exploration suggests that less wealthy households show higher returns when adopting hybrid seeds or legume intercropping. Wealthier households, in contrast, report high yield only when treated with technology-enhancing practices, such as organic fertilizers and soil erosion control measures.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Journal

Journal of African Economies

ISSN

0963-8024

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Department affiliated with

  • Geography Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2020-03-20

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2022-03-13

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2020-03-20

Usage metrics

    University of Sussex (Publications)

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC