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Agricultural productivity and deforestation: Evidence from input subsidies and ethnic favoritism in Malawi

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  • Abman, Ryan
  • Carney, Conor

Abstract

This paper studies the underlying relationship between agricultural productivity and deforestation by analyzing the impacts of a large fertilizer and seed subsidy program in Malawi. In the absence of well-defined subsidy eligibility criteria, we demonstrate that areas with a high proportion of individuals of the same ethnicity as the president received more subsidized fertilizer and deforested less compared to areas with other predominant ethnicities. We provide evidence that subsidized fertilizer increased yields and reduced pressure to expand agriculture and that the findings are not confounded by increases in public sector employment or other public assistance programs. The results suggest that policies aimed at increasing small-scale agricultural productivity may have positive environmental spillovers.

Suggested Citation

  • Abman, Ryan & Carney, Conor, 2020. "Agricultural productivity and deforestation: Evidence from input subsidies and ethnic favoritism in Malawi," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeeman:v:103:y:2020:i:c:s0095069620300656
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2020.102342
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Deforestation; Ethnic favoritism; Agricultural input subsidies; Malawi;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • Q23 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Forestry
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products

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