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Agricultural Extension and Technology Adoption for Food Security: Evidence from Uganda

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  • Yao Pan
  • Stephen C Smith
  • Munshi Sulaiman

Abstract

We evaluate causal impacts of a large-scale agricultural extension program for smallholder women farmers on technology adoption and food security in Uganda through a regression discontinuity design that exploits an arbitrary distance-to-branch threshold for village program eligibility. We find eligible farmers used better basic cultivation methods, achieved improved food security. Given minimal changes in adoption of relatively expensive inputs, we attribute these gains to improved cultivation methods that require low upfront monetary investment. Farmers also modified their shock-coping methods. These results highlight the role of information and training in boosting agricultural productivity among poor farmers and, indirectly, improving food security.

Suggested Citation

  • Yao Pan & Stephen C Smith & Munshi Sulaiman, 2018. "Agricultural Extension and Technology Adoption for Food Security: Evidence from Uganda," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 100(4), pages 1012-1031.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:ajagec:v:100:y:2018:i:4:p:1012-1031.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Agriculture; agricultural technology adoption; extension; food security; information; regression discontinuity; training; Uganda;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • Q12 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets
    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General

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