IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/jdevst/v40y2004i6p122-145.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Disease, Microdams and Natural Resources in Tigray, Ethiopia: Impacts on Productivity and Labour Supplies

Author

Listed:
  • Gregory Amacher
  • Lire Ersado
  • Donald Leo Grebner
  • William Hyde

Abstract

We examine the effects of water microdams and ensuing waterborne diseases on household decisions in Tigray, Ethiopia, where the government implemented a water resource development programme two decades ago. We find microdams increase productivity of both fuelwood collection and crop production, but the costs of these dams to households can be significant. In villages close to dams, disease prevalence is higher and all household labour categories spend more time sick, and more time is spent by male and female adults caring for sick family members. These can cost the household anywhere in the region of 150-250 Birr per season, depending on the type of labour diversion and the productivity of labour. Males are most significant here. Removing their time from production results in 40-60 per cent higher productivity and income losses compared to diversion of female labour. Sick households also spend significantly more money on health care, especially when male and female adults are sick.

Suggested Citation

  • Gregory Amacher & Lire Ersado & Donald Leo Grebner & William Hyde, 2004. "Disease, Microdams and Natural Resources in Tigray, Ethiopia: Impacts on Productivity and Labour Supplies," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(6), pages 122-145.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:40:y:2004:i:6:p:122-145
    DOI: 10.1080/0022038042000233830
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0022038042000233830
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/0022038042000233830?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gregory Amacher & William Hyde & Keshav Kanel, 1999. "Nepali fuelwood production and consumption: Regional and household distinctions, substitution and successful intervention," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(4), pages 138-163.
    2. Johansson, Per-Olov & Lofgren, Karl-Gustaf, 1995. "Wealth from optimal health," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 65-79, May.
    3. Lopez, Ramon E., 1984. "Estimating labor supply and production decisions of self-employed farm producers," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 61-82.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. World Bank, 2005. "Ethiopia : Well-Being and Poverty in Ethiopia, The Role of Agriculture and Agency," World Bank Publications - Reports 8707, The World Bank Group.
    2. Kohlin, Gunnar & Sills, Erin O. & Pattanayak, Subhrendu K. & Wilfong, Christopher, 2011. "Energy, gender and development: what are the linkages ? where is the evidence ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5800, The World Bank.
    3. Jean-Marie Baland & François Libois & Dilip Mookherjee, 2018. "Forest Degradation and Economic Growth in Nepal, 2003–2010," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 5(2), pages 401-439.
    4. Kenneth Fortson & Joanne Lee & Madeline Young, "undated". "Impact Evaluation of the Irrigation Infrastructure Activity in Armenia," Mathematica Policy Research Reports f792daac2bee4b68845201fff, Mathematica Policy Research.
    5. Ersado, Lire, 2005. "Small-scale irrigation dams, agricultural production, and health - theory and evidence from Ethiopia," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3494, The World Bank.
    6. Marrit Van Den Berg & Ruerd Ruben, 2006. "Small-Scale irrigation and income distribution in Ethiopia," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(5), pages 868-880.
    7. Garbero, Alessandra & Songsermsawas, Tisorn, 2016. "Impact of modern irrigation on household production and welfare outcomes: Evidence from the PASIDP project in Ethiopia," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Boston, Massachusetts 235949, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    8. Bowman, Maria S. & Amacher, Gregory S. & Merry, Frank D., 2008. "Fire use and prevention by traditional households in the Brazilian Amazon," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(1), pages 117-130, August.
    9. Independent Evaluation Group, 2010. "A Multicomponent Irrigation Program in Peru," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 29754.
    10. Ulimwengu, John M., 2009. "Farmers' health status, agricultural efficiency, and poverty in rural Ethiopia: A stochastic production frontier approach," IFPRI discussion papers 868, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    11. St. Clair, Priscilla Cooke, 2016. "Community forest management, gender and fuelwood collection in rural Nepal," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 52-71.
    12. Bart Bruggen & Karolien Borghgraef & Chris Vinckier, 2010. "Causes of Water Supply Problems in Urbanised Regions in Developing Countries," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 24(9), pages 1885-1902, July.
    13. World Bank, 2008. "Ethiopia - A Country Study on the Economic Impacts of Climate Change," World Bank Publications - Reports 8030, The World Bank Group.
    14. Beyene,Abebe D. & Bluffstone,Randall & Gebreegziabher,Zenebe & Martinsson,Peter & Mekonnen,Alemu & Vieider,Ferdinand, 2015. "The improved biomass stove saves wood, but how often do people use it ? evidence from a randomized treatment trial in Ethiopia," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7297, The World Bank.
    15. Wakeyo, Mekonnen B. & Gardebroek, Cornelis, 2011. "Farm Size and the Share of Irrigated Land in total Landholding: the case of Water-Harvesting Irrigation in Ethiopia," 2011 International Congress, August 30-September 2, 2011, Zurich, Switzerland 115735, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    16. Jagger, Pamela & Jumbe, Charles, 2016. "Stoves or sugar? Willingness to adopt improved cookstoves in Malawi," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 409-419.
    17. Randall Bluffstone & Abebe D. Beyene & Zenebe Gebreegziabher & Peter Martinsson & Alemu Mekonnen & Michael Toman, 2022. "Experience and Learning with Improved Technologies: Evidence from Improved Biomass Cookstoves in Ethiopia," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 81(2), pages 271-285, February.
    18. Kemeze, Francis H., 2020. "Demand for Supplemental Irrigation via Small-Scale Water Harvesting," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304569, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bagamba, Fredrick & Burger, Kees & Kuyvenhoven, Arie, 2007. "Determinants of smallholder farmer labour allocation decisions in Uganda," 106th Seminar, October 25-27, 2007, Montpellier, France 7920, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    2. Démurger, Sylvie & Fournier, Martin, 2011. "Poverty and firewood consumption: A case study of rural households in northern China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 512-523.
    3. Lofgren, Hans & Robinson, Sherman, 1999. "To trade or not to trade: non-separable farm household models in partial and general equilibrium," TMD discussion papers 37, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    4. Dimitris Christopoulos & Margarita Genius & Vangelis Tzouvelekas, 2021. "Farm and non-farm labor decisions and household efficiency," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 56(1), pages 15-31, August.
    5. Bowlus, Audra J. & Sicular, Terry, 2003. "Moving toward markets? Labor allocation in rural China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(2), pages 561-583, August.
    6. Glauben, Thomas & Herzfeld, Thomas & Wang, Xiaobing, 2005. "Labor Market Participation of Chinese Agricultural Households," 2005 International Congress, August 23-27, 2005, Copenhagen, Denmark 24516, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    7. Findeis, Jill L. & Hallberg, M. C. & Lass, Daniel, 1987. "Off-Farm Employment: Research and Issues," Staff Paper Series 256841, Pennsylvania State University, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology.
    8. Murphy, David M. A. & Berazneva, Julia & Lee, David R., 2015. "Fuelwood Source Substitution and Shadow Prices in Western Kenya," 2015 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 26-28, San Francisco, California 205084, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    9. Behera, Bhagirath & Rahut, Dil Bahadur & Jeetendra, Aryal & Ali, Akhter, 2015. "Household collection and use of biomass energy sources in South Asia," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 468-480.
    10. Kousar, Rakhshanda & Abdulai, Awudu, 2014. "Impact of non-farm work and land tenancy contracts on soil conservation measures," 88th Annual Conference, April 9-11, 2014, AgroParisTech, Paris, France 170522, Agricultural Economics Society.
    11. Zhang Wei-Bin, 2011. "Economic Growth And Dynamics Of Renewable Resource With Housing, Agricultural And Resource Land Use," Studies in Business and Economics, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 6(2), pages 151-174, August.
    12. Meilby, Henrik & Smith-Hall, Carsten & Byg, Anja & Larsen, Helle Overgaard & Nielsen, Øystein Juul & Puri, Lila & Rayamajhi, Santosh, 2014. "Are Forest Incomes Sustainable? Firewood and Timber Extraction and Productivity in Community Managed Forests in Nepal," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(S1), pages 113-124.
    13. Yang, Xiaojun & Xu, Jintao & Xu, Xiaojie & Yi, Yuanyuan & Hyde, William F., 2020. "Collective forest tenure reform and household energy consumption: A case study in Yunnan Province, China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    14. Zon, Adriaan van & Muysken, Joan, 2003. "Health as a Principal Determinant of Economic Growth," Research Memorandum 024, Maastricht University, Maastricht Economic Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    15. E. Phimister & D. Roberts, 2006. "The Effect of Off-farm Work on the Intensity of Agricultural Production," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 34(4), pages 493-515, August.
    16. Phimister, Euan & Roberts, Deborah, 2002. "The Effect of Off-farm Work on Production Intensity and Output Structure," Workshop on the Farm Household-Firm Unit: Its Importance in Agriculture and Implications for Statistics, April 12-13,2002, Wye Campus, Imperial College 15718, International Agricultural Policy Reform and Adjustment Project (IAPRAP).
    17. Dihai Wang & Heng-fu Zou, 2011. "The Fogel Approach to Health and Growth," CEMA Working Papers 520, China Economics and Management Academy, Central University of Finance and Economics.
    18. Subhrendu Pattanayak & D. Evan Mercer, 1998. "Valuing soil conservation benefits of agroforestry: contour hedgerows in the Eastern Visayas, Philippines," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 18(1), pages 31-46, January.
    19. van Zon, Adriaan & Muysken, Joan, 2001. "Health and endogenous growth," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 169-185, March.
    20. Henning, Christian H.C.A. & Henningsen, Arne, 2007. "AJAE Appendix: Modeling Farm Households' Price Responses in the Presence of Transaction Costs and Heterogeneity in Labor Markets," American Journal of Agricultural Economics APPENDICES, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 89(3), pages 1-44, August.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:40:y:2004:i:6:p:122-145. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/FJDS20 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.