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Access to irrigation and the escape from poverty: Evidence from Northern Mali

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  • Dillon, Andrew

Abstract

"Significant changes in the agricultural sector in northern Mali suggest that irrigation has made a large contribution to welfare increases over the past eight years. Using difference-in-differences, propensity score matching, and matched difference in differences with a small panel, this study estimates the impact of access to irrigation on poverty, production, and nutrient intakes. The findings suggest that gains in agricultural production value do not transfer uniquely to household consumption. The paper tests two alternative hypotheses about the distribution of agricultural gains: (1) the gains in agricultural production induced by irrigation yield higher household savings, or (2) intra-village transfers from irrigators to non-irrigators contribute to informal social insurance. The paper provides evidence of both saving and sharing within villages as complimentary strategies for consuming gains in agricultural production. This finding suggests that estimating the effects of a program, relying solely on household consumption, may underestimate the welfare gains of irrigation investment by ignoring the household's savings and informal insurance network." from Author's Abstract

Suggested Citation

  • Dillon, Andrew, 2008. "Access to irrigation and the escape from poverty: Evidence from Northern Mali," IFPRI discussion papers 782, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    • Handle: RePEc:fpr:ifprid:782
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    1. Aravind Moorthy & Thomas Coen & Katie Naeve & Jeremy Brecher-Haimson & Sarah Hughes, "undated". "Evaluation of the Irrigation and Water Resource Management Project in Senegal: Design Report," Mathematica Policy Research Reports c9f29d5746b14250b145a2030, Mathematica Policy Research.
    2. Evan Borkum & Anitha Sivasankaran & Jane Fortson & Kristen Velyvis & Christopher Ksoll & Elena Moroz & Matt Sloan, "undated". "Evaluation of the Fruit Tree Productivity Project in Morocco: Design Report," Mathematica Policy Research Reports a34b68aa86c4467ba08f09fa0, Mathematica Policy Research.
    3. Evan Borkum & Anitha Sivasankaran & Elena Moroz & Matt Sloan, "undated". "Evaluation of the Fruit Tree Productivity Project in Morocco: Final Report on Irrigation Activities," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 09644639569a4e0a8cb85cee5, Mathematica Policy Research.
    4. Maredia, Mywish K., 2009. "Improving the proof: Evolution of and emerging trends in impact assessment methods and approaches in agricultural development," IFPRI discussion papers 929, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    5. Kenneth Fortson & Joanne Lee & Madeline Young, "undated". "Impact Evaluation of the Irrigation Infrastructure Activity in Armenia," Mathematica Policy Research Reports f792daac2bee4b68845201fff, Mathematica Policy Research.
    6. Nguyen, Trang & Nguyen, Cuong, 2016. "Impact Evaluation of Irrigation on Rural Household Welfare: Evidence from Vietnam," MPRA Paper 93134, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Benjamin T. Anang & Stefan Bäckman & Antonios Rezitis, 2017. "Production technology and technical efficiency: irrigated and rain-fed rice farms in northern Ghana," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 7(1), pages 95-113, April.
    8. Bio Mohamadou Torou & Guillaume Favreau & Bruno Barbier & Paul Pavelic & Mahamadou Illou & Fatoumata Sidibé, 2013. "Constraints and opportunities for groundwater irrigation arising from hydrologic shifts in the Iullemmeden Basin, south-western Niger," Water International, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(4), pages 465-479, July.
    9. Kafle, Kashi & Balasubramanya, Soumya, 2021. "Irrigation for Reducing Food Insecurity: The Case of Niger," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315099, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    10. Evan Borkum & Jane Fortson & Candace Miller, "undated". "Evaluation Design for the Transition to High-Value Agriculture Project in Moldova," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 1657b4c5d69e4de4a2d1386ff, Mathematica Policy Research.
    11. Prospère Backiny-Yetna & Franck Adoho & Issa Bouaré & Virginie Briand & Kassim Dabitao & Assa Gakou & Estelle Sommeiller & Dramane Traoré & Clarence Tsimpo & Quentin Wodon, 2009. "Tendance, profil et déterminants de la pauvreté au Mali de 2001 à 2006," Perspective Afrique, Association Africaine pour les Sciences sociales, vol. 4(1-3), pages 1-24.
    12. Independent Evaluation Group, 2010. "A Multicomponent Irrigation Program in Peru," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 29754.
    13. Domènech, Laia, 2015. "Is reliable water access the solution to undernutrition? A review of the potential of irrigation to solve nutrition and gender gaps in Africa South of the Sahara:," IFPRI discussion papers 1428, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    14. Burney, Jennifer A. & Naylor, Rosamond L., 2012. "Smallholder Irrigation as a Poverty Alleviation Tool in Sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 110-123.
    15. Andrew Dillon, 2011. "Do Differences in the Scale of Irrigation Projects Generate Different Impacts on Poverty and Production?," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(2), pages 474-492, June.

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    Keywords

    Irrigation; Informal insurance; Development strategy;
    All these keywords.

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