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Chat Over Coffee? Diffusion of Agronomic Practices and Market Spillovers in Rwanda

Author

Listed:
  • Esther Duflo
  • Daniel Keniston
  • Tavneet Suri
  • Céline Zipfel

Abstract

Agricultural extension programs often train a subset of farmers and rely on social networks for knowledge dissemination. We evaluate this approach through a two-stage experiment of an agronomy training program among Rwandan coffee farmers. The first stage randomized trainee concentration at the village level; the second randomly selected participants within villages. Training increased knowledge and self-reported adoption, with smaller effects on audited adoption. At first glance, the program appeared effective: trained farmers had 4.6% higher yields than non-trained applicants within the same village and stronger social ties with co-trainees. However, knowledge did not diffuse, and control farmers with more treatment friends reduced audited adoption and input use. Villages with high trainee concentrations showed suggestive evidence of negative spillovers, likely due to competition for inputs – mulch, fertilizer, and labor. Declines in control farmers’ yields account for treatment-control differences, raising concerns both about this dissemination strategy and estimates that fail to consider potential negative spillovers.

Suggested Citation

  • Esther Duflo & Daniel Keniston & Tavneet Suri & Céline Zipfel, 2023. "Chat Over Coffee? Diffusion of Agronomic Practices and Market Spillovers in Rwanda," NBER Working Papers 31368, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
  • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:31368
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • Q13 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Markets and Marketing; Cooperatives; Agribusiness
    • Q16 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - R&D; Agricultural Technology; Biofuels; Agricultural Extension Services

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