Working Paper: NBER ID: w27681
Authors: Carolina Corral; Xavier Gin; Aprajit Mahajan; Enrique Seira
Abstract: We explore the role of autonomy – defined as the freedom to choose how to spend an in-kind grant – in a context where farmers overuse fertilizer. We design and implement a field experiment that combines tailored input recommendations, extension services and an in-kind grant. The intervention decreased overall fertilizer use without reducing yields, reducing CO2 equivalent emissions by 14%. While autonomy did not adversely affect the adoption of recommended practices during the intervention, it led to substantially higher adoption two years after the intervention ended.
Keywords: autonomy; agricultural technology; fertilizer use; subsidies
JEL Codes: D01; O33; Q12
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| flexible grant (H77) | adoption of recommended practices (Q52) |
| flexible grant (H77) | yields (G12) |
| inflexible grant (H77) | yields (G12) |
| flexible grant (H77) | reduction in fertilizer use (Q16) |
| reduction in fertilizer use (Q16) | CO2 equivalent emissions (Q54) |
| flexible grant (H77) | persistence of practice adoption (C92) |
| inflexible grant (H77) | persistence of practice adoption (C92) |