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Assessing adult farm labor statistics: Evidence from a survey design experiment in Ethiopia

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  • Dammert, Ana C.
  • Galdo, Jose

Abstract

Agricultural labor accounts for most of the employment in Sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, few empirical studies have examined the reliability of farm labor measures emerging from household surveys. In this study, we report the results from a survey design experiment in rural Ethiopia that focus on the effects of survey respondent i.e., proxy vs self-report, on adult farm labor. Our results show that proxy respondents generate lower farm labor statistics relative to self-responses for men but not for women. The magnitude of the impacts for men reaches 3.9 percentage points or 4.3% lower rate of participation relative to the mean participation obtained from the self-report. Our results have implications for the current debate on the measurement of agricultural productivity and the collection of survey data in rural areas of developing settings.

Suggested Citation

  • Dammert, Ana C. & Galdo, Jose, 2021. "Assessing adult farm labor statistics: Evidence from a survey design experiment in Ethiopia," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:203:y:2021:i:c:s0165176521001130
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2021.109836
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Reardon, Thomas, 1997. "Using evidence of household income diversification to inform study of the rural nonfarm labor market in Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 735-747, May.
    2. Jose Galdo & Ana C Dammert & Degnet Abebaw, 2021. "Gender Bias in Agricultural Child Labor: Evidence from Survey Design Experiments," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 35(4), pages 872-891.
    3. Beegle, Kathleen & Carletto, Calogero & Himelein, Kristen, 2012. "Reliability of recall in agricultural data," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(1), pages 34-41.
    4. Arthi, Vellore & Beegle, Kathleen & De Weerdt, Joachim & Palacios-López, Amparo, 2018. "Not your average job: Measuring farm labor in Tanzania," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 160-172.
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    6. Barrett, C. B. & Reardon, T. & Webb, P., 2001. "Nonfarm income diversification and household livelihood strategies in rural Africa: concepts, dynamics, and policy implications," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 315-331, August.
    7. Miriam Bruhn & David McKenzie, 2009. "In Pursuit of Balance: Randomization in Practice in Development Field Experiments," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 1(4), pages 200-232, October.
    8. Bharadwaj, Prashant, 2015. "Fertility and rural labor market inefficiencies: Evidence from India," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 217-232.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Survey design; Farm labor; Gender; Labor statistics;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C8 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • Q12 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets

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