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Estimating the impact of sericulture adoption on farmer income in Rwanda: an application of propensity score matching

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  • Habiyaremye, Alexis

    (Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa)

Abstract

The adoption of an agricultural technology is often seen as a way to overcome the constraints imposed by the existing resources and/or production methods. As a small landlocked country, Rwanda sought to develop the capability to produce silk, a high value-to-volume ratio product, as a means to overcome the constraints of high transportation cost of exports. Sericulture was also seen as a handy strategy to boost rural farmer income by putting previously less productive land to use for mulberry plantations. Because sericulture was not introduced randomly, this study relied on observational data and applied propensity score matching to estimate its income and poverty reduction effects in six rural districts. The results indicate that sericulture adoption had beneficial effects both on increasing income and reducing poverty. The strengthening of related skills development and the supporting infrastructure remains crucial for the sericulture to successfully diffuse and yield economic benefits commensurate with its potential.

Suggested Citation

  • Habiyaremye, Alexis, 2017. "Estimating the impact of sericulture adoption on farmer income in Rwanda: an application of propensity score matching," MERIT Working Papers 2017-024, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    • Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2017024
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    Cited by:

    1. Gamel Abdul-Nasser Salifu, 2019. "The Political Economy Dynamics of Rural Household Income Diversification: A Review of the International Literature," Research in World Economy, Research in World Economy, Sciedu Press, vol. 10(3), pages 273-290, December.
    2. Yuan Li Liu & Kai Zhu & Qi Yao Chen & Jing Li & Jin Cai & Tian He & He Ping Liao, 2021. "Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Farm Households’ Vulnerability to Multidimensional Poverty in Rural China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-16, February.
    3. Sankhulani, Linda, 2021. "Impact evaluation of conservation agriculture on smallholder farmers’ livelihood in Zambia and Tanzania," Research Theses 334762, Collaborative Masters Program in Agricultural and Applied Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Sericulture; Agricultural technology adoption; Propensity score matching;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C13 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Estimation: General
    • C15 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Statistical Simulation Methods: General
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy

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