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Targeting, bias, and expected impact of complex innovations on developing-country agriculture: evidence from Malawi

Author

Listed:
  • Beliyou Haile
  • Carlo Azzarri
  • Cleo Roberts
  • David J. Spielman

Abstract

Sustainable intensification and climate-smart agriculture initiatives promote complex systems-based innovations to simultaneously improve yields and conserve natural resources. These innovations are usually tested under near-perfect experimental conditions with purposively selected farmers. Using a quasi-experimental approach and geographic information system, we evaluate a systems-based sustainable intensification project in Malawi aiming at improving whole-farm productivity and nutrition through integrated agricultural innovations. We find adopters of these innovations to systematically differ from non-adopters and suggestive evidence of potential systematic targeting of project locations and households. Econometric results using efficient influence function and propensity score matching methods show consistently higher maize yield and value of harvest, on average and across quantiles, for project beneficiaries, compared to that of randomly selected non-beneficiary households in non-target villages. Our findings highlight the need to rethink selection criteria for systems-based innovations, something that could potentially bear severe implications upon scaling up.
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Suggested Citation

  • Beliyou Haile & Carlo Azzarri & Cleo Roberts & David J. Spielman, 2017. "Targeting, bias, and expected impact of complex innovations on developing-country agriculture: evidence from Malawi," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 48(3), pages 317-326, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:agecon:v:48:y:2017:i:3:p:317-326
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/agec.2017.48.issue-3
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    Cited by:

    1. Smale, Melinda & Assima, Amidou & Kergna, Alpha & Thériault, Véronique & Weltzien, Eva, 2018. "Farm family effects of adopting improved and hybrid sorghum seed in the Sudan Savanna of West Africa," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 162-171.
    2. Liverpool-Tasie, Lenis Saweda O & Dillon, Andrew & Bloem, Jeffrey R. & Adjognon, Guigonan Serge, 2025. "Private sector promotion of agricultural technologies: Experimental evidence from Nigeria," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    3. Ragasa, Catherine & Lambrecht, Isabel & Kufoalor, Doreen S., 2018. "Limitations of Contract Farming as a Pro-poor Strategy: The Case of Maize Outgrower Schemes in Upper West Ghana," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 30-56.
    4. Garbero, Alessandra & Songsermsawas, Tisorn, "undated". "Impact of modern irrigation on household production and welfare outcomes: Evidence from the PASIDP project in Ethiopia," 91st Annual Conference, April 24-26, 2017, Royal Dublin Society, Dublin, Ireland 258641, Agricultural Economics Society.
    5. Vaiknoras, Kate A. & Larochelle, Catherine & Alwang, Jeffrey, 2020. "The spillover effects of seed producer groups on non-member farmers in local communities in Nepal," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304359, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    6. Natalia Radchenko & Paul Corral & Paul Winters, 2018. "Heterogeneity of commercialization gains in the rural economy," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 49(1), pages 131-143, January.
    7. Zhanar Ordabekovna Tokhayeva & Botagoz Zhenisovna Almukhambetova & Bektur Keneshbayev & Kamshat Akhmetova, 2020. "Innovative processes' management in agriculture and food security: development opportunities," Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center, vol. 7(3), pages 1565-1579, March.
    8. Jordan, Cristian & Donoso, Guillermo & Speelman, Stijn, 2021. "Measuring the effect of improved irrigation technologies on irrigated agriculture. A study case in Central Chile," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    9. Chesterman, Nathan S. & Entwistle, Julia & Chambers, Matthew C. & Liu, Hsiao-Chin & Agrawal, Arun & Brown, Daniel G., 2019. "The effects of trainings in soil and water conservation on farming practices, livelihoods, and land-use intensity in the Ethiopian highlands," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    10. Kate Vaiknoras & Catherine Larochelle, 2023. "Training and seed production spillovers and technology adoption: The case of seed producer groups in Nepal," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 54(6), pages 921-942, November.
    11. Hammond, Jim & Rosenblum, Nathaniel & Breseman, Dana & Gorman, Léo & Manners, Rhys & van Wijk, Mark T. & Sibomana, Milindi & Remans, Roseline & Vanlauwe, Bernard & Schut, Marc, 2020. "Towards actionable farm typologies: Scaling adoption of agricultural inputs in Rwanda," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    12. Liverpool-Tasie, Lenis Saweda & Dillon, Andrew & Bloem, Jeffrey R. & Adjognon, Guigonan Serge, 2022. "Private sector promotion of climate-smart technologies: Experimental evidence from Nigeria," IFPRI discussion papers 2155, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    13. Escobar Jaramillo, Diana & Arata, Linda & Mausch, Kai & Sckokai, Paolo & Fasse, Anja & Rommel, Jens & Chopin, Pierre, 2024. "Linking innovations adoption with farm sustainability: Empirical evidence from rainwater harvesting and fertilizer micro-dosing in Tanzania," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D04 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Policy: Formulation; Implementation; Evaluation
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development
    • Q16 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - R&D; Agricultural Technology; Biofuels; Agricultural Extension Services
    • Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy; Animal Welfare Policy

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