IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/agecon/v57y2026i2ne70107.html

Kinship Matters: When Farm Input Subsidies Help—or Harm—Children

Author

Listed:
  • Mike Ken Kamanga
  • Martin Limbikani Mwale

Abstract

Agricultural subsidies are crucial for improving the economic well‐being of rural households, especially in developing countries where access to agricultural inputs is limited. These subsidies reduce costs for essential inputs, such as seeds, fertilizers, and equipment, alleviating financial pressure on farmers. While their positive effects on productivity and household income are well documented, less attention has been paid to their unintended consequences, such as their influence on child labor (CL) and educational outcomes, and more so to how these unintended effects manifest under opposing kinship traditions. This issue is particularly relevant in Malawi, where CL remains prevalent in rural areas, important, since kinship norms could offer differential protection to children. This study investigates the effects of the Farm Input Subsidy Program (FISP) on CL and its secondary effects on school attendance in two opposing patrilineal and matrilineal kinship systems in Malawi. Using data from the 2020 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), the study uses the Instrumental Variables approach (IV), with political clientelism as an instrument for the distribution of subsidy vouchers. We found that FISP increases CL for children in matrilineal kinship. However, the program had no similar impacts on patrilineal kinship. The results also reveal that FISP significantly increases school attendance, but only in matrilineal kinship.

Suggested Citation

  • Mike Ken Kamanga & Martin Limbikani Mwale, 2026. "Kinship Matters: When Farm Input Subsidies Help—or Harm—Children," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 57(2), March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:agecon:v:57:y:2026:i:2:n:e70107
    DOI: 10.1111/agec.70107
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.70107
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/agec.70107?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sibande, Lonester & Bailey, Alastair & Davidova, Sophia, 2017. "The impact of farm input subsidies on maize marketing in Malawi," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 190-206.
    2. Samer Al-Samarrai & Hassan Zaman, 2007. "Abolishing School Fees in Malawi: The Impact on Education Access and Equity," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(3), pages 359-375.
    3. Channing Arndt & Karl Pauw & James Thurlow, 2016. "The Economy-wide Impacts and Risks of Malawi's Farm Input Subsidy Program," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 98(3), pages 962-980.
    4. Doss, Cheryl & Grown, Caren & Deere, Carmen Diana, 2011. "Gender and asset ownership : a guide to collecting individual-level data," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4704, The World Bank.
    5. Rebecca Dizon-Ross & Seema Jayachandran, 2023. "Detecting Mother-Father Differences in Spending on Children: A New Approach Using Willingness-to-Pay Elicitation," American Economic Review: Insights, American Economic Association, vol. 5(4), pages 445-459, December.
    6. Nicole M. Mason & Thomas S. Jayne & Nicolas van de Walle, 2017. "The Political Economy of Fertilizer Subsidy Programs in Africa: Evidence from Zambia," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 99(3), pages 705-731.
    7. R. Wendy Karamba & Paul C. Winters, 2015. "Gender and agricultural productivity: implications of the Farm Input Subsidy Program in Malawi," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 46(3), pages 357-374, May.
    8. Shimamura, Yasuharu & Lastarria-Cornhiel, Susana, 2010. "Credit Program Participation and Child Schooling in Rural Malawi," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 567-580, April.
    9. South-South Learning Unit, 2008. "Missão de Estudos África-Brasil em Promoção e Proteção Social," Publications 3, International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth.
    10. Harounan Kazianga & Francis Makamu, 2017. "Crop Choice, School Participation, and Child Labor in Developing Countries: Cotton Expansion in Burkina Faso," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 99(1), pages 34-54.
    11. Chirwa, E. W., 2008. "Agricultural growth and poverty reduction in Malawi: past performance and recent trends," IWMI Working Papers H042727, International Water Management Institute.
    12. Skoufias, Emmanuel & McClafferty, Bonnie, 2001. "Is PROGRESA working? summary of the results of an evaluation by IFPRI," FCND discussion papers 118, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    13. Basurto, Maria Pia & Dupas, Pascaline & Robinson, Jonathan, 2020. "Decentralization and efficiency of subsidy targeting: Evidence from chiefs in rural Malawi," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    14. Nicole M. Mason & Thomas S. Jayne & Nicolas van de Walle, 2017. "The Political Economy of Fertilizer Subsidy Programs in Africa: Evidence from Zambia," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 99(3), pages 705-731.
    15. Martin Limbikani Mwale & Tony Mwenda Kamninga & Lucius Cassim, 2022. "The effects of the Malawi Farm Input Subsidy Program on household per-capita consumption convergence," Development in Practice, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(3), pages 336-348, April.
    16. Anu Rammohan & Peter E. Robertson, 2012. "Human capital, kinship, and gender inequality," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 64(3), pages 417-438, July.
    17. Christos A. Damalas & Ilias G. Eleftherohorinos, 2011. "Pesticide Exposure, Safety Issues, and Risk Assessment Indicators," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-18, May.
    18. Xiaohong Chen & Han Hong & Denis Nekipelov, 2011. "Nonlinear Models of Measurement Errors," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 49(4), pages 901-937, December.
    19. Talip Kilic & Edward Whitney & Paul Winters, 2015. "Decentralised Beneficiary Targeting in Large-Scale Development Programmes: Insights from the Malawi Farm Input Subsidy Programme," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 24(1), pages 26-56.
    20. Skoufias, Emmanuel & McClafferty, Bonnie, 2001. "Is Progresa Working? Summary Of The Results Of An Evaluation By Ifpri," FCND Discussion Papers 16418, CGIAR, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    21. Asfaw, Solomon & Carraro, Alessandro, 2016. "Welfare Effect of Farm Input Subsidy Program in the Context of Climate Change: Evidence from Malawi," 2016 Fifth International Conference, September 23-26, 2016, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 246281, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).
    22. Rodney Lunduka & Jacob Ricker-Gilbert & Monica Fisher, 2013. "What are the farm-level impacts of Malawi's farm input subsidy program? A critical review," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 44(6), pages 563-579, November.
    23. McClafferty, Bonnie & Skoufias, Emmanuel, 2001. "Is Progresa Working? Summary Of The Results Of An Evaluation By Ifpri," Discussion Paper Briefs 15963, CGIAR, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    24. Frank‐Borge Wietzke, 2020. "Poverty, Inequality, and Fertility: The Contribution of Demographic Change to Global Poverty Reduction," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 46(1), pages 65-99, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mwale, Martin Limbikani, 2022. "Unintended consequences of farm input subsidies: women’s contraceptive usage and knock-on effects on children," MPRA Paper 112689, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Martin Limbikani Mwale & Tony Mwenda Kamninga, 2024. "Unintended consequences of farm input subsidies: women’s contraceptive usage and knock-on effects on children," Journal of Population Research, Springer, vol. 41(3), pages 1-28, September.
    3. Mwale, Martin Limbikani, 2023. "Do agricultural subsidies matter for women’s attitude towards intimate partner violence? Evidence from Malawi," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    4. Martin Mwale & Dieter von Fintel & Anja Smith, 2022. "School drop out and farm input subsidies: gender and kinship heterogeneity in Malawi," Working Papers 01/2022, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    5. Jayne, Thomas S. & Mason, Nicole M. & Burke, William J. & Ariga, Joshua, 2018. "Review: Taking stock of Africa’s second-generation agricultural input subsidy programs," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 1-14.
    6. Fujimoto, Takefumi & Suzuki, Aya, 2021. "Do Fertilizer and Seed Subsidies Strengthen Farmers' Market Participation? the Impact of Tanzania NAIVS on Farmers' Purchase of Agricultural Inputs and Their Maize-Selling Activities," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315044, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    7. Mwale, Martin & Smith, Anja & von Fintel, Dieter, 2022. "Child nutrition and farm input subsidies: The complementary role of early healthcare and nutrition programs in Malawi," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    8. Kwon, Daye & Myers, Robert J. & Mason, Nicole M., 2022. "How do input subsidy programs affect smallholder households’ dietary diversity? Evidence from Zambia," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322493, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    9. Hodjo, Manzamasso & Dalton, Timothy & Nakelse, Tebila & Acharya, Ram N & Blayney, Don, 2021. "From coupon to calories: Assessing input coupon impact on household food calories production," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 22(C).
    10. Trachtman, Carly & Hill, Ruth Vargas, 2025. "Targeting of beneficiaries in chemical fertilizer subsidy programs: State of knowledge and evidence gaps," IFPRI working papers 178957, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    11. Camara, Alhassane & Savard, Luc, 2023. "Impact of agricultural input subsidy policy on market participation and income distribution in Africa: A bottom-up/top-down approach," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    12. Xavier Giné & Shreena Patel & Bernardo Ribeiro & Ildrim Valley, 2022. "Efficiency and equity of input subsidies: Experimental evidence from Tanzania†," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 104(5), pages 1625-1655, October.
    13. Mwale, Martin Limbikani & Kamninga, Tony Mwenda, 2022. "Land rights and the impact of farm input subsidies on poverty convergence," MPRA Paper 112431, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Yoko Kijima, 2022. "Effect of Nigeria’s e-voucher input subsidy program on fertilizer use, rice production, and household income," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(4), pages 919-935, August.
    15. Matita, Mirriam & Chiwaula, Levison & Wadonda Chirwa, Ephraim & Mazalale, Jacob & Walls, Helen, 2022. "Subsidizing improved legume seeds for increased household dietary diversity: Evidence from Malawi’s Farm Input Subsidy Programme with implications for addressing malnutrition in all its forms," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    16. Asfaw, Solomon & Carraro, Alessandro, 2016. "Welfare Effect of Farm Input Subsidy Program in the Context of Climate Change: Evidence from Malawi," 2016 Fifth International Conference, September 23-26, 2016, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 246281, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).
    17. Asfaw, Solomon & Cattaneo, Andrea & Pallante, Giacomo & Palma, Alessandro, 2017. "Improving the efficiency targeting of Malawi's farm input subsidy programme: Big pain, small gain?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 104-118.
    18. Mwale, Martin Limbikani & Fintel, Dieter von & Marchetta, Francesca & Smith, Anja & Kamninga, Tony Mwenda, 2021. "The Negative Impact of Farm Input Subsidies on Women's Agency in Malawi's Matrilocal Settlements," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315041, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    19. Karl Pauw, 2022. "A review of Ghana’s planting for food and jobs program: implementation, impacts, benefits, and costs," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(5), pages 1321-1335, October.
    20. Maggio, Giuseppe & Veljanoska, Stefanija, 2021. "Would you rather stay? Agricultural Subsidies and Household Migration in Malawi," 2021 Annual Meeting, August 1-3, Austin, Texas 314041, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:agecon:v:57:y:2026:i:2:n:e70107. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/iaaeeea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.