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Health, Technical Efficiency, And Agricultural Production In Indian Districts

Author

Listed:
  • Atheendar S. Venkataramani

    (Washington University School of Medicine)

  • K.R. Shanmugam

    (Madras School of Economics)

  • Jennifer Prah Ruger

    (Yale University Schools of Medicine and Public Health)

Abstract

We investigate whether better population health may impact economic performance through improvements in technical efficiency in agricultural production. Using district-level data from India, we employ a random-coefficients approach to estimate a Cobb-Douglas production function, computing overall and input-specific technical efficiencies for each district. We then model health (district infant mortality rate) as a determinant of (in)efficiency in a second stage, controlling for a range of other socioeconomic variables. In the preferred specifications, we find that decreases in the infant mortality rate are associated with substantively and statistically significant increases in overall technical efficiency, and that a good portion of this association is likely due to improvements in the efficiency of labor use.

Suggested Citation

  • Atheendar S. Venkataramani & K.R. Shanmugam & Jennifer Prah Ruger, 2010. "Health, Technical Efficiency, And Agricultural Production In Indian Districts," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 35(4), pages 1-23, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:jed:journl:v:35:y:2010:i:4:p:1-23
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. C. Simon Fan, 2011. "The Luxury Axiom, The Wealth Paradox, And Child Labor," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 36(3), pages 25-45, September.
    4. Kappes, Alex & Marsh, Thomas L., 2021. "An Evaluation of Livestock Health on Production Inefficiency in Western Kenya," 2021 Annual Meeting, August 1-3, Austin, Texas 314049, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Agricultural Production; Economic Development; Health; India; Labor; Random Coefficients; Technical Efficiency;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development

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