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Broadband Connectivity and Farmers’ Commitments to Organic Farming

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  • Rose Deperrois

Abstract

The environmental and health risks of chemical-intensive agriculture call for a transition towards more sustainable practices. However, the adoption of such practices is often hindered by uncertainty about their effects on yields and profitability, making access to reliable information a critical determinant of farmer behaviour. Exploiting the staggered 2015–2023 rollout of broadband mobile internet (4G) in France as a natural experiment, this paper examines how improved information access influences farmers adoption of organic farming. Results reveal that 4G coverage significantly increases the take-up of organic farming by 1 to 2 percentage points after 3 years among farms located in sloped areas. This finding demonstrates that expanding digital infrastructure that reduces information barriers can accelerate the voluntary adoption of sustainable agricultural practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Rose Deperrois, 2026. "Broadband Connectivity and Farmers’ Commitments to Organic Farming," Working Papers 2026-05, Grenoble Applied Economics Laboratory (GAEL).
    • Handle: RePEc:gbl:wpaper:2026-05
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    File URL: https://gael.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/sites/default/files/Mediatheque/doc-recherche/WP/A2024/gael2026-05.pdf
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    JEL classification:

    • D8 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty
    • Q16 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - R&D; Agricultural Technology; Biofuels; Agricultural Extension Services
    • Q57 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Ecological Economics

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