Economic theory is replete with causal hypotheses that are scarcely tested because economists are generally constrained to work with observational data. This article describes the use of causal inference methods for testing a hypothesis that one random variable causes another. Contingent on a...

In this paper we present a continuous time optimal control analysis of resistance buildup in agricultural chemicals when the supplier is a monopolist. We compare the monopolistic, competitive and socially optimal solutions after establishing the stability of each equilibrium. The central finding...

In this paper, we model the trade-off between equity and efficiency in a market for a resource when users of that resource are heterogeneous. We develop the analytical model, and show that under certain circumstances efficiency can be achieved in a manner that also reduces inequality. We also...

We describe a means of rejecting a null hypothesis concerning observed, but not deliberately manipulated, variables of the form H0: A -/- B in favor of an alternative hypothesis HA: A -- B, even given the possibility of causally related unobserved variables. Rejection of such an H0 relies on the...

This paper assesses the cost efficiency of indicator-based targeting. Using household survey data from Malawi, we examine whether an indicator-based targeting of the poor is more target- and cost-efficient than the currently used mechanisms for targeting agricultural subsidy programs in the...

The continuing increase in burning fossil fuels over recent decades along with the changing land use have resulted in a considerable increase in the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) which can potentially lead to climate change. Adaptation processes will become necessary in order to cope with...

State level data on food environment variables for the period 2000 through 2013, gathered from the Food Environment Atlas and various other government sources are used to model a panel VAR to capture specific state-level fixed and random effects. The set of food environment variables can be...

The paper investigates geo-physical, agro-ecological, and socio-economic determinants of past land use change in two districts of Dak Lak province in the Central Highlands of Vietnam and assesses the influence of rural development policies on land cover change. Landsat satellite images from the...

In this paper the dynamic information flows among monthly prices of agricultural commodities in the United States (U.S.) and Mexico for the years 2000-2012 are analysed. Error correction models and directed acyclical graphs are employed with observational data to identify the dynamic...