Using detailed census data covering over 40,000 farms in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada, we document the vast and increasing farm size heterogeneity, and analyze the role of farm size in adapting to the removal of an export subsidy in 1995. We find that larger farms were more likely...

There is widespread consensus that agricultural technology has an important role to play for poverty reduction and sustainable development. There is less consensus, however, about the types of technologies that are best suited for smallholder farmers in Africa. While some consider natural...

Using detailed census data covering over 40,000 farms in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada, we document the vast and increasing farm size heterogeneity, and analyze the role of farm size in adapting to the removal of an export subsidy in 1995. We find that larger farms were more likely...

Adoption of innovative technologies is central to improving agricultural productivity. Farmers in developing countries rely heavily on social learning in adopting new technologies. Barriers to social learning such as heterogeneity or social fragmentation can therefore limit technology adoption...

This paper presents the results of an impact evaluation for the CRIAR program, implemented in rural areas in Bolivia. The objective of this program is to increase the agricultural income and food security of smallholder farmers through productivity gains that result from technological adoption....

This paper investigates the role of social learning in the diffusion of a new agricultural technology in Ghana. We use unique data on farmers communication patterns to define each individual s information neighborhood, the set of others from whom he might learn. Our empirical strategy is to test...

In order to induce farmers to adopt a productive new agricultural technology, we apply simple and complex contagion diffusion models on rich social network data from 200 villages in Malawi to identify seed farmers to target and train on the new technology. A randomized controlled trial compares...

In most developing countries non-irrigation status often dominates adoption of traditional and modern irrigation technology. In this paper, we study the effect of production risk on irrigation technology choice among small-scale farmers in Chile, applying sample selection and discrete choice...