Does poverty lead to stress? Despite numerous studies showing correlations between socioeconomic status and levels of the stress hormone cortisol, it remains unknown whether this relationship is causal. We used random weather shocks in Kenya to address this question. Our identi cation strategy exploits the fact that rainfall is an important input for farmers, but not for non-farmers such as urb...

This paper examines how changes in major elements of the U.S. federal crop insurance program affect the structure of the agricultural insurance industry. We model interactions between farmers, insurance agents and insurance companies. Marginal changes in government policy (premium subsidy rate, A&O subsidy rate, and loading factor) affect the insurance premium rate, agent compensation rates, ag...

Farmers handle heavy workloads, often in awkward postures and experiencing some work related problems. Farmers perceive them as no more than inevitable consequences of farming activities. Although many problems can be prevented or reduced by simple and inexpensive modifications to work, these problems are increasing among farmers. The main focus of the paper was to investigate workload and awkw...

This study analyzes the level and determinants of technical efficiency of soybean farms in the Saboba and Chereponi districts of northern Ghana. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 200 soybean farmers from which cross-sectional data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Data collected includes farmers’ socio-economic characteristics such as age and education as well as...

OBJECTIVE To explore the various perceived reasons for farmers' suicides in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, their common factors, and to suggest solutions. METHODS The present formative research was undertaken in the 23 villages surrounding the Anji Primary Health Centre, located in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, India. A triangulation of free list and pile sort exercises was used. T...

To feed a growing population, agricultural productivity needs to increase dramatically. Agricultural extension information, with its public, non-rival nature, is generally undersupplied, and public provision remains challenging. In this study, simple agricultural extension video messages, delivered through Android tablets, were tested in the field to determine if they increased farmers' knowled...

Generic advertising of fluid milk and cheese represents the principal promotional activity undertaken with the $370 million per year provided by dairy farmers and fluid milk processors. This article describes a stock-flow-feedback simulation model that includes 17 intermediate and final dairy products, short-term and long-term milk supply response and government policies that influence the impa...

Much work has been done to improve smallholder farmers’ adoption of new agricultural technology packages in Uganda; however, little commensurate effort has been made to improve their access to formal market information channels like mobile telephony, FM radio stations, Internet, and other information centers. This study is based on data obtained in 2006 from farmers affiliated to Uganda Coopera...

Abstract Smallholder agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa is largely exposed to pervasive market failures, translating into missed opportunities and sub-optimal economic behavior. These failures can partly be traced the importance of economies scale procuring inputs marketing produce, where smallholders face disproportionately high transaction costs. Producer organizations could help lessen costs;...