Climate Change, Rice Crops and Violence. Evidence from Indonesia
24 Pages Posted: 20 Mar 2014
Date Written: February 25, 2014
Abstract
This paper adopts an instrumental variable approach to uncover the impact of variations in minimum temperature on emergence and severity of actual violence through the effect on food availability, captured by rice crops per capita. The link between increase in minimum temperature and rice crops is suggested by natural science literature. We use Indonesia as a case study over the period 1990-2003. Results show that an increase of the minimum temperature during the core month of the ‘wet planting season’, i.e. December, determines an increase in violence fueled by the reduction in future rice production per capita.
Keywords: Indonesia, climate change, minimum temperature, rainfall, food availability, paddy rice, rice crops, routine violence
JEL Classification: D740, Q540, O130
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation