Improving Smallholder Agriculture via Video-Based Group Extension

61 Pages Posted: 21 Dec 2022 Last revised: 5 Feb 2024

See all articles by Tushi Baul

Tushi Baul

University of Notre Dame

Dean Karlan

Northwestern University

Kentaro Toyama

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Kathryn N. Vasilaky

California Polytechnic State U; Columbia University, Earth Institute

Global Poverty Research Lab Submitter

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Date Written: January 31, 2024

Abstract

Providing agricultural advice at scale poses operational challenges. Technology may
help if repeating content reinforces learning for recipients and thus improves adoption,
but risks reducing efficacy given limited customization and human interaction. We
tested videos shared with female farmers in India as a supplement to standard humanprovided extension services promoting a climate-smart practice, System Rice Intensification. The average treatment effects are large but imprecise because of non-normally distributed outcomes, specifically fat right tails. Weighted quantile regressions show that the imprecision in estimating an average treatment effect comes from farmers with output or yields in the upper quantiles. Both quantile regressions of the 25% and 50% quantiles and a Bayesian hierarchical model (robust to several priors) reveal positive treatment effects, and two subtreatments, one that reinforces information on labor costs from adoption and a second that presents role models to motivate adoption, lead to even higher estimated treatment effects on output.

Keywords: water, field experiment, agriculture, system rice intensification, video-based training, group extension, information

JEL Classification: D13, D83, O12, O13, O33 , Q01, Q12, Q25

Suggested Citation

Baul, Tushi and Karlan, Dean and Toyama, Kentaro and Vasilaky, Kathryn N. and Submitter, Global Poverty Research Lab, Improving Smallholder Agriculture via Video-Based Group Extension (January 31, 2024). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4307353 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4307353

Tushi Baul

University of Notre Dame ( email )

361 Mendoza College of Business
Notre Dame, IN 46556-5646
United States

Dean Karlan

Northwestern University ( email )

2001 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208
United States

Kentaro Toyama

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Kathryn N. Vasilaky

California Polytechnic State U ( email )

1 Grand Ave, SLO, CA 93407, 3-
535 West 116th Street, MC 4327
San Luis Obispo, CA California 93407
United States
8053027480 (Phone)
93407 (Fax)

Columbia University, Earth Institute ( email )

1 Grand Ave, SLO, CA 93407, 3-
535 West 116th Street, MC 4327
San Luis Obispo, CA California 93407
United States
8053027480 (Phone)
93407 (Fax)

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