Job Market Paper
“Why do Farmers Grow the Crops they Do?”
The Impact of Crop Choice on Agricultural Productivity and Poverty
The aim of this paper is to examine the factors which determine the crop choices of small-holder farmers in Nigeria and how these choices affect productivity and welfare outcomes. Using the two-rounds of LSMS panel data from Nigeria in 2010/11 and 2012/13; I start by re-examining the old arguments surrounding whether small-holder farmers are indeed “efficient-but-poor”. I find that smallholders are generally efficient in their allocation of resources (after estimating household crop productivity by stochastic frontier analysis), but are not necessarily rational in their crop choices because even when some crops are found to be more productive than others, the less productive crop is often chosen. To figure out why, a treatments effect model is employed to determine farmer selection into the choice of a type of crop in the first stage; and subsequently the impact of their choices on productivity and poverty. I find that access to free inputs, non-farm income and the use of seeds from the previous growing season are some of the important determinants of crop choice. In addition, I also find many similarities between the crop choice made and the idea of risk aversion.
Published Paper
Ubabukoh, C. (2012) ‘How to throw a dinner Party with 7 Billion Guests: Food Security and Environmental
Sustainability’, in Politics and Environment, METIS, vol. 3, IPPR, London.
Brief abstract: This economic letter examines the issue of climate change from the perspective of
the debate between food security and environmental sustainability. The paper argues that you
cannot fully have both and thus there would need to be some compromise.
Working Papers
“The Impact of Crop Choice on Food Security. Evidence from Nigeria”,
Brief abstract: This paper examines new data from Nigeria and attempts to explain what effect
growing cash crops or food crops could have on the food security outcomes of households. The
paper presents some mixed results regarding the preference for cash crops towards food security.
“The Effect of Agricultural Productivity on Poverty: Evidence from Malawi”
Brief abstract: This paper tries to address the question of whether improved agricultural
productivity has real effects on poverty and if so, to what extent? The results reaffirm the
previous research that agricultural improvement is necessary for poverty reduction in rural areas.
Other Writings (Unrepresentative Agents Blog)
Lucky Economics (blogpost)
Does the world really want to end poverty? (blogpost)
Why do buffets exist? (blogpost)
No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness - a blog about John Nash (blogpost)
Why aren’t economists rich? (The Mayweather vs Pacquiao edition) (blogpost)
The RES comes to Manchester again: Are you ready? (blogpost)
Introducing: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (blogpost)
Sunny Side Up: A Story of Consumption and Pollution (blogpost)
CGE Modelling for Dummies (blogpost)
The Economics of Holiday Shopping (blogpost)
Have we been fighting poverty all wrong? (blogpost)
“Why do Farmers Grow the Crops they Do?”
The Impact of Crop Choice on Agricultural Productivity and Poverty
The aim of this paper is to examine the factors which determine the crop choices of small-holder farmers in Nigeria and how these choices affect productivity and welfare outcomes. Using the two-rounds of LSMS panel data from Nigeria in 2010/11 and 2012/13; I start by re-examining the old arguments surrounding whether small-holder farmers are indeed “efficient-but-poor”. I find that smallholders are generally efficient in their allocation of resources (after estimating household crop productivity by stochastic frontier analysis), but are not necessarily rational in their crop choices because even when some crops are found to be more productive than others, the less productive crop is often chosen. To figure out why, a treatments effect model is employed to determine farmer selection into the choice of a type of crop in the first stage; and subsequently the impact of their choices on productivity and poverty. I find that access to free inputs, non-farm income and the use of seeds from the previous growing season are some of the important determinants of crop choice. In addition, I also find many similarities between the crop choice made and the idea of risk aversion.
Published Paper
Ubabukoh, C. (2012) ‘How to throw a dinner Party with 7 Billion Guests: Food Security and Environmental
Sustainability’, in Politics and Environment, METIS, vol. 3, IPPR, London.
Brief abstract: This economic letter examines the issue of climate change from the perspective of
the debate between food security and environmental sustainability. The paper argues that you
cannot fully have both and thus there would need to be some compromise.
Working Papers
“The Impact of Crop Choice on Food Security. Evidence from Nigeria”,
Brief abstract: This paper examines new data from Nigeria and attempts to explain what effect
growing cash crops or food crops could have on the food security outcomes of households. The
paper presents some mixed results regarding the preference for cash crops towards food security.
“The Effect of Agricultural Productivity on Poverty: Evidence from Malawi”
Brief abstract: This paper tries to address the question of whether improved agricultural
productivity has real effects on poverty and if so, to what extent? The results reaffirm the
previous research that agricultural improvement is necessary for poverty reduction in rural areas.
Other Writings (Unrepresentative Agents Blog)
Lucky Economics (blogpost)
Does the world really want to end poverty? (blogpost)
Why do buffets exist? (blogpost)
No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness - a blog about John Nash (blogpost)
Why aren’t economists rich? (The Mayweather vs Pacquiao edition) (blogpost)
The RES comes to Manchester again: Are you ready? (blogpost)
Introducing: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (blogpost)
Sunny Side Up: A Story of Consumption and Pollution (blogpost)
CGE Modelling for Dummies (blogpost)
The Economics of Holiday Shopping (blogpost)
Have we been fighting poverty all wrong? (blogpost)