How to make farming and agricultural extension more nutrition-sensitive: evidence from a randomised controlled trial in Kenya

Abstract We analyse how agricultural extension can be made more effective in terms of increasing farmers’ adoption of pro-nutrition technologies, such as biofortified crops. In a randomised controlled trial with farmers in Kenya, we implemented several extension treatments and evaluated their effect...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inEuropean review of agricultural economics Vol. 47; no. 1; pp. 95 - 118
Main Authors Ogutu, Sylvester Ochieng, Fongar, Andrea, Gödecke, Theda, Jäckering, Lisa, Mwololo, Henry, Njuguna, Michael, Wollni, Meike, Qaim, Matin
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Oxford University Press 01.02.2020
Subjects
technology adoption
Kenya
biofortification
agricultural extension
nutrition-sensitive agriculture
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Summary:Abstract We analyse how agricultural extension can be made more effective in terms of increasing farmers’ adoption of pro-nutrition technologies, such as biofortified crops. In a randomised controlled trial with farmers in Kenya, we implemented several extension treatments and evaluated their effects on the adoption of beans biofortified with iron and zinc. Difference-in-difference estimates show that intensive agricultural training can increase technology adoption considerably. Additional nutrition training helps farmers to better appreciate the technology’s nutritional benefits and thus further increases adoption. This study is among the first to analyse how improved extension designs can help to make smallholder farming more nutrition-sensitive.
ISSN:0165-1587
1464-3618
DOI:10.1093/erae/jby049