Agricultural development
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How peer learning improved agricultural technology adoption in Tanzania
Previous research finds that peer-to-peer learning can successfully promote technology adoption, making participatory approaches that emphasise iterative, two-way communication now common in agricultural development. We examine whether this peer lear...
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How misinformation and mismatched expectations reduce adoption of improved seeds
Often presented as game-changing solutions, agricultural technologies like improved seeds or fertilisers can lead farmers to adopt one at the expense of others, only to disadopt when the expected gains, based on overly optimistic assumptions about re...
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From risk to resilience: Increasing insurance uptake among farmers in rural Uganda
The majority of households in rural Uganda are involved in agriculture but have no insurance against crop failure or price shocks. Evidence suggests that awareness programmes that help farmers understand potential negative outcomes—perhaps through si...
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Building a business from the roots up: Yonas Alemu’s journey as an Ethiopian entrepreneur
Despite offering attractive conditions for foreign investment, a combination of structural and institutional barriers often prevent developing countries from realising their full potential. Yonas Alemu describes the obstacles he overcame to establish a grain-based food producing company in Ethiopia, supporting local farmers and talent in the process.
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Why bundled agricultural programmes may succeed where others fail
A bundled farm programme in western Kenya boosted yields and profits for smallholders by jointly tackling credit, information, and risk constraints.
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How agricultural innovation affected female labour force participation in Brazil
New technologies in Brazil increased agricultural productivity, but also reduced economic opportunities for women and increased fertility rates.
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Displaced and divided: How some development projects undermine Africa’s pastoral communities, sparking violence
Pastoral regions of Africa are witnessing a sharp increase in armed civil conflict. Research has identified ‘mismatched’ agricultural development projects as one major factor driving this violence by displacing local pastoral groups. However, the evi...
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How immigration supported agricultural development and structural transformation in Brazil
Immigration can foster agricultural development while accelerating, rather than delaying, structural transformation in developing economies.
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The Green Revolution and the rise in chronic disease
The Green Revolution dramatically altered the agricultural and dietary landscape in India. While calorie availability increased, reduced dietary diversity had adverse long-term health impacts, meaning the overall impact is only now being understood.