Evidence from Vietnam shows that institutional barriers not only misallocate resources but also discourage farmers from investing in productivity improvements, compounding the losses from misallocation.

Easing the barriers to renting land could boost agricultural productivity by encouraging the most productive farmers to expand.

Insecure land property rights are an important constraint on migration, structural transformation, and productivity growth, as much as all other labour mobility barriers in China

Low agricultural productivity in developing countries is not destiny, as there is remarkable potential for raising crop yields given their land quality

The farm size–yields relationship is not informative for improving agricultural productivity among small landholders in developing countries

Weak land rights among farmers reduces agricultural productivity and output, hitting skilled farmers hardest

Land reforms, whilst well-intended, misallocate land and labour across farms, thereby reducing average farm size and agricultural productivity

Weak rule of law institutions distort establishments’ decisions and magnify financial frictions, contributing to substantial productivity losses

Misallocation, a key cause of productivity disparities across nations, is the result of many factors, making it difficult to isolate policy solutions