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Institution: International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
E-mail: c.edmonds@cgiar.org
Biosummary:
Christopher is an Affiliate Scientist at IRRI. He received a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resources Economics from the University of California (Berkeley) in 1998. Christopher also holds Masters degrees from UC Berkeley, the University of Chicago (Public Policy), and a Bachelors Degree from Cornell University (Industrial and Labor Relations). He held several teaching and research positions while attending University. His work experience includes research on poverty and the labor market in the U.S. for policy consulting firms. He is presently a Rockefeller Post-Doctoral Fellow, and was a fellow of the Fulbright Commission and the Social Science Research Council while working on his dissertation.
Title: "The effect of technological transfer program participation on small farms in Chile."
Theme: 2F
This research examines the effect of a government sponsored agricultural technology transfer program for small holder farms in Chile. This program has been characterized as a model of semi-privatized agricultural extension, making examination of the effectiveness of the Chilean agricultural extension system of interest to policymakers and researchers seeking ways to enhance the efficiency of agricultural technology transfer. The effect of family participation in the technology transfer program is evaluated with respect to outcomes including its effect on farm revenues, family income, and household poverty status. The empirical examination uses maximum likelihood selection and fixed- and random-effects estimation techniques. Results show program participation had a positive and statistically significant effect on farm revenues and total family income. Estimates of program effect on crop selection, crop yields, use of certified seeds, and the scale of farming activities, permit examination of the mechanisms through which the program enabled participating farms to raise revenues. The program prompted farmers to adopt nitrogen fixing bean crops, but did not have significant effects on crop yields or the likelihood of certified seed use or fertilizer application. The primary mechanism through which the program increased farm income was by increasing the input intensity of participant farms.
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