Can information help reduce imbalanced application of fertilizers in India? Experimental evidence from Bihar
The imbalanced application of chemical fertilizers in India is widely blamed for low yields, poor soil health, pollution of water resources, and large public expenditures on subsidies. To address the issue, the government of India is investing in a large-scale, expensive program of individualizedsoi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Artículo preliminar |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
International Food Policy Research Institute
2016
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/146418 |
| _version_ | 1855541301039071232 |
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| author | Fishman, Ram Kishore, Avinash Rothler, Yoav Ward, Patrick S. Jha, Shankar Singh, R.K. P. |
| author_browse | Fishman, Ram Jha, Shankar Kishore, Avinash Rothler, Yoav Singh, R.K. P. Ward, Patrick S. |
| author_facet | Fishman, Ram Kishore, Avinash Rothler, Yoav Ward, Patrick S. Jha, Shankar Singh, R.K. P. |
| author_sort | Fishman, Ram |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | The imbalanced application of chemical fertilizers in India is widely blamed for low yields, poor soil health, pollution of water resources, and large public expenditures on subsidies. To address the issue, the government of India is investing in a large-scale, expensive program of individualizedsoil testing and customized fertilizer recommendations, with the hope that scientific information will lead farmers to optimize the fertilizer mix. We conducted a randomized controlled trial in the Indian state of Bihar in what we believe to be the first evaluation of the effectiveness of the program as currently implemented. We found no evidence of any impact of soil testing and customized fertilizer recommendations on actual fertilizer use or the willingness to pay for lacking nutrients (elicited using aBecker-DeGroot-Marschak mechanism). Several factors could be driving these results, including a lack of understanding, lack of confidence in the information’s reliability, or the costs of the recommended fertilizer mixes. We provide evidence that suggestslack of confidence is the main factor inhibiting farmers’ response |
| format | Artículo preliminar |
| id | CGSpace146418 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publishDateRange | 2016 |
| publishDateSort | 2016 |
| publisher | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| publisherStr | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1464182025-11-06T07:24:03Z Can information help reduce imbalanced application of fertilizers in India? Experimental evidence from Bihar Fishman, Ram Kishore, Avinash Rothler, Yoav Ward, Patrick S. Jha, Shankar Singh, R.K. P. fertilizers farm inputs becker-degroot-marschak mechanism soil analysis experimental design The imbalanced application of chemical fertilizers in India is widely blamed for low yields, poor soil health, pollution of water resources, and large public expenditures on subsidies. To address the issue, the government of India is investing in a large-scale, expensive program of individualizedsoil testing and customized fertilizer recommendations, with the hope that scientific information will lead farmers to optimize the fertilizer mix. We conducted a randomized controlled trial in the Indian state of Bihar in what we believe to be the first evaluation of the effectiveness of the program as currently implemented. We found no evidence of any impact of soil testing and customized fertilizer recommendations on actual fertilizer use or the willingness to pay for lacking nutrients (elicited using aBecker-DeGroot-Marschak mechanism). Several factors could be driving these results, including a lack of understanding, lack of confidence in the information’s reliability, or the costs of the recommended fertilizer mixes. We provide evidence that suggestslack of confidence is the main factor inhibiting farmers’ response 2016-04-01 2024-06-21T09:07:00Z 2024-06-21T09:07:00Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/146418 en https://hdl.handle.net/10568/150122 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/154765 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/146535 Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Fishman, Ram; Kishore, Avinash; Rothler, Yoav; Ward, Patrick S.; Jha, Shankar; Singh, R. K. P. 2016. Can information help reduce imbalanced application of fertilizers in India? Experimental evidence from Bihar. IFPRI Discussion Paper 1517. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://hdl.handle.net/10568/146418 |
| spellingShingle | fertilizers farm inputs becker-degroot-marschak mechanism soil analysis experimental design Fishman, Ram Kishore, Avinash Rothler, Yoav Ward, Patrick S. Jha, Shankar Singh, R.K. P. Can information help reduce imbalanced application of fertilizers in India? Experimental evidence from Bihar |
| title | Can information help reduce imbalanced application of fertilizers in India? Experimental evidence from Bihar |
| title_full | Can information help reduce imbalanced application of fertilizers in India? Experimental evidence from Bihar |
| title_fullStr | Can information help reduce imbalanced application of fertilizers in India? Experimental evidence from Bihar |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can information help reduce imbalanced application of fertilizers in India? Experimental evidence from Bihar |
| title_short | Can information help reduce imbalanced application of fertilizers in India? Experimental evidence from Bihar |
| title_sort | can information help reduce imbalanced application of fertilizers in india experimental evidence from bihar |
| topic | fertilizers farm inputs becker-degroot-marschak mechanism soil analysis experimental design |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/146418 |
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