Determinants of chemical fertilizer use in Nepal: Insights based on price responsiveness and income effects

Although overall chemical fertilizer use has grown steadily in Nepal in the past two decades, much of that growth has occurred in the Terai agroecological belt while use has stagnated in the Hills and the Mountains regions. Differences in chemical fertilizer use intensity between the Terai and the l...

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Main Authors: Takeshima, Hiroyuki, Adhikari, Rajendra Prasad, Kaphle, Basu Dev, Shivakoti, Sabnam, Kumar, Anjani
Format: Artículo preliminar
Language:Inglés
Published: International Food Policy Research Institute 2016
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/147444
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author Takeshima, Hiroyuki
Adhikari, Rajendra Prasad
Kaphle, Basu Dev
Shivakoti, Sabnam
Kumar, Anjani
author_browse Adhikari, Rajendra Prasad
Kaphle, Basu Dev
Kumar, Anjani
Shivakoti, Sabnam
Takeshima, Hiroyuki
author_facet Takeshima, Hiroyuki
Adhikari, Rajendra Prasad
Kaphle, Basu Dev
Shivakoti, Sabnam
Kumar, Anjani
author_sort Takeshima, Hiroyuki
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Although overall chemical fertilizer use has grown steadily in Nepal in the past two decades, much of that growth has occurred in the Terai agroecological belt while use has stagnated in the Hills and the Mountains regions. Differences in chemical fertilizer use intensity between the Terai and the latter regions are typically pronounced among medium-to-large-size farmers. Using three rounds of the Nepal Living Standards Survey as well as secondary data, we examine the determinants of inorganic fertilizer (urea and DAP) use, as well as the marginal income returns from fertilizer use at the farm-household level. Similarities in soil and climate between farm locale and Agriculture Research Station locale seem to increase demand for fertilizer—even after controlling for distance to those stations. Most important, demand for chemical fertilizer is affected by the real fertilizer price (particularly since the 2003 NLSS survey), but the price response is relatively weaker in the Hills and Mountains, suggesting that returns to fertilizer may be generally low in those regions, and that reducing fertilizer price through subsidies on fertilizer or transportation may not substantially increase fertilizer use. This is confirmed by assessment of the returns to chemical fertilizer use estimated through generalized propensity score matching and ordinary propensity score matching. The findings cast doubt on the effectiveness of fertilizer subsidies as an instrument for stimulating chemical fertilizer use in Nepal, particularly among medium-to-large-scale farmers in the Hills, and point toward alternative measures like increased research and development into technologies that raise overall returns to chemical fertilizer.
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spelling CGSpace1474442025-11-06T05:57:29Z Determinants of chemical fertilizer use in Nepal: Insights based on price responsiveness and income effects Takeshima, Hiroyuki Adhikari, Rajendra Prasad Kaphle, Basu Dev Shivakoti, Sabnam Kumar, Anjani fertilizers surveys medium size farms households farm inputs living standards propensity score matching tobit model large-scale farming Although overall chemical fertilizer use has grown steadily in Nepal in the past two decades, much of that growth has occurred in the Terai agroecological belt while use has stagnated in the Hills and the Mountains regions. Differences in chemical fertilizer use intensity between the Terai and the latter regions are typically pronounced among medium-to-large-size farmers. Using three rounds of the Nepal Living Standards Survey as well as secondary data, we examine the determinants of inorganic fertilizer (urea and DAP) use, as well as the marginal income returns from fertilizer use at the farm-household level. Similarities in soil and climate between farm locale and Agriculture Research Station locale seem to increase demand for fertilizer—even after controlling for distance to those stations. Most important, demand for chemical fertilizer is affected by the real fertilizer price (particularly since the 2003 NLSS survey), but the price response is relatively weaker in the Hills and Mountains, suggesting that returns to fertilizer may be generally low in those regions, and that reducing fertilizer price through subsidies on fertilizer or transportation may not substantially increase fertilizer use. This is confirmed by assessment of the returns to chemical fertilizer use estimated through generalized propensity score matching and ordinary propensity score matching. The findings cast doubt on the effectiveness of fertilizer subsidies as an instrument for stimulating chemical fertilizer use in Nepal, particularly among medium-to-large-scale farmers in the Hills, and point toward alternative measures like increased research and development into technologies that raise overall returns to chemical fertilizer. 2016-02-12 2024-06-21T09:22:53Z 2024-06-21T09:22:53Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/147444 en https://hdl.handle.net/10568/151363 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/149363 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/154118 Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Takeshima, Hiroyuki; Adhikari, Rajendra Prasad; Kaphle, Basu Dev; Shivakoti, Sabnam; and Kumar, Anjani. 2016. IFPRI Discussion Paper 1507. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://hdl.handle.net/10568/147444
spellingShingle fertilizers
surveys
medium size farms
households
farm inputs
living standards
propensity score matching
tobit model
large-scale farming
Takeshima, Hiroyuki
Adhikari, Rajendra Prasad
Kaphle, Basu Dev
Shivakoti, Sabnam
Kumar, Anjani
Determinants of chemical fertilizer use in Nepal: Insights based on price responsiveness and income effects
title Determinants of chemical fertilizer use in Nepal: Insights based on price responsiveness and income effects
title_full Determinants of chemical fertilizer use in Nepal: Insights based on price responsiveness and income effects
title_fullStr Determinants of chemical fertilizer use in Nepal: Insights based on price responsiveness and income effects
title_full_unstemmed Determinants of chemical fertilizer use in Nepal: Insights based on price responsiveness and income effects
title_short Determinants of chemical fertilizer use in Nepal: Insights based on price responsiveness and income effects
title_sort determinants of chemical fertilizer use in nepal insights based on price responsiveness and income effects
topic fertilizers
surveys
medium size farms
households
farm inputs
living standards
propensity score matching
tobit model
large-scale farming
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/147444
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AT kaphlebasudev determinantsofchemicalfertilizeruseinnepalinsightsbasedonpriceresponsivenessandincomeeffects
AT shivakotisabnam determinantsofchemicalfertilizeruseinnepalinsightsbasedonpriceresponsivenessandincomeeffects
AT kumaranjani determinantsofchemicalfertilizeruseinnepalinsightsbasedonpriceresponsivenessandincomeeffects