The influence of improved wheat and maize varieties on infant mortality in China

The diffusion of high-yielding crop varieties has been a key driver for agricultural productivity. This study examines the relationship between the adoption of high-yielding crop varieties of two staple crops-wheat and maize-and infant mortality in rural China. Using data from 1954 to 1987, we find...

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Autores principales: Wang, Xiaobing, Liu, Xinyu, Min, Shi, Jin, Songqing, Huang, Jikun, Rozelle, Scott, Feng, Jieyuan, Boddupalli, Prasanna
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Oxford University Press 2025
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179161
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author Wang, Xiaobing
Liu, Xinyu
Min, Shi
Jin, Songqing
Huang, Jikun
Rozelle, Scott
Feng, Jieyuan
Boddupalli, Prasanna
author_browse Boddupalli, Prasanna
Feng, Jieyuan
Huang, Jikun
Jin, Songqing
Liu, Xinyu
Min, Shi
Rozelle, Scott
Wang, Xiaobing
author_facet Wang, Xiaobing
Liu, Xinyu
Min, Shi
Jin, Songqing
Huang, Jikun
Rozelle, Scott
Feng, Jieyuan
Boddupalli, Prasanna
author_sort Wang, Xiaobing
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The diffusion of high-yielding crop varieties has been a key driver for agricultural productivity. This study examines the relationship between the adoption of high-yielding crop varieties of two staple crops-wheat and maize-and infant mortality in rural China. Using data from 1954 to 1987, we find a significant reduction in infant mortality linked to high-yielding crop varieties diffusion, an association that remains robust even after excluding the Great Famine years. We investigate potential mechanisms driving this relationship, including increased grain production, improved infant nutrition, and changes in maternal characteristics. Additionally, our analysis unveils a spectrum of heterogeneous relationships between high-yielding crop varieties adoption and infant mortality across factors such as infant gender, maternal characteristics, and policy regulation. These findings reaffirm the positive and lasting benefits of dissemination of high-yielding crop varieties for human welfare and provide valuable policy insights for developing nations grappling with food and nutritional insecurity.
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spelling CGSpace1791612025-12-22T02:11:01Z The influence of improved wheat and maize varieties on infant mortality in China Wang, Xiaobing Liu, Xinyu Min, Shi Jin, Songqing Huang, Jikun Rozelle, Scott Feng, Jieyuan Boddupalli, Prasanna wheat maize high-yielding varieties children mortality famine The diffusion of high-yielding crop varieties has been a key driver for agricultural productivity. This study examines the relationship between the adoption of high-yielding crop varieties of two staple crops-wheat and maize-and infant mortality in rural China. Using data from 1954 to 1987, we find a significant reduction in infant mortality linked to high-yielding crop varieties diffusion, an association that remains robust even after excluding the Great Famine years. We investigate potential mechanisms driving this relationship, including increased grain production, improved infant nutrition, and changes in maternal characteristics. Additionally, our analysis unveils a spectrum of heterogeneous relationships between high-yielding crop varieties adoption and infant mortality across factors such as infant gender, maternal characteristics, and policy regulation. These findings reaffirm the positive and lasting benefits of dissemination of high-yielding crop varieties for human welfare and provide valuable policy insights for developing nations grappling with food and nutritional insecurity. 2025-02 2025-12-21T23:19:48Z 2025-12-21T23:19:48Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179161 en Open Access application/pdf Oxford University Press Wang, X., Liu, X., Min, S., Jin, S., Huang, J., Rozelle, S., Feng, J., & Prasanna, B. M. (2025). The influence of improved wheat and maize varieties on infant mortality in China. PNAS Nexus, 4(2), pgaf048. https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgaf048
spellingShingle wheat
maize
high-yielding varieties
children
mortality
famine
Wang, Xiaobing
Liu, Xinyu
Min, Shi
Jin, Songqing
Huang, Jikun
Rozelle, Scott
Feng, Jieyuan
Boddupalli, Prasanna
The influence of improved wheat and maize varieties on infant mortality in China
title The influence of improved wheat and maize varieties on infant mortality in China
title_full The influence of improved wheat and maize varieties on infant mortality in China
title_fullStr The influence of improved wheat and maize varieties on infant mortality in China
title_full_unstemmed The influence of improved wheat and maize varieties on infant mortality in China
title_short The influence of improved wheat and maize varieties on infant mortality in China
title_sort influence of improved wheat and maize varieties on infant mortality in china
topic wheat
maize
high-yielding varieties
children
mortality
famine
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179161
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