Improving agricultural productivity through digital technologies

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H01492
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 07040:Economic policy-related
• Research Institution: Waseda University
• Principal Investigator: Takahashi Ryo 早稲田大学, 政治経済学術院, 准教授 (40748349)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 技術伝播 / 影響評価 / RCT / SNS / アフリカ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In recent years, digital technologies such as cell phones, social networking services (SNS), and mobile applications have been spreading rapidly in developing countries. In the field of development, digital technologies are expected to be used as a solution to the problem of information asymmetry in agricultural production, but the empirical evidence is mixed. This study focused on the question of what medium among digital technologies can effectively share information, and what are the conditions that promote efficient information sharing for groups that do not have access to digital technologies, and tested them in a randomized controlled trial using Facebook in Ethiopia.

Free Research Field

開発経済学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

一般的に、多くの途上国の農家世帯は、市場価格よりも低価格で、農産物の販売を行っている。その要因の一つが、情報の非対称性である。農家世帯は、販売先であるトレーダーと比べて、市場価格に関する正確な情報を有していないため、本来よりも低い価格で販売を行っている。そのため、正確な市場情報を農家世帯に提供することで、情報の非対称性が緩和され、農産物の売値の上昇ならびに貧困削減の効果が期待される。