Show simple item record

dc.contributor.authorMichelson, H.
dc.contributor.authorFairbairn, A.
dc.contributor.authorEllison, B.
dc.contributor.authorMaertens, A.
dc.contributor.authorManyong, V.
dc.date.accessioned2022-09-12T12:59:03Z
dc.date.available2022-09-12T12:59:03Z
dc.date.issued2021-01
dc.identifier.citationMichelson, H., Fairbairn, A., Ellison, B., Maertens, A. & Manyong, V. (2021). Misperceived quality: fertilizer in Tanzania. Journal of Development Economics, 148: 102579, 1-21.
dc.identifier.issn0304-3878
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12478/7739
dc.description.abstractFertilizer use remains below recommended rates in most of Sub-Saharan Africa, contributing to low crop yields and poverty. We explore the role of fertilizer quality. We interviewed fertilizer sellers in an important agricultural region in Tanzania and sampled their fertilizer to establish that the nutrient content of fertilizers is good, meeting industry standards. However, we find farmers’ beliefs to be inconsistent with this reality. Beliefs about adulteration push down farmer willingness-to-pay for fertilizer; with farmers willing to pay more if quality is verified. In addition, we find some evidence of a quality inference problem: many fertilizers have degraded appearance, and farmers appear to rely on these observable attributes to (incorrectly) assess unobservable nutrient content. Market prices reflect neither nutrient content nor degradation in appearance, even in competitive markets. Our results suggest the existence of an equilibrium where farmer beliefs about fertilizer are inconsistent with the truth, and seller incentives to invest to alter beliefs are limited, motivating future research into the origins and persistence of such an equilibrium.
dc.description.sponsorshipUniversity of Illinois
dc.format.extent1-21
dc.language.isoen
dc.subjectFarmers
dc.subjectMarkets
dc.subjectTechnology
dc.subjectAdoption
dc.subjectFertilizers
dc.subjectSubsaharan Africa
dc.titleMisperceived quality: fertilizer in Tanzania
dc.typeJournal Article
cg.contributor.crpAgriculture for Nutrition and Health
cg.contributor.crpPolicies, Institutions and Markets
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Sussex
cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Institute of Tropical Agriculture
cg.coverage.regionAfrica
cg.coverage.regionEast Africa
cg.coverage.countryTanzania
cg.coverage.hubEastern Africa Hub
cg.researchthemeSocial Science and Agribusiness
cg.identifier.bibtexciteidMICHELSON:2021
cg.isijournalISI Journal
cg.authorship.typesCGIAR and advanced research institute
cg.iitasubjectAgribusiness
cg.iitasubjectAgronomy
cg.iitasubjectIntegrated Soil Fertility Management
cg.iitasubjectMarkets
cg.iitasubjectPlant Production
cg.iitasubjectSoil Fertility
cg.journalJournal of Development Economics
cg.notesPublished online: 24 Oct 2020
cg.accessibilitystatusLimited Access
cg.reviewstatusPeer Review
cg.usagerightslicenseCopyrighted; all rights reserved
cg.targetaudienceScientists
cg.identifier.doihttps://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jdeveco.2020.102579
cg.iitaauthor.identifierVictor Manyong: 0000-0003-2477-7132
cg.futureupdate.requiredNo
cg.identifier.volume148


Files in this item

Thumbnail

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show simple item record