Pilar Useche

Integrating Technology Traits and Producer Heterogeneity: A Mixed-Multinomial Model of Genetically Modified Corn Adoption

This article proposes a model of technology adoption that integrates demand for individual traits of new technologies with the potential for heterogeneity based on farm and farmer characteristics. The model is applied to recent genetically modified corn adoption data from Minnesota and Wisconsin farmers, using a mixed-multinomial logit (MMNL) model to estimate the effects of traits and farm and farmer characteristics on adoption outcomes. This approach allows explicit recovery of estimates of farmers’ shadow prices for individual technology traits. Results show the importance of producer and regional heterogeneity in preferences for seed traits. Copyright 2006, Oxford University Press.

Gendered Perceptions of Land Ownership and Agricultural Decision-making in Ecuador: Who Are the Farm Managers?

This paper challenges standard analyses of gender differences in agriculture, which typically focus on the sex of household heads or landholders, by considering who makes decisions on land owned by married women. We show that joint ownership and joint decision-making by couples is common in Ecuador but would be overlooked in studies focusing on only one farm manager. We also show that there are gender differences in perceptions about land ownership and agricultural decision-making, with men reporting lower levels of women’s participation compared to their wives’ report. Moreover, perceptions about the factors affecting women’s participation in agricultural decision-making also differ. (JEL D63, Q15)

Missing agricultural price data: an application of mixed estimation

This article shows the convenience of combining the Country–Product– Dummy (CPD) model and the Theil–Goldberger (TG) mixed estimator to obtain better estimates of missing prices than those obtained by marginal mean imputation. We use the TG estimator to combine aggregate price data for regions of Ecuador with producer-level data (the sample data) to fill-in the missing price observations. Our results show better price estimates for predicting missing data than estimates obtained from using the CPD model on the sample data only. Through this approach, missing data can be replaced with economically meaningful data.

Epidemic Network Analysis for Mitigation of Invasive Pathogens in Seed Systems: Potato in Ecuador

Seed systems have an important role in the distribution of high-quality seed and improved varieties. The structure of seed networks also helps to determine the epidemiological risk for seedborne disease. We present a new approach for evaluating the epidemiological role of nodes in seed networks, and apply it to a regional potato farmer consortium (Consorcio de Productores de Papa [CONPAPA]) in Ecuador. We surveyed farmers to estimate the structure of networks of farmer seed tuber and ware potato transactions, and farmer information sources about pest and disease management. Then, we simulated pathogen spread through seed transaction networks to identify priority nodes for disease detection. The likelihood of pathogen establishment was weighted based on the quality or quantity of information sources about disease management. CONPAPA staff and facilities, a market, and certain farms are priorities for disease management interventions such as training, monitoring, and variety dissemination. Advice from agrochemical store staff was common but assessed as significantly less reliable. Farmer access to information (reported number and quality of sources) was similar for both genders. However, women had a smaller amount of the market share for seed tubers and ware potato. Understanding seed system networks provides input for scenario analyses to evaluate potential system improvements. [Formula: see text] Copyright

Pathogen mitigation in an Ecuadorian potato seed system: Insights from network analysis

Seed systems have an important role in the distribution of high quality seed and improved varieties. The structure of seed networks also helps to determine the epidemiological risk for seedborne disease. We present a new method for evaluating the epidemiological role of nodes in seed networks, and apply it to a regional potato farmer consortium (CONPAPA) in Ecuador. We surveyed farmers to estimate the structure of networks of farmer seed tuber and ware potato transactions, and farmer information sources about pest and disease management. Then we simulated pathogen spread through seed transaction networks to identify priority nodes for disease detection. The likelihood of pathogen establishment was weighted based on the quality and/or quantity of information sources about disease management. CONPAPA staff and facilities, a market, and certain farms are priorities for disease management interventions, such as training, monitoring and variety dissemination. Advice from agrochemical store staff was common but assessed as significantly less reliable. Farmer access to information (reported number and quality of sources) was similar for both genders. Women had a smaller amount of the market share for seed-tubers and ware potato, however. Understanding seed system networks provides input for scenario analyses to evaluate potential system improvements.The structure of seed systems has important implications for how likely they are to effectively supply high quality seed to communities of farmers. We evaluated seed system networks defined by a regional potato farmer consortium (CONPAPA) in Tungurahua, Ecuador. Networks were structured around farmer seed and potato transactions and their sources of information about pest and disease management. We performed a scenario analysis of disease spread that takes into account interacting biophysical, socioeconomic and informational elements. CONPAPA provides training, seed improvement and potato processing and marketing for its members. The high centrality of CONPAPA in the network means that disease management interventions, such as training, monitoring and variety dissemination should target CONPAPA staff and processing facilities. The market in Ambato, the largest nearby town, was the next most useful place to monitor. Farmers reported receiving advice about disease and pest management through trusted CONPAPA technical staff. Local agricultural stores were also reported as providing advice to many farmers, but were viewed by farmers as significantly less reliable. Training of store owners could provide one way to improve outcomes in this seed system. Farmer access to information (number and quality of sources) was equal for both genders. Female farmers had a smaller than expected amount of the market share, however. In CONPAPA there is 47% adoption of improved seed, much higher than the 2% rate reported for Ecuador in general. This is probably improving yields significantly for small farmers in the consortium. Agricultural seed systems and network analyses provide one window into a variety of global change phenomena encompassing environmental and societal concerns.

Is Area-Wide Pest Management Useful? The Case of Citrus Greening

Citrus greening currently poses a severe threat to citrus production worldwide because no treatment or management strategy is yet available to cure the disease. Scientists recommend controlling the vector of the disease, and area-wide pest management has been proposed as a superior alternative to individual pest management. We analyzed a unique dataset of farm-level citrus yields that allowed us to test this hypothesis. We found that yields of blocks located in an area with higher participation in coordinated sprays were 28%, 73%, and 98% higher in 2012/13, 2013/14, and 2014/15, respectively, compared to the yields of blocks under the same management but located in an area with lower participation. These results provide evidence on the efficiency of a well-performing pest management area to deal with citrus greening. However, participation in Citrus Health Management Areas has not been commensurate with this evidence. We present survey data that provide insights about producers’ preferences and attitudes toward the area-wide pest management program. Despite the economic benefit we found area-wide pest management can provide, the strategic uncertainty involved in relying on neighbors seems to impose too high of a cost for most growers, who end up not coordinating sprays.

Sugar, fat, or protein: are all food insecure households eating the same? The case of small rice producers in Peru

Abstract Purpose We examine the joint demand for components of a household’s diet diversity and its relationship with household and regional characteristics that embody diverse food access and utilization constraints within the framework of the dietary patterns of rice producers in Peru. Methodology/approach We use multivariate probit regression to account for the simultaneous nature of the choice of different dietary group components. Findings There are diverse food intake patterns for households, depending on their wealth, education, demographic structure, market access and geographic location, as well as past shocks. There are also several obesogenic foods that are complements to consumption, with milk being a strong substitute for some of them. Of particular concern is the high vulnerability of female-headed households to low consumption of micronutrient-rich foods as well as the high vulnerability of households with children to high consumption of beverages with added sugars. Climate shocks are also highly associated with poor diet quality. Practical implications Results show the important influence of trade on household nutrition and food security. They indicate that policy and program recommendations should focus on nutrition information (such as labeling requirements) and education so that consumers can make informed decisions. They also suggest that policy makers should focus on how to make healthy foods available during crises to prevent health issues after economic and climatic shocks.

Who Contributes to the Provision of Public Goods at the Community Level? The Case of Potable Water in Ghana

This article offers an analytical framework to explain participation in the provision of drinking water in communities in Ghana along with empirical evidence of the individual factors that influence this provision. Framed in the context of the debate about the devolution of responsibilities from the government to the users of public goods to increase management efficiency and sustainability, the study analyzes how individuals respond to potable water participation activities. Distinguishing activities by the type of participation incentives they offer, the study finds that social exclusion is more likely in activities that lack effort complementarities and which have larger impacts on output allocation. Appropriation of social benefits is found to determine participation more strongly than the appropriation of the natural resource itself.