Spillovers of Agriculture Extension Services: Evidence from Malaria Reduction in Uganda

Type Journal Article
Title Spillovers of Agriculture Extension Services: Evidence from Malaria Reduction in Uganda
Author(s)
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2015
URL http://www.ncas.rutgers.edu/sites/fasn/files/Pan_Singhal_Malaria_April2015.pdf
Abstract
: Despite the wide-spread use of agricultural extension programs, little is known
of their health impacts. We exploit a spatial discontinuity in the coverage of an agricultural
extension program in Uganda to causally identify its effects on malaria. We find that
coverage under the program reduced the incidence of malaria by 20 percentage points and
that there is considerable heterogeneity with children and pregnant women experiencing
most of these improvements. Importantly, an examination of the underlying mechanisms
indicates that an increase in income and the resulting increase in the ownership and usage
of bednets is the most likely candidate driving these effects. Taken together, these results
signify the importance of liquidity constraints in investments for malaria prevention and
the potential role that agricultural development can play in easing it.

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