Linking risk aversion, time preference and fertiliser use in Burkina Faso
Le Cotty T., Maître d'Hôtel E., Soubeyran R., Subervie J.. 2018. Journal of Development Studies, 54 (11) : p. 1991-2006.
This paper investigates whether Burkinabe maize farmers' fertiliser-use decisions are correlated with their risk and time preferences. We conducted a survey and a series of hypothetical experiments on a sample of 1500 farmers. We find that more patient farmers do use more fertiliser, but it is only because they plant more maize (a fertiliser-intensive crop) rather than because they use more fertiliser per hectare of maize planted. Conversely, we find no statistically significant link between risk aversion and fertiliser use. We use a simple two-period model, which suggests that risk aversion may indeed have an ambiguous effect on fertiliser use.
Mots-clés : burkina faso
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Agents Cirad, auteurs de cette publication :
- Le Cotty Tristan — Es / UMR Cired
- Maître d'Hôtel Elodie — Es / UMR Moisa