What is Information Worth for an Extra Quintal of Grain?: Randomised Experimental Evidence from Farmers in India

Purohit, P., Subramanian, A. , Naik, G. and Swaminathan, B. (2015) What is Information Worth for an Extra Quintal of Grain?: Randomised Experimental Evidence from Farmers in India. In: 89th Agricultural Economics Society Conference, Warwick, England, 13-15 Apr 2015, (Unpublished)

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Abstract

This study evaluates whether access to real-time customised idiosyncratic agricultural information over extended seasons improves the value of such information among farmers. We conduct a controlled randomised experiment in the Indian state of Karnataka. The study employs the difference-in-difference method to a panel of households comparing the differential valuation of information during the post-intervention period between treatment (participant) and control (non-participant) farmers relative to the outcomes observed during a pre-intervention period. We find robust evidence of the intervention showing significantly positive impacts on the valuation of agricultural information among treatment farmers relative to the control farmers. A difference of each one unit improvement in information access is found to be associated with 53 percent average increase in the mean valuation of the information. The result indicates that farmers value information that is comprehensive, reliable, real-time and idiosyncratic as opposed to the more generic or piecemeal information.

Item Type:Conference Proceedings
Status:Unpublished
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Subramanian, Dr Arjunan
Authors: Purohit, P., Subramanian, A., Naik, G., and Swaminathan, B.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Economics
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2015 Purnima Purohit, Arjunan Subramanian, Gopal Naik and B.Swaminathan
Publisher Policy:Reproduced with permission of Authors
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