Leveraging a regression discontinuity (RD) design, this study evaluated the impact of the BRAC’s Agricultural Extension Program that was rolled out in Uganda in 2008 on forest loss. A sample of 7,206 households residing in 417 villages was surveyed successfully and data on their detailed agricultural practices for the last two cropping seasons (July 2010 – June 2011) was collected. The study found that the program reduced deforestation by 13%. It increased the adoption of promoted practices such as manure use and crop rotation resulting in higher productivity without an increase in cultivated area. This evidence points to ways to enable conservation through suitably designed programs for improving agricultural productivity. This paper provides evidence that improvements in agricultural productivity may also have ecological benefits via reduced pressure to expand into forest lands.
Authors: Abman, Ryan; Garg, Teevrat; Pan, Yao; Singhal, Saurabh
Type: Journal Article
Year: 2020
