Technology adoption and the multiple dimensions of food security: the case of maize in Tanzania

Magrini, Emiliano and Vigani, Mauro ORCID: 0000-0003-2442-7976 (2016) Technology adoption and the multiple dimensions of food security: the case of maize in Tanzania. Food Security, 8 (4). pp. 707-726. doi:10.1007/s12571-016-0593-7

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Abstract

The paper analyses the impact of agricultural technologies on the four pillars of food security for maize farmers in Tanzania. Relying on both matching techniques and endogenous switching regression models, we use a nationally representative dataset collected over the period 2010/2011 to estimate the causal effects of using improved seeds and inorganic fertilizers on food availability, access, utilization, and stability. Our results show that the adoption of both technologies has a positive and significant impact on food availability while for access, utilization and stability we observe heterogeneity between improved seeds and inorganic fertilizers as well as across the food security pillars. The study supports the idea that the relationship between agricultural technologies and food security is a complex phenomenon, which cannot be limited to the use of welfare indexes as proxy for food security.

Item Type:	Article
Article Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Food security; Technology adoption; Propensity score matching; Endogenous switching regression; Tanzania
Subjects:	S Agriculture > SB Plant culture > SB175 Food crops T Technology > T Technology (General)
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > Countryside and Community Research Institute
Research Priority Areas:	Place, Environment and Community
Depositing User:	Eloise Fresnay
Date Deposited:	03 Oct 2016 11:24
Last Modified:	01 Aug 2021 21:37
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/3966

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