Impact of inputs, information, and financial services on the adoption of a biofortified crop by women farmers in Uganda

Abstract

Smallholder farmers in low- and middle-income countries face several constraints to technology adoption. We test the relative efficacy of interventions designed to incentivize the production and consumption of a biofortified orange-fleshed sweet potato crop by female farmers in Uganda. Through a clustered randomized controlled trial involving more than 8000 female farmers across 210 communities, we track the impact of the interventions on adoption, consumption, and health outcomes, both in the short term and long term. Our findings suggest that the provision of inputs and agricultural extension is an effective approach to adoption, leading over 60% of households to cultivate and 50% to consume the crop. Nutrition training emphasizing the crop's health benefits has limited impact on cultivation, but it leads 20% of households to consume the biofortified crop. Combining the two approaches with supplementary credit and insurance products has limited marginal effects on adoption. We also observe improvements in dietary diversity resulting from the tested interventions, along with spillover effects through social networks in neighboring communities. We find little evidence of treatment effects on higher-order outcomes such as visual acuity, child health and nutrition, or income.