Replication Data for: Fertilizer Recommendations and In-Kind Subsidies Increase Uptake and Yields among Maize Farmers in Mexico

Agricultural productivity remains low among small-scale farmers in developing economies, and this may be due in part to the appropriateness of productive inputs for individual farms’ local conditions. In a new randomized controlled trial (RCT) we examined whether providing small-scale Mexican maize farmers with input recommendations tailored to their local conditions can improve yields. We found considerable variation in soil characteristics across plots, and correspondingly in the tailored recommendations. The experimental treatments improved yields despite adverse climactic conditions, particularly for farmers who were more productive before the study began. Some of the practices and input adoption also persisted in the subsequent, unsubsidized year. Our results suggest that localized recommendations offer yield benefits but that the returns are likely to vary across farmers.

发展中经济体的小规模农户农业生产率普遍偏低，这一现象在一定程度上或许可归因于生产投入品未能适配各农场的当地生产条件。在一项全新的随机对照试验（randomized controlled trial, RCT）中，我们针对墨西哥的小规模玉米种植户开展研究，旨在探究为其提供适配当地种植条件的生产投入建议是否能够提升作物产量。研究发现，不同地块的土壤特征存在显著差异，因此量身定制的生产投入建议也相应呈现出差异化。尽管遭遇不利气候条件，试验干预措施仍有效提升了作物产量，尤其对于研究启动前生产效率本就较高的农户而言效果更为突出。部分种植技术与生产投入的采用行为，在后续未享受补贴的种植年度中仍得以延续。本研究结果表明，本地化的生产投入建议确实能够带来产量增益，但收益回报大概率会因农户个体差异而有所不同。