Do Plant Clinics Improve Household Food Security? Evidence from Rwanda

• Main Authors: Bundi, M. (Author), Mugambi, I. (Author), Tambo, J.A (Author), Uzayisenga, B. (Author)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2021
• Subjects: agricultural extension; Agricultural extension; agricultural research; demand analysis; dietary diversity; farmers knowledge; food product; food security; impact assessment; plant clinics; Rwanda; smallholder; Sustainable Development Goal
• Online Access: View Fulltext in Publisher

 One of the main drivers of food insecurity is pests, which are estimated to cause around 40% of crop losses worldwide. We examine the food security effects of plant clinics, a novel agricultural extension model that aims to reduce crop losses due to pests through the provision of demand-driven plant health diagnostic and advisory services to smallholder farmers. The study is based on survey data from maize-growing households in Rwanda, where 66 plant clinics have been established. Using switching regression and matching techniques as well as various food security metrics, including the food insecurity experience scale, we find evidence that participation in plant clinics is significantly associated with a reduction in household food insecurity. For instance, among the participating households, plant clinics contribute to a decrease in the period of food shortage by one month and a reduction in the severity of food insecurity by 22 percentage points. We also show that these effects are more pronounced for female-headed households. Overall, our findings suggest that plant clinics can play an important role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 2 of zero hunger. © 2020 The Authors. Journal of Agricultural Economics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Agricultural Economics Society