Education and agricultural productivity: Evidence from Uganda

Abstract

Existing evidence on the impact of education on agricultural productivity in Africa is mixed, with estimates usually insignificant although sometimes large. Analysis of the first nationally representative household survey of Uganda gives an estimate of the impact of household primary schooling on crop production comparable to the developing country average. In addition, the primary schooling of neighbouring farm workers appears to raise crop production and these external returns exceed the internal returns. Education complements capital and substitutes for labour. Further productivity increases arise through education increasing physical capital and purchased inputs, but effects via crop choice appear negligible.

The Effect of the Universal Primary Education Program on Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence from Tanzania

“…Compared to the studies on the benefits of primary education in agriculture in African countries that find low returns (Appleton et al, 1996;Jolliffe, 2004), I argue that returns to education in agriculture are positive, provided that the curriculum at school is consistent with agriculture. This conclusion is closer to Foster and Rosenzweig (1996)'s results, suggesting that returns to education are positive only during specific contexts, such as during technological changes, when education helps farmers to adopt new technologies.…”

Education Spillovers in Farm Productivity: Revisiting the Evidence

“…They control for village fixed effects while defining neighbors at a smaller level called «Bari». In contrast to Appleton and Balihuta (1996) and Weir and Knight (2007), they find no evidence of external returns of education on farm productivity. However, the (absence of) results may be driven by the sample design of the data: their database only reports information on two households per Bari.…”

Agricultural Training and Its Impact on Food Crop Production in Cameroon

“…Education being primary, secondary and higher has a higher probability of increasing production. In this perspective, Appleton & Balihuta (1996) confirmed that household primary schooling has impacted crop production compared to the developing country average. Mirotchie (1994) confirmed that household primary schooling has impacted crop production compared to the developing country average.…”