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Estimating the impact of biological control of maize stemborers on productivity and poverty in Kenya: a continuous treatment approach

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Abstract

This study examines the farm-level effects of stemborers' biological control (BC) using biological and household survey data collected in rural Kenya. The authors use a continuous treatment impact-evaluation method to estimate BC's average and marginal treatment effects. Findings indicate that, on average, a one percent increase in the intensity of BC increases maize yield by 9.3 kg per hectare and reduces the poverty level of maize-growing farm households by 0.5%. Developing and promoting biological control can be seen as an additional tool in the fight against food insecurity and poverty in Africa through controlling important pests.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support for this research by the following organizations and agencies: UK’s Department for International Development (DFID); UK Aid from the UK Government; Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida); the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC); and the Kenyan Government. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the donors. Soul-kifouly was supported by the Dissertation Research Internship Program (DRIP) of the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), BP 320, Bamako, Mali

    Soul-kifouly G. Midingoyi

  2. Agricultural Policy Analysis Unit, National Institute of Agricultural Research of Benin (INRAB), BP:884, Cotonou, Benin

    Soul-kifouly G. Midingoyi

  3. International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), PO Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

    Menale B. Kassie

  4. West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research for Development (CORAF/WECARD), Dakar, Senegal

    Hippolyte D. Affognon

  5. Department of Agribusiness Management and Trade, Kenyatta University, P.O Box 43844–00100, Nairobi, Kenya

    Ibrahim Macharia

  6. Diversité, Ecologie et Evolution des Insectes Tropicaux, UMR Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes, Comportement et Ecologie, groupe IRD, UPR 9034, 22 CNRS, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

    Bruno LeRu

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  1. Soul-kifouly G. Midingoyi
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Correspondence to Soul-kifouly G. Midingoyi.

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Midingoyi, Sk.G., Kassie, M.B., Affognon, H.D. et al. Estimating the impact of biological control of maize stemborers on productivity and poverty in Kenya: a continuous treatment approach. Environ Dev Sustain 26, 5067–5088 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-02924-8

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