| 1. |
- Alem, Yonas, 1974, et al.
(författare)
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Decision-making within the Household: The Role of Autonomy and Differences in Preferences
- 2018
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- We use a field experiment to identify how differences in preferences and autonomy in decision-making result in sub-optimal adoption of technologies that can maximize the welfare of all members of the household. We create income-earning opportunities and elicit willingness- to-pay (WTP) for energy-efficient cookstoves through a real stove purchase experiment with randomly chosen wives, husbands and couples. Experimental results suggest that women, who often are responsible for cooking and for collecting fuelwood, reveal a higher preference than men for the improved stoves. Using an instrumental variables tobit estimator, we show that women who have higher decision-making autonomy reveal higher WTP than those who have lower decision-making autonomy. A follow-up survey conducted 15 months after the stove purchase show that autonomy does not affect stove use. Our findings highlight the importance of considering division of labor, different preferences, and bargaining power differences within the household when promoting adoption of new household technologies.
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| 2. |
- Alem, Yonas, 1974, et al.
(författare)
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Life Satisfaction in Urban Ethiopia: Trends and determinants
- 2012
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Most studies of subjective well-being in developing countries use cross-sectional data, which makes it difficult to control for unobserved individual heterogeneity. In this paper, we use three rounds of panel data and robust non-linear panel data models to investigate the trends and determinants of life satisfaction in urban Ethiopia. Although Ethiopia exhibited rapid economic growth during the analyzed period, the average reported level of life satisfaction declined. Regression results show that despite the significant difference between urban Ethiopia and industrialized countries in terms of economic and social conditions, many of the determinants of life satisfaction are similar. This includes, age, marital status, health, unemployment, economic status, relative position and educational achievement. Our results also indicate that both individual (respondent) and household level versions of these variables are important determinants of life satisfaction. This provides some evidence on the interdependence of individual and household subjective well-being in developing countries. The fact that rapid economic growth was accompanied by a decline in citizens’ average reported level of life satisfaction brings the pro-poorness of the recent economic growth in Ethiopia into question. We argue that economic growth that trickles down to the poor and ensures creation of stable jobs would be welfare enhancing.
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| 3. |
- Alem, Yonas, 1974, et al.
(författare)
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Modelling Household Cooking Fuel Choice: a Panel Multinomial Logit Approach
- 2015
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- We use three rounds of a rich panel data set to investigate the determinants of household cooking fuel choice and energy transition in urban Ethiopia. We observe that the expected energy transition did not occur following economic growth in Ethiopia during the decade 2000-2009. Regression results from a random effects multinomial logit model suggest that households’ economic status, price of alternative energy sources, and education are important determinants of fuel choice in urban Ethiopia. The results also suggest the use of multiple fuels, or “fuel stacking behavior” by households. We argue that policy makers could target these policy levers to encourage transition to cleaner energy sources.
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| 4. |
- Alem, Yonas, 1974, et al.
(författare)
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The Dynamics of Electric Cookstove Adoption: Panel data evidence from Ethiopia
- 2013
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Previous studies on improved cookstove adoption in developing countries use cross-sectional data, which makes it difficult to control for unobserved heterogeneity and investigate what happens to adoption over time. We use robust non-linear panel data and hazard models on three rounds of panel data from urban Ethiopia to investigate the determinants and dynamics of electric cookstove adoption. We find the price of electricity and firewood, and access to credit as major determinants of adoption and transition. Our findings have important implications for policies aiming at promotion of energy transition and reduction of the pressure on forest resources in developing countries.
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| 5. |
- Alem, Yonas, 1974, et al.
(författare)
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The Persistence of Subjective Poverty in Urban Ethiopia
- 2012
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Using panel data spanning 15 years, this paper investigates the persistence and correlates of subjective and consumption poverty in urban Ethiopia. Despite the decline in consumption poverty in recent years, which has been linked to rapid economic growth, subjective poverty has remained largely unchanged. Dynamic probit regression results show that households with a history of past poverty continue to perceive themselves as poor even if their material consumption improves. Our results also suggest that the relative economic position of households is a strong determinant of subjective poverty, and having at least some type of employment reduces the likelihood that households will perceive themselves as poor, even if they remain in objective poverty. Receiving remittances from abroad, on the other hand, does not reduce perceived poverty, even if it raises material consumption. We argue that any analysis to measure the impact of growth on welfare should encompass subjective measures as well.
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| 6. |
- Carlsson, Fredrik, 1968, et al.
(författare)
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Are Agricultural Extension Packages What Ethiopian Farmers Want? A Stated Preference Analysis
- 2005
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- There is an evident dichotomy in many rural development policies in the world between extension driven adoption of modern inputs and community driven local public goods. However, the target populations of these policies seldom have the possibility to express their preference between these two policies. In this paper we report the results of a stated preference survey in the highlands of Ethiopia where the farmers are given a choice between an agricultural extension package and a local public good - health care or protected spring. The study finds that a majority of people prefers the public good. However, when the extension package is combined with insurance in terms of no payback of the credit in case of crop loss, then we find a significant increase in the choice of the extension package. The study thus sheds light on why Ethiopiaâ??s major development strategy has had limited success and gives evidence of how stated preference methodologies can be utilized for development policy design.
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| 7. |
- Carlsson, Fredrik, 1968, et al.
(författare)
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Contingent valuation of community plantations in Ethiopia: a look into value elicitation formats and intra-household preference variations
- 2004
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This paper is an application of the contingent valuation method on community plantations in the highlands of Ethiopia. A discrete-continuous elicitation format was applied. It was found that there is a problem in applying a closed ended elicitation format in this context with a community resource since a community resource typically implies a community based scenario and such a scenario invites to yea-saying. The wellknown problem of compliance bias is also difficult to avoid in such settings. Application of a closed-ended format under such circumstances would exaggerate the willingness to pay for the good in question. The study asked both spouses in a household for their willingness to pay for a new plantation. The analysis of the bid function shows that there are gender variations in the factors that affect the bids. The common preference model was thus rejected in this application. The analysis also indicates that it might be a good idea to concentrate plantation efforts since there seem to be specialization going on in collection behavior. Women in villages without any existing community plantation are, however, significantly more interested in the establishment of a plantation than men. The aggregate willingness to pay vary dramatically between villages pointing at the need for good selection methods in targeting such interventions.
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| 8. |
- Dufwenberg, Martin, 1964, et al.
(författare)
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Thanks but No Thanks: A New Policy to Avoid Land Conflict
- 2013
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Land conflicts can be detrimental. An important goal of development policy is to help define and instill respect for borders. This is often implemented through mandatory and expensive interventions that rely on the expansion of government land administration institutions. We bring to the table a new policy that, in theory, promotes neighborly relations and equitable divisions at low cost. The salient features of this policy would be the existence of a regulatory institution and the option to bypass regulation in favor of a cooperative solution. Such a policy is particularly relevant when the government formally owns the land but tenure rights are about to be individualized. The key idea combines the logic of forward induction with the insight that social preferences transform social dilemmas into coordination problems. As a first and low-cost pass at empirical evaluation, we conduct a framed field experiment among farmers in the Ethiopian highlands, a region exhibiting features typical of many countries where borders are often disputed.
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| 9. |
- Dufwenberg, Martin, 1964, et al.
(författare)
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Thanks but No Thanks: A New Policy to Reduce Land Conflict
- 2014
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Land conflicts can be detrimental. An important goal of development policy is to help define and instill respect for borders. This is often implemented through mandatory and expensive intervention s that rely on the expansion of government land administration institutions. We bring to the table a new policy that , in theory , promotes neighborly relations and equitable divisions at low cost. The salient features of this policy would be the existence o f a regulatory i nstitution and the option to by pass regulation in favor of a cooperative solution. Such a policy is particularly relevant when the government formally owns the land but tenure rights are about to be individualized. The key idea combines the logic of forward induction with the insight that social preferences transform social dilemmas into coordination problems . As a first and low - cost pass at empirical evaluation, we conduct a framed field experiment among farmers in the Ethiopian highlands, a region exhibiting features typical of many countries where borders are often disputed.
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| 10. |
- Gebreegziabher, Zenebe, et al.
(författare)
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Household Tree Planting in Tigrai, Northern Ethiopia: Tree Species, Purposes, and Determinants
- 2010
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Trees have multiple purposes in rural Ethiopia, providing significant economic and ecological benefits. Planting trees supplies rural households with wood products for their own consumption, as well for sale, and decreases soil degradation. In this paper, we used cross-sectional household-level data to analyze the determinants of household tree planting and explored the most important tree attributes or purpose(s) that enhance the propensity to plant trees. We set up a sample selection framework that simultaneously takes into account the two decisions of tree growers (whether or not to plant tree and how many) to analyze the determinants of tree planting. We used logistic regression to analyze the most important tree attributes contributing to households’ tree-planting decisions. We found that land size, age, gender, tenure security, education, exogenous income, and agro-ecology increased both the propensity to plant trees and the amount of tree planting, while increased livestock holding impacted both decisions negatively. Our findings also suggested that households consider a number of attributes in making decision to plant trees. These results can be used by policymakers to promote tree planting in the study area by strengthening tenure security and considering households’ selection of specific tree species for their attributes (criteria).
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