Contracting, market access and deforestation

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Abman, Ryan; Lundberg, Clark
• 署名单位: California State University System; San Diego State University
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0304-3878
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2024.103269
• 发表日期: 2024
• 关键词: market access; deforestation; credit constraints; CONTRACTING; Ghana; Oil palm

摘要

We study the impacts of market access on forest loss in Ghana through a program designed to increase smallholder participation in oil palm commodity markets. Improved market access is facilitated through production contracts in which smallholders receive credit to establish production, a guaranteed price and quantity for the contract duration, and output pickup at the village. Using a variety of difference-in-differences approaches, we find substantial increases in forest loss in targeted villages following the introduction of the contracting program. The findings suggest that the ecological impacts of reforms to market access may be sizeable.