Increasing Investment in Agricultural Inputs: Evaluating the Effects of Village Input Fairs in Mali
The absence of markets for agricultural inputs like fertilizers (“ag-inputs”) is a main feature of rural agricultural systems in Mali. In partnership with IPA Mali, the National Union of Agro-Input Dealers, and Soro Yiriwaso, researchers conducted a randomized evaluation to measure the impact of varying the timing of input purchases and the up-front payments required, as well as access to credit, at Village Input Fairs (VIFs) on farmers’ decisions to buy and use agricultural inputs. VIFs organized in the post-harvest period and with credit access had significant positive effects on farmers' demand for inputs, input adoption, and household agricultural labor supply.