Returns to Disease Resistance Research When Pest Management Is an Option

Resistant cultivars offer a pathway to sustainable intensification by maintaining yields and reducing inputs in the face of disease pressure. Past studies of economic returns to crop breeding research for disease resistance measured farm-level benefits, by comparing yields for improved resistant varieties (RVs) to susceptible traditional varieties. This approach will poorly approximate actual research benefits if non-RV pest management options exist, because it does not account for farmer pest control behavior. We propose a unit cost model that controls for farm-level yields and pesticide inputs. The model estimates the difference in unit variable costs (UVC), with and without disease pressure for RV adopters and non-adopters, while holding pest control inputs, farm characteristics, and other factors fixed. We apply the model to data from 136 bean farmer households in northern Ecuador, where RV research is ongoing and fungicide use is widespread. We find no difference in UVC, with and without disease pressure for non-adopters. For adopters, UVC is 24% lower with disease pressure than without. This translates to an ex-post net present value (NPV) of USD 698,828 and an internal rate of return (IRR) of 17%, compared to an NPV of USD 887,391 and IRR of 29%, when accounting for yield differences only. The results oblige impact assessments to account for changes in yields and input costs when pest management is an option.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mooney, Daniel, Swinton, Scott M., Subía G., Cristian, Peralta I., Eduardo
Format: Artículo biblioteca
Language:English
Published: Quito, EC: INIAP-EESC, 2022 2022-03-01
Subjects:AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, BUSH BEAN, ECUADOR, IMPACT ASSESSMENT,
Online Access:http://repositorio.iniap.gob.ec/handle/41000/5821
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spelling dig-iniap-41000-58212023-11-12T23:30:55Z Returns to Disease Resistance Research When Pest Management Is an Option Mooney, Daniel Swinton, Scott M. Subía G., Cristian Peralta I., Eduardo AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH BUSH BEAN ECUADOR IMPACT ASSESSMENT Resistant cultivars offer a pathway to sustainable intensification by maintaining yields and reducing inputs in the face of disease pressure. Past studies of economic returns to crop breeding research for disease resistance measured farm-level benefits, by comparing yields for improved resistant varieties (RVs) to susceptible traditional varieties. This approach will poorly approximate actual research benefits if non-RV pest management options exist, because it does not account for farmer pest control behavior. We propose a unit cost model that controls for farm-level yields and pesticide inputs. The model estimates the difference in unit variable costs (UVC), with and without disease pressure for RV adopters and non-adopters, while holding pest control inputs, farm characteristics, and other factors fixed. We apply the model to data from 136 bean farmer households in northern Ecuador, where RV research is ongoing and fungicide use is widespread. We find no difference in UVC, with and without disease pressure for non-adopters. For adopters, UVC is 24% lower with disease pressure than without. This translates to an ex-post net present value (NPV) of USD 698,828 and an internal rate of return (IRR) of 17%, compared to an NPV of USD 887,391 and IRR of 29%, when accounting for yield differences only. The results oblige impact assessments to account for changes in yields and input costs when pest management is an option. 2022-04-04T20:30:04Z 2022-04-04T20:30:04Z 2022-03-01 Artículo *EC-INIAP-BEESC-EA. Quito (INIAP/417) http://repositorio.iniap.gob.ec/handle/41000/5821 en p. 15 application/pdf E. E. Santa Catalina Quito, EC: INIAP-EESC, 2022
institution INIAP
collection DSpace
country Ecuador
countrycode EC
component Bibliográfico
access En linea
databasecode dig-iniap
tag biblioteca
region America del Sur
libraryname Biblioteca INIAP
language English
topic AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
BUSH BEAN
ECUADOR
IMPACT ASSESSMENT
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
BUSH BEAN
ECUADOR
IMPACT ASSESSMENT
spellingShingle AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
BUSH BEAN
ECUADOR
IMPACT ASSESSMENT
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
BUSH BEAN
ECUADOR
IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Mooney, Daniel
Swinton, Scott M.
Subía G., Cristian
Peralta I., Eduardo
Returns to Disease Resistance Research When Pest Management Is an Option
description Resistant cultivars offer a pathway to sustainable intensification by maintaining yields and reducing inputs in the face of disease pressure. Past studies of economic returns to crop breeding research for disease resistance measured farm-level benefits, by comparing yields for improved resistant varieties (RVs) to susceptible traditional varieties. This approach will poorly approximate actual research benefits if non-RV pest management options exist, because it does not account for farmer pest control behavior. We propose a unit cost model that controls for farm-level yields and pesticide inputs. The model estimates the difference in unit variable costs (UVC), with and without disease pressure for RV adopters and non-adopters, while holding pest control inputs, farm characteristics, and other factors fixed. We apply the model to data from 136 bean farmer households in northern Ecuador, where RV research is ongoing and fungicide use is widespread. We find no difference in UVC, with and without disease pressure for non-adopters. For adopters, UVC is 24% lower with disease pressure than without. This translates to an ex-post net present value (NPV) of USD 698,828 and an internal rate of return (IRR) of 17%, compared to an NPV of USD 887,391 and IRR of 29%, when accounting for yield differences only. The results oblige impact assessments to account for changes in yields and input costs when pest management is an option.
format Artículo
topic_facet AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
BUSH BEAN
ECUADOR
IMPACT ASSESSMENT
author Mooney, Daniel
Swinton, Scott M.
Subía G., Cristian
Peralta I., Eduardo
author_facet Mooney, Daniel
Swinton, Scott M.
Subía G., Cristian
Peralta I., Eduardo
author_sort Mooney, Daniel
title Returns to Disease Resistance Research When Pest Management Is an Option
title_short Returns to Disease Resistance Research When Pest Management Is an Option
title_full Returns to Disease Resistance Research When Pest Management Is an Option
title_fullStr Returns to Disease Resistance Research When Pest Management Is an Option
title_full_unstemmed Returns to Disease Resistance Research When Pest Management Is an Option
title_sort returns to disease resistance research when pest management is an option
publisher Quito, EC: INIAP-EESC, 2022
publishDate 2022-03-01
url http://repositorio.iniap.gob.ec/handle/41000/5821
work_keys_str_mv AT mooneydaniel returnstodiseaseresistanceresearchwhenpestmanagementisanoption
AT swintonscottm returnstodiseaseresistanceresearchwhenpestmanagementisanoption
AT subiagcristian returnstodiseaseresistanceresearchwhenpestmanagementisanoption
AT peraltaieduardo returnstodiseaseresistanceresearchwhenpestmanagementisanoption
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