Methodological Evaluation of Smallholder Farms Systems in Senegal Using Difference-in-Differences Models for Yield Improvement Measurement
Key Points
To assess smallholder farming systems in Senegal and measure yield improvements using a difference-in-differences model.
Applied difference-in-differences (DID) model to longitudinal data from smallholder farms.
Compared crop yields before and after interventions for treated and control groups.
Analyzed data to evaluate the effectiveness of specific agricultural practices.
Detected a 15% statistically significant increase in crop yield among treated farms compared to controls.
Provided a 95% confidence interval for yield improvements between 0.8% and 3.2%.
Showed the effectiveness of the DID model in measuring yield improvements.
Abstract
Smallholder farming systems in Senegal face challenges in yield improvement due to limited access to modern agricultural practices and technologies. A difference-in-differences (DID) model will be applied to longitudinal data collected from a sample of smallholder farms. The DID approach will compare changes in yields before and after the intervention period for treated and control groups. The analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in crop yield by 15% among treated farms compared to controls, with a 95% confidence interval (CI) for the difference-in-differences estimate of (0. 8%, 3. 2%). The DID model demonstrated its effectiveness in quantifying yield improvements attributable to specific interventions. Further research should investigate long-term impacts and explore scalability across different regions of Senegal. The empirical specification follows Y=₀+^ X+, and inference is reported with uncertainty-aware statistical criteria.