Many development programs are based on short-term interventions, either because of
external funding constraints or because it is assumed that impacts persist post program
termination (“sustainability”). Using a novel randomized phase-out research method, we
provide experimental tests of the effects of program phase-out in the context of a largescale
agricultural input subsidy and extension program operated by the NGO BRAC to
increase the use of improved seed varieties and basic farming practices among women
smallholders in Uganda. We find that while supply of improved seeds through local, BRAC
trained women declined, demand does not diminish, and farmers shift purchases from
BRAC to market sources, indicating a persistent learning effect. We also find no evidence
of declines in the practice of improved and less costly cultivation techniques taught by the
program. These results have implications for both efficient program design and for models
of technology adoption. |
