We study the effect of teacher subject knowledge on student achievement in mathematics and reading by using a data set from six sub-Saharan African countries. By using an estimation based on within-teacher within-student strategy, we can avoid a potential endogeneity bias. In most estimations and most countries, we do not find a significant teacher knowledge effect. The main reasons are teacher absenteeism and the need to focus on core knowledge.

This study examines factors determining farmers’ investment in organic farming using a contextualized lab-in-the-field experiment with 220 small household farmers in Northern Vietnam. We focus on the role of network structure, information nudge, and social comparison between farmers using three types of networks: circle, star and complete. Our results suggest that, on average, around 64% of the land is invested in organic farming in the complete network in which each farmer is connected to all of the others, while only about 57% of the land is invested in the circle and star network.

Shrimp aquaculture is among the most vital sectors in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam regarding economic well-being, social aspects, and food security beyond the country boundary. Nevertheless, this sector has faced emerging challenges from increased climate variability during recent decades, negatively influencing its outcomes.

This study uses a large field experiment linked to actual behavior to evaluate the effects of an information campaign with and without celebrity endorsement on the use of single-use plastics. We find that demand for single use plastics, particularly for plastic straws and spoons, is very responsive to information when — and only when — it is coupled with our celebrity endorsement. The effect of celebrity endorsement is sizeable.

Abstract