Employment Dynamics and Linkages in the Rural Economy: Insights from Senegal

Evidence on rural wage employment is thin and lacks nuance for different employment sources, insights on dynamic effects, and an understanding of the channels of effects. We assess conceptually and empirically the direct and indirect welfare effects of entry and continuation in different types of wage employment in rural Senegal. Using panel data, fixed effects and first-difference estimation, we show substantial positive welfare and linkage effects. We find that participation in wage employment increases per capita income by 143%, and reduces poverty, poverty gap and food insecurity by, respectively, 63%, 89% and 48%. While the direct effect on income is larger for non-agricultural and contractual wage employment, the indirect income effects through self-employment are more pronounced for agricultural and casual wage employment. Our results imply that job creation is important for rural development, that wage employment in agriculture can lead to considerable growth multiplier effects, and that synergies exist between large-scale and small-scale agriculture.     

Design of Digital Agricultural Extension Tools: Perspectives from Extension Agents in Nigeria

Given the marked heterogeneous conditions in smallholder agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa, there is a growing policy interest in site-specific extension advice and the use of digital extension tools to provide site-specific information. Empirical ex-ante studies on the design of digital extension tools and their use are rare. Using data from a choice experiment in Nigeria, we elicit and analyze the preferences of extension agents for major design features of ICT-enabled decision support tools (DSTs) aimed at site-specific nutrient management extension advice. We estimate different models, including mixed logit, latent class and attribute non-attendance models. We find that extension agents are generally willing to use such DSTs and prefer a DST with a more user-friendly interface that requires less time to generate results. We also find that preferences are heterogeneous: some extension agents care more about the effectiveness-related features of DSTs, such as information accuracy and level of detail, while others prioritise practical features, such as tool platform, language and interface ease-of-use. Recognising and accommodating such preference differences may facilitate the adoption of DSTs by extension agents and thus enhance the scope for such tools to impact the agricultural production decisions of farmers.     

Gender,productive ability and the perceived returns to education: Evidence from rural India

Recent research has established the importance of perceived (as opposed to actual) returns as a determinant of educational investments. We analyze data from India to highlight gender disparities in the perceived returns to education and the salience of productive characteristics.     

Horticulture exports, agro-industrialization, and farm–nonfarm linkages with the smallholder farm sector: evidence from Senegal

In this article we address the question of farm–nonfarm linkages at the household level in Senegal. We examine whether increasing off-farm employment opportunities for rural households—resulting from increased horticulture exports and associated agro-industrialization—has benefitted the smallholder farm sector through investment linkages. We use data from a household survey in the main horticulture export region in Senegal. We find that access to unskilled employment in the export agro-industry has contributed to the alleviation of farmers' liquidity constraints, resulting in increased smallholder agricultural production.     

Drivers of long haul flight supply at secondary airports in Europe

Intercontinental air traffic is unevenly distributed between secondary European airports. While a few airports offer a remarkable number of long haul services, most non-hubs struggle to attract such flights. We discuss and test factors influencing secondary airport choice of long haul carriers. Results indicate that the economic power of the airport region has a significantly positive influence on long haul flight supply, while a sufficient runway length is only a condition sine qua non. Consequently, long runways at many secondary airports are underutilized and thus not economically viable.     

Buslinienfernverkehr in Deutschland — effiziente Ausgestaltung einer Liberalisierung

Intercity coach traffic in Germany is virtually prohibited, in order to protect the rail network. From an economic perspective, this regulation is not legitimate, as allowing long distance coach transportation would not result in any market failures. A recent draft law from the German government includes a proposal to permit coach transport on longer routes and is therefore considered to be an important step toward a more efficient and competitive transport system. However, the exact set-up of the opening of the market is still being discussed intensely. This paper summarises and critically reviews the current discussion. In addition, the non-availability of coach terminals in most German cities is identified as a major issue with regard to the opening of the market.     

Innovationen im Zuge der Digitalisierung des Personenverkehrs

The transport system is an important sector in economies, both in terms of its own share of gross national product and in its role as a presupplier, prime location and facilitator of private and occupational mobility. Like other industries, the transport system is subject to changes in technological trends, especially with regards to digitalisation. When analysing the forms and effects of digitalisation, one may be overwhelmed by the multitude of terms, such as: Industry 4.0, Physical Internet, Internet of Things, Radical Innovation, New Business Models and Digital Transformation. These terms are often interpreted in different ways because they have been specifically designed for agenda setting and thus for the enforcement of the individual interests of consultants, researchers and industries. And while transport has high hopes for digitalisation, it doesn’t necessarily apply to all parameters of the transport system. There are several relevant issues to consider including the extent to which digitalisation affects the traffic supply and demand and whether this will lead to an increase or decrease in traffic movements.     

Klimaschutz im Luftverkehr: vom EU-Emissionshandel zu CORSIA

To address the carbon footprint of global air transport, two important CO₂ trading schemes for aviation have been constructed: the EU Emissions Trading Scheme for aviation, which entered into force in 2012, and CORSIA, the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, as agreed at the International Civil Aviation Organization in October 2016. The authors analyse and compare both reduction schemes from environmental and economic perspectives.