University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Three essays on agriculture and development

Venkateswaran, Gowthami

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129764

Description

Title
Three essays on agriculture and development
Author(s)
Venkateswaran, Gowthami
Issue Date
2025-05-02
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
  • Baylis, Kathy
  • Hultgren, Andrew
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
  • Baylis, Kathy
  • Hultgren, Andrew
Committee Member(s)
  • Michelson, Hope
  • Pullabhotla, Hemant
Department of Study
Agr & Consumer Economics
Discipline
Agricultural & Applied Econ
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Agriculture, transportation, development
Abstract
This dissertation explores the intersection of governmental policies and agriculture through three distinct studies, focusing on how policy interventions and external factors influence agricultural markets, food security and rural livelihoods. The first chapter examines the impact of rural road construction in India, showing how improved transportation connectivity fosters the growth of agricultural firms, with the largest positive effects observed in villages close to towns. The second chapter investigates the unintended consequences of selective fertilizer subsidies in India, where a shift towards nitrogen-based subsidies leads to the overuse of fertilizers, contributing to environmental damage and rising infant mortality in rural areas. Chapter 3 explores the effects of internal displacement due to conflict on food prices in local agricultural markets. Increased displacement due to conflict significantly raises cereal prices, highlighting the vulnerabilities of host communities during displacement crises. Collectively, these three chapters provide a comprehensive understanding of how policies and external shocks impact agricultural systems and rural livelihoods in both India and Mali.
Graduation Semester
2025-05
Type of Resource
Thesis
Handle URL
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129764
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2025 Gowthami Venkateswaran

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