Heidi Kaila, University of Copenhagen: "Internet and Agricultural Production in Rural Vietnam"

Internet and Agricultural Production in Rural Vietnam

(By Heidi Kaila and Finn Tarp)

Abstract:
We study whether internet use among the rural population in Vietnam has translated into increases in the value of agricultural output. We use a panel dataset from 2008–2012, a time span during which internet use has increased tremendously and the Vietnamese officials have started providing information on agricultural practices online. Our findings suggest that internet use is associated with higher value of agricultural output. However, even though households that use internet are more highly educated than households who do not use internet, there is no skill-bias in the effect of internet use to agricultural output.