Assessing the Impact of Financial Incentives in Extension Programmes: Evidence From Ireland
评估了爱尔兰奶牛场推广计划中引入财务激励对参与效果的影响，发现激励前加入的农户显著提升了农场绩效，而激励后加入的农户未获得显著收益，表明激励可能成为意外之财。
Abstract We evaluate whether the effectiveness of a participatory extension programme changes when an incentive is introduced that financially rewards farmers for participation. Using data from a dairy farm extension programme operated in I reland, the evaluation assesses whether farmers who joined before the financial incentive was introduced receive larger benefits from the extension programme than farmers who joined after the financial incentive. The results from a propensity score matching analysis reveal that farmers who joined before the incentive significantly improved their farm performance, as measured in gross margins and yields, while farmers who joined after the incentive did not significantly benefit from the extension programme. This implies that the incentive to participate is a windfall gain to these later participants.