Language Barriers, Technology Adoption and Productivity: Evidence from Agriculture in India
研究印度农村语言障碍如何影响农民获取农业技术信息，利用政府呼叫中心跨邦边界差异，发现语言障碍限制高产种子等现代技术采用并降低作物产量。
Abstract We study the effect of language barriers on the ability of farmers to access information about agricultural technologies in rural areas of India. We use the introduction of government-sponsored call centers (Kisan Call Centers) which offer agricultural advice in the official language of each Indian state. For identification, we compare geographically contiguous areas that sit across state borders, and exploit differences in the language spoken by farmers and call center advisors. We document that language barriers limit the adoption of modern agricultural technologies – such as high-yielding variety seeds – and negatively affect crop yields.