Polygyny and Drought Resilience in Village Economies: Evidence from Rural Mali
研究利用马里农村的面板数据、人口普查和气象信息，发现一夫多妻制程度高的社区通过分散的亲属网络在干旱时共享资源，缓冲了干旱对农作物产量的负面影响。
Abstract Rural communities in the Sahel, where livelihoods rely heavily on rainfed agriculture, face recurrent droughts that threaten food security and economic stability. This study examines how drought impacts crop yields across communities with varying levels of polygyny. Using panel data, census records, and meteorological information from rural Mali, this study finds that droughts significantly reduce crop yields in communities with no polygyny, whereas those with higher polygyny prevalence experience a mitigated impact. Our analysis suggests that highly polygynous communities benefit from geographically dispersed kinship networks, which provide crucial support during droughts. These networks facilitate resource sharing, sustaining both agricultural production and off-farm activities, thereby buffering the adverse effects of drought. These findings underscore the need to integrate cultural practices into policy efforts aimed at strengthening risk-management mechanisms in drought-prone regions. Neglecting such factors may inadvertently reinforce the persistence of informal coping strategies.