Work

The Role of Staple Food Prices in Deforestation: Evidence from Cambodia

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Research on agricultural prices and deforestation has mostly focused on cash crops and export-oriented commodities. We develop a theoretical framework to illustrate how a staple food price shock can lead to deforestation through various channels. We explore our theoretical predictions with data from Cambodia and employ a shift-share instrumental variables strategy. We find that shocks to the price of rice explain most of Cambodia’s recent deforestation. To shed light on mechanisms, we use household data to study land use behavior and welfare. Our findings suggest that staple food prices have a more important role in driving deforestation than previously thought.

Source: Land Economics

DOI: 10.3368/le.101.1.100423-0097r

Authors: Steven W. Wilcox, David R. Just, Ariel Ortiz-Bobea

Institutions: Utah State University, Cornell University, Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability

Language: English

Topic: Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management

Subfield: Global and Planetary Change

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Life on land, Zero hunger, No poverty, Climate action

Open Access status: hybrid

OpenAlex ID: W4401976441

FWCI:

Cites: 55

Cited by:

Related to: 10