@article{slade_hazell_place_renkow_2020, title={Evaluating the impact of policy research: Evidence from the evaluation of rural policy research in developing countries}, volume={26}, ISSN={["1461-7153"]}, DOI={10.1177/1356389020931881}, abstractNote={ Policy research concerning developing countries must compete for scarce resources with alternative development investments, many of which are amenable to quantitative assessment of their impact and economic efficiency. This is especially true for policy research that addresses agriculture, food and rural poverty—rural policy research. This paper draws on existing evaluations of rural policy research to identify good practice in the conduct of impact evaluations in developing countries. While much has been learnt from these evaluations about how rural policy research can influence policies, the impact of the policy changes that may follow, and about methods for conducting such studies, very few have assessed the efficiency or economic benefit of rural policy research investments. The paper concludes that while the current focus on the use of mixed-method evaluations is necessary and sufficient in most cases, in the context of allocating public resources, evaluations that provide plausible estimates of the rates of return to major rural policy research investments, or even rural policy research institutions yield important additional and comparative information for decision makers. However, such quantitative assessments do not replace but depend on the prior conduct of qualitative and mixed-method evaluations. }, number={4}, journal={EVALUATION}, author={Slade, Roger and Hazell, Peter and Place, Frank and Renkow, Mitch}, year={2020}, month={Oct}, pages={541–561} }
 @article{kandilov_renkow_2020, title={THE IMPACTS OF THE USDA BROADBAND LOAN AND GRANT PROGRAMS: MOVING TOWARD ESTIMATING A RATE OF RETURN}, volume={58}, ISSN={["1465-7295"]}, DOI={10.1111/ecin.12872}, abstractNote={In this article, we evaluate the rate of return to government efforts to promote broadband. Specifically, we estimate the impact of USDA's broadband loan and grant programs on the average payroll per worker using zip code level data from the Zip Code Business Patterns for the period from 1997 to 2007. Our results indicate that two of the smaller broadband programs (the Pilot loan program and the broadband grants program) likely had no effect on local payroll per workers. On the other hand, the largest program in terms of funding and coverage (the current broadband loan program) likely had a positive impact. Our estimate implies that a $1 per capita increase in a particular zip code's one‐time receipt of the current program broadband loan results in a $0.92 increase in payroll per worker annually. Our calculated point estimates of the benefit: cost ratios for this broadband program range from 1.98 to 2.99, depending on assumptions about the time frame over which benefits accrue. However, the confidence intervals are wide enough to include the possibility that the costs outweigh the benefits.(JEL L86, J30, O18)}, number={3}, journal={ECONOMIC INQUIRY}, author={Kandilov, Ivan T. and Renkow, Mitch}, year={2020}, month={Jul}, pages={1129–1145} }
 @article{dinterman_renkow_2017, title={Evaluation of USDA's Broadband Loan Program: Impacts on broadband provision}, volume={41}, ISSN={["1879-3258"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.telpol.2016.12.004}, abstractNote={Since 2002 the USDA's Broadband Loan Program has directed more than $1.8 billion in subsidized loans to help expand broadband access in under-served rural communities. Program eligibility criteria included having a population of 20,000 or fewer, having no prior access to broadband, and providing a minimum matching contribution of 15% by recipients of the loan. Loans were extended mainly to small telecommunications services firms at varying (subsidized) interest rates. We evaluate on the effectiveness of the Loan Program in increasing broadband availability in target locations. Specifically, we analyze whether loan receipt increases the number of broadband providers in a particular location, using various count panel methods. Our analysis is conducted at the ZIP code level over the period 1999–2008; it uses broadband provider data from the FCC's Form 477, and loan data from the Rural Utility Service (the implementing agency for the Broadband Loan Program). Results indicate that ZIP codes receiving broadband loans did in fact experience modest, statistically significant increases in the number of broadband providers vis-à-vis non-recipient locations; that average marginal effects on treated ZIP codes were approximately 0.092 additional broadband providers annually; and that these benefits accrued more towards rural locations than urban locations, in conformance with the intent of the program.}, number={2}, journal={TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY}, author={Dinterman, Robert and Renkow, Mitch}, year={2017}, month={Mar}, pages={140–153} }
 @article{frey_fassola_pachas_colcombet_lacorte_pérez_renkow_warren_cubbage_2012, title={Perceptions of silvopasture systems among adopters in northeast Argentina}, volume={105}, ISSN={0308-521X}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2011.09.001}, DOI={10.1016/j.agsy.2011.09.001}, abstractNote={Farmers’ perceptions over time of an agroforestry technology can have an important impact on adoption and disadoption. Their perceptions, in turn, may be influenced by the type and scale of farm they own and the social networks they create. We examined the factors underlying producers’ perceptions of silvopasture systems at the time of adoption and perceptions following several years of experience, and the factors explaining discontinuance of systems in Argentina. We found that while most adopters indicated that other people influenced their decision about whether or not to adopt silvopasture, the type of person that influenced them (professionals vs. other farmers) did not affect adopters’ perceptions of the relative benefits and challenges of the system. However, farm scale and farm type did explain farmers’ perceptions to a good degree. Smaller-scale farmers were less likely to see costs and returns as benefits of the system, but more likely to see cash flow properties as important advantages. Farmers’ perceptions after experiencing the system were good predictors of likely discontinuance, but influential people, farm scales, farm type, and perceptions at the time of adoption were not.}, number={1}, journal={Agricultural Systems}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Frey, Gregory E. and Fassola, Hugo E. and Pachas, A. Nahuel and Colcombet, Luis and Lacorte, Santiago M. and Pérez, Oscar and Renkow, Mitch and Warren, Sarah T. and Cubbage, Frederick W.}, year={2012}, month={Jan}, pages={21–32} }
 @article{renkow_2011, title={Residential Broadband Availability: Evidence from Kentucky and North Carolina}, volume={40}, ISSN={1068-2805 2372-2614}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1068280500007978}, DOI={10.1017/S1068280500007978}, abstractNote={I analyze the determinants of county-level broadband availability to gauge the extent to which the rural-urban broadband gap has narrowed and the factors that underlie that narrowing. Using data that have been collected by organizations tracking and promoting broadband in Kentucky and North Carolina, I find that in both states the rural-urban availability gap has indeed narrowed substantially, although there appears to be a limit on the extent to which broadband service will extend into the least densely populated counties. Among rural counties, availability rates increase systematically with the size of the county's urbanized population.}, number={2}, journal={Agricultural and Resource Economics Review}, publisher={Cambridge University Press (CUP)}, author={Renkow, Mitch}, year={2011}, month={Sep}, pages={145–157} }
 @article{kandilov_renkow_2010, title={Infrastructure Investment and Rural Economic Development: An Evaluation of USDA's Broadband Loan Program}, volume={41}, ISSN={["0017-4815"]}, DOI={10.1111/j.1468-2257.2010.00524.x}, abstractNote={ABSTRACT}, number={2}, journal={GROWTH AND CHANGE}, author={Kandilov, Ivan T. and Renkow, Mitch}, year={2010}, month={Jun}, pages={165–191} }
 @misc{renkow_byerlee_2010, title={The impacts of CGIAR research: A review of recent evidence}, volume={35}, ISSN={["1873-5657"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.foodpol.2010.04.006}, abstractNote={We review evidence on the impacts of CGIAR research published since 2000 in order to provide insight into how successfully the CGIAR Centers have been in pursuing the System’s core missions. Our review suggests that CGIAR research contributions in crop genetic improvement, pest management, natural resources management, and policy research have, in the aggregate, yielded strongly positive impacts relative to investment, and appear likely to continue doing so. Crop genetic improvement research stands out as having had the most profound documented positive impacts. Substantial evidence exists that other research areas within the CGIAR have had large beneficial impacts although often locally and nationally rather than internationally. However, the “right-time, right-place” nature of successful policy research and the relatively limited geographic scale of much natural resource management research often limits the overall scale of impacts of these programmatic thrusts vis-à-vis genetic improvement research. We conclude that given the evidence available, the CGIAR’s portfolio of research allocations has become overly skewed toward natural resource management and policy research over time. Hence, restoring somewhat the share of resources allocated to crop genetic improvement is warranted. In addition, the CGIAR needs to prioritize impact assessment of resource management and policy research to deepen its understanding of the social and environmental impacts of its work.}, number={5}, journal={FOOD POLICY}, author={Renkow, Mitch and Byerlee, Derek}, year={2010}, month={Oct}, pages={391–402} }
 @misc{renkow_2008, title={Economic turbulence: Is a volatile economy good for America}, volume={48}, DOI={10.1111/j.1467-9787.2008.00567_10.x}, abstractNote={Journal of Regional ScienceVolume 48, Issue 3 p. 673-675 Economic Turbulence: Is a Volatile Economy Good for America?, by Clair Brown, John Haltiwanger, and Julia Lane Mitch Renkow, Mitch Renkow Department of Agricultural and Resource EconomicsNorth Carolina State UniversitySearch for more papers by this author Mitch Renkow, Mitch Renkow Department of Agricultural and Resource EconomicsNorth Carolina State UniversitySearch for more papers by this author First published: 18 July 2008 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9787.2008.00567_10.xCitations: 3Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume48, Issue3August 2008Pages 673-675 RelatedInformation}, number={3}, journal={Journal of Regional Science}, author={Renkow, M.}, year={2008}, pages={673–675} }
 @article{edmeades_phaneuf_smale_renkow_2008, title={Modelling the crop variety demand of semi-subsistence households: Bananas in Uganda}, volume={59}, ISSN={["0021-857X"]}, DOI={10.1111/j.1477-9552.2007.00153.x}, abstractNote={Abstract}, number={2}, journal={JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS}, author={Edmeades, Svetlana and Phaneuf, Daniel J. and Smale, Melinda and Renkow, Mitch}, year={2008}, month={Jun}, pages={329–349} }
 @misc{renkow_2004, title={Globalization and the developing countries: Emerging strategies for rural development and poverty alleviation}, volume={30}, number={3}, journal={Agricultural Economics}, author={Renkow, M.}, year={2004}, pages={255–256} }
 @article{renkow_hallstrom_karanja_2004, title={Rural infrastructure, transactions costs and market participation in Kenya}, volume={73}, ISSN={["0304-3878"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.jdeveco.2003.02.003}, abstractNote={We develop a conceptual framework for quantifying fixed transactions costs facing semisubsistence households. Using household survey data from a sample of 324 Kenyan maize farmers, we jointly estimate household supply and demand schedules and transactions costs. Econometric results indicate that on average the ad valorem tax equivalent of fixed transactions costs for households in our sample is 15%. Additional analysis indicates that economic isolation is positively associated with the size of transactions costs. To the best of our knowledge, ours are the first empirical estimates of the magnitude of fixed transactions costs for agricultural households in developing countries.}, number={1}, journal={JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS}, author={Renkow, M and Hallstrom, DG and Karanja, DD}, year={2004}, month={Feb}, pages={349–367} }
 @article{renkow_2003, title={Employment growth, worker mobility, and rural economic development}, volume={85}, ISSN={["0002-9092"]}, DOI={10.1111/1467-8276.00137}, abstractNote={A county‐level labor market model is estimated for North Carolina. The model accounts for inter‐county commuting, migration, and within‐county adjustments to labor demand shocks. Econometric results indicate that most employment growth (70–80%) during the 1980s was accommodated by changes in commuting flows. Evidence is also presented indicating that labor force growth—and, by extension, population growth and associated fiscal impacts—in rural counties is sensitive to employment growth in nearby urban counties. These results highlight two opposing forces related to spatial spillovers that are usually neglected in analyses of the economic and fiscal impacts of employment growth.}, number={2}, journal={AMERICAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS}, author={Renkow, M}, year={2003}, month={May}, pages={503–513} }
 @article{hintze_renkow_sain_2003, title={Variety characteristics and maize adoption in Honduras}, volume={29}, DOI={10.1016/S0169-5150(03)00058-6}, abstractNote={This paper summarises research into factors contributing to low levels of adoption of improved maize varieties in Honduras. Empirical analysis was based on an agricultural household model which explicitly incorporates variety characteristics into the household's optimisation process. We considered a multitude of production and consumption characteristics valued by farmers, as well as an array of household socioeconomic characteristics and measures of village-specific marketing costs. Empirical results indicated that marketing costs and production characteristics are important explanators of variety choice, whereas consumption characteristics are not, and that information deficits may be an important limiting factor to adoption of improved varieties.}, number={3}, journal={Agricultural Economics}, author={Hintze, L. H. and Renkow, M. and Sain, G.}, year={2003}, pages={307–317} }
 @article{karanja_renkow_crawford_2003, title={Welfare effects of maize technologies in marginal and high potential regions of Kenya}, volume={29}, ISSN={["0169-5150"]}, DOI={10.1016/S0169-5150(03)00060-4}, abstractNote={This paper describes the findings of a study that used a multi-market model to assess the potential impact of improved maize technologies on the welfare of various types of rural and urban households in Kenya. The modelling results indicate that technologies developed for high potential regions are likely to have more profound aggregate impacts on maize production and lead to greater reductions in import demand (if prices are controlled) or maize prices (if maize prices are flexible). Technology adoption in high potential regions is likely to have substantially greater positive impacts on aggregate real incomes, but inferior income distributional outcomes compared to technology adoption in marginal regions.}, number={3}, journal={AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS}, author={Karanja, DD and Renkow, M and Crawford, EW}, year={2003}, month={Dec}, pages={331–341} }
 @article{renkow_hoover_2000, title={Commuting, migration, and rural-urban population dynamics}, volume={40}, ISSN={["0022-4146"]}, DOI={10.1111/0022-4146.00174}, abstractNote={Over the past 25 years social scientists attempting to explain the dramatic changes in the relative distribution of urban and rural population growth have gravitated toward two competing explanations. The regional restructuring hypothesis holds that changes in the spatial distribution of employment opportunities have been dominant whereas the deconcentration hypothesis attributes these changes to changes in residential preferences of workers and consumers. We develop an empirical test of these two explanations based on whether commuting and migration are positively or negatively related after controlling for other economic factors. Our econometric results support the deconcentration hypothesis.}, number={2}, journal={JOURNAL OF REGIONAL SCIENCE}, author={Renkow, M and Hoover, D}, year={2000}, month={May}, pages={261–287} }
 @misc{renkow_2000, title={Poverty, productivity and production environment: a review of the evidence}, volume={25}, ISSN={["1873-5657"]}, DOI={10.1016/S0306-9192(00)00020-8}, abstractNote={This paper reviews the state of knowledge about the key issues needing to be understood to satisfactorily resolve a long-standing debate within the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) system. The debate revolves around the effects on various populations (particularly the poor) of different allocations of research effort between marginal and favoured production environments. This paper specifically focuses on what is known about the geographical distribution of the rural poor, across agro-ecological zones and over time. Variations in the income-generating activities—including non-agricultural activities—engaged in by the poor are examined and the ways in which specific technology packages affect the economic well-being of different types of households, both directly and indirectly.}, number={4}, journal={FOOD POLICY}, author={Renkow, M}, year={2000}, month={Aug}, pages={463–478} }
 @article{keeler_renkow_1999, title={Public vs. private garbage disposal: The economics of solid waste flow controls}, volume={30}, DOI={10.1111/j.1468-2257.1999.tb00038.x}, abstractNote={ABSTRACT
					 The welfare effects of public versus private waste disposal with and without flow controls are analyzed. The pricing of private waste disposal services is modeled as being bounded above by the public entity's average disposal cost, but constrained by potential entry of private competitors. It is found that once a publicly owned disposal facility has been built, waste generators are almost always better off if their local government has flow control authority. This results from the necessity of covering the fixed costs of the public facility once it has been built, in conjunction with the expected pricing behavior of private firms.}, number={3}, journal={Growth and Change}, author={Keeler, A. G. and Renkow, M.}, year={1999}, pages={430–444} }
 @article{renkow_rubin_1998, title={Does municipal solid waste composting make economic sense?}, volume={53}, ISSN={["1095-8630"]}, DOI={10.1006/jema.1998.0214}, abstractNote={Currently there is widespread interest on the part of local Governments in incorporating municipal solid waste (MSW) composting into their integrated solid waste management systems. However, there is little information on the costs of MSW composting and how those costs compare with the costs of alternative forms of waste disposal (especially traditional land disposal). This article begins to fill this information gap by reporting the results of a survey of 19 MSW composting facilities around the United States. Results indicate that MSW composting generally costs around $50 per ton, and that very few facilities receive any revenues from the sale of compost to offset operating costs. Additional economic analysis indicates that, at present, MSW composting cannot be justified on financial grounds in most parts of the US, but may be competitive with land disposal where the cost of landfilling is high (such as the north-east).1998 Academic Press}, number={4}, journal={JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT}, author={Renkow, M and Rubin, AR}, year={1998}, month={Aug}, pages={339–347} }
 @book{renkow_1997, title={Commuting and migration in North Carolina: Does suburbanization explain the trends?}, publisher={Raleigh, NC: Dept. of Agricultural and Resource Economics, North Carolina State University}, author={Renkow, M.}, year={1997} }
 @article{renkow_safley_chaffin_1994, title={A cost analysis of municipal yard trimmings composting}, volume={2}, DOI={10.1080/1065657x.1994.10771136}, abstractNote={▪ The costs of building and operating open windrow municipal yard trimmings composting facilities of different sizes and levels of technical sophistication are analyzed. Per ton costs of composting are found to be competitive with the costs of operating a lined sanitary landfill. Unpaved, minimal tech facilities are considerably cheaper to build and operate than more sophisticated facilities; however, the low quality of the material produced by such facilities may significantly limit the amount of that product that can be marketed (or even given away). Economies of scale clearly favor more sophisticated systems at larger annual volumes. At lower annual volumes, composting systems featuring specialized equipment like compost turners and shredders are not likely to be cost effective.}, number={2}, journal={Compost Science & Utilization}, author={Renkow, M. and Safley, C. and Chaffin, J.}, year={1994}, pages={22} }
 @article{renkow_1994, title={TECHNOLOGY, PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT, AND HOUSEHOLD INCOME - ASSESSING THE REGIONAL IMPACTS OF TECHNOLOGICAL-CHANGE}, volume={10}, ISSN={["0169-5150"]}, DOI={10.1016/0169-5150(94)90024-8}, abstractNote={Abstract This paper clarifies the factors determining the welfare effects of improved agricultural technologies when technology diffusion is unevenly distributed across production environments. Household-level income effects are shown to depend primarily on: (a) whether the economy is open or closed with respect to world markets; (b) whether households are net consumers or net producers of the commodity for which technological change occurs; (c) whether households are adopters or non-adopters of the new technology; (d) the degree to which labor is mobile across agricultural regions; and (e) government intervention in commodity and/or factor markets. A review of recent empirical work indicates considerable variation in the relative strength of these various factors across countries, and that assumptions regarding the mechanism by which commodity prices are determined — endogenously as in a closed economy, or exogenously as in an open economy — is especially critical.}, number={3}, journal={AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS}, author={RENKOW, M}, year={1994}, month={May}, pages={219–231} }
 @article{renkow_1993, title={DIFFERENTIAL TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION AND INCOME-DISTRIBUTION IN PAKISTAN - IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH RESOURCE-ALLOCATION}, volume={75}, ISSN={["0002-9092"]}, DOI={10.2307/1242951}, abstractNote={Abstract}, number={1}, journal={AMERICAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS}, author={RENKOW, M}, year={1993}, month={Feb}, pages={33–43} }