The long and short of returns to public investments in fifteen Ethiopian villages

This is a replication study by William H. Bowser of an impact evaluation by Stefan Dercon, Daniel O. Gilligan, John Hoddinott and Tassew Woldehanna. It explores the impact that public road investments and increases in agricultural extension services have on poverty and consumption in Ethiopia. The original study, The Impact of Agricultural Extension and Roads on Poverty and Consumption Growth in Fifteen Ethiopian Villages (2009) found that public sector investments increased growth while decreasing poverty. 

In this replication study, Bowser reproduces the original findings and tests the robustness of the results by using an alternative estimation strategy. Bowser also uses the replication study to extend the original short-term analysis to a longer-term, five year, perspective. The replication findings suggest higher economic returns to future road infrastructure investment than agricultural extension services.