The Impact of Improved Maize Varieties on Poverty in Mexico: A Propensity Score-Matching Approach

This study examines the adoption of improved maize germplasm in Oaxaca and Chiapas in Mexico. It employs a propensity score-matching approach to analyze the impact of the adoption of improved maize varieties on household income and poverty reduction, using cross-sectional data of 325 farmers from the two regions. The findings reveal a robust positive and significant impact of improved maize variety adoption on farm household welfare measured by per capita expenditure and poverty reduction. Specifically. the empirical results suggest that adoption of improved maize varieties helped raise household per capita expenditure by an average of 136-173 Mexican pesos, thereby reducing their probability of falling below the poverty line by roughly 19-31%. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.