The effects of education on agricultural productivity under traditional and improved technology in northern Nigeria: an endogenous switching regression analysis

This paper estimates a more efficient version of an endogenous switching regression model to examine the effects of farmer education-schooling and extension contact-on cowpea production under traditional and improved technology in northern Nigeria. The results revealed significant productivity-enhancing effects of schooling and extension contact only under improved technology. Factors that promote technology adoption will thus indirectly raise the marginal contributions of farmer education; these include schooling, participatory technology evaluation, improved seed supply, and market access. The results demonstrate that schooling not only enhances agricultural productivity following technology adoption but also promotes adoption itself.