Impact of Reinforcement on Nutrient Management: Quasi-Experimental Evidence from the Rice-Wheat System of Punjab
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Author: Ramandeep, Manmeet Kaur, Sidharth S. and Vipan Kumar Rampal
Author Address: Research Scholar, Professor and Professor-cum-Head, Department of Extension Education, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-141004 (Punjab), and Research Scholar, Department of Dairy Extension, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal-132001 (Haryana
Keywords: Advisory, fertiliser expenditure, quasi-experimental design, reinforcement.
JEL Codes: C21, O13, Q12, Q16.
Abstract
This study evaluated whether reinforcement mechanisms enhance the effectiveness of soil test–based fertiliser advisory in improving nutrient-use efficiency and reducing farm-level production costs in the rice–wheat system in Punjab. A quasi-experimental design with treatment (n = 56) and control (n = 56) groups was employed, and impacts were estimated using a Difference-in-Differences approach. Treatment farmers received soil-test–based recommendations and repeated follow-up interactions, while control farmers continued conventional practices. The intervention generated statistically significant fertiliser cost savings of ?1,860 per hectare in rice and ?788 per hectare in wheat, driven primarily by the rationalisation of nitrogenous and phosphatic fertilisers. Integrating behaviourally informed reinforcement into extension systems can be a cost-effective strategy for promoting economically and environmentally sustainable nutrient management in high-input agricultural regions.
Description
Indian J Econ Dev, 2026, 22(3), 493-501
https://doi.org/10.35716/IJED-26070