Does foreign employment in modern farms improve farming at home?

Policy brief 28 Jun 2021 Firms

Authors

This research examines to what extent a unique training program for Nepali farmers in Israel leads them to practice improved agriculture upon their return home.
It accompanies a program that trains thousands of farmers from over 30 developing countries in Israel every year.
Researchers found that participants in the program are more likely to engage in farming upon their return home and to make greater investments in their farms.
They also mention “soft skills” as prominently as technical skills when asked about what they have learnt, and they tend to not make the large investments required to adopt modern technologies such as drip irrigation, greenhouses and mechanisation.
The training program has substantial potential as an effective tool for agricultural development in interns’ home countries.