Land Rights and Technology Adoption: Improved Rice Varieties in Vietnam

Adopting improved seed varieties is a type of agricultural investment that has substantially ensured food security in developing countries and helped farmers transition out of poverty. This paper examines the impact of land rights on the adoption of high-yield rice varieties by farmers in Vietnam. Using panel data from representative surveys of Vietnamese households, I find that having land-use certificates has a positive influence on households’ adoption of improved rice varieties. Additionally, I explore the channels through which land rights affect improved seeds adoption. Within households, having a land title matters at the plot level, which suggests the significance of the tenure security channel. I also find evidences of the credit channel, in which holding land titles encourages a household to take loans for rice production.

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