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Would free bed net distribution lead to a reduction of malaria prevalence? What would be the impacts of providing microcredits on welfare of poor people? Would information treatments affect farmers’ adoption of new technology? These are examples of causal questions which economists and policymakers often ask themselves. As development economists, we answer the questions using causal inference approaches.

In my research, I focus on sustainable rural development in developing countries. My current research topics under the HAKUBI concentrate on a key scientific question: “How to leverage social networks to promote farmer’s adoption of agricultural technologies?”. Based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted in Vietnam and Sri Lanka, this research investigates the impacts of network-based interventions on not only farmers’ uptake of new technologies but also their farm production. This research contributes to the emerging literature on social networks and technology adoption. The findings would also enable policymakers to design evidence-based policies that enhance farmers’ uptake of new agricultural technologies and thus improve their well-being.