Input choices in agriculture: Is there a gender bias?

This study analyzes the effect of child gender on the use of agricultural inputs in rural India. Results indicate that households with boys use fertilizers, irrigation services, and insecticides to a greater extent than households with girls. One reason for this may be that boys provide a sense of social security and provide more assurance that the farm will stay in the family, therefore more effort is put into the farm to keep it productive. Examining gender biases and how they affect the behavior of farmers in a household is important to addressing agricultural productivity and food security.