Evidence Matters for Transformational Impact
Capacity Building Seminars
Building the capacity of researchers is a core component of the MwAPATA mission. This page provides materials from seminars hosted by the Institute, given by experienced researchers covering a wide range of subjects.
Value Cost Ratios:
Measuring Profitability to Understand Adoption
October 5, 2021
Slides
Dr. William Burke discusses using VCRs as a tool for understanding profitability and technology adoption. This can be a useful way of framing post-estimation results of input productivity, for example. In addition to slides and a discussion, a spreadsheet-based tool for visualizing VCRs is provided.
Additional Materials:
VCR illustration tool (in Excel)
Example in literature (see figures 2 & 3):
Burke, W.J., S.S. Snapp and T.S. Jayne. 2020. "An in-depth examination of maize yield response to fertilizer in Central Malawi reveals low profits and too many weeds" Agricultural Economics 51 (6): 923-940.