Abstract

This paper investigates whether farmers adapt their pesticide use to cope with weather shocks. Using a unique, exhaustive dataset detailing all active substance purchases per zip code in France between 2014 and 2019, we econometrically explain pesticide purchases by weather during the growing season. We identify heterogeneous weather impacts across types of pesticides, seasons and locations. Our preferred estimates indicate that a +1% increase in average growing season temperature leads farmers to purchase an additional +1.66% of pesticides. Projections based on our preferred estimates indicate that, ceteris paribus, French farmers are likely to increase pesticide use by 7% to 15% on average by 2050 in response to a RCP4.5 climate change scenario.

Co-auteurs: François Bareille et Derya Keles

Practical information