Digitization of Rural India and the Agricultural Sector
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The recent internet expansion in India has been associated with increasing economic activity. However, it is unclear who benefits from increasing internet access. In my thesis, I first study the distributional effects of faster mobile internet on household income across India. Using longitudinal and geo-spatial data, I find that faster internet disproportionately benefits the wealthier households, especially those earning from businesses. I then test whether online communication has the potential to benefit farmers by reducing information asymmetry. I address the concern of self-selection into social media networks through a randomized control trial across 108 villages in rural south India. I find that farmers share agricultural information with their online peers whether or not they meet in-person, and also invest significantly in their farms. Only those farmers receive significant revenue returns who invest a greater proportion in pest-management strategies. Lastly, my third review paper navigates the transformative landscape of digital agriculture, highlighting its pivotal role in fostering sustainable food systems as well as improving climate resilience. By harnessing cutting-edge technologies and data-driven insights, digital agriculture unfolds two major pathways towards sustainability: enhancing productivity and resource efficiency through precision agriculture techniques, and proactively mitigating climate-induced risks to minimize environmental footprints.