Risk and certification to agricultural standards

In an economic environment where farmers have little market power yet live close to subsistence, risk mitigation objectives are met through diversification of income streams and strategic crop and marketing choices. Research findings illuminate the institutional conditions under which certification can improve welfare in developing countries. This thesis is comprised of four essays on the economics of certification to agricultural standards in developing countries. Analysis of data gathered for the third and fourth chapters indicates that farmers who adopted the organic standard faced lower rates of product rejection and a lower standard deviation in that rate than their conventional counterparts.Doctor of Philosoph