Rural Roads and Intermediated Trade: Regression Discontinuity Evidence from Sierra Leone

Using a road-level regression discontinuity design in Sierra Leone, Casaburi et al. (2013) study the impacts of improvements in rural road infrastructure on crop prices in rural markets. Improved roads reduced market prices of local crops; these price effects are stronger in markets that are further from major urban centers and in less productive areas. 

Authors

Lorenzo Casaburi

University of Zurich

Rachel Glennerster

UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Tavneet Suri

Massachusetts Institute of Technology