Publications by Dale Manning
Papers by Dale Manning
Are Two Rents Better than None? When Monopolies Correct Ill-Defined Property Rights
Marine Resource Economics, 2016
ABSTRACT We theoretically demonstrate the net change in welfare when moving from an open-access i... more ABSTRACT We theoretically demonstrate the net change in welfare when moving from an open-access institution to a monopoly resource manager. A monopoly renewable resource manager, such as a harvester cooperative, may create a gain relative to a rent-dissipating sector because of its internalization of the impact of harvesting on the resource stock. As the monopolist reduces harvest, resource stocks recover and resource rent is generated through reduced harvesting costs. Thus, it is possible that the monopoly harvest exceeds the rent-dissipated harvest over time, leaving both producers and consumers better off. We argue that local resource management institutions that exert market power should not be considered violations of antitrust laws without first considering the costs and benefits of monopoly management. In cases where outside management has not had success, local management with monopoly power could represent a second-best solution. JEL Codes: Q2, L4.
Using contingent behavior analysis to measure benefits from rural electrification in developing countries: an example from Rwanda
Energy Policy, 2015
Hundreds of millions of people in Sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to electricity and will n... more Hundreds of millions of people in Sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to electricity and will not receive it from national grids in the next few decades. Electricity makes up an important component of rural development and so increasing access can have positive socioeconomic benefits. In this study, we use contingent behavior analysis to quantify the potential benefits of electricity in rural Rwandan villages which currently do not have electricity. The proposed method allows for calculation of net benefits as well as electricity bills. We find that even relatively poor, isolated households would pay for electricity, though amounts vary across households and this affects the financial viability of electrification. Common uses for electricity include lighting, battery charging, and agricultural processing. Despite heterogeneity, opportunities exist to improve rural economic welfare through increased electricity access.
Modeling the Regional Impacts of an Irrigation Project in Tanzania
Local Economy-wide Impact Evaluation, 2014
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2013
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) was established in 1975 to identify and ... more The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) was established in 1975 to identify and analyze national and international strategies and policies for meeting the food needs of the developing world on a sustainable basis, with particular emphasis on low-income countries and on the poorer groups in those countries. IFPRI is a member of the CGIAR Consortium.
Environment and Development Economics, 2013
Most resource management studies model the resource in isolation from the rest of the economy of ... more Most resource management studies model the resource in isolation from the rest of the economy of which it is part. In many developing economies, agents participate in multiple activities, creating linkages between resource exploitation and other sectors (e.g., agriculture). In Northern Honduran fishing communities, households allocate effort to fishing according to the opportunity cost of their time, which depends on returns in other activities. We develop a model that demonstrates how market structure impacts fishery exploitation. Agricultural price increases have an ambiguous effect on labor allocated to fishing because they reduce the value of labor in fishing but increase the demand for fish via an income effect. The size and magnitude of impacts depend strongly on the tradability of inputs and outputs in the community economy. The findings point to a need to account for economic linkages and market structure when designing policies to reduce pressure on a natural resource.
Ecological Economics, 2014
Many households in developing countries rely on renewable natural resources as their main source ... more Many households in developing countries rely on renewable natural resources as their main source of energy. Collecting and burning firewood requires a considerable amount of time, has negative health consequences, and can cause deforestation and depletion of local resources if forests are not properly managed. A transition from traditional to modern fuels can benefit households by reducing these negative effects. Migration, a quintessential feature of development, may facilitate this transition, but its impacts on fuel choice are theoretically ambiguous. It can reduce the household labor available for firewood collection and provide cash to purchase substitutes; however, it has an income effect that changes the demand for home-cooked food and energy to cook it. Firewood or gas could be used to meet the increase in energy demand. To resolve this theoretical ambiguity, we use an instrumental-variables method with household panel data from rural Mexico and investigate the impact of Mexico-to-US migration and remittances on gas expenditures and household labor allocated to firewood collection. Sending a migrant to the United States causes a significant decrease in reliance on firewood collection and an increase in both stove and gas purchases. These findings have potentially far-reaching environmental implications as labor moves off the farm.
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Publications by Dale Manning
Papers by Dale Manning