The Economic Impact of Schistosomiasis

Abstract

We study the economic impact of schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease with a complex transmission cycle which is endemic in many developing countries, by means of its effect on agricultural production. We create a novel dataset that combines high-resolution disease prevalence maps with detailed agricultural and household surveys. We find a large, negative and nonlinear causal effect of the disease on yields. Our empirical results provide further proof of the negative feedback between disease dynamics and water resources development, and are consistent with schistosomiasis constituting a poverty-reinforcing productivity shock.

Daniele Rinaldo

Economist, Pianist

My research interests are development and environmental economics. I am currently focusing on the drivers of deforestation in sub-Saharan Africa, on using remote sensing to estimate the economic cost of conflicts, and on natural resource management under regime shifts. Additionally, I work on stochastic processes and probability theory. Also a concert pianist.