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【Empirical Seminar】Water and Development in the Asian Tropics, 1900-1939


  • 研討會日期 : 2023-06-06
  • 時間 : 14:30
  • 主講人 : Professor Chung-Tang Cheng (鄭仲棠)
  • 地點 : Conference Room B110
  • 演講者簡介 : Professor Chung-Tang Cheng received his Ph.D. from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He is currently an Assistant Professor at National Taipei University. His research focuses primarily on the history of microeconometrics, especially on how different communities of econometricians constructed empirical knowledge in the postwar period. His second research interest lies in the economic history of Taiwan.
  • 演講摘要 : Environmental conditions significantly affected development in the Asian tropics. This paper investigates the relationship between weather risk and agriculture in four regions with distinct climatological features. Using new data, we estimate the scale of crop output sensitivity to rainfall shocks across ecological zones. Output was sensitive to shocks in regions with low levels, concentrated spells and high volatility of rainfall. Canal irrigation protected some districts while others remained as or more vulnerable. Regions with high rainfall levels and long seasons remained protected. Regions with large interruptions deterred creditors while regions with small interruptions invited expansion in credit and investment.