Impacts of health investments on agricultural productivity in Togo

Abstract

Abstract Healthy workers are more productive, are absent less often and earn higher incomes than sick workers. In this paper, we examine the impacts of health investments on agricultural productivity in Togo. Using the instrumental variables method and data from the Harmonized Household Living Conditions Survey (2018–2019), we find that 96% of agricultural households are not covered by health insurance. Nearly 76% of agriculture households benefited from the free distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets. The results show that the opening of new health facilities within 5 km of residences, the availability of qualified and skilled health staff as well as campaigns for free distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated mosquito nets positively influence agricultural productivity. The availability of infrastructure and health staff play a key role in the healthcare-seeking behavior of rural households, offering farmers tangible benefits in terms of health and productivity. On the other hand, out-of-pocket payments reduce agricultural productivity. To increase agricultural productivity, it is necessary to boost investment in rural health infrastructure, promote investment in prevention policies and implement a universal health insurance strategy that responds to the needs of agriculture households. JEL classification: I10, I13, Q13