Nudges in a simulated environment and their effects on the use of resilience-enhancing technologies

For small holding farmers, learning about new technologies often means risking household resources. This paper reports on efforts to overcome this barrier using a tablet-based game. The game allows farmers to experiment with drought tolerant maize and index insurance in a low-cost environment. In a sample of 235 farmers in Manica Province, Mozambique, we find that experiencing drought in one round of the game is associated with a statistically significantly increase in adoption of the technologies in subsequent rounds. Highlighting the effects of drought on the farmer’s family and community, also increased adoption of the risk management technologies. 2025 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 27 - 29, 2025, Denver, Colorado