Allocation of Female Talent and Cross-Country Productivity Differences.

This article investigates the pronounced cross-country disparities in agricultural labor productivity, proposing that gender-specific frictions—barriers faced by women in non-agricultural sectors—lead to a misallocation of female talent that depresses agricultural productivity in poorer countries. Using a general equilibrium Roy model with gender-sector-specific frictions and data from sixty-six countries, the study finds that low-income countries exhibit higher barriers against women in non-agricultural industries, causing relatively more skilled women to work in agriculture, thereby lowering productivity there. Counterfactual simulations setting these frictions to U.S. levels suggest agricultural labor productivity could increase by 2.5%–7.6%, non-agricultural productivity might slightly decrease, and GDP per capita could rise by 0.5%–1.5%, with gains concentrated in poorer countries. The study also links these frictions to social attitudes toward women and highlights that gender inequality in labor markets is a significant factor in explaining international agricultural productivity gaps.