The effects of internet use on smallholder farmers’ income and dietary quality in Bangladesh

Abstract Internet access in rural areas of low- and middle-income countries is expanding at a rapid rate and affects how people produce and consume food and other goods and services. This may have implications for the incomes and diets of smallholder farm households, where poverty and undernutrition are still commonplace. In this study, we use primary data collected from 720 farm households in Bangladesh to analyze how internet use affects agricultural production and food consumption. Employing propensity score matching and instrumental variable methods, we show that internet use is positively associated with farm production diversity, commercialization, and income. We also find positive effects on dietary diversity, even though the results depend on the specific dietary indicators used. Internet use increases household and women’s dietary diversity, whereas the effects on child dietary diversity are statistically insignificant. Internet use encourages the production of certain nutritious foods but does not always lead to an increase in their consumption. Our results highlight the important role of the internet in enhancing farm productivity, income, and potentially diets.