Primary Outcomes (explanation)
Primary outcomes are constructed as aggregated indices, each combining a set of related outcome variables collected through dealer surveys and administrative data records. To construct each index, we fix the sign of each component variable based on its hypothesized direction of effect, standardize each variable, and weight components by their variance. This approach reduces concerns about multiple hypothesis testing while preserving sensitivity to theoretically motivated effects.
The primary indices and their components are:
Knowledge about the target variety — includes whether the dealer knows about the variety, knowledge of its attributes, and unprompted identification of the variety as wilt-tolerant and input-efficient from a list of options.
Experimentation with the target variety — includes whether the dealer received a trial seed packet, whether they personally trialed the seeds, whether they distributed seeds to a trusted farmer for trialing, and whether seeds are currently being grown by any recipient.
Stocking of the target variety — includes whether the dealer stocks the variety, quantity stocked, and revenue generated from it.
Advice given to customers — includes whether the dealer actively recommends the target variety to customers, measured through both direct survey questions and an independent secret shopper survey.
Advice given to customers — includes whether the dealer actively recommends the target variety to customers, measured through both direct survey questions and an independent secret shopper survey.
Business size and reach — includes total sales revenue, share of customers who are first-time buyers, and whether the dealer stocked any new inputs.
Relationships with suppliers and other dealers — includes whether the dealer knows the distributor-affiliated dealer in their market, number of new wholesaler relationships formed, number of previous wholesaler relationships discontinued, whether the dealer purchased inputs from the affiliated dealer during Rabi, quantities of the target variety and other seeds sourced through the affiliated dealer and through other sources.