Jeremy Magruder

Jeremy R. Magruder is an American development economist and the George W. and Elsie M. Robinson Professor of Food and Agricultural Resource Economics at the University of California, Berkeley. He served as chair of Berkeley’s Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ARE) from 2022 through 2025. His research examines labor‑market frictions, social networks, and technology adoption in low‑income countries, with a particular focus on sub‑Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Early life and education Magruder earned a B.A. in economics with high honors from Michigan State University in 2002, where he received the Edward and Eleanor Carlin Award for outstanding achievement. He completed his graduate work at Yale University, obtaining an M.A. and M.Phil. in 2004 and a Ph.D. in economics in 2007. His dissertation, ‘‘Unemployment, AIDS, and Schooling Decisions in South Africa,’’ explored the links between labor markets and the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Academic career Magruder joined UC Berkeley’s ARE faculty as an assistant professor in 2007, was promoted to associate professor in 2013, and to full professor in 2022. He has served as co‑editor of the Journal of Development Economics since 2016 and sits on the board of the Agricultural Technology Adoption Initiative (ATAI).

Research Magruder’s work combines empirical micro‑econometric methods with field experiments to study how information, networks, and market imperfections shape economic outcomes for workers and farmers in developing regions.

Selected publications ‘‘Factor Market Failures and the Adoption of Irrigation in Rwanda’’ (with Maria Jones, Florence Kondylis & John Loeser), American Economic Review, 112 (7): 2316–2352 (2022). ‘‘Can Network Theory‑Based Targeting Increase Technology Adoption?’’ (with Lori Beaman, Ariel Ben‑Yishay & Ahmed Mushfiq Mobarak), American Economic Review, 111 (6): 1918–1943 (2021).

Awards and honors George W. and Elsie M. Robinson Professorship, UC Berkeley (2022 – present). He frequently advises governments and NGOs—such as the Rwandan Ministry of Agriculture and the World Bank—on policies to improve technology uptake and labor‑market efficiency.