Background:

• Cool roofs are an inexpensive way to partially mitigate adverse effects of excessive ambient temperatures and have the potential to economically empower poor and vulnerable populations.
• From the recent literature on ambient temperature, labor and production in developing countries we have identified three channels, which give rise to the following  three hypotheses: 
  1. farmers passing relatively cool nights (intervention arm) work longer and walk longer distances compared to those sleeping under uncoated roofs, an increase in labor supply; 
  2. conditional on work time and distances, farmers with a cool roof are more productive when they perform work, an increase in labor productivity; 
  3. farmers with a cooler home take better managerial decisions in farming, specifically regarding their timing of actions and the application of other inputs, an improvement in cognitive and managerial ability.