The effects of rainfall shocks on divorce requests: Evidence from Colonial Senegal

This paper examines the impact of rainfall variations, as a proxy for agricultural income changes, on divorce requests in colonial Senegal, utilising judicial records from native courts during the period 1906–1922. A major finding is that negative precipitation shocks during the third quarter, which coincides with the growing season of the majority of crops cultivated in Senegal, result in an increase in the number of requests for divorce brought before courts in the following year. The impact appears to be concentrated in specific regions of Senegal and during a period when the agricultural income of farmers may be particularly susceptible to fluctuations in precipitation. The rise in marital dissolution can be attributed to an increase in intra-household conflicts over reduced resource allocation. In the context under consideration, the bride price frequently paid on the occasion of marriage may be viewed by husbands as a transferable asset which they may wish to recuperate by pressuring their wives into filing for divorce. This may serve to exacerbate the issue. This study contributes to the economic history literature by utilising unique colonial court records to document family dynamics in interaction with the economic environment. • In colonial Senegal, negative rainfall shocks increase the number of divorce petitions. • Heightened intra-household conflict increase the chances of marital dissolution. • Divorces can be explained by husbands wanting to recover the bride price. • In some areas, divorce petitions increase with positive rainfall variability.