Combining survey and census data for improved poverty prediction using semi-supervised deep learning

Damien Échevin, Guy Fotso, Yacine Bouroubi, Harold Coulombe and Qing Li

Journal of Development Economics, 2025, vol. 172, issue C

Abstract: This paper presents a methodology for predicting poverty using semi-supervised learning techniques, specifically pseudo-labeling, and deep learning algorithms. Standard poverty prediction models rely on limited household survey data, whereas our approach exploits large amounts of unlabeled census data to improve prediction accuracy. By applying pseudo-labeling, we improve key performance metrics across various African regions, where our models outperform conventional approaches to identifying poor individuals. Deep neural networks (DNNs) trained on pseudo-labeled data exhibited area under the curve (AUC) scores ranging from 0.8 to over 0.9, a notable improvement over previous machine learning survey-based methods. Furthermore, random undersampling was key to refining model performance, balancing higher coverage with some reduction in precision. These findings have significant implications for poverty targeting, enabling more accurate identification of poor individuals and supporting better resource allocation.

Keywords: Poverty prediction; Machine learning; Deep learning; Pseudo-labeling; Semi-supervised learning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C45 C55 I32 O1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:deveco:v:172:y:2025:i:c:s0304387824001342

DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2024.103385

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