Productive Workfare? Evidence from Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program

Jules Gazeaud and Victor Stephane

No 2037, Working Papers from Groupe d'Analyse et de Théorie Economique Lyon St-Étienne (GATE Lyon St-Étienne), Université de Lyon

Abstract: Despite the popularity of public works programs in developing countries, there is virtually no evidence on the value of the infrastructure they generate. This paper attempts to start filling this gap in the context of the PSNP – a largescale program implemented in Ethiopia since 2005. Under the program, millions of beneficiaries received social transfers conditional on their participation in activities such as land improvements and soil and water conservation measures. We examine the value of these activities using a satellite-based indicator of agricultural productivity and (reweighted) difference-in-differences estimates. Results show that the program is associated with limited changes in agricultural productivity. The upper bound of the main estimate is equivalent to a 3.6 percent increase in agricultural productivity. This contrasts with existing narratives and calls for more research on the productive effects of public works.

Keywords: Social Protection; Public Works; Transfers; Ethiopia; PSNP (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I38 O13 O22 Q15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr and nep-dev
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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ftp://ftp.gate.cnrs.fr/RePEc/2020/2037.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: Productive Workfare? Evidence from Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Program (2023)
Working Paper: Productive Workfare? Evidence from Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Program (2022)
Working Paper: Productive Workfare? Evidence from Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Program (2020)
Working Paper: Productive workfare? Evidence from Ethiopia s productive safety net program (2020)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gat:wpaper:2037

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