The Dynamic Effects of Cash Transfers to Agricultural Households

Shilpa Aggarwal, Jenny C. Aker, Dahyeon Jeong, Naresh Kumar, David Sungho Park, Jonathan Robinson and Alan Spearot

No 32431, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: While cash transfers will tautologically increase contemporaneous consumption, it is unclear whether these gains will persist, especially in rural agricultural settings with limited productive investment opportunities. Using bi-monthly survey data from recipients of a large, unconditional cash transfer in Liberia and Malawi, we document sustained food security improvements until 1.5-2 years after disbursement, driven by increased farm investments and production. We additionally document reductions in casual off-farm labor, increases in psychological well-being and, in Liberia, a decline in IPV. We find similar increases in harvest output across different transfer sizes. Those receiving larger transfers spend more on housing and durables.

JEL-codes: I30 O12 O13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr and nep-dev
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