Neha Kumar - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Neha Kumar

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluation of Ethiopia's Food Security Program: Documenting Progress in the Implementation of the Productive Safety Nets Programme and the Household Asset Building Programme

Research paper thumbnail of Uneven recovery and a lingering food crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic for rural safety net transfer recipients in Ethiopia

Research paper thumbnail of Toward gender equality: A critical assessment of evidence on social safety nets in Africa

Research paper thumbnail of Toward inclusive food systems: Pandemics, vulnerable groups, and the role of social protection

Poverty, poor health, and malnutrition not only result from pandemic stresses, but they also cont... more Poverty, poor health, and malnutrition not only result from pandemic stresses, but they also contribute to pandemic-related risks that impact wellbeing and worsen existing inequities. ■ Vulnerable groups have been most affected by disruptions to food systems, such as lockdowns, through loss of employment and incomes. ■ The urban poor, especially informal workers and women, have borne the brunt of health and employment impacts. Refugees and internally displaced persons have also been disproportionately affected. ■ Men, women, and children experience different risks and stresses. Women have been more likely to experience increased domestic violence and food insecurity, reduced autonomy, and loss of income. ■ Social protection is critical for supporting vulnerable groups and has expanded to an unprecedented degree. But many people were still left without coverage, and programs were rarely gender sensitive. RECOMMENDATIONS ■ Develop a better understanding of pandemic-related risks and stresses as well as requirements for effective social protection and related financing during a crisis. ■ Use evidence to support policymakers' efforts to strengthen food system resilience to support vulnerable groups. Test and document local, context-specific innovations. ■ Protect, rebuild, and strengthen women's rights and control over assets, both during the pandemic and for long-term food system transformation. ■ Strengthen women's ability to build social capital by supporting group-based programs, which can also be effective service-delivery mechanisms. ■ Adopt and improve on innovative responses to the pandemic, including use of digital transfers and expansion of social protection to informal workers, with attention to reducing inequities such as the digital divide.

Research paper thumbnail of Access, adoption, and diffusion : the long-term impacts of improved vegetable and fish technologies in Bangladesh

This series of notes summarizes findings of a project entitled “What development interventions wo... more This series of notes summarizes findings of a project entitled “What development interventions work?” undertaken by researchers of the Chronic Poverty Research Centre, the International Food Policy Research Institute, and Data Analysis and Technical Assistance Ltd. As part of a larger longitudinal study that resurveyed 1,907 households and 102 villages in 14 of Bangladesh’s 64 districts, the project focused on assessing the long-term impacts of a number of anti-poverty interventions—specifically, microfinance, agricultural technology, and educational transfers— on a range of monetary and nonmonetary measures of well-being. This note focuses on the long-term impact of improved vegetable and fish technologies, and whether early adoption is an important factor in alleviating poverty and improving nutritional status. It is hoped that these results will help policymakers, donors, and other stakeholders in effectively evaluating different interventions, thereby contributing to the design ...

Research paper thumbnail of Women’s Aspirations for the Future, and their Financial, Social and Educational Investments in India

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), established in 1975, provides research-... more The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), established in 1975, provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition. IFPRI's strategic research aims to foster a climate-resilient and sustainable food supply; promote healthy diets and nutrition for all; build inclusive and efficient markets, trade systems, and food industries; transform agricultural and rural economies; and strengthen institutions and governance. Gender is integrated in all the Institute's work. Partnerships, communications, capacity strengthening, and data and knowledge management are essential components to translate IFPRI's research from action to impact. The Institute's regional and country programs play a critical role in responding to demand for food policy research and in delivering holistic support for country-led development. IFPRI collaborates with partners around the world.

Research paper thumbnail of Is agricultural insurance fulfilling its promise for the developing world?

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), a CGIAR Research Center established in ... more The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), a CGIAR Research Center established in 1975, provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition. IFPRI's strategic research aims to foster a climate-resilient and sustainable food supply; promote healthy diets and nutrition for all; build inclusive and efficient markets, trade systems, and food industries; transform agricultural and rural economies; and strengthen institutions and governance. Gender is integrated in all the Institute's work. Partnerships, communications, capacity strengthening, and data and knowledge management are essential components to translate IFPRI's research from action to impact. The Institute's regional and country programs play a critical role in responding to demand for food policy research and in delivering holistic support for country-led development. IFPRI collaborates with partners around the world.

Research paper thumbnail of Gender-sensitive social protection: A critical component of the COVID-19 response in low- and middle-income countries

Research paper thumbnail of The power of the collective empowers women: Evidence from self-help groups in India

World Development, 2021

Women's groups are important rural social and financial institutions in South Asia. In India, a l... more Women's groups are important rural social and financial institutions in South Asia. In India, a large majority of women's groups programs are implemented through self-help groups (SHGs). Originally designed as savings and credit groups, the role of SHGs has expanded to include creating health and nutrition awareness, improving governance, and addressing social issues related to gender-and caste-based discrimination. This paper uses panel data from 1470 rural Indian women from five states to study the impact of SHG membership on women's empowerment in agriculture, using the project-level Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (pro-WEAI) and the abbreviated Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (A-WEAI). Because SHG membership was not randomized and women who self-select to be SHG members may be systematically different from non-members, we employ nearest neighbor matching methods to attribute the impact of SHG membership on women's empowerment in agriculture and intrahousehold inequality. Our findings suggest that SHG membership has a significant positive impact on aggregate measures of women's empowerment and reduces the gap between men's and women's empowerment scores. This improvement in aggregate empowerment is driven by improvements in women's scores, not a deterioration in men's. Greater control over income, greater decisionmaking over credit, and (somewhat mechanistically, given the treatment) greater and more active involvement in groups within the community lead to improvements in women's scores. However, impacts on other areas of empowerment are limited. The insignificant impacts on attitudes towards domestic violence and respect within the household suggest that women's groups alone may be insufficient to change deep-seated gender norms that disempower women. Our results have implications for the design and scale-up of women's group-based programs in South Asia, including the possibility that involving men is needed to change gender norms.

Research paper thumbnail of Why gender-sensitive social protection is critical to the COVID-19 response in low- and middle-income countries

Many governments are using social protection programs to respond to the economic crisis and healt... more Many governments are using social protection programs to respond to the economic crisis and health risk induced by COVID-19. As of April 17, 133 countries had adapted or introduced 564 social protection initiatives, according to the World Bank. With the focus on rapid assistance, gender considerations have understandably not been at the forefront of these efforts. A rapid assessment of initial COVID-19 social protection responses indicates that only 11% show some (albeit limited) gender-sensitivity. This is unsurprising-most existing social protection programs in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) are either gender-blind or neutral at best-but it is worrying. The COVID-19 crisis has the potential to widen gender inequalities, including those related to loss of livelihoods, reproductive health risks, disproportionate burden of care, and violence against women and children. Social protection that does not take gender into account can reinforce these inequalities. General guidelines for COVID-19 social protection responses are available, but how can governments address gender inequalities? Designing gender-sensitive programming is not always straightforward, but evidence suggests simple design and implementation adaptations can make programming more gender-sensitive. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, in a new brief summarized below, we provide key lessons, considerations, and guidance across five areas.

Research paper thumbnail of Helping oneself, helping each other: Correlates of women’s participation in self-help groups

established in 1975, provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and e... more established in 1975, provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition. IFPRI's strategic research aims to foster a climate-resilient and sustainable food supply; promote healthy diets and nutrition for all; build inclusive and efficient markets, trade systems, and food industries; transform agricultural and rural economies; and strengthen institutions and governance. Gender is integrated in all the Institute's work. Partnerships, communications, capacity strengthening, and data and knowledge management are essential components to translate IFPRI's research from action to impact. The Institute's regional and country programs play a critical role in responding to demand for food policy research and in delivering holistic support for country-led development. IFPRI collaborates with partners around the world.

Research paper thumbnail of What it takes: evidence from a nutrition- and gender-sensitive agriculture intervention in rural Zambia

Journal of Development Effectiveness, 2018

The Realigning Agriculture for Improved Nutrition (RAIN) project was designed to address child un... more The Realigning Agriculture for Improved Nutrition (RAIN) project was designed to address child undernutrition through a multisectoral approach which integrated agricultural diversification to improve access to nutritious foods, the promotion of gender equality and women's empowerment and nutrition behaviour change communication to improve infant and young child feeding (IYCF) knowledge and practices. This paper presents the intention-to-treat impacts of the RAIN project on women's empowerment, IYCF knowledge and practices and child anthropometry. Findings on programme impacts on agricultural production, household food security and dietary diversity and maternal and child dietary diversity are reported elsewhere. The RAIN project had positive effects on women's empowerment, IYCF knowledge, child morbidity and weight-for-height z-scores, but had little impacts on IYCF practices, and no impact on stunting. Strengthening programme implementation and fostering higher participation rates could support greater impacts on child nutrition outcomes.

Research paper thumbnail of Biofortification, Crop Adoption and Health Information: Impact Pathways in Mozambique and Uganda

American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2018

Biofortification, breeding staple food crops to be a dense source of essential micronutrients, is... more Biofortification, breeding staple food crops to be a dense source of essential micronutrients, is fast emerging as a strategy to fight micronutrient malnutrition. Large scale investments in biofortification are being made in dozens of developing countries, but until now there has been little rigorous evidence of the impact of these investments and the strategies that can make biofortification successful. This paper reports findings from randomized impact evaluations conducted in Mozambique and Uganda to study the impact of large-scale pilot projects conducted in 2006-2009 to introduce provitamin-A-rich orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) to 24,000 farming households as a strategy to reduce vitamin A deficiency. In both countries, projects randomly assigned interventions of di↵erent cost and intensity to distribute OFSP vines, train households on how to grow OFSP, and the health benefits of vitamin A. We compare the impact of the interventions within and across the two countries on OFSP adoption, knowledge about vitamin A, and dietary intake of vitamin A by children. We use causal mediation analysis (Imai et al. 2011) to examine the impact pathways on consumption of vitamin A operating through access to the OFSP technology, adoption decisions, and nutrition knowledge. After two years of intervention the project led to OFSP adoption rates of 61-68 percent among project households, improved household knowledge about vitamin A and nearly doubled average dietary intake of vitamin A in both countries. Evidence suggests that nutrition trainings played a small role in the impact on vitamin A consumption. Estimates show that specific messages about nutrition contributed not more than 5 percent of project impacts on dietary intakes of vitamin A. We estimate the upper bound on the role of nutrition information of not more than 20 percent of impact, suggesting that the substantial gains in vitamin A intakes can primarily be attributed to vine access.

Research paper thumbnail of Social networks, mobility, and political participation: The potential for women’s self-help groups to improve access and use of public entitlement schemes in India

World Development, 2019

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), established in 1975, provides research-... more The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), established in 1975, provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition. IFPRI's strategic research aims to foster a climate-resilient and sustainable food supply; promote healthy diets and nutrition for all; build inclusive and efficient markets, trade systems, and food industries; transform agricultural and rural economies; and strengthen institutions and governance. Gender is integrated in all the Institute's work. Partnerships, communications, capacity strengthening, and data and knowledge management are essential components to translate IFPRI's research from action to impact. The Institute's regional and country programs play a critical role in responding to demand for food policy research and in delivering holistic support for country-led development. IFPRI collaborates with partners around the world.

Research paper thumbnail of Microinsurance Decisions: Gendered Evidence from Rural Bangladesh

Gender, Technology and Development, 2016

Most index-based insurance products have been developed without giving explicit attention to gend... more Most index-based insurance products have been developed without giving explicit attention to gender. However, there is ample of evidence that shocks affect men and women differently and that they allocate resources in different ways. In Bangladesh, it is often assumed that women are less involved in agriculture, and, therefore, agricultural insurance might not be of interest to rural women. However, this assumption has not been tested in the field. This article draws from a field research experiment to examine the gendered aspects of willingness to pay for index-based insurance in Bangladesh. Participants were presented with risky lotteries and a specific insurance contract and were asked to choose how much, if any, of the insurance they wanted to buy at a given price. The probability structure, whether the risk was catastrophic or moderate and whether there was high or low basis risk, varied within sessions. The price of the insurance varied across sessions. Each participant was also given a short questionnaire, which collected information on the demographic characteristics, risk preferences, agricultural risks, knowledge of insurance products, and asset ownership. In the study, 97 percent of

Research paper thumbnail of The Productive Safety Net Programme in Ethiopia: impacts on children's schooling, labour and nutritional status

Research paper thumbnail of Before crisis hits : can public works programs increase food security?

Research paper thumbnail of Can Social Protection Work in Africaq The Impact of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme

Economic Development and Cultural Change, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Participatory Governance and Pro-Poor Targeting: Evidence from Central India

This paper examines the impact of a poverty alleviation program called the District Poverty Initi... more This paper examines the impact of a poverty alleviation program called the District Poverty Initiatives Project (DPIP), which is being implemented in the second largest state in India. DPIP is a World Bank project based on the community-driven development approach, wherein control of development decisions, resources and projects are given to the community groups. Funds are allocated to the village for various income generating subprojects, which are popularly selected in village meetings conducted by the DPIP personnel. These meetings are similar to and run parallel to the traditional village council meetings-the gram sabhas. The focus of this paper is threefold. First, it examines whether the project has indeed "empowered" the disadvantaged. Is it the case that treatment villages have greater information flows that translate into higher participation in village affairs? Second, it studies the role played by the parallel institution. Does attending the DPIP village meeting substitute or compliment attendance at the traditional village council meeting? Finally, this paper analyzes the spillover effects in terms of better targeting of other welfare programs. We use a unique data set that combines Indian census data for 300 villages and survey data of 6000 households spread over those villages. Findings confirm positive spillovers of the program on village governance issues.This paper adds to the growing literature on decentralization and community-driven development.

Research paper thumbnail of The long-term impacts of improved vegetable and fish technologies in Bangladesh on consumption, assets and nutritional status

As part of a larger longitudinal study that resurveyed 1,907 households and 102 villages in 14 of... more As part of a larger longitudinal study that resurveyed 1,907 households and 102 villages in 14 of Bangladesh's 64 districts, the project focused on assessing the long-term impacts of a number of anti-poverty interventions-specifically, microfinance, agricultural technology, and educational transfers-on a range of monetary and nonmonetary measures of well-being. This brief focuses on the long-term impact of improved vegetable and fish technologies, and whether early adoption is an important factor in alleviating poverty and improving nutritional status. It is hoped that these results will help policymakers, donors, and other stakeholders in effectively evaluating different interventions, thereby contributing to the design of future anti-poverty programs in South Asia. Polyculture Fish and Vegetable Production as a Poverty-Alleviation Strategy Among the poverty-alleviation interventions undertaken by government and civil society organizations in Bangladesh are food-based strategies designed to increase incomes and to alleviate micronutrient deficiencies. Polyculture fish and vegetables technologies are considered to have the potential to improve both poverty and micronutrient status by increasing the supply of micronutrients to household producers and the general population, by improving the incomes of household producers, and by lowering or keeping constant fish and vegetable prices in the face of rising demand due to population and income growth.

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluation of Ethiopia's Food Security Program: Documenting Progress in the Implementation of the Productive Safety Nets Programme and the Household Asset Building Programme

Research paper thumbnail of Uneven recovery and a lingering food crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic for rural safety net transfer recipients in Ethiopia

Research paper thumbnail of Toward gender equality: A critical assessment of evidence on social safety nets in Africa

Research paper thumbnail of Toward inclusive food systems: Pandemics, vulnerable groups, and the role of social protection

Poverty, poor health, and malnutrition not only result from pandemic stresses, but they also cont... more Poverty, poor health, and malnutrition not only result from pandemic stresses, but they also contribute to pandemic-related risks that impact wellbeing and worsen existing inequities. ■ Vulnerable groups have been most affected by disruptions to food systems, such as lockdowns, through loss of employment and incomes. ■ The urban poor, especially informal workers and women, have borne the brunt of health and employment impacts. Refugees and internally displaced persons have also been disproportionately affected. ■ Men, women, and children experience different risks and stresses. Women have been more likely to experience increased domestic violence and food insecurity, reduced autonomy, and loss of income. ■ Social protection is critical for supporting vulnerable groups and has expanded to an unprecedented degree. But many people were still left without coverage, and programs were rarely gender sensitive. RECOMMENDATIONS ■ Develop a better understanding of pandemic-related risks and stresses as well as requirements for effective social protection and related financing during a crisis. ■ Use evidence to support policymakers' efforts to strengthen food system resilience to support vulnerable groups. Test and document local, context-specific innovations. ■ Protect, rebuild, and strengthen women's rights and control over assets, both during the pandemic and for long-term food system transformation. ■ Strengthen women's ability to build social capital by supporting group-based programs, which can also be effective service-delivery mechanisms. ■ Adopt and improve on innovative responses to the pandemic, including use of digital transfers and expansion of social protection to informal workers, with attention to reducing inequities such as the digital divide.

Research paper thumbnail of Access, adoption, and diffusion : the long-term impacts of improved vegetable and fish technologies in Bangladesh

This series of notes summarizes findings of a project entitled “What development interventions wo... more This series of notes summarizes findings of a project entitled “What development interventions work?” undertaken by researchers of the Chronic Poverty Research Centre, the International Food Policy Research Institute, and Data Analysis and Technical Assistance Ltd. As part of a larger longitudinal study that resurveyed 1,907 households and 102 villages in 14 of Bangladesh’s 64 districts, the project focused on assessing the long-term impacts of a number of anti-poverty interventions—specifically, microfinance, agricultural technology, and educational transfers— on a range of monetary and nonmonetary measures of well-being. This note focuses on the long-term impact of improved vegetable and fish technologies, and whether early adoption is an important factor in alleviating poverty and improving nutritional status. It is hoped that these results will help policymakers, donors, and other stakeholders in effectively evaluating different interventions, thereby contributing to the design ...

Research paper thumbnail of Women’s Aspirations for the Future, and their Financial, Social and Educational Investments in India

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), established in 1975, provides research-... more The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), established in 1975, provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition. IFPRI's strategic research aims to foster a climate-resilient and sustainable food supply; promote healthy diets and nutrition for all; build inclusive and efficient markets, trade systems, and food industries; transform agricultural and rural economies; and strengthen institutions and governance. Gender is integrated in all the Institute's work. Partnerships, communications, capacity strengthening, and data and knowledge management are essential components to translate IFPRI's research from action to impact. The Institute's regional and country programs play a critical role in responding to demand for food policy research and in delivering holistic support for country-led development. IFPRI collaborates with partners around the world.

Research paper thumbnail of Is agricultural insurance fulfilling its promise for the developing world?

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), a CGIAR Research Center established in ... more The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), a CGIAR Research Center established in 1975, provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition. IFPRI's strategic research aims to foster a climate-resilient and sustainable food supply; promote healthy diets and nutrition for all; build inclusive and efficient markets, trade systems, and food industries; transform agricultural and rural economies; and strengthen institutions and governance. Gender is integrated in all the Institute's work. Partnerships, communications, capacity strengthening, and data and knowledge management are essential components to translate IFPRI's research from action to impact. The Institute's regional and country programs play a critical role in responding to demand for food policy research and in delivering holistic support for country-led development. IFPRI collaborates with partners around the world.

Research paper thumbnail of Gender-sensitive social protection: A critical component of the COVID-19 response in low- and middle-income countries

Research paper thumbnail of The power of the collective empowers women: Evidence from self-help groups in India

World Development, 2021

Women's groups are important rural social and financial institutions in South Asia. In India, a l... more Women's groups are important rural social and financial institutions in South Asia. In India, a large majority of women's groups programs are implemented through self-help groups (SHGs). Originally designed as savings and credit groups, the role of SHGs has expanded to include creating health and nutrition awareness, improving governance, and addressing social issues related to gender-and caste-based discrimination. This paper uses panel data from 1470 rural Indian women from five states to study the impact of SHG membership on women's empowerment in agriculture, using the project-level Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (pro-WEAI) and the abbreviated Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (A-WEAI). Because SHG membership was not randomized and women who self-select to be SHG members may be systematically different from non-members, we employ nearest neighbor matching methods to attribute the impact of SHG membership on women's empowerment in agriculture and intrahousehold inequality. Our findings suggest that SHG membership has a significant positive impact on aggregate measures of women's empowerment and reduces the gap between men's and women's empowerment scores. This improvement in aggregate empowerment is driven by improvements in women's scores, not a deterioration in men's. Greater control over income, greater decisionmaking over credit, and (somewhat mechanistically, given the treatment) greater and more active involvement in groups within the community lead to improvements in women's scores. However, impacts on other areas of empowerment are limited. The insignificant impacts on attitudes towards domestic violence and respect within the household suggest that women's groups alone may be insufficient to change deep-seated gender norms that disempower women. Our results have implications for the design and scale-up of women's group-based programs in South Asia, including the possibility that involving men is needed to change gender norms.

Research paper thumbnail of Why gender-sensitive social protection is critical to the COVID-19 response in low- and middle-income countries

Many governments are using social protection programs to respond to the economic crisis and healt... more Many governments are using social protection programs to respond to the economic crisis and health risk induced by COVID-19. As of April 17, 133 countries had adapted or introduced 564 social protection initiatives, according to the World Bank. With the focus on rapid assistance, gender considerations have understandably not been at the forefront of these efforts. A rapid assessment of initial COVID-19 social protection responses indicates that only 11% show some (albeit limited) gender-sensitivity. This is unsurprising-most existing social protection programs in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) are either gender-blind or neutral at best-but it is worrying. The COVID-19 crisis has the potential to widen gender inequalities, including those related to loss of livelihoods, reproductive health risks, disproportionate burden of care, and violence against women and children. Social protection that does not take gender into account can reinforce these inequalities. General guidelines for COVID-19 social protection responses are available, but how can governments address gender inequalities? Designing gender-sensitive programming is not always straightforward, but evidence suggests simple design and implementation adaptations can make programming more gender-sensitive. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, in a new brief summarized below, we provide key lessons, considerations, and guidance across five areas.

Research paper thumbnail of Helping oneself, helping each other: Correlates of women’s participation in self-help groups

established in 1975, provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and e... more established in 1975, provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition. IFPRI's strategic research aims to foster a climate-resilient and sustainable food supply; promote healthy diets and nutrition for all; build inclusive and efficient markets, trade systems, and food industries; transform agricultural and rural economies; and strengthen institutions and governance. Gender is integrated in all the Institute's work. Partnerships, communications, capacity strengthening, and data and knowledge management are essential components to translate IFPRI's research from action to impact. The Institute's regional and country programs play a critical role in responding to demand for food policy research and in delivering holistic support for country-led development. IFPRI collaborates with partners around the world.

Research paper thumbnail of What it takes: evidence from a nutrition- and gender-sensitive agriculture intervention in rural Zambia

Journal of Development Effectiveness, 2018

The Realigning Agriculture for Improved Nutrition (RAIN) project was designed to address child un... more The Realigning Agriculture for Improved Nutrition (RAIN) project was designed to address child undernutrition through a multisectoral approach which integrated agricultural diversification to improve access to nutritious foods, the promotion of gender equality and women's empowerment and nutrition behaviour change communication to improve infant and young child feeding (IYCF) knowledge and practices. This paper presents the intention-to-treat impacts of the RAIN project on women's empowerment, IYCF knowledge and practices and child anthropometry. Findings on programme impacts on agricultural production, household food security and dietary diversity and maternal and child dietary diversity are reported elsewhere. The RAIN project had positive effects on women's empowerment, IYCF knowledge, child morbidity and weight-for-height z-scores, but had little impacts on IYCF practices, and no impact on stunting. Strengthening programme implementation and fostering higher participation rates could support greater impacts on child nutrition outcomes.

Research paper thumbnail of Biofortification, Crop Adoption and Health Information: Impact Pathways in Mozambique and Uganda

American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2018

Biofortification, breeding staple food crops to be a dense source of essential micronutrients, is... more Biofortification, breeding staple food crops to be a dense source of essential micronutrients, is fast emerging as a strategy to fight micronutrient malnutrition. Large scale investments in biofortification are being made in dozens of developing countries, but until now there has been little rigorous evidence of the impact of these investments and the strategies that can make biofortification successful. This paper reports findings from randomized impact evaluations conducted in Mozambique and Uganda to study the impact of large-scale pilot projects conducted in 2006-2009 to introduce provitamin-A-rich orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) to 24,000 farming households as a strategy to reduce vitamin A deficiency. In both countries, projects randomly assigned interventions of di↵erent cost and intensity to distribute OFSP vines, train households on how to grow OFSP, and the health benefits of vitamin A. We compare the impact of the interventions within and across the two countries on OFSP adoption, knowledge about vitamin A, and dietary intake of vitamin A by children. We use causal mediation analysis (Imai et al. 2011) to examine the impact pathways on consumption of vitamin A operating through access to the OFSP technology, adoption decisions, and nutrition knowledge. After two years of intervention the project led to OFSP adoption rates of 61-68 percent among project households, improved household knowledge about vitamin A and nearly doubled average dietary intake of vitamin A in both countries. Evidence suggests that nutrition trainings played a small role in the impact on vitamin A consumption. Estimates show that specific messages about nutrition contributed not more than 5 percent of project impacts on dietary intakes of vitamin A. We estimate the upper bound on the role of nutrition information of not more than 20 percent of impact, suggesting that the substantial gains in vitamin A intakes can primarily be attributed to vine access.

Research paper thumbnail of Social networks, mobility, and political participation: The potential for women’s self-help groups to improve access and use of public entitlement schemes in India

World Development, 2019

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), established in 1975, provides research-... more The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), established in 1975, provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition. IFPRI's strategic research aims to foster a climate-resilient and sustainable food supply; promote healthy diets and nutrition for all; build inclusive and efficient markets, trade systems, and food industries; transform agricultural and rural economies; and strengthen institutions and governance. Gender is integrated in all the Institute's work. Partnerships, communications, capacity strengthening, and data and knowledge management are essential components to translate IFPRI's research from action to impact. The Institute's regional and country programs play a critical role in responding to demand for food policy research and in delivering holistic support for country-led development. IFPRI collaborates with partners around the world.

Research paper thumbnail of Microinsurance Decisions: Gendered Evidence from Rural Bangladesh

Gender, Technology and Development, 2016

Most index-based insurance products have been developed without giving explicit attention to gend... more Most index-based insurance products have been developed without giving explicit attention to gender. However, there is ample of evidence that shocks affect men and women differently and that they allocate resources in different ways. In Bangladesh, it is often assumed that women are less involved in agriculture, and, therefore, agricultural insurance might not be of interest to rural women. However, this assumption has not been tested in the field. This article draws from a field research experiment to examine the gendered aspects of willingness to pay for index-based insurance in Bangladesh. Participants were presented with risky lotteries and a specific insurance contract and were asked to choose how much, if any, of the insurance they wanted to buy at a given price. The probability structure, whether the risk was catastrophic or moderate and whether there was high or low basis risk, varied within sessions. The price of the insurance varied across sessions. Each participant was also given a short questionnaire, which collected information on the demographic characteristics, risk preferences, agricultural risks, knowledge of insurance products, and asset ownership. In the study, 97 percent of

Research paper thumbnail of The Productive Safety Net Programme in Ethiopia: impacts on children's schooling, labour and nutritional status

Research paper thumbnail of Before crisis hits : can public works programs increase food security?

Research paper thumbnail of Can Social Protection Work in Africaq The Impact of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme

Economic Development and Cultural Change, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Participatory Governance and Pro-Poor Targeting: Evidence from Central India

This paper examines the impact of a poverty alleviation program called the District Poverty Initi... more This paper examines the impact of a poverty alleviation program called the District Poverty Initiatives Project (DPIP), which is being implemented in the second largest state in India. DPIP is a World Bank project based on the community-driven development approach, wherein control of development decisions, resources and projects are given to the community groups. Funds are allocated to the village for various income generating subprojects, which are popularly selected in village meetings conducted by the DPIP personnel. These meetings are similar to and run parallel to the traditional village council meetings-the gram sabhas. The focus of this paper is threefold. First, it examines whether the project has indeed "empowered" the disadvantaged. Is it the case that treatment villages have greater information flows that translate into higher participation in village affairs? Second, it studies the role played by the parallel institution. Does attending the DPIP village meeting substitute or compliment attendance at the traditional village council meeting? Finally, this paper analyzes the spillover effects in terms of better targeting of other welfare programs. We use a unique data set that combines Indian census data for 300 villages and survey data of 6000 households spread over those villages. Findings confirm positive spillovers of the program on village governance issues.This paper adds to the growing literature on decentralization and community-driven development.

Research paper thumbnail of The long-term impacts of improved vegetable and fish technologies in Bangladesh on consumption, assets and nutritional status

As part of a larger longitudinal study that resurveyed 1,907 households and 102 villages in 14 of... more As part of a larger longitudinal study that resurveyed 1,907 households and 102 villages in 14 of Bangladesh's 64 districts, the project focused on assessing the long-term impacts of a number of anti-poverty interventions-specifically, microfinance, agricultural technology, and educational transfers-on a range of monetary and nonmonetary measures of well-being. This brief focuses on the long-term impact of improved vegetable and fish technologies, and whether early adoption is an important factor in alleviating poverty and improving nutritional status. It is hoped that these results will help policymakers, donors, and other stakeholders in effectively evaluating different interventions, thereby contributing to the design of future anti-poverty programs in South Asia. Polyculture Fish and Vegetable Production as a Poverty-Alleviation Strategy Among the poverty-alleviation interventions undertaken by government and civil society organizations in Bangladesh are food-based strategies designed to increase incomes and to alleviate micronutrient deficiencies. Polyculture fish and vegetables technologies are considered to have the potential to improve both poverty and micronutrient status by increasing the supply of micronutrients to household producers and the general population, by improving the incomes of household producers, and by lowering or keeping constant fish and vegetable prices in the face of rising demand due to population and income growth.