Sustainable poverty reduction through social assistance: Modality, context, and complementary programming in Bangladesh

Social assistance programs can increase consumption and reduce poverty, but less is known about whether these impacts are sustained after programs end or how design and context influence sustainability. Using data collected in two regions of Bangladesh four years after a randomized intervention ende...

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Main Authors: Ahmed, Akhter, Hidrobo, Melissa, Hoddinott, John F., Kolt, Bastien, Roy, Shalini, Tauseef, Salauddin
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: American Economic Association 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/163110
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author Ahmed, Akhter
Hidrobo, Melissa
Hoddinott, John F.
Kolt, Bastien
Roy, Shalini
Tauseef, Salauddin
author_browse Ahmed, Akhter
Hidrobo, Melissa
Hoddinott, John F.
Kolt, Bastien
Roy, Shalini
Tauseef, Salauddin
author_facet Ahmed, Akhter
Hidrobo, Melissa
Hoddinott, John F.
Kolt, Bastien
Roy, Shalini
Tauseef, Salauddin
author_sort Ahmed, Akhter
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Social assistance programs can increase consumption and reduce poverty, but less is known about whether these impacts are sustained after programs end or how design and context influence sustainability. Using data collected in two regions of Bangladesh four years after a randomized intervention ended, we find that combining cash transfers with complementary programming led to sustained increases in consumption and reductions in poverty. Combining food transfers with complementary programming showed similar patterns to a lesser extent. Cash alone had context-specific sustained effects; food alone had no sustained impacts. Results suggest that context, modality, and complementary programming matter for sustained impacts. (JEL D12, E21, I32, I38, O15)
format Journal Article
id CGSpace163110
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2025
publishDateRange 2025
publishDateSort 2025
publisher American Economic Association
publisherStr American Economic Association
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spelling CGSpace1631102025-10-26T12:55:35Z Sustainable poverty reduction through social assistance: Modality, context, and complementary programming in Bangladesh Ahmed, Akhter Hidrobo, Melissa Hoddinott, John F. Kolt, Bastien Roy, Shalini Tauseef, Salauddin aid programmes poverty sustainability cash transfers food social protection Social assistance programs can increase consumption and reduce poverty, but less is known about whether these impacts are sustained after programs end or how design and context influence sustainability. Using data collected in two regions of Bangladesh four years after a randomized intervention ended, we find that combining cash transfers with complementary programming led to sustained increases in consumption and reductions in poverty. Combining food transfers with complementary programming showed similar patterns to a lesser extent. Cash alone had context-specific sustained effects; food alone had no sustained impacts. Results suggest that context, modality, and complementary programming matter for sustained impacts. (JEL D12, E21, I32, I38, O15) 2025-04-01 2024-12-05T20:54:58Z 2024-12-05T20:54:58Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/163110 en https://hdl.handle.net/10568/144145 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/132862 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/126900 Limited Access American Economic Association Ahmed, Akhter; Hidrobo, Melissa; Hoddinott, John; Kolt, Bastien; Roy, Shalini; and Tauseef, Salauddin. 2025. Sustainable poverty reduction through social assistance: Modality, context, and complementary programming in Bangladesh. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 17(2): 102-126. https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20230108
spellingShingle aid programmes
poverty
sustainability
cash transfers
food
social protection
Ahmed, Akhter
Hidrobo, Melissa
Hoddinott, John F.
Kolt, Bastien
Roy, Shalini
Tauseef, Salauddin
Sustainable poverty reduction through social assistance: Modality, context, and complementary programming in Bangladesh
title Sustainable poverty reduction through social assistance: Modality, context, and complementary programming in Bangladesh
title_full Sustainable poverty reduction through social assistance: Modality, context, and complementary programming in Bangladesh
title_fullStr Sustainable poverty reduction through social assistance: Modality, context, and complementary programming in Bangladesh
title_full_unstemmed Sustainable poverty reduction through social assistance: Modality, context, and complementary programming in Bangladesh
title_short Sustainable poverty reduction through social assistance: Modality, context, and complementary programming in Bangladesh
title_sort sustainable poverty reduction through social assistance modality context and complementary programming in bangladesh
topic aid programmes
poverty
sustainability
cash transfers
food
social protection
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/163110
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