Can digital cash transfers serve those in active conflict? Evidence from a randomized intervention in Sudan
This paper evaluates the impact of digital transfers on the well-being of households grappling with active conflict in Sudan. Considering the case of Sudan, where active conflict and funding gaps continue to hamper the delivery of humanitarian services, we aim to address the following questions: (i)...
| Autores principales: | , , , , , |
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| Formato: | Artículo preliminar |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
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International Food Policy Research Institute
2025
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| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177655 |
| _version_ | 1855543713106755584 |
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| author | Abay, Kibrom A. Abdelfattah, Lina Alaaeldin Abushama, Hala Kirui, Oliver K. Nigus, Halefom Yigzaw Siddig, Khalid |
| author_browse | Abay, Kibrom A. Abdelfattah, Lina Alaaeldin Abushama, Hala Kirui, Oliver K. Nigus, Halefom Yigzaw Siddig, Khalid |
| author_facet | Abay, Kibrom A. Abdelfattah, Lina Alaaeldin Abushama, Hala Kirui, Oliver K. Nigus, Halefom Yigzaw Siddig, Khalid |
| author_sort | Abay, Kibrom A. |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | This paper evaluates the impact of digital transfers on the well-being of households grappling with active conflict in Sudan. Considering the case of Sudan, where active conflict and funding gaps continue to hamper the delivery of humanitarian services, we aim to address the following questions: (i) Can digital cash transfers improve food and nutrition security outcomes of beneficiaries in conflict-affected settings?; (ii) Can digital transfers to an other-wise inaccessible population improve subjective well-being, mental health, and stress in the face of recurrent conflicts?; and (iii) Who benefits more from digital transfers, and do the impacts of digital transfers vary depending on the size of transfers or socioeconomic characteristics of households? To address these questions, we design a randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving digital transfers of different sizes to randomly selected urban households in Sudan. Digital transfers reached nearly all targeted beneficiaries, with about a quarter of households receiving them through their friends and relatives and hence incurring some transaction fees. Overall, digital transfers mitigated deterioration in food insecurity (by 7-8 percentage points) and improved subjective well-being and mental health. Interestingly, we find that the digital transfers are more beneficial (impactful) for those grappling with active conflict. Digital transfers also appear to be less effective for poorer households and households of a larger size. These findings highlight the potential of digital transfers to support those grappling with armed conflict. |
| format | Artículo preliminar |
| id | CGSpace177655 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| publisherStr | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1776552025-12-02T21:03:24Z Can digital cash transfers serve those in active conflict? Evidence from a randomized intervention in Sudan Abay, Kibrom A. Abdelfattah, Lina Alaaeldin Abushama, Hala Kirui, Oliver K. Nigus, Halefom Yigzaw Siddig, Khalid conflicts social protection cash transfers mobile phones electronic commerce This paper evaluates the impact of digital transfers on the well-being of households grappling with active conflict in Sudan. Considering the case of Sudan, where active conflict and funding gaps continue to hamper the delivery of humanitarian services, we aim to address the following questions: (i) Can digital cash transfers improve food and nutrition security outcomes of beneficiaries in conflict-affected settings?; (ii) Can digital transfers to an other-wise inaccessible population improve subjective well-being, mental health, and stress in the face of recurrent conflicts?; and (iii) Who benefits more from digital transfers, and do the impacts of digital transfers vary depending on the size of transfers or socioeconomic characteristics of households? To address these questions, we design a randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving digital transfers of different sizes to randomly selected urban households in Sudan. Digital transfers reached nearly all targeted beneficiaries, with about a quarter of households receiving them through their friends and relatives and hence incurring some transaction fees. Overall, digital transfers mitigated deterioration in food insecurity (by 7-8 percentage points) and improved subjective well-being and mental health. Interestingly, we find that the digital transfers are more beneficial (impactful) for those grappling with active conflict. Digital transfers also appear to be less effective for poorer households and households of a larger size. These findings highlight the potential of digital transfers to support those grappling with armed conflict. 2025-11-06 2025-11-06T21:51:55Z 2025-11-06T21:51:55Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177655 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Abay, Kibrom A.; Abdelfattah, Lina; Abushama, Hala; Kirui, Oliver K.; Nigus, Halefom Yigzaw; and Siddig, Khalid. 2025. Can digital cash transfers serve those in active conflict? Evidence from a randomized intervention in Sudan. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2374. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177655 |
| spellingShingle | conflicts social protection cash transfers mobile phones electronic commerce Abay, Kibrom A. Abdelfattah, Lina Alaaeldin Abushama, Hala Kirui, Oliver K. Nigus, Halefom Yigzaw Siddig, Khalid Can digital cash transfers serve those in active conflict? Evidence from a randomized intervention in Sudan |
| title | Can digital cash transfers serve those in active conflict? Evidence from a randomized intervention in Sudan |
| title_full | Can digital cash transfers serve those in active conflict? Evidence from a randomized intervention in Sudan |
| title_fullStr | Can digital cash transfers serve those in active conflict? Evidence from a randomized intervention in Sudan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can digital cash transfers serve those in active conflict? Evidence from a randomized intervention in Sudan |
| title_short | Can digital cash transfers serve those in active conflict? Evidence from a randomized intervention in Sudan |
| title_sort | can digital cash transfers serve those in active conflict evidence from a randomized intervention in sudan |
| topic | conflicts social protection cash transfers mobile phones electronic commerce |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177655 |
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