The welfare impact of land redistribution: Evidence from a Quasi-experimental initiative in Malawi

Land reform may be an effective means of reducing poverty in many developing countries where policy efforts have recently embraced a decentralized market-based approach to land redistribution. We use household panel data combined with a quasi-experimental program to assess the impact of a joint Mala...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mendola, M., Simtowe, F.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Elsevier 2015
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Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/59777
Description
Summary:Land reform may be an effective means of reducing poverty in many developing countries where policy efforts have recently embraced a decentralized market-based approach to land redistribution. We use household panel data combined with a quasi-experimental program to assess the impact of a joint Malawi/World Bank land program on household well-being. Double difference and matching methods are used to address identification sources of bias. Results point to average positive effects on several productive outcomes of beneficiaries, while no effects are found with respect to access to social services. There is also evidence of heterogeneous effects by gender and inheritance systems.