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The impact of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme on the nutritional status of children: 2008–2012

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  • Berhane, Guush
  • Hoddinott, John F.
  • Kumar, Neha

Abstract

Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) is a large-scale social protection intervention aimed at improving food security and stabilizing asset levels. The PSNP contains a mix of public works employment and unconditional transfers. It is a well-targeted program; however, several years passed before payment levels reached the intended amounts. The PSNP has been successful in improving household food security. However, children’s nutritional status in the localities where the PSNP operates is poor, with 48 percent of children stunted in 2012. This leads to the question of whether the PSNP could improve child nutrition. In this paper, we examine the impact of the PSNP on children’s nutritional status over the period 2008–2012. Doing so requires paying particular attention to the targeting of the PSNP and how payment levels have evolved over time. Using inverse-probability-weighted regression-adjustment estimators, we find no evidence that the PSNP reduces either chronic undernutrition (height-for-age z-scores, stunting) or acute undernutrition (weight-for-height z-scores, wasting). While we cannot definitively identify the reason for this nonresult, we note that child diet quality is poor. We find no evidence that the PSNP improves child consumption of pulses, oils, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, or animal-source proteins. Most mothers have not had contact with health extension workers nor have they received information on good feeding practices. Water practices, as captured by the likelihood that mothers boil drinking water, are poor. These findings, along with work by other researchers, have informed revisions to the PSNP. Future research will assess whether these revisions have led to improvements in the diets and anthropometric status of preschool children in Ethiopia.

Suggested Citation

  • Berhane, Guush & Hoddinott, John F. & Kumar, Neha, 2017. "The impact of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme on the nutritional status of children: 2008–2012," IFPRI discussion papers 1604, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
  • Handle: RePEc:fpr:ifprid:1604
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Guido W. Imbens & Jeffrey M. Wooldridge, 2009. "Recent Developments in the Econometrics of Program Evaluation," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 47(1), pages 5-86, March.
    2. James J. Heckman & Hidehiko Ichimura & Petra E. Todd, 1997. "Matching As An Econometric Evaluation Estimator: Evidence from Evaluating a Job Training Programme," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 64(4), pages 605-654.
    3. Kumar, Rajesh, 2015. "Valuation," Elsevier Monographs, Elsevier, edition 1, number 9780128023037.
    4. Alberto Abadie & Guido W. Imbens, 2006. "Large Sample Properties of Matching Estimators for Average Treatment Effects," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 74(1), pages 235-267, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Getachew Yirga Belete, 2022. "Children’s multidimensional deprivation, monetary poverty and undernutrition in Ethiopia," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 1087-1118, December.
    2. Aanchal Bagga & Marcus Holmlund & Nausheen Khan & Subha Mani & Eric Mvukiyehe & Patrick Premand, 2023. "Do Public Works Programs Have Sustained Impacts? A Review of Experimental Studies from LMICs," Fordham Economics Discussion Paper Series dp2023-07er:dp2023-07, Fordham University, Department of Economics.
    3. Tagel Gebrehiwot & Carolina Castilla, 2018. "Do safety net transfers improve household diets and reduce undernutrition? Evidence from rural Ethiopia," Working Papers PMMA 2018-03, PEP-PMMA.
    4. Getachew Yirga Belete, 2021. "Impacts of Social Protection Programmes on Children’s Resources and Wellbeing: Evidence from Ethiopia," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(2), pages 681-712, April.

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