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The Social and Productive Impacts of Zambia's Child Grant

Author

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  • Sudhanshu Handa
  • David Seidenfeld
  • Benjamin Davis
  • Gelson Tembo
  • Zambia Cash Transfer Evaluation Team

Abstract

Accumulated evidence from dozens of cash transfer (CT) programs across the world suggests that there are few interventions that can match the range of impacts and cost‐effectiveness of a small, predictable monetary transfer to poor families in developing countries. However, individual published impact assessments typically focus on only one program and one outcome. This article presents two‐year impacts of the Zambian Government's Child Grant, an unconditional CT to families with children under age 5, across a wide range of domains including consumption, productive activity, and women and children's outcomes, making this one of the first studies to assess both protective and productive impacts of a national unconditional CT program. We show strong impacts on consumption, food security, savings, and productive activity. However, impacts in areas such as child nutritional status and schooling depend on initial conditions of the household, suggesting that cash alone is not enough to solve all constraints faced by these poor, rural households. Nevertheless, the apparent transformative effects of this program suggest that unconditional transfers in very poor settings can contribute to both protection and development outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Sudhanshu Handa & David Seidenfeld & Benjamin Davis & Gelson Tembo & Zambia Cash Transfer Evaluation Team, 2016. "The Social and Productive Impacts of Zambia's Child Grant," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(2), pages 357-387, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:jpamgt:v:35:y:2016:i:2:p:357-387
    DOI: 10.1002/pam.21892
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Heinrich, Carolyn J. & Knowles, Matthew T., 2020. "A fine predicament: Conditioning, compliance and consequences in a labeled cash transfer program," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    4. Henk Hulshof, 2019. "Child participation in evaluating social protection projects: Do global development actors walk the talk?," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 19(1), pages 1-20, January.
    5. Hajdu, Flora & Granlund, Stefan & Neves, David & Hochfeld, Tessa & Amuakwa-Mensah, Franklin & Sandström, Emil, 2020. "Cash transfers for sustainable rural livelihoods? Examining the long-term productive effects of the Child Support Grant in South Africa," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 19(C).
    6. Handa, Sudhanshu & Natali, Luisa & Seidenfeld, David & Tembo, Gelson & Davis, Benjamin, 2018. "Can unconditional cash transfers raise long-term living standards? Evidence from Zambia," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 42-65.

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