This paper presents results of a RCT evaluating the 2.5-3.5-year impacts of a livelihoods program in Nepal that targets women and employs self-help groups, livestock transfers, and trainings.
This study evaluates the short-term (1.5 year) impacts of a multifaceted livestock transfer and training program in rural Nepal using a randomized control trial (RCT). Findings show that the program significantly increased financial inclusion and women’s empowerment after 1.5 years.
The lack and drive of aspiration has gained the attention of economists as a behavioral constraint to future-oriented behavior and investment. The research team explores the empirical evidence relating to aspirations and determine if the social phenomenon can stimulate development or reinforce poverty.
It is widely acknowledged that unmitigated risks provide a disincentive for otherwise optimal investments in modern farm inputs. This study assesses both the demand for and the effectiveness of an innovative index insurance product designed to help smallholder farmers in Bangladesh manage risk to crop yields and the increased production costs associated with drought.
In this paper we ask two questions: (1) What are the social drivers of aspirations formation?, and (2) How do aspirations influence future-oriented behavior? The difference between current status and aspirations drives future-oriented economic behavior as predicted by theory
This presentation took place at George Washington University, United States on November 6, 2014 describing how households and communities without assets get stuck in poverty traps in Nepal.