Tying assets to determine eligibility of the poor: Findings from a randomized evaluation in Indonesia

Evidence has shown that targeted anti-poverty programs offer significant improvement towards household consumption, as well as health and education outcomes for children¹. To determine eligibility of beneficiaries in receiving the programs, governments conduct tests to measure asset ownership of households or is commonly known as proxy-means test (PMT). Nevertheless, policymakers and academics have questioned as to whether determining eligibility based on assets is the most effective targeting method.

J-PAL affiliated researchers together with TNP2K will present their findings on an evaluation study about methods in targeting the poor in a half-day seminar titled “Tying assets to determine eligibility of the poor: Findings from a randomized evaluation in Indonesia.”

The seminar will feature Prof. Benjamin Olken (Scientific Director, J-PAL SEA; Director, J-PAL) and Dr. Sudarno Sumarto (Senior Advisor TNP2K; Senior Research Fellow SMERU), two of four principal investigators of the study, who will present the findings of this study (paper titled: The (lack of) Distortionary Effects of Proxy-Means Tests: Results from a Nationwide Experiment in Indonesia).

This event has three goals: (1) to present and share the study findings from an evaluation of the impact of PMT carried out through a national census by J-PAL affiliated researchers and TNP2K; (2) to discuss research findings with participants regarding experiences and challenges in implementing effective targeting methods for social protection programs; and (3) to add policy recommendations that can be utilized by policy makers.

To register to this event, please use this online registration form; or contact Alifia Firliani at [email protected].

¹Banerjee, Abhijit et.al., The (Lack of) Distortionary Effects of Proxy-Means Tests: Results from a Nationwide Experiment in Indonesia. (NBER, 2018).