Search our database of 1,200+ summaries of randomized evaluations conducted by our affiliates in 97 countries. To browse key policy recommendations from a subset of these evaluations, visit the Policy Publications tab above.

Displaying 49-56 of 290

Saving for Multiple Goals with Lockboxes in Malawi

Shilpa Aggarwal
Valentina Brailovskaya
Jonathan Robinson
Corn hung up from wooden rafter

Opportunities to Improve the Expansion and Impact of Agricultural Lending in Mali

Lori Beaman
Dean Karlan
Bram Thuysbaert
Christopher Udry
Researchers evaluated the impact of additional investments in agriculture on income for subsistence farmers. In rural Mali, giving some farmers unrestricted cash grants led to significantly higher productivity and profits, suggesting farmers would invest more in their farms if they had more capital.
young Rwandan woman carrying a sack on her head

Benchmarking Cash to an Employment Program in Rwanda

Craig McIntosh
Andrew Zeitlin
In Rwanda, researchers conducted a randomized evaluation to compare the impact of Huguka Dukore, a youth employment and training program, to that of cash grants of an equivalent value on several economic outcomes. Huguka Dukore improved hours worked, assets, savings, and subjective well-being, while...
Two woman selling fruits on a sidewalk in Cartagena, Colombia

Impacts of Flexible Loans on Borrower Behavior and Microenterprise Outcomes in Colombia

Lasse Brune
Xavier Giné
Dean Karlan
Researchers evaluated the impact of a flexible microloan product on new clients' repayment behavior, business outcomes, and client satisfaction. The results showed that the flexible loan led to some shifts in investment behavior but had no average impact on revenue or profits and led to higher...
Three women in saris look at paperwork with Bandhan staff

The Impact of a Multi-faceted Livelihoods Program on Low-income Households in India

Abhijit Banerjee
Raghabendra Chattopadhyay
Esther Duflo
Nathanael Goldberg
Dean Karlan
Robert Osei
William Pariente
Jeremy Shapiro
Bram Thuysbaert
Christopher Udry
In India, researchers partnered with Bandhan Konnagar to evaluate the impact of a multi-faceted livelihoods program known as the Graduation approach, which aims to encourage occupational change among people living in extreme poverty. The Graduation approach had large and positive effects on economic...
Women farmers in Afghanistan

Afghanistan Targeting the Ultra-Poor Impact Evaluation

In Afghanistan, researchers evaluated the impact of a Targeting the Ultra Poor program on poverty reduction. The cost-effective program generated large positive impacts for women participants across key outcomes: consumption, assets, psychological well-being, total time spent working, financial...

Providing Health Insurance through Microfinance Networks in Rural Karnataka, India

Abhijit Banerjee
Esther Duflo
Richard Hornbeck
Researchers partnered with SKS Microfinance to measure the impact of bundling a health insurance product with microloan renewals on health insurance take-up, and health care use and spending. They found that the requirement to purchase health insurance substantially reduced microcredit clients’ loan...

Interest Rate Subsidies and Savings Behavior in Kenya

Simone Schaner
A randomized evaluation in rural Kenya found that offering higher short-term interest rates on a savings account substantially increased bank account use two and a half years for after the promotional rate ended. Offering the interest rate promotion on individual bank accounts also increased...