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Browse news articles about J-PAL and our affiliated professors, and read our press releases and monthly global and research newsletters. For media inquiries, please email us.

Using GPS-enabled Cellphones to Monitor Agricultural Extension Agents in Paraguay

Researchers partnered with the Government of Paraguay to measure the impact of a new monitoring technology—GPS-enabled cell phones—on the job performance of agricultural extension agents (AEAs). Overall, cell phones improved AEAs’ performance by increasing the share of farmers visited, and...

Protecting Fisheries through Enforcement and Information Campaigns in Chile

In partnership with the Chilean National Fish Service (Sernapesca), researchers conducted a randomized evaluation to test the impact of enforcement visits to fish markets and a consumer information campaign on the illegal sale of hake fish. They found that both the information campaign and...

Small and Medium Enterprise Financing and Mentoring Services in Emerging Markets in the Dominican Republic

Researchers conducted a randomized evaluation with a bank in the Dominican Republic to compare the impact of two distinct programs: standard accounting training versus a simplified, rule-of-thumb training that taught basic financial heuristics.

Investing Cash Transfers to Raise Long-Term Living Standards in Mexico

Sebastian Martinez
Marta Rubio-Codina
Researchers conducted a randomized evaluation of the impact of the Oportunidades CCT program in Mexico on recipients’ investments decisions and long-run poverty levels. They found that the cash transfers promoted long-term increases in consumption through investment in productive activities...

Financial Trust Workshops to Encourage Savings Behaviors in Peru

Camila Navajas Ahumada
Researchers conducted a randomized evaluation in rural Peru to assess the impact of providing a workshop designed to foster trust in banks on participants’ levels of trust, financial literacy, and saving and account use patterns of cash transfer recipients. Overall, participants who were offered the...

Financial Coaching in Peru

Researchers will evaluate the impact of the program on the employees’ financial decisions related to credit, savings, and money management.

Increasing Tax Compliance and Improving Civic Engagement in Haiti

Researchers are partnering with the mayor of Carrefour, Haiti to evaluate the impact of increased provision of public goods, tax collection efforts, and public exposure of tax compliance on measures of citizen engagement like taxes, voting, and community participation.

Information Campaign to Reduce Plastic Bag Consumption in Supermarkets in Mexico

Alberto Chong
Jeremy Shapiro
This evaluation measured the impact of different in-store information campaigns on the consumption of plastic shopping bags and the sale of reusable bags in grocery stores across Mexico. The information campaigns did not significantly reduce plastic bag consumption or increase the sale of the...