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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.

The Impact of Quality Upgrading and Market Access on Farmers’ Productivity and Profits in Uganda

In western Uganda, researchers conducted a series of randomized evaluations that assessed the impact of introducing a combination of post-harvest services, training on agricultural best practices, and access to a market for high-quality maize on farmers’ productivity and profits. Researchers found...

Peer Effects in Computer Assisted Learning: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment

In China, students in districts with average incomes that are below the national average achieve lower levels of learning compared students in wealthier districts. Researchers introduced a computer-assisted learning program (CAL) to classrooms in Shaanxi Province to evaluate its impact on math test...

Improving local tax collection through technology in Ghana

David Lagakos
In partnership with Melchia Investments, a private Ghanaian technology company, researchers are conducting a pilot randomized evaluation to identify the effectiveness of a new tax collection technology in increasing property tax revenues for local governments.

Cash-for-Work Program to Improve Social Cohesion between Syrian Refugees and Host Communities in Jordan

Researchers use a large-scale RCT to evaluate a program aimed to improve cohesion between Syrian refugees and their host communities in Jordan.

The Impact of Poverty Reduction on Child Health, Nutrition, and Sleep in the United States

Nathan Fox
Sarah Halpern-Meekin
Emma Hart
Alicia Kunin-Batson
Katherine Magnuson
Kimberly Noble
Jessica Sperber
Hiro Yoshikawa
To understand the causal impact of poverty reduction on children’s health, nutrition, sleep, and healthcare utilization, among other outcomes, researchers randomly assigned new mothers to receive an unconditional cash transfer of $333 (high-cash group) or $20 per month (low-cash group) in the Baby’s...

Encouraging Behavioral Change to Improve Road Safety in Kenya

In Kenya, researchers introduced a messaging campaign on matatus (local buses) to encourage individuals to speak up against reckless driving and reduce road accidents rates. Placing these stickers in the passenger area of matatus decreased insurance claims rates, average speed, and number of road...

Improving Financial Inclusion through Mobile Banking in Bangladesh

Jean N. Lee
Jonathan Morduch
Saravana Ravindran
Researchers partnered with bKash, one of the leading mobile money providers in Bangladesh, to evaluate the impact of targeted training programs on mobile banking uptake among migrant households. Training increased migrants’ and their families’ adoption of mobile banking, with women adopting the...