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Evaluation
The Impact of Peer Messaging to Combat the Spread of Covid-19 in Zambia
Researchers conducted a randomized evaluation in Zambia to test the impact of a peer-based information campaign, consisting of SMS messages and small cash incentives, on people’s adherence to Covid-19 health protocols. Participants forwarded public health SMSs when they were encouraged to do so, yet financial incentives did not increase the number of messages sent. Participants and their peers did not change their precautionary health behaviors.
Event
J-PAL Evaluating Social Programs Course: Egypt Impact Lab – Cairo
The second annual EIL Evaluating Social Programs will take place from 15–17 January 2024 at AUC. This three-day, in-person training course equips participants with resources and knowledge to engage with impact evaluations of social programs. The course provides an in-depth look at why and when...
Blog
Shukuma in South African schools: Fostering strong partnerships to address violence in the Western Cape
In 2019, representatives from the Western Cape Government’s Department of the Premier's Office attended J-PAL Africa’s Evaluating Social Programs (ESP) course in Cape Town to learn more about how evidence from randomized evaluations can inform program design and implementation. During ESP...
Blog
20 for 20: Life from Water’s evidence-based journey in Egypt
This is the sixth post of J-PAL’s 20 for 20: Partner Voices blog series, where we showcase stories of results and impact with our partners to celebrate our twentieth anniversary. Read on to learn more about how J-PAL Middle East and North Africa’s (MENA) partnership with Life from Water Foundation...
Blog
African Scholar Spotlight: Dr. Jaah Mkupete
This post is part of our ongoing series showcasing the work and perspectives of economists from the African continent who are leading randomized evaluations. In this spotlight, we speak with Jaah Mkupete, a lecturer of economics at the University of Dar es Salaam.
Event
Training on Randomized Impact Evaluations for Humanitarian Professionals
J-PAL and Innovations for Poverty Action are pleased to offer training on randomized evaluations and their applications in humanitarian settings for implementers and policymakers. Held live over Zoom, this training consists of four half-days of lectures and working sessions, and will equip...
Event
Humanitarian Action Research Incubator in Bogotá, Colombia
J-PAL and Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) are pleased to announce that applications are now open for a three-day randomized evaluation design workshop as part of the Displaced Livelihoods Initiative (DLI) and ongoing work to improve humanitarian protection programs.
Evaluation
The Role of Social Connections in the Delivery of Extension Services and Technology Adoption in Uganda
Researchers conducted a randomized evaluation to test both the impact of BRAC’s extension program on economic outcomes and the role of social incentives in shaping the delivery of the program to farmers. While they found that overall, farmers in villages that received the program had higher agricultural profits, the number and type of farmers who were targeted depended on the political alignment between the selected and non-selected delivery agents.
Evaluation
Contract Farming, Technology Adoption and Agricultural Productivity: Evidence from Small Scale Farmers in Western Kenya
In Western Kenya, researchers evaluated an SMS intervention whereby a large-agribusiness sent farmers with whom they contracted timely reminders on agricultural tasks to be completed. The SMS intervention was a cost-effective means of increasing yields, farmer revenue, and company profits. However, researchers found that the SMS intervention had no impact on yields when evaluated a second time one year later.
Evaluation
Disseminating Innovative Resources and Technologies to Smallholders in Ghana (DIRTS)
Building on that evidence, researchers evaluated the impact of access to rainfall insurance either coupled with or compared to tailored extension advice, weather forecasts, and improved access to inputs on intensity of land cultivation and earnings for farmers. Preliminary results show that farmers who received access to a high payout level of rainfall insurance spent more on inputs for their farms, but these investments did not lead to higher yields or profits for farmers. The product with the lower payout did not lead to increased investment, and overall demand for both versions of the insurance product was low.
Evaluation
Mobile Phone-Based Extension Services and Agricultural Advice for Cotton Farmers in Gujarat, India
Researchers introduced a mobile phone-based agricultural extension service to evaluate its impact on knowledge and adoption of effective farming methods among cotton farmers in Gujarat, India. They found that the service was highly effective in nudging farmers to adopt a number of recommended agricultural technologies, like fertilizer, pesticide, and improved seed varieties, but had no measurable impact on farmers’ yields or profits.
Evaluation
Reducing Imbalanced Fertilizer Use Through Rule-Of-Thumb Instructions in Bangladesh
Fertilizer use has been promoted to boost agricultural productivity and increase farmers’ yields and income. Researchers conducted a randomized evaluation among rice farmers in Bangladesh to evaluate the impact of providing leaf color charts and basic training on the quantity and timing of fertilizer use and crop yields. Fertilizer use declined while yield moderately increased for farmers.
Evaluation
Linking Weather Index Insurance and Credit to Improve Agricultural Productivity in Rural Ethiopia
Researchers combined subsidized weather index insurance with input loans for fertilizer and modern seed use for smallholder farmers in rural Ethiopia to investigate the impact of these products on demand for insurance and resulting shifts in agricultural technology use and crop yields. Results indicate that providing free insurance may not result in meaningful increases in investment in inputs like fertilizer.