The Impacts of Cash and In-Kind Transfers on Consumption and Labor Supply : Experimental Evidence from Rural Mexico

Skoufias, Emmanuel ; Unar, Mishel ; Gonzá ; lez-Cossí ; o, Teresa

Washington, DC:World Bank

关键词: ADULT FEMALES;    ADULT MALES;    AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES;    AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS;    AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-4778
RP-ID  :  WPS4778

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

The authors use the unique experimentaldesign of the Food Support Program (Programa ApoyoAlimentario) to analyze in-kind and cash transfers in thepoor rural areas of southern states of Mexico. They comparethe impacts of monthly in-kind and cash transfers ofequivalent value (mean share 11.5 percent of pre-programconsumption) on household welfare as measured by food andtotal consumption, adult labor supply, and poverty. Theresults show that approximately two years later the transferhas a large and positive impact on total and foodconsumption. There are no differences in the size of theeffect of transfer in cash versus transfers in-kind onconsumption. The transfer, irrespective of type, does notaffect overall participation in labor market activities butinduces beneficiary households to switch their laborallocation from agricultural to nonagricultural activities.The analysis finds that the program leads to a significantreduction in poverty. Overall, the findings suggest that theFood Support Program intervention is able to relax thebinding liquidity constraints faced by poor agriculturalhouseholds, and thus increases both equity and efficiency.