Seasonal and Extreme Poverty in Bangladesh : Evaluating an Ultra-Poor Microfinance Project

Khandker, Shahidur R. ; Khalily, M.A. Baqui ; Samad, Hussain A.

关键词: ACCESS TO FOOD;    AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY;    AGRICULTURAL LABORERS;    AGRICULTURE;    ANTI-POVERTY;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-5331
RP-ID  :  WPS5331

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

Microfinance is often criticized for notadequately addressing seasonality and hard-core poverty. InBangladesh, a program known as PRIME was introduced in 2006to address both concerns. Unlike regular microfinance, PRIMEintroduces a microfinance scheme that offers a flexiblerepayment schedule and consumption smoothing, as well asproduction, loans. It targets the ultra-poor, many of whomare also seasonally poor, with a severe inability to smoothconsumption during certain months of the year. Besidesproviding loans, PRIME offers extension and trainingservices. This paper uses a quasi-experimental survey designto evaluate PRIME against regular microfinance programs. Theresults show that PRIME is more effective than regularmicrofinance in reaching the ultra-poor, as well as theseasonal poor. PRIME also helps reduce seasonal deprivationand extreme poverty. Although the program has demonstratedits promise, it is too early to conclude whether the accruedbenefits are large enough to contain both seasonal andchronic poverty on a sustained basis.