In the last decade social cash transfer programmes have become extremely popular in sub-Saharan Africa, and are often portrayed as… Read more an instrument that can facilitate graduation out of poverty. The evidence on whether social cash transfers have had actual effects on graduation, however, is limited. This article provides a cross-country reflection of the potential effects of social cash transfers on graduation, drawing from impact evaluation results of cash transfer programmes in Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho and Zambia. We analyse whether social cash transfers have improved the likelihood of graduation, through increased productivity, income generation and resilience to shocks. We identify which factors in terms of programme implementation and household characteristics can increase the likelihood of cash transfer programmes facilitating graduation from poverty. Read less ...

The Haitian NGO Fonkoze, with the support of Concern Worldwide, has been implementing the Chemin Lavi Miyo (CLM) Graduation Programme… Read more since June 2007 which targets the extreme poor in Haiti. Early results were promising, but questions prevailed around the sustainability of benefits. To address these concerns a further round of data collection was undertaken amongst a group of participants four years after graduation. Using a poverty scorecard to record information on housing quality, ownership of assets, household income and livelihoods, it was possible to assess that the mean level of asset-holding remained higher than at baseline, but had slipped back slightly since graduation. Between graduation and the ex post survey 31 per cent continued on an upward trajectory, 39 per cent consolidated their position, but 30 per cent had slipped back considerably, suggesting the need for a more comprehensive social protection system than can be offered by an NGO-implemented programme. Read less ...

Authors present results from six randomized control trials of an integrated approach to improve livelihoods amongst the very poor. The… Read more approach combines the transfer of a productive asset with consumption support, training and coaching plus savings encouragement and health education and/or services. Results from the implementation of the same basic program, adapted to a wide variety of geographic and institutional contexts and with multiple implementing partners, show statistically significant, costeffective impacts on consumption (fueled mostly by increases in self-employment income) and psychosocial status of the targeted households. The impact on the poor households lasted at least a year after all implementation ended. It is possible to make sustainable improvements in the economic status of the poor with a relatively short-term intervention. Read less ...

There is hardly any argument over the necessity of targeting the ultra-poor in development interventions. However, identifying and scaling up… Read more effective strategies to improve livelihoods remains a challenge. A few recent pilots have found an approach that combines transfer of productive assets, and intensive supports and supervision with a set of coordinated interventions following a time-bound exit plan successful. This paper evaluates one such pilot, known as ‘ultrapoor graduation pilot’, implemented by BRAC in Afghanistan. We find that participating households have successfully utilised the livestock received from the programme to increase employment and income. This income growth has also allowed them to improve dietary diversity through consumption of more home-grown food items. Beneficiaries also increased their livestock holdings beyond what they received from the programme. We find relatively stronger impacts on investments compared to consumption indicating a shift towards longer term planning among the beneficiaries. Given its effectiveness, this model should be strongly considered for scale-up in Afghanistan. We also suggest a couple of potential areas that need to be considered for improving the effectiveness of this model even further. Read less ...

This report assesses the impact of the Productive Safety Net, Other Food Security and Household Asset Building Programs on food… Read more security, assets, and agricultural production. It also examines whether these have led to investments in new nonfarm business activities and whether they have had disincentive effects. Read less ...