ODI work on Cash Transfer Programmes

Rebecca Holmes, ODIRegional workshop on cash transfer activities in

southern Africa9-10 October 2006, Johannesburg, South Africa

Recent experiences with cash

What have we learnt about cash in the last few years?

• Opportunities– Consumption, asset protection, asset promotion, less

market distortion, multiplier effects, recipient choice• Risks

– Easier corruption, inflation, ‘misuse’ of cash, understanding monetary value?

• Government and donor attitudes towards cash?

Outstanding Questions

• Institutions – Delivery of cash transfers – donors vs. government

vs. NGOs?– Government ministries and Social Protection?

• Funding– Sustainability? Long-term commitments?

• When are conditionalities appropriate?– Attendance at clinics, schools (Latin American model)– Work requirements

Concerns

• Shocks vs. Stresses• Different kinds of poor households; different

objectives for cash transfers• Different contexts, ‘fragile states’, remote areas

Different kinds of households may need different SP interventions

Emerging farmers

‘Vulnerable but viable’ households

Households with no labour, land, assets

Poverty Line

%

%

%

ODI programmes on social protection

• The role of cash transfers in social protection

• Linking agricultural growth and social protection

The role of cash transfers in Social Protection (1)

Background• Emerging interest,

but small evidence base on feasibility, appropriateness, effectiveness and impact of cash transfers

The role of cash transfers in Social Protection (2)

Objectives of programme– Research and policy advice to feed into ongoing

policy processes in target countries– Research outputs contributing to wider debates

around social protection, safety nets and the role of cash

The role of cash transfers in Social Protection (3)

ActivitiesAction-focused research on

i) ongoing cash-based social protection programmesii) emerging cash-based social protection programmesiii) institutional learning and policy change in cash-

based programming

The role of cash transfers in Social Protection (4)

Country-focused activities– Exploring options for cash-based transfers in Sierra

Leone– Targeting issues in Cambodia– Involvement in M&E of pilot cash transfers in Malawi

and Kenya

Linking agricultural growth and social

protection (1)

Programme background

• Innovative SP approaches to dealing with vulnerability

• Importance of agriculture for pro-poor growth

• Little systematic and strategic linking of social protection and agricultural growth policy and practice

Linking agricultural growth and social

protection (2)Programme objectives• Better understand how social protection policies and

agricultural policies can complement each other to achieve more efficient and equitable combinations of growth and poverty reduction?

• Support DFID country offices in their dialogues with governments and other partners to enable more coherent and ‘joined-up’ agriculture and social protection policies

Linking agricultural growth and social

protection (3)Key questions• Current public expenditure patterns?• How far do socially protecting measures support (or work against)

gains in agricultural productivity? How far do measures to enhance agricultural productivity also provide (or diminish) social protection?

• What patterns of “complementarity” between growth promotion and social protection?

• Cost benefits brought by SP measures?• What assessments are there of the benefits of existing

interventions?• How to identify priorities and suitable sequences?

Linking agricultural growth and social

protection (4)First phase of work plan• Conceptual Framework• Methodological Framework• Country-level consultations• Influencing strategy

Linking agricultural growth and social

protection (5)Outcomes of country level consultationsOptions for Zambia• Work with CARE PPA on programme design and M&E• Use MSU / FRSP data for modelling• Feed into Ministry of Community Development and Social Services

livelihoods study

Options for Malawi• CGE modelling with the World Bank • Support to M&E for fertiliser and seeds subsidy programme• Support DFID’s strategic engagement with processes

Link to RHVP Working with RHVP to build up evidence base

The role of cash transfers in SP – methodological

approach

• Household Economy Modelling and/or Market Analysis and Modelling

• Survey, qualitative interviews and participatory analysis

• Stakeholder and political economy analysis

• Cost and budget analysis

Linking SP and agricultural growth – methodological

approach

• Secondary data collection; semi-structured interviews; rapid appraisal methods

• Household income and expenditure modelling; CGE

• Scenario building approaches

• Policy process techniques