Are Behavioral Change Interventions Needed to Make Cash Transfer Programs Work for Children? Experimental Evidence from Myanmar
55 Pages Posted: 21 May 2020 Last revised: 3 Dec 2021
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Are Behavioral Change Interventions Needed to Make Cash Transfer Programs Work for Children? Experimental Evidence from Myanmar
Are Behavioral Change Interventions Needed to Make Cash Transfer Programs Work for Children? Experimental Evidence from Myanmar
Date Written: December 2, 2021
Abstract
We experimentally evaluate the impact on child malnutrition of a maternal cash transfer program in Myanmar that was supplemented with Social Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) in a subset of villages. The combination of interventions significantly reduced the proportion of children stunted, while cash alone had no impact on stunting. SBCC appears to have worked in conjunction with cash to reduce stunting by encouraging mothers to increase children’s total calories and protein consumed. The findings provide evidence that information constraints contribute to low income-elasticity of calorie demand among malnourished populations, and underscore the importance of adding SBCC to cash transfer programs.
Keywords: Nutrition, Cash Transfers, Social and Behavior Change Communication
JEL Classification: I15, O12, H53
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation