Pedaling Towards Prosperity: The Impact of Bicycle Distribution on Rural Livelihoods in Zambia

Abstract

Seventy percent of the rural population in Africa lacks access to reliable transportation, which contributes to poor economic, health, and education outcomes. This paper studies the impact of targeted bicycle distribution on rural livelihoods in Zambia. We randomized 120 livelihoods groups, comprising 1,297 members, along with 273 community service workers, to receive a bicycle or not, and we surveyed study participants at baseline and one year later. We find that bicycle recipients fared significantly better than the control group: Bicycle recipients reported 24% higher monthly household consumption and 43% higher monthly household income at endline compared to non-recipients. These effects were driven by bicycle recipients spending less time traveling to essential destinations, more time in livelihoods-enhancing activities, more livelihoods-related trips, and greater ability to carry produce. Our findings suggest that bicycles may be a cost-effective tool for alleviating transportation constraints and improving productivity in rural, low-income settings.

Keywords: Bicycles, transportation, Productivity, livelihoods, Resilience, Zambia