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This study assesses the impact of PSNP on soil and water conservation (SWC) practices in southern Tigray, Ethiopia. The propensity score matching technique was used to assess the impact of PSNP on soil and water conservation practices. The Nearest neighbor (4) matching estimator was selected as the best matching algorithm which has a large matched size, good balancing test, and low pseudo R2. 204 respondents from treated and 130 from control group matched respondents were used to come up with the final result. The estimated result of the nearest neighbor (4) matching estimator indicates that participation in PSNP did not bring any significant impact on SWC practices on the program beneficiaries. This might be due to the fact that a full targeting problem of beneficiaries by kebele food security force focuses on consumption smoothing rather than engaging in livelihood improvement, dependency seeing as supportive relief aid rather than productive and implementing SWC activities on communal lands public work transfer rather than doing at their private farm lands. Policymakers, governments, and donors are responsible for further improvement and should reconsider the implementation and design of the PIM of the program to bring a positive impact on beneficiaries.

AbstractThis study aims to compare household food security and its determinants among PSNP beneficiary, graduated, and non-beneficiary. Data was collected from 396 sample households using a structured questionnaire and key informant interview. Binary Probit regression was used to analyse the determinants of household food security. Household food security was measured using Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) and Household Hunger Scale (HHS). The study found significant differences in household food security among beneficiary, graduated and non-beneficiary both in FIES and HHS. The mean raw scores of FIES and HHS for graduated households were lower than both beneficiary and non-beneficiary households. Graduated households had the highest percentage of food secure households (67.4%), followed by non-beneficiary households (61.5%) and beneficiary households (34.3%). The binary probit model showed the number of clinic visits by household head was the only factor that negatively associated with all the three groups. The number of years benefited from PSNP had a negative influence on both beneficiary and graduated households’ food security. Whereas livestock had a positive effect on the food security of both graduated and non-beneficiary households, unlike dependency ratio. Livelihood zone, drought, and credit were only associated with beneficiary household food security, while crop diversification determined only graduated households’ food security. Hence, the findings suggest that policymakers and practitioners should focus on improving access to health care, limit the duration of PSNP participation, promote crop diversification, and provide proper credit use training to enhance household food security.

BackgroundThere is a global struggle with food insecurity and undernutrition among women, and Ethiopia has been particularly impacted by these issues. To address this challenge, Ethiopia has implemented a cash and food safety net program over many years. However, there is limited information available regarding the program’s factors and spatial distributions, with no recent national evidence from Ethiopia. Consequently, the objective of this study is to investigate the spatial clustering and determinants of the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) in Ethiopia.MethodThis study utilized data from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey. The sample included 8,570 weighted households. Given the hierarchical nature of the data, a multilevel logistic regression model was employed to identify factors influencing the outcome variable. Geographical clusters of individuals receiving assistance from the PSNP were examined using SaTScan software and the Bernoulli model, along with the Kulldorff methods. The nationwide distribution of the program beneficiaries was visualized using ArcGIS version 10.8. Variables were considered statistically significant if their p-value was

AbstractThough social protection in sub-Saharan Africa is intensive to alleviate food insecurity of the vulnerable group such as women, its impact on the food security status of female-headed rural households has not been well documented. Accordingly, the present study aims to evaluate the effect of the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) on the food security of female-headed farm households. The study employs the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) method to identify the comparable beneficiary and non-beneficiary sample households. The study finding indicates that PSNP improves the food security status of female-headed farm households. Moreover, the study suggested that the food security status of the beneficiary household is better than the non-beneficiary household even after controlling the potential heterogeneity. Based on the findings of the present study, we recommend that PSNPs should focus on building a sustainable income-generating livelihood system.

Though social protection in sub-Saharan Africa is intensive to alleviate food insecurity of the vulnerable group such as women, its impact on the food security status of female-headed rural households has not been well documented. Accordingly, the present study aims to evaluate the effect of the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) on the food security of female-headed farm households. The study employs the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) method to identify the comparable beneficiary and non-beneficiary sample households. The study finding indicates that PSNP improves the food security status of female-headed farm households. Moreover, the study suggested that the food security status of the beneficiary household is better than the non-beneficiary household even after controlling the potential heterogeneity. Based on the findings of the present study, we recommend that PSNPs should focus on building a sustainable income-generating livelihood system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public works programs have long been a popular policy tool to reduce poverty and build productive infrastructure. Although an extensive literature has documented the effect of these programs on poverty, there is virtually no evidence on the productive effect of the infrastructure. This paper attempts to start filling this gap in the context of the Productive Safety Net Program—a large‐scale public works program implemented in Ethiopia since 2005. Under the program, millions of beneficiaries received social transfers conditional on their participation in activities such as land improvements and soil and water conservation measures. We examine the value of these activities using a satellite‐based indicator of agricultural productivity and (reweighted) difference‐in‐differences estimates. Results show that the program is associated with limited changes in agricultural productivity. The upper bound of the main estimate is equivalent to a 2.2% increase in agricultural yield. This contrasts with existing narratives and calls for more research on the productive effects of public works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a global struggle with food insecurity and undernutrition among women, and Ethiopia has been particularly impacted by these issues. To address this challenge, Ethiopia has implemented a cash and food safety net program over many years. However, there is limited information available regarding the program's factors and spatial distributions, with no recent national evidence from Ethiopia. Consequently, the objective of this study is to investigate the spatial clustering and determinants of the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) in Ethiopia., Method: This study utilized data from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey. The sample included 8,570 weighted households. Given the hierarchical nature of the data, a multilevel logistic regression model was employed to identify factors influencing the outcome variable. Geographical clusters of individuals receiving assistance from the PSNP were examined using SaTScan software and the Bernoulli model, along with the Kulldorff methods. The nationwide distribution of the program beneficiaries was visualized using ArcGIS version 10.8. Variables were considered statistically significant if their p -value was <0.05., Results: The overall coverage of the PSNP was 13.54% [95% confidence interval (CI): 12.84-14.29] among households in Ethiopia. The study revealed that people from richer households adjusted odds ratio [AOR = 0.46 (95% CI: (0.33, 0.64))], those from the richest households [AOR = 0.26 (95% CI:(0.17,0.41))], and those with educated household heads [AOR = 0.45 (95% CI:(0.28, 0.71))] have a lower likelihood of utilizing the PSNP compared to their counterparts. Conversely, a unit increase in household heads' age [AOR = 1.02 (95% CI:(1.01, 1.02))] and family size [AOR = 1.05 (95% CI:1.021.10)] showed a higher likelihood of joining the PSNP, respectively. Household heads who have joined community health insurance [AOR = 3.21 (95% CI:(2.58, 4.01))] had significantly higher odds of being included in the PSNP than their counterparts. Heads who belong to a community with a high poverty level [AOR = 2.68 (95% CI:(1.51, 4.79))] and community health insurance [AOR = 2.49 (95% CI:(1.51, 4.11))] showed more inclination to utilize the PSNP compared to their counterparts., Conclusion: PSNP was judged to have a low implementation status based on the findings gathered regarding it. We found factors such as age, sex, region, wealth, education, family size, regions, and health insurance to be statistically significant. Therefore, encouraging women empowerment, community-based awareness creation, and coordination with regional states is advisable., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Terefe, Muluneh, Sisay Seretew and Misganaw Geremew.)

Safety nets are expanding in African countries as a policy instrument to alleviate poverty and food insecurity. Whether safety nets have improved household food security and child diet and nutrition in sub-Saharan Africa has not been well documented. This paper takes the case of Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) and provides evidence of the impact of safety nets on household food security and child nutritional outcomes. Prior studies provide inconclusive evidence as to whether PSNP has improved household food security and child nutrition. These studies used analytical approaches that correct for selection bias but have overlooked the effect of time-varying confounders that might have resulted in biased estimation. Given that household food security status is both the criteria for participation and one of the desirable outcomes of the program, estimating the causal impact of PSNP on household food security and child nutrition is prone to endogeneity due to selection bias and time-varying confounders. Therefore, the objectives of this paper are (1) to examine the impacts of PSNP on household food security, child meal frequency, child diet diversity, and child anthropometry using marginal structural modeling approach that takes into account both selection bias and time-varying confounders and (2) to shed some light on policy and programmatic implications. Results show that PSNP has not improved household food insecurity, child dietary diversity, and child anthropometry despite its positive impact on child meal frequency. Household participation in PSNP brought a 0.308 unit gain on child meal frequency. Given the consequence of food insecurity and child undernutrition on physical and mental development, intergenerational cycle of poverty, and human capital formation, the program would benefit if it is tailored to nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions.

Although development intervention programs can have far‐reaching impacts beyond their stated objective, there have been few careful studies on associated but unintended outcomes of such programs. This study assesses the impact of membership in the public works component of Ethiopia's productive safety net program (PSNP) on whether households use manure and the amount of it they use. This is done using the double‐hurdle method based on survey data of 2015 on 11 agro‐climatically diverse districts of the Tigrai region in Northern Ethiopia. Results show that PSNP member households are not different from their nonmember counterparts in terms of manure use. This may indicate that PSNP is helping member households catch up with nonmember households in terms of manure use, even though they have smaller livestock ownership. This might indicate that PSNP member households are becoming more aware of the benefits of using manure, and hence are using available manure more efficiently. Therefore, this could be taken as one additional positive contribution of the PSNP in Ethiopia's endeavor to improve food security of poor rural farm households by increasing their productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Developing countries in general and Ethiopia in particular are affected by a growing problem of food insecurity. Millions of individuals and households especially the rural poor are the main victims of the problem. The government of Ethiopia together with other development partners launched the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) in 2005 to help chronically food-insecure households. This study discusses the role of PSNP on the improvement in consumption needs and asset base of the households, effect on community development and determinants of food insecurity level of beneficiaries. Methodology Three Woredas have been selected agro-ecologically. Both qualitative and quantitative data-generating techniques were employed. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically and using narration. Frequency distribution table and t test were used. Logistic regression was employed to analyze the determinants of food insecurity. Results and conclusion Results indicated that PSNP was helping beneficiaries for consumption smoothing, asset accumulation, and development of the local community. The effectiveness of PSNP was significantly determined by age and education level of the household head and occurrence of shocks on the last five consecutive years. The practice of PSNP was challenged by a lack of monitoring and evaluation of structures, low payment and limited awareness of beneficiaries. To assure the positive role of PSNP, culture of savings and accumulation of assets, engagement of beneficiary households in diversified asset building livelihood strategies, targeting and minimizing wrong inclusion and exclusion, and the management as well as monitoring practices of locally constructed community development infrastructures should be enhanced.

This paper aims at evaluating the impact of productive safety net program on poverty using primary data from randomly selected 600 households in central zone of Tigrai National Regional State, Ethiopia. Propensity Score Matching and Foster-Greer-Thorbecke were used to evaluate impact of the program and poverty, respectively. The paper revealed that the program has positive and significant effect on consumption, livestock holdings, and productive assets. Moreover, impact of the program on total consumption expenditure per adult equivalent was found to be positive and significant. Using total poverty line, poverty rate was lowest among program participants (30.33%) than non-participants (31.1%). Highest poverty rate was found among households headed by women (38.42%) while households headed by men (23.1%). The study also revealed that the program has positive and significant effect on poverty reduction and protecting productive assets. Finally, it was recommended that female headed program participants based programs should be provided to help boost their agricultural output and reduce endemic poverty.

Due to lack of well-developed insurance and credit markets, rural families in Ethiopia are exposed to a range of covariate and idiosyncratic risks. In 2005, to deal with the consequences of covariate risks, the government implemented the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP), and in 2011, to mitigate the financial consequences of ill-health, the government introduced a pilot Community Based Health Insurance (CBHI) Scheme. This paper explores whether scheme uptake and retention is affected by access to the PSNP. Based on household panel data and qualitative information, the analysis shows that participating in the PSNP increases the probability of CBHI uptake by 24 percentage points and enhances scheme retention by 10 percentage points. A large proportion of this effect may be attributed to explicit and implicit pressure applied by government officials on PSNP beneficiaries. Whether this is a desirable approach is debatable. Nevertheless, the results suggest that membership in existing social protection programs may be leveraged to spread new schemes and potentially accelerate poverty reduction efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safety nets are expanding in African countries as a policy instrument to alleviate poverty and food insecurity. Whether safety nets have improved household food security and child diet and nutrition in sub-Saharan Africa has not been well documented. This paper takes the case of Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) and provides evidence of the impact of safety nets on household food security and child nutritional outcomes. Prior studies provide inconclusive evidence as to whether PSNP has improved household food security and child nutrition. These studies used analytical approaches that correct for selection bias but have overlooked the effect of time-varying confounders that might have resulted in biased estimation. Given that household food security status is both the criteria for participation and one of the desirable outcomes of the program, estimating the causal impact of PSNP on household food security and child nutrition is prone to endogeneity due to selection bias and time-varying confounders. Therefore, the objectives of this paper are (1) to examine the impacts of PSNP on household food security, child meal frequency, child diet diversity, and child anthropometry using marginal structural modeling approach that takes into account both selection bias and time-varying confounders and (2) to shed some light on policy and programmatic implications. Results show that PSNP has not improved household food insecurity, child dietary diversity, and child anthropometry despite its positive impact on child meal frequency. Household participation in PSNP brought a 0.308 unit gain on child meal frequency. Given the consequence of food insecurity and child undernutrition on physical and mental development, intergenerational cycle of poverty, and human capital formation, the program would benefit if it is tailored to nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions., Competing Interests: BAB, MJG, RB, and MZ have no conflict of interest. Young Lives had no role in analyses, or interpretation of the data or the writing of the manuscript., (© 2020 The Authors.)