The dynamics of microcredit borrowings in Cambodia

We employ 2011–2014 panel data of eleven villages in Cambodia to investigate the impact of microcredit access on paddy quantity and income, expenditure on inputs of paddy production, and self-employment income. The panel data enables us to implement difference-in-differences and triple differences estimators. We find that credit participants observe a 26.1% increase in paddy income, 68.9% in paddy quantity and 26.5% in expenditure on inputs of paddy production. Poorer households benefit more from credit participation. Participants also observe an increased nonland durable assets relative to those of non-participants, particularly agricultural assets. We find week evidence that women participants benefit more from credit programme than male counterparts. Although women are more likely to start selfemployment activities with the loans—mainly in informal sector—the income gains are not statistically different from zero relative to what men earn.