Impact of PRIME interventions on Monga mitigation in greater Rangpur region in Bangladesh- Institute of Microfinance

The present study was undertaken with the objective of assessing impact of PRIME program at the household level. PKSF introduced the PRIME (Programmed Initiative for Monga Eradication) in Lalmonirhat on pilot basis in 2006. The program interventions include cash for work, seasonal emergency loan, flexible micro credit, support to promote profitable IGAs and micro enterprises. In 2006, PKSF started with cash for work program. In 2007, it extended to other four districts - Kurigram, Nilphamari, Gaibandha and Rangpur. Cash for work program was also implemented in these districts. In 2008, cash for work program under PRIME was not implemented as the GoB introduced guaranteed 100-Day Employment Scheme. Therefore, PRIME is essentially now a micro finance program although terms and conditions are different from traditional micro finance. The PRIME program targets ultra-poor. Ultra poor households were selected based on certain criteria. The criteria are: (i) landholding of HHs should not be more than 50 decimal; (ii) wage employment is the major source of income, (iii) monthly income should not exceed Tk.1500 a month. These criteria are standard, but PKSF targets lower strata of poor households under the program. The beginning of a process to identify ultra poor households was benchmark survey of households through FGD. Not all upazilas and HHs were surveyed in 2006 and 2007. Twelve upazilas in three districts - Rangpur, Nilphamari and Gaibandha - were surveyed only in 2008. PRIME is yet to be implemented in those 12 upazilas. As such, the present implementation areas under PRIME are 23 upazilas. The present study is based on a sample survey of some 5308 including 702 control households. Samples in the program areas were selected from a target population of some 482,000 households. Sample design included coverage of all districts, selection of upazilas, unions, villages and households randomly on proportionate basis. The survey was conducted in December 2008 and January 2009. Therefore, analysis in this report essentially reflects achievements of PRIME until December 2008. A short questionnaire was prepared for benchmark survey, and quite a longer version was prepared for impact survey. Therefore, we have panel data on selected number of parameters of both participants and non-participants in program villages, and cross-sectional data for a large number of parameters for participants, non-participants in program villages and nonparticipants in control villages. We provided analysis of the impact of PRIME using both the data sets.