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Finance and Poverty in Ethiopia: A Household Level Analysis

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  • Alemayehu Geda
  • Abebe Shimeles
  • Daniel Zerfu Gurara

Abstract

In this paper, using the rich household panel data of urban and rural Ethiopia that covers the period from 1994 to 2000, we attempted to establish the link between finance and poverty in Ethiopia. Our results show that access to finance is an important factor in consumption smoothing and hence poverty reduction. We also found evidence for a poverty trap due to liquidity constraints that limits the ability of the rural households from consumption smoothing. The empirical findings from this study could inform finance policies aimed at addressing issues of poverty reduction.

Suggested Citation

  • Alemayehu Geda & Abebe Shimeles & Daniel Zerfu Gurara, 2006. "Finance and Poverty in Ethiopia: A Household Level Analysis," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2006-51, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:rp2006-51
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    Cited by:

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    2. Yonas Alem & Mintewab Bezabih & Menale Kassie & Precious Zikhali, 2010. "Does fertilizer use respond to rainfall variability? Panel data evidence from Ethiopia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 41(2), pages 165-175, March.
    3. Jie Yu & Xiao Han & Baozhen Chen & Jinzheng Ren, 2020. "Estimating the Impact of Poverty Alleviation Microcredit on the Income of Poor Households Using the Propensity Score Matching Method: Evidence from China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-19, July.
    4. Abro, Zewdu Ayalew & Alemu, Bamlaku Alamirew & Hanjra, Munir A., 2014. "Policies for Agricultural Productivity Growth and Poverty Reduction in Rural Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 461-474.
    5. Olabimtan Adebowale & David Lawson, 2018. "How does access to formal finance affect household welfare dynamics? Micro evidence from Nigeria," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series 242018, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    6. Xiaohua Wang & Meilan Chen & Xi He & Fangfang Zhang, 2018. "Credit Constraint, Credit Adjustment, and Sustainable Growth of Farmers’ Income," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-15, November.
    7. Abosedra, Salah & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Nawaz, Kishwar, 2015. "Modeling Causality between Financial Deepening and Poverty Reduction in Egypt," MPRA Paper 67166, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 09 Oct 2015.
    8. Michael Danquah & Abdul Malik Iddrisu & Peter Quartey & Williams Ohemeng & Alfred Barimah, 2021. "Rural financial intermediation and poverty reduction in Ghana: A micro‐level analysis," Poverty & Public Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 13(4), pages 316-334, December.
    9. Sin-Yu Ho & Bernard Njindan Iyke, 2017. "Does Financial Development Lead to Poverty Reduction in China? Time Series Evidence," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 9(1), pages 99-112.
    10. Burke, William J. & Jayne, Thomas S. & Freeman, H. Ade & Kristjanson, Patricia, 2007. "Factors Associated with Farm Households’ Movement Into and Out of Poverty in Kenya: The Rising Importance of Livestock," Food Security International Development Working Papers 54563, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    11. Quan Xiao & Yu Wang & Haojie Liao & Gang Han & Yunjie Liu, 2023. "The Impact of Digital Inclusive Finance on Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity: A Study Based on China’s Provinces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-19, January.
    12. Ijaz Rehman & Muhammad Shahbaz, 2014. "Multivariate-based Granger causality between financial deepening and poverty: the case of Pakistan," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 48(6), pages 3221-3241, November.
    13. Fagbemi, Fisayo & Olufolahan, Toyin, 2019. "Capital inflows, financial development and poverty reduction in Nigeria," MPRA Paper 112784, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 04 Apr 2019.

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