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Cash or In-Kind Transfers : Do Outcomes Vary According to Transfer Modality?

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Abstract

Cash transfers in general appear to be more effective than in-kind transfers or vouchers at improving a range of outcomes, including decreasing monetary poverty, improving health and nutrition, and increasing food security, across diverse country contexts, program objectives, and design features. However, identifying a superior modality is challenging due to the heterogeneity in context, program design, and objectives of the studies reviewed, despite evidence generally favoring the effectiveness of cash transfers and acknowledging the enhanced effectiveness of a combination of modalities, referred to as cash plus, in specific cases.

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  • World Bank, 2024. "Cash or In-Kind Transfers : Do Outcomes Vary According to Transfer Modality?," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 191207, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:hdnspu:191207
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Benjamin Schwab, 2020. "In the Form of Bread? A Randomized Comparison of Cash and Food Transfers in Yemen," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 102(1), pages 91-113, January.
    2. Jesse M. Cunha, 2014. "Testing Paternalism: Cash versus In-Kind Transfers," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 6(2), pages 195-230, April.
    3. Benjamin Schwab, 2019. "Comparing the Productive Effects of Cash and Food Transfers in a Crisis Setting: Evidence from a Randomised Experiment in Yemen," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(S1), pages 29-54, December.
    4. Craig McIntosh & Andrew Zeitlin, 2021. "Cash versus Kind: Benchmarking a Child Nutrition Program against Unconditional Cash Transfers in Rwanda," Papers 2106.00213, arXiv.org.
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