Data and Code for: The Fading Treatment Effects of a Multi-Faceted Asset-Transfer Program in Ethiopia

We study the long-run effects of a big-push “graduation” program in Ethiopia in which very poor households received a one-time transfer of productive assets (mainly livestock), technical training, and access to savings accounts. After seven years, treatment effects on wealth and consumption remain economically meaningful but dissipated relative to the two- and three-year results. Treatment effects on other outcomes attenuated further. Based on absolute wellbeing (e.g., food security) not dropping, we argue that the treatment effect dissipation is driven primarily by improved living standards for control households, rather than losses of the previously accrued benefits for the treatment households.

This folder contains replication data and code for the paper "The Fading Treatment Effects of a Multi-Faceted Asset-Transfer Program in Ethiopia." Households in 10 tabias (wards) of the Kilte Awlaelo District of Tigray Region, Ethiopia.

Households are participants of the Government of Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Programme (a food-for-work program).

They were identified by a Community Task Force on the basis of basis of having below average landholdings, low levels of livestock, high dependency ratios, and limited external income. Individuals had to be capable of engaging in a physical activity, and not have an outstanding loan at any financial institution.

This population can therefore generally be thought of as low-income households within rural Tigray, Ethiopia. Data collection was conducted by the research NGO Innovations for Poverty Action.