Our Daily Bread : What is the Evidence on Comparing Cash versus Food Transfers?

This paper reviews key issues in the 'cash versus food' debate, including as they relate to political economy, theory, evidence, and practice. In doing so, it benefited from a new generation of 12 impact evaluations deliberately comparing alternative transfer modalities. Findings show that differences in effectiveness vary by indicator, although they tend to be moderate on average. In some cases differences are more marked (i.e., food consumption and calorie availability), but in most instances they are not statistically significant. In general, transfers' performance and their difference seem a function of the organic and fluid interactions among factors like the profile and 'initial conditions' of beneficiaries, the capacity of local markets, and program objectives and design. Costs associated with cash transfers and vouchers tend to be substantially lower relative to food. Yet methods for cost-effectiveness analysis vary and need to be more standardized and nuanced. The reviewed evaluations are helping to shift the debate from one shaped by ideology, political economy and 'inference' of evidence to one centering on robust and context-specific results.

Bibliographic Details

Main Author:	Gentilini, Ugo
Language:	English en_US
Published:	World Bank Group, Washington, DC 2014-07
Subjects:	ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES, AGRICULTURAL INPUTS, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY, ANEMIA, AVAILABILITY OF FOOD, BARS, BENEFICIARIES, BENEFICIARY, BREAD, CALORIC INTAKE, CALORIE INTAKE, CASH GRANTS, CASH INTERVENTIONS, CASH PAYMENTS, CASH TRANSFER, CASH TRANSFER PROGRAMS, CASH TRANSFERS, CASSAVA, CEREALS, CHILD MALNUTRITION, CHOCOLATE, CHRONIC FOOD INSECURITY, CHRONIC MALNUTRITION, COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT, CONDIMENTS, CONDITIONAL CASH, CONDITIONAL TRANSFER, CONSUMPTION SMOOTHING, CORN, COST-EFFECTIVENESS, DAIRY, DIET, DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS, DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH, DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM, DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, DRIED FISH, EGGS, EXTREME POVERTY, FAMINE, FAMINES, FARMERS, FLOUR, FOOD ACCESS, FOOD AID, FOOD ASSISTANCE, FOOD AVAILABILITY, FOOD BASKET, FOOD BASKETS, FOOD COMMODITIES, FOOD CONSUMPTION, FOOD DEMAND, FOOD DISTRIBUTION, FOOD EXPENDITURES, FOOD FOR EDUCATION, FOOD INSECURITY, FOOD ITEMS, FOOD NEEDS, FOOD POLICY, FOOD PRICES, FOOD PRODUCTION, FOOD PROGRAMS, FOOD PURCHASES, FOOD QUANTITY, FOOD RATION, FOOD RATIONS, FOOD SECURITY, FOOD SECURITY INDICATORS, FOOD SECURITY ISSUES, FOOD SHORTAGE, FOOD STAMP, FOOD STAMPS, FOOD TRANSFER, FOOD TRANSFERS, FOOD-FOR-WORK, FOODS, FRUIT, FRUITS, GLOBAL FOOD PRODUCTION, GRAINS, HEALTH CARE, HOME RATION, HOME RATIONS, HONEY, HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION, HOUSEHOLD FOOD, HOUSEHOLD FOOD CONSUMPTION, HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY, HOUSEHOLD INCOME, HOUSEHOLD LEVEL, HOUSEHOLD RESOURCES, HOUSEHOLD SIZE, HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE, HUNGER, INCOME, INCOME GROWTH, INSURANCE, IRON, LABELING, LEAN SEASON, LEGUMES, MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, MAIZE, MAIZE MARKET, MALNUTRITION, MARKET ANALYSIS, MARKET PRICES, MEAT, MEATS, MICRONUTRIENTS, MILK POWDER, NATURAL DISASTERS, NUTRIENT, NUTRIENTS, NUTRITION ASSISTANCE, NUTRITION NEEDS, NUTRITION TRAINING, NUTRITIONAL CONTENT, NUTRITIONAL VALUE, NUTRITIOUS FOOD, OILS AND FATS, PALM OIL, PASTA, PEANUTS, POLITICAL ECONOMY, POOR, POOR PEOPLE, POOR POPULATIONS, POTATOES, POVERTY GAP, POVERTY LINE, POVERTY-REDUCING POLICIES, PROTECTION SYSTEMS, PROVISION OF FOOD, PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, PUBLIC TRANSFERS, PUBLIC WORKS, PULSES, PURCHASING POWER, RED BEANS, REFUGEE CAMPS, RICE, RISK MANAGEMENT, RURAL, RURAL MAINTENANCE, RURAL ROADS, SAFETY NET, SAFETY NET PROGRAMS, SAFETY NET TRANSFERS, SAFETY NETS, SAVINGS, SCHOOL FEEDING, SCHOOL FEES, SEAFOOD, SHARE OF TRANSFERS, SOCIAL PROTECTION, SOCIAL SAFETY NETS, SORGHUM, STAPLE FOODS, STARCH, SUGAR, SUPERMARKET, SUPERMARKETS, TARGETING, TEA, TEMPORARY EMPLOYMENT, TRANSACTION COSTS, TRANSFER AMOUNT, TRANSFER AMOUNTS, TRANSFER INCOME, TRANSFER PROGRAM, TRANSFER PROGRAMS, TRANSFER SIZES, TRANSFERS IN CASH, TUBERS, VEGETABLES, VITAMIN, VOUCHER SCHEME, VOUCHERS, VULNERABLE GROUP, VULNERABLE PEOPLE, WFP, WHEAT, WHEAT FLOUR, WORKS PROGRAM,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/214-/7-/19804776/daily-bread-evidence-comparing-cash-versus-food-transfers https://hdl.handle.net/10986/19981
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