Social protection and vulnerability to nutrition security: empirical evidence from Ethiopia

We investigate the role of the productive safety net program (PSNP) and its modes of benefit transfer in vulnerability to nutritional outcomes in rural households of Ethiopia. We model a panel switching regression in a counterfactual framework to account for unobserved individual heterogeneity. We found an inverse relationship between PSNP participation and households’ vulnerability to low dietary intake and diet diversity. Our findings confirm that vulnerability is reduced more with cash plus food transfers compared to either of the mechanism individually. The study sheds some light on the ongoing debate on the design of the mode of benefit transfer in social protection programs

Hailemariam Teklewold, Tagel Gebrehiwot, Mintewab Bezabih

EfD Authors

Teklewold, Hailemariam

Gebreheiwot, Tagel

Bezabih, Mintewab Ayele

Sustainable Development Goals

Zero Hunger

Climate action