The Design of Public Works and the Competing Goals of Investment and Food Security

Kathleen Beegle, World Bank Group
Emanuela Galasso, World Bank Group
Jessica Goldberg, University of Maryland

This research project addresses two questions. First, it examines the impact of a large-scale public works program of the Malawi Social Action Fund as an income-promoting mechanism via its impact on agricultural productivity through increased access to yield-improving inputs. Second, the proposed design focuses on understanding the implications of alternative payments schemes on consumption, savings, and investment behavior.