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Development economics

People

William Parienté, Joseph Gomes

Research projects

Sponsor Project Title IRES Promoters IRES Researchers Beginning End
SFSD

Optimizing social protection in Egypt

 
 William Parienté      
Project description:

Governments and development organizations expend a lot of effort trying to help the poorest of the poor. Oftentimes, this segment of the population requires significant assistance in the form of consumption support (i.e. cash transfer), but also complimentary services like healthcare, savings support, mentorship as well as training and capital to help them start and maintain an income generating activity (IGA). This is the idea of the internationally admired “graduation program” that was started by BRAC International and has a strong base of rigorous evidence that showcases its success across a variety of countries.
Arguably the most important (and the most expensive) part of their program is their support of the poor in pursuing an income generating activity (IGA). This often takes the form of some kind of livestock transfer or capital to start a microbusiness (like a fruit-stand, or barbershop, etc.) in addition to some basic training. There are many open questions about the best way to help get this income generating activity off the group and how to make sure it is efficient, pro table and sustainable.
For instance, does it make more sense to restrict the options people have and, for instance, train everyone on how to raise livestock so that they can help each other when problems arise and work together to get the best prices for their goods? Or is it better to give people more options to choose what they think they will be best at, even if this is more costly due to the costs of sending more specialists out to the eld to provide a variety of skills and support?
Another important question is how this type of support for the poor affects the overall economy. In particular, does providing assistance to the poor help others in the village and how does it change village-level outcomes? One could imagine that helping the poor lead more productive lives could have positive spillover effects on others in the community. It could lead to more wealth generation, more work for the village and less of a need for others in the village to support the poor freeing up resources to go towards investment in other businesses or into public goods or education. By measuring these spillovers we will be able to showcase how helping the poor could be a good strategy for helping others and for growing the overall economy.

Sponsor Project Title IRES Promoters IRES Researchers Beginning End
IPA

Tailor-Made Microcredit in Rural Morocco. Experimental Evidence on Loan Take-Up and Poverty Impacts

 William Parienté      
Project description:

We use an RCT in rural Morocco to test whether matching loan repayments more closely with expected entrepreneurial cash ows increases the take-up and poverty impact of microcredit. The RCT combines subsequent interventions at the individual level (an estimated 3,600 participants across 40 branches) and the village level (320 villages). We introduce two new forms of individual-liability ‘tailored’ microcredit. The rst loan contract has a repayment schedule split into three equal periods. The borrower and loan of cer jointly decide on the monthly amount that the borrower repays in each of these three periods. The second contract is one where the borrower only pays interest during a 5-month grace period (and both interest and capital thereafter). The control loan has a standard, rigid contract. The main outcome variables at the individual level are credit access, loan quality (repayment behavior), incidence and profitability of self-employment, household income and consumption, and hours worked by household members. The main outcome variables at the village level are loan take-up and repayment quality.

Publications


Journal Articles


1. Beine, Michel; Bertinelli, Luisito; Cömertpay, Rana; Litina, Anastasia; Maystadt, Jean-François. A gravity analysis of refugee mobility using mobile phone data. In: Journal of Development Economics, , p. 102618 (2021). doi:10.1016/j.jdeveco.2020.102618. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240714

2. Armand, Alex; Atwell, Paul; Gomes, Joseph. The Reach of Radio: Ending Civil Conflict through Rebel Demobilization. In: American Economic Review, Vol. 110, no. 5, p. 1395-1429 (2020). http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/227057

3. Gomes, Joseph. The health costs of ethnic distance: evidence from sub-Saharan Africa. In: Journal of Economic Growth, Vol. 25, no.2, p. 195-226 (2020). doi:10.1007/s10887-020-09177-4. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/230267

4. Mach, Katharine J.; Adger, W. Neil; Buhaug, Halvard; Burke, Marshall; Fearon, James D.; Field, Christopher B.; Hendrix, Cullen S.; Kraan, Caroline M.; Maystadt, Jean-François; O'Loughlin, John. Directions for Research on Climate and Conflict. In: Earth's Future, Vol. 8, no.7, p. 3-7 (2020). doi:10.1029/2020ef001532. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/239940

5. Beshir, Habtamu Ali; Maystadt, Jean-François. In Utero Seasonal Food Insecurity and Cognitive Development: Evidence on Gender Imbalances From Ethiopia. In: Journal of African Economies, Vol. 29, no.4, p. 412-431 (2020). doi:10.1093/jafeco/ejz028. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/239938

6. Gomes, Joseph. Linguistic Fractionalization and Health Information in Sub-Saharan Africa. In: The World Bank Economic Review, Vol. 34, no. Issue Supplement_1, p. S20-S25 (February 2020). doi:10.1093/wber/lhz009. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/223376

7. Desmet, Klaus; Gomes, Joseph; Ortuño-Ortín, Ignacio. The geography of linguistic diversity and the provision of public goods. In: Journal of Development Economics, Vol. 143, p. 102384 (2020). doi:10.1016/j.jdeveco.2019.102384. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/220128

8. Maystadt, Jean-François; Hirvonen, Kalle; Mabiso, Athur; Vandercasteelen, Joachim. Impacts of Hosting Forced Migrants in Poor Countries. In: Annual Review of Resource Economics, Vol. 11, no.1, p. 439-459 (2019). doi:10.1146/annurev-resource-090518-095629. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/239922

9. Dagnelie, Olivier; Mayda, Anna Maria; Maystadt, Jean-François. The labor market integration of refugees in the United States: Do entrepreneurs in the network help?. In: European Economic Review, Vol. 111, p. 257-272 (2019). doi:10.1016/j.euroecorev.2018.10.001. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/239923

10. Maystadt, Jean-François; Duranton, Gilles. The development push of refugees: evidence from Tanzania. In: Journal of Economic Geography, Vol. 19, no.2, p. 299-334 (2019). doi:10.1093/jeg/lby020. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/242791

11. Glover, Dylan; Pallais, Amanda; Parienté, William. Discrimination as a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Evidence from French Grocery Stores. In: The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Vol. 132, no. 3, p. 1219-1260 (2017). doi:10.1093/qje/qjx006. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/195521

12. Cogneau, Denis; Czajka, Léo; Houngbedjii, Kenneth. Le retour de l’éléphant triomphant ? Croissance et inégalités de revenu en Côte d’Ivoire (1988-2015). In: Afrique Contemporaine : Afrique et développement, , no.263/264, p. 221-225 (2017). doi:10.3917/afco.263.0221. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/214021

13. Parienté, William. Urbanization in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Challenge of Access to Basic Services. In: Journal of Demographic Economics, Vol. 83, no.1, p. 31-39 (February 2017). doi:10.1017/dem.2017.3. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/184322

14. Docquier, Frédéric. The Emigration-Development Nexus: Recent Advances from the Growth Theory Perspective. In: Revue d'économie du développement, Vol. 25, no.3, p. 45 (2017). doi:10.3917/edd.313.0045. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/200622

15. Marchiori, Luca; Maystadt, Jean-François; Schumacher, Ingmar. Is environmentally induced income variability a driver of human migration?. In: Migration and Development, Vol. 6, no.1, p. 33-59 (2015). doi:10.1080/21632324.2015.1020106. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/239894

16. Ma, Jiliang; Maystadt, Jean-François. The impact of weather variations on maize yields and household income: Income diversification as adaptation in rural China. In: Global Environmental Change, Vol. 42, p. 93-106 (2017). doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2016.12.006. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/239899

17. Docquier, Frédéric; Leruth, Luc. Economie du développement en Belgique. In: Reflets et perspectives de la vie économique, Vol. LV, no.1 (2016). http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/173809

18. Parienté, William. Impact des politiques de développement : enseignements des évaluations aléatoires. In: Reflets et perspectives de la vie économique, Vol. LV, no.1, p. 105-116 (2016). doi:10.3917/rpve.551.0105. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/173815

19. Docquier, Frédéric; Leruth, Luc. Économie du développement en Belgique – Aperçu des tendances actuelles en matière de recherche. In: Reflets et perspectives de la vie économique, Vol. LV, no.1, p. 5-8 (2016). doi:10.3917/rpve.551.0005. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/173810

20. Maystadt, Jean-François; Mueller, Valerie; Sebastian, Ashwini. Environmental Migration and Labor Markets in Nepal. In: Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, Vol. 3, no.2, p. 417-452 (2016). doi:10.1086/684579. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/239851

21. Banerjee, Abhijit; Duflo, Esther; Goldberg, Nathanael; Karlan, Dean; Osei, Robert; Parienté, William; Shapiro, Jeremy; Thuysbaert, Bram; Udry, Christopher. A multifaceted program causes lasting progress for the very poor: Evidence from six countries. In: Science, Vol. 348, no.6236, p. 772-788 (15 May 2015). doi:10.1126/science.1260799. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/159246

22. Crépon, Bruno; Devoto, Florencia; Duflo, Esther; Parienté, William. Estimating the Impact of Microcredit on Those Who Take It Up: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment in Morocco. In: American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, Vol. 7, no.1, p. 123-150 (January 2015). doi:10.1257/app.20130535. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/154418

23. Maystadt, Jean-François; Calderone, Margherita; You, Liangzhi. Local warming and violent conflict in North and South Sudan. In: Journal of Economic Geography, Vol. 15, no.3, p. 649-671 (2015). doi:10.1093/jeg/lbu033. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/239850

24. Maystadt, Jean-François; De Luca, Giacomo; Sekeris, Petros G.; Ulimwengu, John. Mineral resources and conflicts in DRC: a case of ecological fallacy?. In: Oxford Economic Papers, Vol. 66, no.3, p. 721-749 (2013). doi:10.1093/oep/gpt037. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/239839

25. Maystadt, Jean-François; Trinh Tan, Jean-François; Breisinger, Clemens. Does food security matter for transition in Arab countries?. In: Food Policy, Vol. 46, p. 106-115 (2014). doi:10.1016/j.foodpol.2014.01.005. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/239833

26. Maystadt, Jean-François; Verwimp, Philip. Winners and Losers among a Refugee-Hosting Population. In: Economic Development and Cultural Change, Vol. 62, no.4, p. 769-809 (2014). doi:10.1086/676458. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/239796

27. Maystadt, Jean-François; Ecker, Olivier. Extreme Weather and Civil War: Does Drought Fuel Conflict in Somalia through Livestock Price Shocks?. In: American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Vol. 96, no.4, p. 1157-1182 (2014). doi:10.1093/ajae/aau010. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/239848

28. Maystadt, Jean-François. Microfinance au Nord : Un effet de mode importé du Sud ?. In: Mondes en développement, , no.126, p. 69-82 (2004). http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/239824


Conference Papers


1. Maystadt, Jean-François; Mueller, Valerie; Van den Hoek, Jamon; van Weezel, Stijn. Refugees not to blame for environmental degradation in Africa. 2019 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240662

2. Maystadt, Jean-François; Mueller, Valerie; Van den hoek, Jamon; van Weezel, Stijn. Refugees not to blame for environmental degradation in Africa. 2019 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240669

3. Ecker, Olivier; Maystadt, Jean-François. Can unconditional cash transfers mitigate the impact of civil conflict on acute child malnutrition in Yemen. 2019 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240674

4. Maystadt, Jean-François; Mueller, Valerie; Van Den Hoek, Jamon; van Weezel, Stijn. Refugees not to blame for environmental degradation in Africa. 2019 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240676

5. Mayda, Anna Maria; Dagnelie, Olivier; Maystadt, Jean-François. Labor market integration of refugees to the U.S.: Do entrepreneurs in the network help?. 2017 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240659

6. Maystadt, Jean-François; Migali, Giuseppe. The intergenerational transmission of Health in China: Evidence from 7 generations. 2017 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240660

7. Maystadt, Jean-François; Duranton, Gilles. The development push of refugees: Evidence from Tanzania. 2016 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240657

8. Maystadt, Jean-François; Migali, Giuseppe. The intergenerational transmission of Health in China: Evidence from 7 generations. 2016 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240658

9. Maystadt, Jean-François; Mueller, Valérie; Sebastian, Ashwini. Environmental Migration and labor markets in Nepal. 2015 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240656

10. Maystadt, Jean-François; Duranton, Gilles. The development push of refugees: Evidence from Tanzania. 2014 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240638

11. Maystadt, Jean-François; Duranton, Gilles. The development push of refugees: Evidence from Tanzania. 2014 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240641

12. Maystadt, Jean-François; Duranton, Gilles. The development push of refugees: Evidence from Tanzania. 2013 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240623

13. Maystadt, Jean-François; Duranton, Gilles. The development push of refugees: Evidence from Tanzania. 2013 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240636

14. Marchiori, Luca; Maystadt, Jean-François; Schumacher, Ingmar. Weather Variations and Migration in Sub-Saharan Africa. 2012 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240613

15. Maystadt, Jean-François; Ecker, Olivier. Extreme Weather and Civil War: Does Drought Fuel Conflict in Somalia through Livestock Price Shocks. 2012 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240615

16. Maystadt, Jean-François. Poverty reduction in refugee-hosting population. 2012 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240617

17. Maystadt, Jean-François; Ecker, Olivier. Extreme Weather and Civil War: Does Drought Fuel Conflict in Somalia through Livestock Price Shocks?. 2012 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240616

18. Maystadt, Jean-François; Verwimp Philip. Winners and Losers among a refugee-hosting population. 2011 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240611

19. Maystadt, Jean-François; Verwimp, Philip. Winners and Losers among a refugee-hosting population. 2011 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240612

20. Marchiori, Luca; Maystadt, Jean-François; Schumacher, Ingmar. Weather Variations and Migration in Sub-Saharan Africa. 2010 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240609

21. Maystadt, Jean-François; Verwimp, Philip. Winners and Losers among a refugee-hosting population. 2010 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240607

22. Marchiori, Luca; Maystadt, Jean-François; Schhumacher, Ingmar. Weather Variations and Migration in Sub-Saharan Africa. 2009 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240608

23. Maystadt, Jean-François; Verwimp, Philip. Winners and Losers among a refugee-hosting population. 2009 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240606

24. Maystadt, Jean-François. Does inequality make us rebel? A renewed theoretical model applied to South Mexico. 2008 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240605

25. Maystadt, Jean-François. Does inequality make us rebel? A renewed theoretical model applied to South Mexico. 2006 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240604


Book Chapters


1. Beine, Michel; Bertinelli, Luisito; Cömertpay, Rana; Litina, Anastasia; Maystadt, Jean-François; Zou, Benteng. Refugee mobility. Evidence from Phone Data in Turkey. In: Guide to Mobile Data Analytics in Refugee Scenarios : The "Data for Refugee Challenge" study , Springer, 2019, p. 433-449. 978-3-030-12554-7. xxx xxx. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-12554-7_22. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240562

2. Mabiso, Arthur; Maystadt, Jean-François; Vandercasteelen, Joachim; Hirvonen, Kalle. Resilience for food security in refugee-hosting communities. In: Resilience for Food and Nutrition Security , International Food Policy Research Institute, 2014, p. 45 - 52. 978-0-89629-678-7. xxx xxx. doi:10.2499/9780896296787. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240583

3. Breisinger, Clemens; Ecker, Olivier; Maystadt, Jean-François; Trinh tan, Jean-François; Al-Riffai, Perrihan; Bouzar, Khalida; Sma, AbdelKarim; Abdelgadir, Mohamed. Food security policies for building resilience to conflict. In: Resilience for Food and Nutrition Security , International Food Policy Research Institute: Washington, 2014, p. 37-44. 978-0-89629-678-7. xxx xxx. doi:10.2499/9780896296787. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240585


Working Papers


1. Joseph Flavian Gomes. The Health Costs of Ethnic Distance: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa. 2020. 103 p. IRES Discussion papers 2020005. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/227707

2. Gomes, Joseph. The Health Costs of Ethnic Distance: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa. 2020. 59 p. CEPR Discussion Paper 14332. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/227062


Books


1. Breisinger, Clemens. How to build resilience to conflict: The role of food security. International Food Policy Research Institute, 2014. 978-0-89629-566-7. 38 pages. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240549

2. Maystadt, Jean-François. La Micro-finance peut-elle fonctionner au Nord ? Apprentissage Sud-Nord. Luc Pire: Waterloo, 2004. 2-87415-423-7. 175 p. pages. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/240550