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News, ideas, and analysis from J-PAL staff and affiliated professors. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive monthly email updates.

Farmer standing in his growing soybean field examining the progress of plants.

Identifying and testing gender-sensitive and climate-resilient agricultural solutions: The Digital Agricultural Innovations and Services Initiative’s first round of projects

J-PAL and the Center for Effective Global Action’s (CEGA) Digital Agricultural Innovations and Services Initiative (DAISI) was launched in 2021 to rigorously evaluate programs that increase the availability, quality, and reach of bundled, digital agricultural solutions and services for small-scale...
Officer signing papers at URJA desk

In their own words: Female officers on the front lines of gender-targeted police reforms

J-PAL affiliated professor Sandip Sukhtankar (University of Virginia) and co-authors, in collaboration with the Madhya Pradesh Police Research and Training Department, conducted a randomised evaluation to test the impact of gender-targeted police reforms in the state of Madhya Pradesh in India.
Woman looking at produce at market

What the research says on improving women's economic agency and employment outcomes

In this blog, we summarize ongoing research and lessons from randomized evaluations funded by the Gender and Economic Agency (GEA) Initiative and the Jobs and Opportunity Initiative (JOI), which address open questions related to women’s work and economic empowerment.
Young girls in elementary school, Harar, Ethiopia, Africa

Advancing the Agenda in Girls' Education Research

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Girls’ education remains a global priority for donors and governments. Many researchers suggest that the research community should coalesce around a set of coherent research priorities to help close gender gaps in education. This article outlines some crucial next steps to advance the research...
Farmer in Kenya at work in field

Agricultural productivity and labor: Evidence and open questions for researchers

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This blog offers insights and proposes questions on how farmers in Kenya can best utilize household and hired labor, in addition to agricultural technologies.
Women having a union meeting

Developing capacities for the generation and use of evidence in the promotion of women's agency in Central America

Organizations in Central America increasingly recognize the importance of improving women’s agency by implementing programs and initiatives to support this goal. As part of J-PAL Latin America and the Caribbean’s (LAC) efforts to strengthen capacities and share evidence, in January 2023, we started...
A woman stands on a stage in purple lighting holding a clear glass award.

J-PAL’s Diana Warira gives keynote address at the Africa Evidence Network’s EVIDENCE 2022 Conference

Diana Warira, a policy manager at J-PAL Global, recently presented a keynote address at the Africa Evidence Network’s EVIDENCE 2022 Conference, at a session laying the spotlight on Africa Evidence Leadership Award winners.
African women in a local market doing a digital transaction.

Digital IDs and e-payments in Africa: Consolidating what we (don’t) know (yet)

Digital identification (ID) can improve targeting and reduce leakages of government programs, while also enabling citizens to participate in the digital economy. However, digital ID systems can also lead to exclusion of vulnerable groups. The implementation of digital ID systems may be particularly...