Search our database of 1,200+ summaries of randomized evaluations conducted by our affiliates in 97 countries. To browse key policy recommendations from a subset of these evaluations, visit the Policy Publications tab above.

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The Impacts of Formal Savings Accounts in Rural Kenya

Pascaline Dupas
Sarah Green
Anthony Keats
Jon Robinson
Researchers examined the impact of access to banking services for the first time on households in rural Kenya. While savings account and credit usage rates were low overall because of poor service quality and low levels of trust in the institutions, access to the accounts helped some households rely...
Two people look at calculator and invoice

Using Behavioral Economics to Help Individuals Reduce Debt in the United States

Dean Karlan
Jonathan Zinman
Researchers designed and piloted a program called Borrow Less Tomorrow (BoLT) that took a behavioral approach to debt reduction, combining an accelerated loan repayment schedule with peer support and reminders. Results from a sample of free tax-preparation clients in Tulsa, United States suggest a...
Two working women at a market place with men in the background

The Impact of Correcting Men's Misperceptions of Beliefs about Gender: Implications for Female Labor Participation and Time Use in India

In India, researchers are conducting a randomized evaluation to test the effects of providing men with correct information about other men’s views of women’s labor market participation.
Screenshot of a video where a woman addresses the camera from her home

Connecting Egyptian Women to Gender-Based Violence Resources via Social Media during Covid-19

Fotini Christia
Elizabeth Parker-Magyar
Researchers partnered with the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights to evaluate the effect of educational social media and TV campaigns on women’s attitudes and behaviors around responding to GBV and IPV. The social media campaign increased women’s knowledge and use of resources, but had no impact on...
maize being run through a mill

Connecting Smallholder Farmers to Agricultural Value Chains in Rwanda

Shilpa Aggarwal
Susan Godlonton
Jon Robinson
Alan Spearot
Guanghong Xu
Researchers are evaluating the effects of providing farmers with access to maize processing services that could improve maize quality on their input decisions.
Woman on laptop talks to Peruvian woman spinning wool

Graduating the Ultra-Poor in Peru

Dean Karlan
Bram Thuysbaert
Researchers evaluated a multi-faceted approach aimed at improving long term income of the ultra-poor in Peru. They found that the approach had long-lasting economic and self-employment impacts and that the long-run benefits, measured in terms of household expenditures, outweighed their up-front...
farmer holding peanuts

Cash Transfers and Management Advice for Farmers in Senegal

Kate Ambler
Alan de Brauw
Susan Godlonton
In Senegal, researchers conducted a randomized evaluation to study the effect of providing management advice and a one-time cash transfer on agricultural productivity and farmers’ investment in their businesses. Receiving both the cash transfer and management advice had positive impacts on yields...
Screening of a video during agricultural extension session.

Video-Based and In-person Extension Services to Increase Agricultural Technology Adoption in Ethiopia

Adrien Bouguen
Markus Frölich
Denise Hörner
Meike Wollni
Researchers randomly evaluated the effects of a decentralized extension program and an additional video-based information campaign on farmers’ adoption of a package of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) technologies as well as individual practices in Ethiopia. They found that both in-person...