Policy Insights

What have we learned from randomized evaluations that policymakers, practitioners, and funders can use to improve social programs? J-PAL’s Policy Insights, organized by sector, highlight lessons emerging across multiple studies and the mechanisms that help explain the results.

J-PAL’s Sector Chairs and staff draw these insights from relevant randomized evaluations, updating and adding insights as the body of evidence grows. Each Policy Insight briefly summarizes their perspective on the evidence on a specific topic, with links to the original research and policy summaries. Read this blog post for more information about how we develop Policy Insights.

When combined with a detailed understanding of context and program implementation, we hope these insights can be practical inputs for policy and program design. For examples of how insights from randomized evaluations have informed policy, visit our Evidence to Policy page.

Farmer selling produce at market

Increasing small-scale farmers’ access to agricultural markets

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Farmers in low- and middle-income countries face challenges accessing markets and earning profits on their agricultural goods. When small-scale farmers have better access to both markets where they buy inputs for their own farming and markets where they sell their goods, they can often invest more...
Two women shake hands across a table in a business setting

Improving job seekers’ employment and earnings through credible skills signals

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Credible skills signals help alleviate information barriers for both job seekers and firms, and often improve employment and earnings at a low cost. More and better information enables applicants to have a more effective job search, often resulting in higher-quality jobs and better employment...
Farmers in a field

Leveraging index insurance to protect farmers from weather-based risk

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When designed well, insurance does protect small-scale farmers from adverse weather events, but farmers have low demand for these products at market prices. New technologies and climate-smart agricultural practices can reduce farmers’ risk exposure and increase their climate resiliency. More...
Workers transfer goods from trucks

Market access: Connecting firms and entrepreneurs to markets to spur business and job growth

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Improved access to markets has often helped small firms in low- and middle-income countries grow by boosting firm revenues and profits. These interventions have been effective because they have led to new sales, helped firms connect with new types of buyers, and increased information sharing and...
Farmers working in a field

Building farmers' resilience to climate change

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In the face of weather shocks, improved agricultural technologies and techniques, financial services, and social assistance programs can improve the resilience of small-scale farmers. These tools can help farmers prevent crop losses, avoid consumption cuts or sales of productive assets, or even...
Workers construct a road while a car drives past on the right side

Public works programs and labor market outcomes

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Public works programs in low- and middle-income countries provide short-term employment and earnings boosts to participants. These programs usually do not lead to lasting labor market benefits when measured several years after implementation, though they often generate lasting effects on asset...
Two female students collect clean water from a tube well in a jug in Bangladesh.

Pairing insights from engineering, public health, and behavioral science to improve access to and use of clean water

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Low-cost, simple interventions like dilute chlorine solution or water filtration can reduce households’ use of unsafe or contaminated water—a key source of morbidity and mortality, especially among children. Full subsidies can expand access to and usage of water treatment options among households...
Woman making digital financial service transaction

Digital financial services to improve formalized access and inclusion

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Digital financial services have dramatically improved access to formal accounts, especially for marginalized communities. Increased access to digital services has led to a reduction in remittance transaction costs, which has facilitated sharing of financial burdens and alleviated poverty.