Publication: Mobile Broadband, Poverty, and Labor Outcomes in Tanzania
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Date
2023-02-06
ISSN
0258-6770 (print)
1564-698X (online)
1564-698X (online)
Published
2023-02-06
Author(s)
Bahia, Kalvin
Castells, Pau
Cruz, Genaro
Masaki, Takaaki
Sanfelice, Viviane
Editor(s)
Abstract
What are the impacts of expanding mobile broadband coverage on poverty, household consumption, and labor-market outcomes in developing countries Who benefits from improved coverage of mobile internet To respond to these questions, this paper applies a difference-in-differences estimation using panel household survey data combined with geospatial information on the rollout of mobile broadband coverage in Tanzania. The results reveal that being covered by 3G networks has a large positive effect on total household consumption and poverty reduction, driven by positive impacts on labor-market outcomes. Working-age individuals living in areas covered by mobile internet witnessed an increase in labor-force participation, wage employment, and non-farm self-employment, and a decline in farm employment. These effects vary by age, gender, and skill level. Younger and more skilled men benefit the most through higher labor-force participation and wage employment, while high-skilled women benefit from transitions from self-employed farm work into non-farm employment.
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“Bahia, Kalvin; Castells, Pau; Cruz, Genaro; Masaki, Takaaki; Sanfelice, Viviane; Rodriguez Castelan, Carlos. 2023. Mobile Broadband, Poverty, and Labor Outcomes in Tanzania. World Bank Economic Review. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/41313 License: CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGO.”
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World Bank Economic Review
1564-698X
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