Khalily, M.A. BaquiKhandker, Shahidur R.Samad, Hussain A.2012-03-192012-03-192010-06-01https://hdl.handle.net/10986/3817Microfinance is often criticized for not adequately addressing seasonality and hard-core poverty. In Bangladesh, a program known as PRIME was introduced in 2006 to address both concerns. Unlike regular microfinance, PRIME introduces a microfinance scheme that offers a flexible repayment schedule and consumption smoothing, as well as production, loans. It targets the ultra-poor, many of whom are also seasonally poor, with a severe inability to smooth consumption during certain months of the year. Besides providing loans, PRIME offers extension and training services. This paper uses a quasi-experimental survey design to evaluate PRIME against regular microfinance programs. The results show that PRIME is more effective than regular microfinance in reaching the ultra-poor, as well as the seasonal poor. PRIME also helps reduce seasonal deprivation and extreme poverty. Although the program has demonstrated its promise, it is too early to conclude whether the accrued benefits are large enough to contain both seasonal and chronic poverty on a sustained basis.CC BY 3.0 IGOACCESS TO FOODAGRICULTURAL ACTIVITYAGRICULTURAL LABORERSAGRICULTUREANTI-POVERTYASYMMETRIC INFORMATIONBASIC FOODSBENEFICIARIESBETTER ACCESS TO MARKETSBORROWERSBUDGETBUFFER STOCKSCASH TRANSFERSCHECKCHRONIC POVERTYCOLLATERALCONSUMPTION DATACONSUMPTION INSURANCECONSUMPTION SMOOTHINGCOUNTERFACTUALCREDIT CONSTRAINTCREDIT MARKETCREDIT MARKET CONSTRAINTSCREDIT MARKETSCREDIT PROGRAMCREDIT PROVISIONDAILY WAGEDEFAULTDEFICITSDIMENSIONS OF POVERTYDISCOUNTDISCOUNT RATEDIVERSIFICATIONDURABLEEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIESEXCHANGEEXTREME POVERTYEXTREME POVERTY LINEFAMINEFAMINESFARM SECTORFARMERSFINANCIAL INSTITUTIONFINANCIAL INSTITUTIONSFLEXIBLE REPAYMENTFOOD BASKETFOOD CONSUMPTIONFOOD COUPONSFOOD EXPENDITUREFOOD EXPENDITURESFOOD INSECURITYFOOD INTAKEFOOD ITEMSFOOD POVERTYFOOD POVERTY LINEFOOD PRICESFOOD SECURITYFRUITSFUTUREGOODGOODSHAZARDHOLDINGHOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTIONHOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION PER CAPITAHOUSEHOLD DISTRIBUTIONHOUSEHOLD HEADHOUSEHOLD INCOMEHOUSEHOLD NEEDSHOUSEHOLD PARTICIPATIONHOUSEHOLD SURVEYHOUSEHOLD WELFAREHUMAN CAPITALINCIDENCE OF POVERTYINCOMEINCOME FLOWSINCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIESINFORMAL CREDITINFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENTINSURANCEINTERESTINTEREST RATEINTERNATIONAL BANKINTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTLAGGING REGIONSLAND ASSETSLANDHOLDINGSLENDINGLENDING PORTFOLIOLIQUIDITYLIQUIDITY CONSTRAINTSLOANLOAN CONTRACTSLOANSLOCAL ECONOMIESLOCAL ECONOMYLOCAL INFRASTRUCTURELONG-TERM INVESTMENTSMARKETMEALMEASURESMEATMICRO-CREDITMICRO-FINANCEMICROCREDITMICROCREDIT PROGRAMSMICROFINANCEMICROFINANCE INSTITUTIONSMILKMORAL HAZARDNUTRITIONPOLITICAL ECONOMYPOORPOOR BORROWERSPOOR HOUSEHOLDSPOOR WOMENPOVERTY INCIDENCEPOVERTY LINESPOVERTY MEASURESPOVERTY PROGRAMSPOVERTY REDUCTIONPOVERTY STATUSPRIVATE INVESTMENTSPROPERTIESPROTEINPROVISION OF CREDITPUBLIC WORKSPULSESREAL INTERESTREAL INTEREST RATEREGIONREGIONSREMITTANCEREMITTANCE SERVICESREMITTANCESREPAYMENT SCHEDULERETURNSRICERISK POOLINGRURALRURAL AREASRURAL DEVELOPMENTRURAL POORRURAL POVERTYRURAL POVERTY RATESAFETY NETSAFETY NETSSAVINGSSHARESHARESSMALL FARMERSSTARVATIONSTOCKTARGETINGTRANSFERSVEGETABLESWAGE EMPLOYMENTWELFARE INDICATORSWFPWORLD FOOD PROGRAMMEWorld Bank10.1596/1813-9450-5331