Galasso, EmanuelaBeegle, KathleenGoldberg, Jessica2015-12-182015-12-182015-12https://hdl.handle.net/10986/23466Labor-intensive public works programs are important social protection tools in low-income settings, intended to supplement income of poor households and improve public infrastructure. In this evaluation of the Malawi Social Action Fund, an at-scale, government-operated program, across- and within-village randomization is used to estimate effects on food security and use of fertilizer. There is no evidence that the program improves food security, and some negative spillovers to untreated households. These disappointing results hold even under modifications to the design of the program to offer work during the lean rather than harvest season or increase the frequency of payments.en-USCC BY 3.0 IGOPER CAPITA CONSUMPTIONHOUSEHOLD SIZEHOUSEHOLD SURVEYHONEYSORGHUMFOOD CONSUMPTIONBREADINCOMEMILKPOVERTY ESTIMATESPOVERTY RATESEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIESLOWER VALUESREGIONAL LEVELCONSUMPTION DATALUMP-SUMFOOD POLICYFAMILY MEMBERSPASTAPOORER HOUSEHOLDSFOOD CONSUMPTION DATASOCIAL PROGRAMSNATIONAL LEVELCAPITA CONSUMPTIONCALORIC INTAKEMEASURESSAFETY NETSREGIONFERTILIZER PURCHASESHOUSEHOLD- LEVELMAIZESTANDARD DEVIATIONCASH TRANSFER SCHEMETRANSFER SCHEMESAVINGSCEREALSCROWDING OUTDEVELOPMENT ECONOMICSDATESGEOGRAPHIC REGIONSPOLITICAL CONSTRAINTSTRANSFERSSTANDARD ERRORSPOOR AREASFRUITSDIETARY DIVERSITYVEGETABLESNUTSSMALL NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDSREGIONAL BREAKDOWNFOOD EXPENDITURESSOCIAL PROTECTIONPUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMSPRICE SUBSIDIESRISK SHARINGGRAINSCASH TRANSFERSPLANTING TIMEHOUSEHOLD HEADSREGIONAL VARIATIONMARKET PRICECASH-FOR-WORKHOUSEHOLD LEVELCONSUMPTIONSOCIAL SAFETY NETSEMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE SCHEMEDEVELOPMENT RESEARCH GROUPFOOD SECURITYSPICESCASH TRANSFER PROGRAMFATSINCOME SHOCKSFOOD ASSISTANCETUBERSDELTA METHODGEOGRAPHIC REGIONSAFETY NETFOOD EXPENDITUREAGRICULTUREGEORGIAPLANTING SEASONCASH CROPFERTILIZER APPLICATIONRURALFERTILIZER USENUTRITIONWFPTRANSACTION COSTSREGIONAL TARGETINGEGGSPUBLIC WORKSHOUSEHOLD BUDGETHIGHER INCIDENCE OF POVERTYRURAL EMPLOYMENTFOODTRANSFER PROGRAMSCONDIMENTSAGRICULTURAL INPUTSSUGAR PRODUCTSFOOD INSECURITYTARGETINGREGIONAL FOODCONSUMPTION SMOOTHINGCOPING STRATEGYNUTRITION PROGRAMSIRRIGATION PROJECTSREGIONSAGRICULTURAL SEASONVILLAGE LEVELSUGARSIRRIGATIONLACK OF KNOWLEDGEHOUSEHOLDSDAILY WAGEPOVERTYMEATINCIDENCE OF POVERTYHOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTIONMEALFOOD AVAILABILITYAGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITYPOORFOODSPULSESNEGATIVE EXTERNALITIESCENTRAL REGIONLOW WAGESCENTRAL REGIONSINEQUALITYSUGARHOUSEHOLD-LEVELPOOR HOUSEHOLDSWorking PaperWorld Bank10.1596/1813-9450-7505