Abstract
Purpose: This paper examines the impact of cash transfers as a social protection tool and their ripple effects in rural Africa. While these transfers aim to alleviate poverty, concerns about dependency and potential negative effects persist. This study investigates whether such effects are widespread in rural Africa by basing discussion on the theories of change and the Local Economy-Wide Impact Evaluation (LEWIE) model.
Methodology/approach: A scoping review of 40 published papers and policy documents from 2005 to 2023 was conducted, using keywords like social safety nets, cash transfers, and rural Africa. The search spanned from October 2023 to March 2024, with a narrative synthesis used to integrate the varied findings.
Findings: Cash transfers stimulate local economies, boost enterprises, and create employment, particularly for ultra-poor households. They shift labour from wage employment to self-employment without reducing overall labour supply. However, negative spillovers, such as non-recipient exclusion which sometimes raised tensions between recipient and non-recipient, were found which meant inverse impact on social ties. Further, inflations is suggested by some studies as possible inverse ripple effects of cash transfers in rural Africa.
Limitations: Further evidence is needed on how these transfers influence social ties and parental labour in rural areas. Practical & Social Implications: The mixed effects of cash transfers highlight the need for careful recipient selection to enhance social cohesion.
Originality: This study adds to discussions on cash transfers in Africa by using a scoping review to explore their broader impacts.
Methodology/approach: A scoping review of 40 published papers and policy documents from 2005 to 2023 was conducted, using keywords like social safety nets, cash transfers, and rural Africa. The search spanned from October 2023 to March 2024, with a narrative synthesis used to integrate the varied findings.
Findings: Cash transfers stimulate local economies, boost enterprises, and create employment, particularly for ultra-poor households. They shift labour from wage employment to self-employment without reducing overall labour supply. However, negative spillovers, such as non-recipient exclusion which sometimes raised tensions between recipient and non-recipient, were found which meant inverse impact on social ties. Further, inflations is suggested by some studies as possible inverse ripple effects of cash transfers in rural Africa.
Limitations: Further evidence is needed on how these transfers influence social ties and parental labour in rural areas. Practical & Social Implications: The mixed effects of cash transfers highlight the need for careful recipient selection to enhance social cohesion.
Originality: This study adds to discussions on cash transfers in Africa by using a scoping review to explore their broader impacts.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Published - May 2025 |
| Event | The 16th Asian Conference on Arts & Humanities; The 15th Asian Conference on Cultural Studies; The 16th Asian Conference on the Social Sciences - Tokyo, Japan Duration: 11 May 2025 → 16 May 2025 |
Conference
| Conference | The 16th Asian Conference on Arts & Humanities; The 15th Asian Conference on Cultural Studies; The 16th Asian Conference on the Social Sciences |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Japan |
| City | Tokyo |
| Period | 11/05/25 → 16/05/25 |
UN SDGs
This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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SDG 1 No Poverty
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