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on Microfinance |
| By: | Martin Valdivia; Alberto Chong |
| Abstract: | This study seeks to evaluate the use of short soap operas as a mechanism to promote the use of formal savings accounts among poor rural women that have been secularly excluded from healthy interactions with the formal financial sector. We developed a short soap opera (telenovela), named Josefa, which transmitted pro-savings messages using characters and stories that could generate a level of identification with the intended audience. We used an experimental design that randomly assigned eligible villages of Huancavelica, the poorest department in Peru, to treatment and control groups, and organized special viewing sessions inviting all beneficiaries of Juntos, the Peruvian CCT program, in the eligible villages. A year later, we found that women who were exposed to the treatment have an improved knowledge and attitude towards formal savings, especially for precautionary motives. We did not find a significant change at the end of bimester savings balances until the July-August bimester, which we interpret as evidence that the improved pro-savings attitude remained latent for several months, until right about the time cash surpluses are likely, due to post-harvest season. In searching for the underlying mechanisms, we find no income effect, but a strong empowerment effect within the household, mainly for economic and financial decisions, and especially among the women under 40, which is also the group that shows more robust temporary savings effects. Overall, we interpret these results as evidence that the edutainment approach can have an important contribution to the financial inclusion of poor rural women that have faced secular exclusion from formal financial institutions like the ones from the Peruvian Southern Sierra. |
| Keywords: | Social media |
| Date: | 2017 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lvl:piercr:2017-15&r=mfd |
| By: | Hazarika, Bhabesh (National Institute of Public Finance and Policy) |
| Abstract: | There exists a noteworthy gender income gap in the micro-entrepreneurial activities, and typically the females earn lower than the males. While such gender income gap in wage employment is well-documented, the aspect needs attention in the context of the micro-entrepreneurship, particularly in the informal sector. It is important to analyze how differently the gender difference in endowments affect the income of the male and the female micro-entrepreneurs. The present study, based on primary data, analyses gender income gap and its compositions throughout the income distribution of the handloom micro-entrepreneurs in Assam. On an average, the female micro-entrepreneurs earn 51 percent lesser than their male counterpart. The unconditional quantile decomposition reveals that the gender income gap increases along the income distribution. The differences in the productive characteristics (endowment effects) explain much of the income gap at the median level and beyond than the heterogeneous returns to such characteristics (discriminatory effects). The endowment effects related to education, financial literacy, risk attitude, SHGs membership, and technology adoption are found in favor of the male micro-entrepreneurs. The results suggest that poor management of entrepreneurial activities of the female results in wider gender gap throughout the income distribution. The study urges for policy prescriptions towards dissemination of technological, financial, and managerial know-how to make the females more organized towards addressing the gender income gap. |
| Keywords: | Micro-entrepreneurs ; Handloom ; Gender ; Income Gap ; Unconditional Quantile Decomposition |
| JEL: | L26 L67 D13 D33 D63 |
| Date: | 2017–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:npf:wpaper:17/216&r=mfd |
| By: | Reyes, Celia M.; Mina, Christian D.; Agbon, Adrian D.; Arboneda, Arkin |
| Abstract: | Risk is a daily reality especially among agricultural producers in developing countries, thus agricultural insurance is of interest to farmers, policymakers, insurance companies, and development finance institutions. From a survey data of 2,512 farmers, this paper sheds light on the possible factors affecting insurance availment among the farmers in five selected regions in the Philippines. The farmers' reasons for availing of crop include: encouraged by neighbors, friends, relatives and because of the agricultural technicians in the local government unit. Farmers also shared that insurance is a requirement for getting a loan. Among the possible factors for insurance uptake, level of education, farming experience, and membership in farmer organization are significant factors in the availment of crop insurance from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation. Increasing coverage rate of crop insurance among farmers remains to be a challenge in a highly subsidized crop insurance program of the Philippines. |
| Keywords: | Philippines, poverty, crop insurance, PCIC, risks and shocks in agriculture, Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation |
| Date: | 2017 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:phd:dpaper:dp_2017-39&r=mfd |
| By: | Llanto, Gilberto M.; Rosellon, Maureen Ane D. |
| Abstract: | This paper contributes to the literature on financial inclusion in the Philippines by examining three key financial services, namely, savings, credit, and insurance, and identifying individual socioeconomic characteristics that are associated with access to these financial services. Financial inclusion is also analyzed in the context of four geographical areas in the Philippines--National Capital Region, balanced Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao--which provides more insights and a better understanding of financial inclusion. Using data collected from the national baseline survey of financial inclusion, estimation results indicate that sociodemographic characteristics such as age, sex, civil status, education, employment, and income are associated significantly with accessing various financial products and services. Findings also suggest similarities in the socioeconomic profiles of users and nonusers of financial services in the four geographic areas, while differences appear to be related to the presence of banks and other formal financial institutions. These results provide useful inputs to policy and strategies for attaining inclusive finance. |
| Keywords: | Philippines, financial inclusion, inclusive finance |
| Date: | 2017 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:phd:dpaper:dp_2017-38&r=mfd |