Improving Financial Inclusion through the Delivery of Cash Transfer Programmes: The Case of Mexico’s Progresa-Oportunidades-Prospera Programme

Main author: Masino, Serena
Other authors: Niño-Zarazúa, Miguel
Format: Journal Article           
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id eprints-36545
recordtype eprints
institution SOAS, University of London
collection SOAS Research Online
language English
English
language_search English
English
description This paper follows a quasi-experimental research design to assess the impact of the electronic payment system of Mexico’s Progresa-Oportunidades-Prospera (POP) programme. The switch from cash payments to electronic payments delivered via savings accounts is found to have medium-term effects on savings decisions, transaction costs, and coping strategies. Overall, the study finds that, following the intervention, a substitution effect emerged between saving portfolio choices, with the poor favouring bank accounts over informal saving arrangements. It also found that the Oportunidades savings account led to an increase in remittance reception, which in turn had important implications for household consumption smoothing and risk management decisions. The study also reveals impact heterogeneity depending on household composition and the rural-urban divide, with important implications for replicability of similar policy innovations in other countries.
format Journal Article
author Masino, Serena
author_facet Masino, Serena
Niño-Zarazúa, Miguel
authorStr Masino, Serena
author_letter Masino, Serena
author2 Niño-Zarazúa, Miguel
author2Str Niño-Zarazúa, Miguel
title Improving Financial Inclusion through the Delivery of Cash Transfer Programmes: The Case of Mexico’s Progresa-Oportunidades-Prospera Programme
publisher Taylor and Francis
publishDate 2020
url https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/36545/