One cow per poor family: Effects on the growth of consumption and crop production

• Published in: World development Vol. 114; pp. 1 - 12
• Main Authors: Nilsson, Pia, Backman, Mikaela, Bjerke, Lina, Maniriho, Aristide
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-02-2019; Pergamon Press Inc
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Bias; Bos; Cattle; CEM; Consumption; Crop production; Crops; Families & family life; Farms; Girinka; Heterogeneity; Households; Livestock; Production consumption relationship; Rwanda; Selection bias; Rwanda; Consumption; CEM; Girinka; Crop production; Rwanda
• ISSN: 0305-750X; 1873-5991; 1873-5991
• DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2018.09.024

•Estimates the effects of the one cow policy on welfare indicators among households in Rwanda.•Models the selection bias and the placement effect associated with the Girinka policy.•Shows the importance of wealth and learning effects for the outcome of receiving a dairy cow.•The program is linked to spillovers suggesting that the Girinka effect is not isolated to the first receiving household.
This study estimates the effects of the one cow policy on per capita consumption and the value of per hectare crop production in Rwanda using a random sample of households observed twice (2010 and 2014). A model that accounts for heterogeneity across households and the selection bias and placement effect associated with the policy is estimated. Findings show that receiving a cow has a positive effect on crop production indicating that the cattle has enabled households to become more productive on the farm. Results point to the importance of household’s knowledge and experience of rearing livestock for the outcome of receiving a cow.