RCT | VoxDev

Intensification or expansion? A new approach to measuring agricultural change

Drawing on a randomised controlled trial among rice farmers in Nigeria, we introduce a new method for linking village-level interventions with high-resolution earth observation data – which captures spatial variation in how new technologies spread an...

Methods & Measurement

Jeffrey Bloem Clark Lundberg

Published

16.09.25

Dispelling the myth that contraceptives cause infertility increases uptake

Across Africa, early first-births remain the norm even as educational attainment has increased. Evidence from Zambia shows misperceptions and medical mistrust may be a key reason why.

Health

Natalie Bau David J. Henning Corinne Low Bryce Steinberg

Published

10.09.25

Mobile communication as mental health policy: Lessons from Ghana during COVID-19

Research on Ghana found that providing low-income adults with small, regular mobile communication credits significantly reduced mental distress and domestic violence during COVID-19.

Health

Belinda Archibong Francis Annan

Published

27.08.25

Caredressers? Lessons from training local service providers in mental health support

A three-day training programme to improve hairdressers’ active listening skills did not improve women’s mental health in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and in fact worsened mental health outcomes for providers. However, the training did change women’s perce...

Health

Björn Nilsson Clémence Pougué Biyong

Published

22.08.25

Managing menstrual hygiene: The economics of period poverty

Improving menstrual hygiene in low-income settings requires more than just access to products—it demands tackling stigma and restrictive social norms that threaten women's health and economic opportunity.

Health

Silvia Castro Kristina Czura

Published

23.07.25

Climate politics: Understanding political inaction on climate change

Despite strong public concern for climate change and pollution in Indonesia, politicians underestimate the demand for policy responses and fail to act – even when informed of voter preferences. Politicians’ misperceptions, elite capture, and politica...

Energy & Environment

Allan Hsiao Nicholas Kuipers

Published

14.08.25

Examples from development economics for your introduction to econometrics course

Economists employ a wide range of econometric methods when conducting research. Here are some examples of how these techniques are used to generate interesting and useful policy insights in development economics.

Oliver Hanney Emaan Siddique

Published

Thu, 17/07/2025 - 12:00

Preschools as a pathway out of poverty: Evidence from Mozambique

A cost-effective at-scale preschool construction programme in Mozambique improved development outcomes of primary-school age children living in extreme deprivation.

Education

Marina Bassi Bruno Besbas Lelys Dinarte-Diaz Saravana Ravindran Ana Reynoso

Published

14.07.25

Incentives versus endorsement: How to boost digital banking adoption and savings

Peer-led endorsement doubled mobile banking uptake and increased formal savings among women in Ghana.

Finance

Emma Riley Abu S. Shonchoy Robert Darko Osei

Published

24.07.25