A methodology for local economy-wide impact evaluation (LEWIE) of cash transfers

Abstract

The From Protection to Production (PtoP) project aims to identify productive impacts of cash transfer programmes covering three thematic areas of inquiry: household economic decision-making, the local economy and social networks and risk sharing. The local economy-wide impact evaluation (LEWIE) methodology is designed to understand the full impact of cash transfers on local economies, including on the production activities of both beneficiary and non-beneficiary groups; how these effects change when programs are scaled up to larger regions; and why these effects happen. All of these aspects are important for designing projects and explaining their likely impacts to governments and other sponsoring agencies.