Social protection in Ghana and Kenya through an inclusive development Lens. Complex effects and risks

Abstract

This paper analyzes the complex effects and risks of social protection programmes in Ghana and Kenya on poor people's human wellbeing, voice and empowerment and interactions with the social protection regulatory framework and policy instruments. For this purpose, it adopts a comprehensive Inclusive Development framework to systematically explore the complex effects of cash transfers and health insurance at the individual, household and community level. The findings highlight the positive provisionary and preventive effects of social protection, but also illustrate that the poorest are still excluded and that promotive effects, in the form of enhanced productivity, manifest themselves mainly for the people who are less resource poor. They can build more effectively upon an existing asset base, capabilities, power and social relations to counter the exclusionary mechanisms of the system, address inequity concerns and offset the transaction costs of accessing and benefitting from social protection. The inclusive development framework enables to lay these complex effects and interactions bear, and points to areas that require more longitudinal and mixed methodology research.

Limitations of Inclusive Agribusiness in Contributing to Food and Nutrition Security in a Smallholder Community. A Case of Mango Initiative in Makueni County, Kenya

“…We agree with Gebru, Rammelt [73], that addressing nutrition and other diet-related bottlenecks via an inclusive agribusiness initiative would require expanding an initiative scope "beyond market facilitation, by integrating other actors that work on the food and nutrition components of rural livelihoods". For the most resource poor smallholders, who may still struggle to earn a decent livelihood and meet their food needs despite external assistance, policy makers and development actors should promote alternative strategies such as social protection programs and safety net plans [132][133][134].…”

The politics of implementation: The role of traditional authorities in delivering social policies to poor people in Kenya

“…In addition, 13 interviews (2 key informant interviews and 11 focus group discussion) with beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries were analysed. These interviews had been conducted for a broader qualitative community impact assessment that was carried out in parallel (Pouw et al, 2020). In line with the topic of this research, the selection of interviews and analysis focused on those passages where reference to the institutional set-up, traditional authorities and issues of accessibility was made.…”

“…Impact evaluations suggest that the transfer, which is equivalent to 12 percent of the national poverty threshold and 25-30 percent of beneficiaries' household income, has substantially increased household consumption levels, enabling families with OVCs to maintain or even increase their living standards (National Safety Net Programme, n.d.). Beneficiaries have shifted to more nutritious and higher-quality food, which suggests a positive impact on nutrition (The Kenya CT-OVC Evaluation Team, 2012;Pouw et al, 2020). Evidence suggests that the transfer has increased female decision-making power in beneficiary households (From Protection to Production, 2013) and has had significant positive impacts on secondary school enrolment, in particular for girls (The Kenya CT-OVC Evaluation Team, 2012).…”

Assessing the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) program as a conditional income transfer: a search for a conceptual framework

“…There have been conceptual studies (Pouw et al. , 2018; DFID, 2011; Devereux and Sabates-Wheeler, 2004) on social protection program across the globe.…”