02 December 2009
Preparing for the worst
Under the Productive Safety Net programme (PSNP), launched by the Ethiopian government in 2005 and backed by DFID, people receive cash and food in exchange for work.
Tasks focus on improving public facilities, such as:
- roads
- water points
- health
- education posts.
With the money received, participants can buy assets that may turn into lasting sources of income. By providing enough food to meet participants' needs, the programme makes them less likely to resort to desperate measures when famine threatens.
The impact of the programme
- Three quarters of PSNP households surveyed consumed more and better quality food.
- Three in five recipients of food and cash transfers avoided selling assets to buy food due to the PSNP.
- Real incomes of PSNP beneficiaries increased by more than 50% between 2006 and 2008.