Do CCT Programmes Have a Pro-Poor Spillover Effect?

Abstract

Conditional Cash Transfer programmes (CCTs), such as Progresa in Mexico or Bolsa Família in Brazil, have been compared to a ?magic golden bullet in development?. A plethora of rigorous evaluations of such programmes points to a significant increase in food consumption among cash-recipient households. A topic that has not received much attention yet is the impact of cash transfer programmes on the food consumption of households that do not receive the transfer (programme-ineligible households) but that are in the same village as cash recipients.Do CCT Programmes Have a Pro-Poor Spillover Effect?