The Impacts of a Multifaceted Pre-natal Intervention on Human Capital Accumulation in Early Life
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Pedro Carneiro
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Lucy Kraftman
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Giacomo Mason
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Lucie Moore
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Imran Rasul
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Molly Scott
- American Economic Review (Forthcoming)
Abstract
We evaluate an intervention targeting early life nutrition and well-being for households
in extreme poverty in Northern Nigeria. The intervention leads to large and sustained improvements
in children’s anthropometric and health outcomes, including an 8% reduction in
stunting four years post-intervention. These impacts are partly driven by information-related
channels. However, the certain and substantial ‡ow of cash transfers is also key. They induce
positive labor supply responses among women, and enables them to undertake productive
investments in livestock. These provide protein rich diets for children, and generate higher
household earnings streams long after the cash transfers expire.
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