Iraq's Universal Public Distribution System : Utilization and Impacts During Displacement
Subsidized or free distribution of food has been a central pillar of social protection programs in many countries. With the number of forcibly displaced persons at record levels, the question arises of whether in-kind food transfer programs are eff...
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World Bank, Washington, DC
2020
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/239031582135436157/Iraqs-Universal-Public-Distribution-System-Utilization-and-Impacts-During-Displacement http://hdl.handle.net/10986/33360 |
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okr-10986-333602022-09-20T00:12:55Z Iraq's Universal Public Distribution System : Utilization and Impacts During Displacement Phadera, Lokendra Sharma, Dhiraj Wai-Poi, Mathew PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DISPLACEMENT WELFARE FOOD DISTRIBUTION IN-KIND TRANSFERS FOOD SUBSIDY Subsidized or free distribution of food has been a central pillar of social protection programs in many countries. With the number of forcibly displaced persons at record levels, the question arises of whether in-kind food transfer programs are effective in mitigating the loss of welfare induced by forced displacement. This paper examines whether Iraq’s Public Distribution System, a universal food subsidy program, has buffered the impacts of displacement on households. Using propensity score matching to account for the observable differences between Public Distribution System recipients and non-recipients, the analysis finds that displaced households with continued access to Public Distribution System benefits have higher food and non-food expenditures compared with displaced households that lost access. Likewise, the beneficiaries have higher calorie intakes and are less vulnerable to falling into poverty. However, displaced beneficiaries remained significantly worse off and more vulnerable to poverty than non-displaced households, suggesting that, although the Public Distribution System helped mitigate displacement to a degree, it may not be the most effective protection program for such shocks. Given the considerable resources the universal program consumes, it is vital to think of alternative approaches, such as targeted cash transfers, that might be more effective in protection and cost. 2020-02-20T16:59:51Z 2020-02-20T16:59:51Z 2020-02 Working Paper http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/239031582135436157/Iraqs-Universal-Public-Distribution-System-Utilization-and-Impacts-During-Displacement http://hdl.handle.net/10986/33360 English Policy Research Working Paper;No. 9155 CC BY 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo World Bank World Bank, Washington, DC Publications & Research Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper Middle East and North Africa Iraq |
| repository_type |
Digital Repository |
| institution_category |
Foreign Institution |
| institution |
Digital Repositories |
| building |
World Bank Open Knowledge Repository |
| collection |
World Bank |
| language |
English |
| topic |
PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DISPLACEMENT WELFARE FOOD DISTRIBUTION IN-KIND TRANSFERS FOOD SUBSIDY |
| spellingShingle |
PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DISPLACEMENT WELFARE FOOD DISTRIBUTION IN-KIND TRANSFERS FOOD SUBSIDY Phadera, Lokendra Sharma, Dhiraj Wai-Poi, Mathew Iraq's Universal Public Distribution System : Utilization and Impacts During Displacement |
| geographic_facet |
Middle East and North Africa Iraq |
| relation |
Policy Research Working Paper;No. 9155 |
| description |
Subsidized or free distribution of food
has been a central pillar of social protection programs in
many countries. With the number of forcibly displaced
persons at record levels, the question arises of whether
in-kind food transfer programs are effective in mitigating
the loss of welfare induced by forced displacement. This
paper examines whether Iraq’s Public Distribution System, a
universal food subsidy program, has buffered the impacts of
displacement on households. Using propensity score matching
to account for the observable differences between Public
Distribution System recipients and non-recipients, the
analysis finds that displaced households with continued
access to Public Distribution System benefits have higher
food and non-food expenditures compared with displaced
households that lost access. Likewise, the beneficiaries
have higher calorie intakes and are less vulnerable to
falling into poverty. However, displaced beneficiaries
remained significantly worse off and more vulnerable to
poverty than non-displaced households, suggesting that,
although the Public Distribution System helped mitigate
displacement to a degree, it may not be the most effective
protection program for such shocks. Given the considerable
resources the universal program consumes, it is vital to
think of alternative approaches, such as targeted cash
transfers, that might be more effective in protection and cost. |
| format |
Working Paper |
| author |
Phadera, Lokendra Sharma, Dhiraj Wai-Poi, Mathew |
| author_facet |
Phadera, Lokendra Sharma, Dhiraj Wai-Poi, Mathew |
| author_sort |
Phadera, Lokendra |
| title |
Iraq's Universal Public Distribution System : Utilization and Impacts During Displacement |
| title_short |
Iraq's Universal Public Distribution System : Utilization and Impacts During Displacement |
| title_full |
Iraq's Universal Public Distribution System : Utilization and Impacts During Displacement |
| title_fullStr |
Iraq's Universal Public Distribution System : Utilization and Impacts During Displacement |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Iraq's Universal Public Distribution System : Utilization and Impacts During Displacement |
| title_sort |
iraq's universal public distribution system : utilization and impacts during displacement |
| publisher |
World Bank, Washington, DC |
| publishDate |
2020 |
| url |
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/239031582135436157/Iraqs-Universal-Public-Distribution-System-Utilization-and-Impacts-During-Displacement http://hdl.handle.net/10986/33360 |
| _version_ |
1764478597701042176 |