Do saving promotion interventions increase household savings, consumption, and investments in Sub-Saharan Africa? A systematic review and meta-analysis. (April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Steinert, Janina I.; Zenker, Juliane; Filipiak, Ute; Movsisyan, Ani; Cluver, Lucie D.; Shenderovich, Yulia
• Is Part Of: World development. Volume 104(2018)
• Page Start: 238
• Page End: 256
• Publication Date: 2018-04
• Subjects: Savings -- Financial inclusion -- Financial literacy -- Systematic review -- Meta-analysis -- Sub-Saharan Africa; Economic history -- 1990- -- Periodicals; Economic assistance -- Developing countries -- Periodicals; 330.9
• DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2017.11.018
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0305-750X

Abstract

Highlights: Systematic searches found 27 saving promotion trials in Sub-Saharan Africa. Across trials, interventions increased total savings rates. Interventions increased household consumption and food security. Supply-enhancing programs are more effective than financial education. Female program recipients benefit less than men. Abstract: Saving promotion interventions have gained momentum in international development in recent years. Our analysis investigates whether saving promotion can effectively increase savings, consumption, and future-oriented investments in Sub-Saharan Africa. In an extensive search of 28 academic and policy-focused databases in the fields of economics, psychology, and social sciences, 9330 titles and abstracts of published and unpublished studies were screened and 27 randomized controlled trials on saving promotion interventions fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Of these, 24 studies reporting on an aggregated sample of 87, 025 individuals provided sufficient information to be included in the meta-analysis. Robust-variance estimations of pooled effect sizes show small but significant impacts on poverty reduction, including increases in household expenditures and incomes, higher returns from family businesses, and improved food security. They also show positive and significant impacts on more intermediate outcomes including total savings, pro-saving attitudes, financial literacy, and investments in small-scale family businesses. Our results do not show significant effects on assets, housing quality, education, or health. Results from meta-regressions suggest that supply-based programs are superior to demand-enhancing program types such as financial education. They further reveal reduced program effectiveness for women. Overall, findings from this analysis suggest that saving promotion schemes are highly relevant in reducing poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa, and that future efforts should focus on expansion of banking services to the poor as well as gender-sensitive programming.