Thematic Area

Economic Inclusion & Livelihoods

3Publications

6Projects

Analysing barriers to economic participation and designing inclusive livelihood programmes.

Research Focus

Key Research Questions

What are the key barriers to women's economic participation in agricultural value chains?

How does women's land tenure security affect household investment decisions and welfare outcomes?

Which programme designs most effectively close gender gaps in income and asset accumulation?

Why It Matters

Over 40% of Uganda's population lives below the national poverty line, with the majority in rural areas dependent on agriculture and petty trade. Social protection programmes, livelihood interventions, and financial inclusion initiatives hold significant potential to support graduation from poverty — but their design, targeting, and implementation quality are critical to their impact.

Our Approach

We evaluate social protection and livelihood programmes using rigorous impact evaluation methods including randomised controlled trials, difference-in-differences, and regression discontinuity designs. Our research examines not just whether programmes work, but for whom and under what conditions — generating nuanced evidence to improve programme design and delivery.

What We Do