Social safety nets and household vulnerability to income shocks and food insecurity among poor households in Malawi

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dc.contributor.advisorAlhassan, Abdul Latif
dc.contributor.authorChibade, Evans
dc.date.accessioned2026-11-13T08:56:01Z
dc.date.available2026-11-13T08:56:01Z
dc.date.issued2026
dc.date.updated2026-11-13T07:55:46Z
dc.description.abstractThis study assesses the effectiveness of formal and informal social safety nets (SSNs) in reducing household vulnerability to income shocks and enhancing food security among poor households in Malawi. Utilizing data from the Fifth Integrated Household Survey, the research employs a set of econometric models, including the multivariate probit, Poisson regression, Tobit and ordered logit, to analyze the impact of social safety nets on three key outcomes: participation in income-generating activities, household food consumption expenditure, and multidimensional food security indicators, including Household Dietary Diversity Score, Reduced Coping Strategies Index, Food Consumption Score, and Food Insecurity Experience Scale. The findings reveal that government cash transfers are effective in stimulating investment in productive income-generating activities like livestock and non-farm businesses, thereby enhancing dietary diversity and food consumption scores. Both formal and informal social safety nets play a crucial role in consumption smoothing and reducing reliance on negative coping strategies. A critical finding is that households acting as providers of support within informal networks exhibit significantly greater resilience and food security than those solely receiving aid. However, the transformative potential of SSNs is constrained by structural factors: Urban residence, mobile phone ownership, and diversified livelihoods are key determinants of resilience. The study concludes that while SSNs are essential for immediate welfare and protection, achieving sustainable poverty reduction requires integrating them with complementary "cash-plus" interventions, such as access to extension services and market linkages, to address the underlying causes of vulnerability.
dc.identifier.apacitationChibade, E. (2026). <i>Social safety nets and household vulnerability to income shocks and food insecurity among poor households in Malawi</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Commerce ,Graduate School of Business (GSB). Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43942en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationChibade, Evans. <i>"Social safety nets and household vulnerability to income shocks and food insecurity among poor households in Malawi."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Commerce ,Graduate School of Business (GSB), 2026. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43942en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationChibade, E. 2026. Social safety nets and household vulnerability to income shocks and food insecurity among poor households in Malawi. . University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Commerce ,Graduate School of Business (GSB). http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43942en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Chibade, Evans AB - This study assesses the effectiveness of formal and informal social safety nets (SSNs) in reducing household vulnerability to income shocks and enhancing food security among poor households in Malawi. Utilizing data from the Fifth Integrated Household Survey, the research employs a set of econometric models, including the multivariate probit, Poisson regression, Tobit and ordered logit, to analyze the impact of social safety nets on three key outcomes: participation in income-generating activities, household food consumption expenditure, and multidimensional food security indicators, including Household Dietary Diversity Score, Reduced Coping Strategies Index, Food Consumption Score, and Food Insecurity Experience Scale. The findings reveal that government cash transfers are effective in stimulating investment in productive income-generating activities like livestock and non-farm businesses, thereby enhancing dietary diversity and food consumption scores. Both formal and informal social safety nets play a crucial role in consumption smoothing and reducing reliance on negative coping strategies. A critical finding is that households acting as providers of support within informal networks exhibit significantly greater resilience and food security than those solely receiving aid. However, the transformative potential of SSNs is constrained by structural factors: Urban residence, mobile phone ownership, and diversified livelihoods are key determinants of resilience. The study concludes that while SSNs are essential for immediate welfare and protection, achieving sustainable poverty reduction requires integrating them with complementary "cash-plus" interventions, such as access to extension services and market linkages, to address the underlying causes of vulnerability. DA - 2026 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - Social Safety Nets KW - Social Protection KW - Household Vulnerability KW - Food Security KW - Income Shocks KW - Consumption Smoothing KW - Public Works Programs (PWPs) KW - Government Cash Transfers LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2026 T1 - Social safety nets and household vulnerability to income shocks and food insecurity among poor households in Malawi TI - Social safety nets and household vulnerability to income shocks and food insecurity among poor households in Malawi UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43942 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/43942
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationChibade E. Social safety nets and household vulnerability to income shocks and food insecurity among poor households in Malawi. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Commerce ,Graduate School of Business (GSB), 2026 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43942en_ZA
dc.language.isoen
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentGraduate School of Business (GSB)
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Commerce
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subjectSocial Safety Nets
dc.subjectSocial Protection
dc.subjectHousehold Vulnerability
dc.subjectFood Security
dc.subjectIncome Shocks
dc.subjectConsumption Smoothing
dc.subjectPublic Works Programs (PWPs)
dc.subjectGovernment Cash Transfers
dc.titleSocial safety nets and household vulnerability to income shocks and food insecurity among poor households in Malawi
dc.typeThesis / Dissertation
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelMCom
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