Using Bank Savings Product Design for Empowering Women and Agricultural Development

This study examines whether the random allocation of single and joint saving accounts to cash crop farmers in rural Ethiopia is associated with changes decision-making authority control over resources that ultimately lead labor effort, schooling allocations, income, consumption, agricultural investments, output. Women children work more when deposit are available. Likewise, meaningful effects on school participation reported for girls. Consistent posited channels intrahousehold bargaining models, women from households assigned treatment group show significant gains autonomy savings resources, financial empowerment. While we find substantial subjective wellbeing account experimental groups, no impacts output, consumption found. However, a systematic decumulation livestock assets observed across group.