Fresh insights from new research shaping Africa’s food systems, resilience, and economic development
Key Insight of the Week
Not all digital financial services strengthen household resilience equally. This study finds that digital savings are consistently associated with stronger household coping capacity, while app-based digital credit is associated with reduced emergency savings and financial endurance.
Featured Report of the Week
Can digital financial services improve household coping capacity? Evidence from nationally representative cross-sectional data in Kenya
Kirui, Oliver K.; Vyas, Shalika; Korir, Josphat K.; Mundia, Carolyne; Kimathi, Sally; Misganaw, Mastawesha E.
Digital financial services have expanded rapidly in Kenya, but their contribution to household resilience varies across financial products. In this week’s Evidence for Africa, IFPRI researchers examine trends in digital financial services adoption and their associations with household coping capacity using nationally representative FinAccess survey data from 2019, 2021, and 2024.
The study finds that mobile phone ownership, internet access, education, income, and financial decision-making are important correlates of digital financial services adoption, although significant gender and regional disparities remain. Among the products assessed, digital savings showed the broadest and most consistent positive associations with household coping capacity.
Mobile banking savings were associated with a 14-percentage-point increase in emergency saving, a 7.5-percentage-point increase in access to emergency funds, and reductions of 4 and 2.7 percentage points in food insecurity and difficulty accessing medical care, respectively. In contrast, app-based digital credit was associated with reduced emergency savings and financial endurance. The findings suggest that the welfare implications of digital financial services depend on the type of product used.
Other Recent Publications
Associations between hygiene practices and carcass contamination by Escherichia coli and coliforms in bovine slaughter facilities in rural Kenya(OA; PR; ISI)
Otoigo, Lilian; Kiarie, Alice; Edna, Amondi Regina; Hoffmann, Vivian; Ambler, Kate; Cook, Elizabeth A.J.
Journal of Food Protection, 89(9)
Integrated hydrological and economic assessment of hydropower and irrigation development in Sudan under climate change(A* Rank; OA; PR; ISI)
Basheer, Mohammed; Elnour, Zuhal; Pérez, Cristo Facundo; Liao, Wenxi; Siddig, Khalid; Ringler, Claudia
Journal of Hydrology. First published online on July 30, 2026
Agricultural recovery and resilience in Sudan: Findings from the THABAT Project baseline survey of farmers (OA)
Mohamed, Shima; Jovanovic, Nina; Abay, Kibrom A.; Siddig, Khalid; Simbeko, Guy; Sekabira, Haruna
Sudan SSP Working Paper
Essential commodities prices, availability, and market actors’ perceptions: July 2026 (OA)
Rakhy, Tarig; Mohamed, Shima; Abushama, Hala; Nigus, Halefom Yigzaw; Suliman, Gotada; Siddig, Khalid
Sudan Market Prices and Availability Report
Essential commodities prices, availability, and market actors’ perceptions: June 2026 (OA)
Rakhy, Tarig; Mohamed, Shima; Abushama, Hala; Nigus, Halefom Yigzaw; Suliman, Gotada; Siddig, Khalid
Sudan Market Prices and Availability Report
Strengthening land tenure security and women’s land rights in Ethiopia: Policy analysis, implementation gaps, and gender-transformative pathways (OA)
Obaikol, Esther; Iraoya, Augustine Okhale
GCAN Project Note
Strengthening land tenure security and women’s land rights in Kenya: Policy analysis, implementation gaps, and gender-transformative pathways (OA)
Obaikol, Esther; Iraoya, Augustine Okhale
GCAN Project Note
The economywide impacts of school meals: Simulation results for Ghana and Malawi (OA)
Pauw, Karl; Gelli, Aulo; Katundu, Mangani
Unlocking Sudan’s rice potential: Economywide impacts of rice sector expansion under alternative development pathways(OA)
Siddig, Khalid; Ismail, Abdelbagi; Elnour, Zuhal; Guo, Zhe
WEAGov in practice: Lessons from early adopters in the AWARD/GRASP Fellowship(OA)
Ragasa, Catherine; Kyle, Jordan; Mangheni, Margaret Najjingo; Omamo, Anne
WEAGov Note
About Evidence for Africa
Evidence for Africa highlights every week recent IFPRI research and insights relevant to the continent’s food systems, economic development, and policy priorities.
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