Income Risk, Coping Strategies, and Safety Nets

Poor rural and urban households in developing countries face substantial risks, which they handle with risk-management and risk-coping strategies, including self-insurance through savings and informal insurance mechanisms. Despite these mechanisms,...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Dercon, Stefan
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
en_US
Published: World Bank 2013
Subjects:
WAR
Online Access:http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2002/09/17591806/income-risk-coping-strategies-safety-nets
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/16419
id okr-10986-16419
recordtype oai_dc
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Foreign Institution
institution Digital Repositories
building World Bank Open Knowledge Repository
collection World Bank
language English
en_US
topic AGRICULTURAL WAGE
AGRICULTURE
ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE
ARID TROPICS
ASSET HOLDINGS
ASSET VULNERABILITY FRAMEWORK
ASSETS
BARRIERS TO ENTRY
BENCHMARK
CATTLE OWNERSHIP
CHILD GROWTH
CHILD HEALTH
CHILD LABOR
CHILD MORTALITY
CHRONIC ILLNESS
CHRONIC POVERTY
CHRONICALLY POOR
COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE
CONSUMPTION INSURANCE
CONSUMPTION LEVELS
CONSUMPTION SMOOTHING
COPING STRATEGIES
CREDIT MARKET CONSTRAINTS
CREDIT PROGRAMS
CRISES
CROP DIVERSIFICATION
CROP INCOME
CROWDING OUT
DEPOSITS
DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
DOWNSIDE RISKS
DROUGHT
DYNAMIC POVERTY
ECONOMIC CRISIS
ECONOMIC FLUCTUATIONS
ECONOMIC POLICIES
ECONOMIC REFORM
ECONOMIC RESEARCH
ECONOMIC SHOCKS
ECONOMICS
ECONOMICS LITERATURE
ECONOMICS RESEARCH
ECONOMIES OF SCALE
EMPLOYMENT
EQUILIBRIUM ANALYSIS
ETHNIC GROUPS
EXPECTED UTILITY
EXTENDED FAMILIES
FAMINE
FARM ACTIVITIES
FARM HOUSEHOLDS
FARMERS
FEMALE LABOR
FINANCIAL CRISIS
FINANCIAL MARKETS
FOOD AID
FOOD CONSUMPTION
FOOD EXPENDITURE
FOOD INSECURITY
FOOD INTAKE
FOOD MARKETS
FOOD PRICES
FOOD PROCESSING
FOOD-FOR-WORK
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
FORMAL SAFETY NETS
HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
HOUSEHOLD INCOME DIVERSIFICATION
HOUSEHOLD LEVEL
HOUSEHOLD SURVEY
HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS
HOUSEHOLD VULNERABILITY
HUMAN CAPITAL
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
HUMAN RESOURCES
IDIOSYNCRATIC RISK
IDIOSYNCRATIC RISKS
IDIOSYNCRATIC SHOCKS
IMPACT OF SHOCKS
IMPLICIT CONTRACTS
INCIDENCE OF POVERTY
INCOME
INCOME FLUCTUATIONS
INCOME GAP
INCOME GROWTH
INCOME RISK
INCOME SHOCKS
INCOME SMOOTHING
INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES
INEQUALITY
INFLATION
INFORMAL CREDIT
INFORMAL INSURANCE
INFORMAL INSURANCE MECHANISMS
INSURANCE MARKETS
INSURANCE SCHEMES
INSURANCE SYSTEMS
INTEREST RATE
INTEREST RATES
INVENTORY
LABOR FORCE
LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION
LABOR MARKET
LABOR SUPPLY
LACK OF WATER
LANDHOLDINGS
LANDLESS
LANDLESS HOUSEHOLDS
LDCS
LIQUID ASSETS
LIQUIDITY
MACROECONOMIC POLICIES
MACROECONOMIC POLICY
MACROECONOMIC STABILITY
MANAGERIAL ECONOMICS
MARKET LIBERALIZATION
MICROFINANCE
MIGRATION
MONITORING COSTS
MUTUAL INSURANCE
NEEDY HOUSEHOLDS
NEGATIVE EXTERNALITIES
NONFARM INCOME
NUTRITION
PERMANENT INCOME
POLITICAL ECONOMY
POOR
POOR HOUSEHOLDS
PORTFOLIO
POVERTY ANALYSIS
POVERTY DYNAMICS
POVERTY ESTIMATES
POVERTY GAP
POVERTY LEVEL
POVERTY LINE
POVERTY MEASURES
POVERTY REDUCTION
POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGIES
PRECAUTIONARY SAVINGS
PRIVATE TRANSFERS
PRODUCT MARKETS
PROFITABILITY
PUBLIC SAFETY NETS
PUBLIC TRANSFER
PUBLIC TRANSFERS
PURCHASING POWER
RECIPROCITY
RISK AVERSE
RISK COPING
RISK OF BANK FAILURE
RISK POOLING
RISK PREMIUM
RISK REDUCING
RISK REDUCTION
RISK SHARING
RISK-COPING
ROSCAS
RURAL
RURAL AREAS
RURAL COMMUNITIES
RURAL CREDIT
RURAL ECONOMY
RURAL HOUSEHOLD
RURAL HOUSEHOLDS
RURAL POVERTY
SAFETY
SAFETY NET
SAFETY NET PROGRAMS
SAFETY NETS
SAVINGS
SAVINGS BEHAVIOR
SCHOOL ENROLLMENT
SELF-INSURANCE
SHOCK
SMOOTHING CONSUMPTION
SOCIAL CAPITAL
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
SOCIAL PROTECTION
SOCIAL SAFETY NETS
SOCIAL SECURITY
SUPPORT NETWORKS
SUSU
TARGETED TRANSFERS
TARGETING
TARGETING MECHANISMS
TAXATION
TONTINES
TRANSACTIONS COSTS
TRANSIENT ILLNESS
TRANSIENT POVERTY
TRANSPORT
VILLAGE ECONOMIES
VULNERABLE GROUPS
VULNERABLE HOUSEHOLD
VULNERABLE HOUSEHOLDS
WAGE EARNERS
WAR
WEALTH
WEALTH DISTRIBUTION
WEATHER RISK
WEATHER SHOCKS
WORK PROGRAMS
WORKING CAPITAL
spellingShingle AGRICULTURAL WAGE
AGRICULTURE
ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE
ARID TROPICS
ASSET HOLDINGS
ASSET VULNERABILITY FRAMEWORK
ASSETS
BARRIERS TO ENTRY
BENCHMARK
CATTLE OWNERSHIP
CHILD GROWTH
CHILD HEALTH
CHILD LABOR
CHILD MORTALITY
CHRONIC ILLNESS
CHRONIC POVERTY
CHRONICALLY POOR
COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE
CONSUMPTION INSURANCE
CONSUMPTION LEVELS
CONSUMPTION SMOOTHING
COPING STRATEGIES
CREDIT MARKET CONSTRAINTS
CREDIT PROGRAMS
CRISES
CROP DIVERSIFICATION
CROP INCOME
CROWDING OUT
DEPOSITS
DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
DOWNSIDE RISKS
DROUGHT
DYNAMIC POVERTY
ECONOMIC CRISIS
ECONOMIC FLUCTUATIONS
ECONOMIC POLICIES
ECONOMIC REFORM
ECONOMIC RESEARCH
ECONOMIC SHOCKS
ECONOMICS
ECONOMICS LITERATURE
ECONOMICS RESEARCH
ECONOMIES OF SCALE
EMPLOYMENT
EQUILIBRIUM ANALYSIS
ETHNIC GROUPS
EXPECTED UTILITY
EXTENDED FAMILIES
FAMINE
FARM ACTIVITIES
FARM HOUSEHOLDS
FARMERS
FEMALE LABOR
FINANCIAL CRISIS
FINANCIAL MARKETS
FOOD AID
FOOD CONSUMPTION
FOOD EXPENDITURE
FOOD INSECURITY
FOOD INTAKE
FOOD MARKETS
FOOD PRICES
FOOD PROCESSING
FOOD-FOR-WORK
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
FORMAL SAFETY NETS
HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
HOUSEHOLD INCOME DIVERSIFICATION
HOUSEHOLD LEVEL
HOUSEHOLD SURVEY
HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS
HOUSEHOLD VULNERABILITY
HUMAN CAPITAL
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
HUMAN RESOURCES
IDIOSYNCRATIC RISK
IDIOSYNCRATIC RISKS
IDIOSYNCRATIC SHOCKS
IMPACT OF SHOCKS
IMPLICIT CONTRACTS
INCIDENCE OF POVERTY
INCOME
INCOME FLUCTUATIONS
INCOME GAP
INCOME GROWTH
INCOME RISK
INCOME SHOCKS
INCOME SMOOTHING
INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES
INEQUALITY
INFLATION
INFORMAL CREDIT
INFORMAL INSURANCE
INFORMAL INSURANCE MECHANISMS
INSURANCE MARKETS
INSURANCE SCHEMES
INSURANCE SYSTEMS
INTEREST RATE
INTEREST RATES
INVENTORY
LABOR FORCE
LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION
LABOR MARKET
LABOR SUPPLY
LACK OF WATER
LANDHOLDINGS
LANDLESS
LANDLESS HOUSEHOLDS
LDCS
LIQUID ASSETS
LIQUIDITY
MACROECONOMIC POLICIES
MACROECONOMIC POLICY
MACROECONOMIC STABILITY
MANAGERIAL ECONOMICS
MARKET LIBERALIZATION
MICROFINANCE
MIGRATION
MONITORING COSTS
MUTUAL INSURANCE
NEEDY HOUSEHOLDS
NEGATIVE EXTERNALITIES
NONFARM INCOME
NUTRITION
PERMANENT INCOME
POLITICAL ECONOMY
POOR
POOR HOUSEHOLDS
PORTFOLIO
POVERTY ANALYSIS
POVERTY DYNAMICS
POVERTY ESTIMATES
POVERTY GAP
POVERTY LEVEL
POVERTY LINE
POVERTY MEASURES
POVERTY REDUCTION
POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGIES
PRECAUTIONARY SAVINGS
PRIVATE TRANSFERS
PRODUCT MARKETS
PROFITABILITY
PUBLIC SAFETY NETS
PUBLIC TRANSFER
PUBLIC TRANSFERS
PURCHASING POWER
RECIPROCITY
RISK AVERSE
RISK COPING
RISK OF BANK FAILURE
RISK POOLING
RISK PREMIUM
RISK REDUCING
RISK REDUCTION
RISK SHARING
RISK-COPING
ROSCAS
RURAL
RURAL AREAS
RURAL COMMUNITIES
RURAL CREDIT
RURAL ECONOMY
RURAL HOUSEHOLD
RURAL HOUSEHOLDS
RURAL POVERTY
SAFETY
SAFETY NET
SAFETY NET PROGRAMS
SAFETY NETS
SAVINGS
SAVINGS BEHAVIOR
SCHOOL ENROLLMENT
SELF-INSURANCE
SHOCK
SMOOTHING CONSUMPTION
SOCIAL CAPITAL
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
SOCIAL PROTECTION
SOCIAL SAFETY NETS
SOCIAL SECURITY
SUPPORT NETWORKS
SUSU
TARGETED TRANSFERS
TARGETING
TARGETING MECHANISMS
TAXATION
TONTINES
TRANSACTIONS COSTS
TRANSIENT ILLNESS
TRANSIENT POVERTY
TRANSPORT
VILLAGE ECONOMIES
VULNERABLE GROUPS
VULNERABLE HOUSEHOLD
VULNERABLE HOUSEHOLDS
WAGE EARNERS
WAR
WEALTH
WEALTH DISTRIBUTION
WEATHER RISK
WEATHER SHOCKS
WORK PROGRAMS
WORKING CAPITAL
Dercon, Stefan
Income Risk, Coping Strategies, and Safety Nets
description Poor rural and urban households in developing countries face substantial risks, which they handle with risk-management and risk-coping strategies, including self-insurance through savings and informal insurance mechanisms. Despite these mechanisms, however, vulnerability to poverty linked to risk remains high. This article reviews the literature on poor households use of risk-management and risk-coping strategies. It identifies the constraints on their effectiveness and discusses policy options. It shows that risk and lumpiness limit the opportunities to use assets as insurance, that entry constraints limit the usefulness of income diversification, and that informal risk-sharing provides only limited protection, leaving some of the poor exposed to very severe negative shocks. Public safety nets are likely to be beneficial, but their impact is sometimes limited, and they may have negative externalities on households that are not covered. Collecting more information on households vulnerability to poverty through both quantitative and qualitative methods can help inform policy.
format Journal Article
author Dercon, Stefan
author_facet Dercon, Stefan
author_sort Dercon, Stefan
title Income Risk, Coping Strategies, and Safety Nets
title_short Income Risk, Coping Strategies, and Safety Nets
title_full Income Risk, Coping Strategies, and Safety Nets
title_fullStr Income Risk, Coping Strategies, and Safety Nets
title_full_unstemmed Income Risk, Coping Strategies, and Safety Nets
title_sort income risk, coping strategies, and safety nets
publisher World Bank
publishDate 2013
url http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2002/09/17591806/income-risk-coping-strategies-safety-nets
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/16419
_version_ 1764433542647906304
spelling okr-10986-164192021-04-23T14:03:29Z Income Risk, Coping Strategies, and Safety Nets Dercon, Stefan AGRICULTURAL WAGE AGRICULTURE ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE ARID TROPICS ASSET HOLDINGS ASSET VULNERABILITY FRAMEWORK ASSETS BARRIERS TO ENTRY BENCHMARK CATTLE OWNERSHIP CHILD GROWTH CHILD HEALTH CHILD LABOR CHILD MORTALITY CHRONIC ILLNESS CHRONIC POVERTY CHRONICALLY POOR COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE CONSUMPTION INSURANCE CONSUMPTION LEVELS CONSUMPTION SMOOTHING COPING STRATEGIES CREDIT MARKET CONSTRAINTS CREDIT PROGRAMS CRISES CROP DIVERSIFICATION CROP INCOME CROWDING OUT DEPOSITS DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS DOWNSIDE RISKS DROUGHT DYNAMIC POVERTY ECONOMIC CRISIS ECONOMIC FLUCTUATIONS ECONOMIC POLICIES ECONOMIC REFORM ECONOMIC RESEARCH ECONOMIC SHOCKS ECONOMICS ECONOMICS LITERATURE ECONOMICS RESEARCH ECONOMIES OF SCALE EMPLOYMENT EQUILIBRIUM ANALYSIS ETHNIC GROUPS EXPECTED UTILITY EXTENDED FAMILIES FAMINE FARM ACTIVITIES FARM HOUSEHOLDS FARMERS FEMALE LABOR FINANCIAL CRISIS FINANCIAL MARKETS FOOD AID FOOD CONSUMPTION FOOD EXPENDITURE FOOD INSECURITY FOOD INTAKE FOOD MARKETS FOOD PRICES FOOD PROCESSING FOOD-FOR-WORK FOREIGN EXCHANGE FORMAL SAFETY NETS HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION HOUSEHOLD INCOME HOUSEHOLD INCOME DIVERSIFICATION HOUSEHOLD LEVEL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS HOUSEHOLD VULNERABILITY HUMAN CAPITAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT HUMAN RESOURCES IDIOSYNCRATIC RISK IDIOSYNCRATIC RISKS IDIOSYNCRATIC SHOCKS IMPACT OF SHOCKS IMPLICIT CONTRACTS INCIDENCE OF POVERTY INCOME INCOME FLUCTUATIONS INCOME GAP INCOME GROWTH INCOME RISK INCOME SHOCKS INCOME SMOOTHING INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES INEQUALITY INFLATION INFORMAL CREDIT INFORMAL INSURANCE INFORMAL INSURANCE MECHANISMS INSURANCE MARKETS INSURANCE SCHEMES INSURANCE SYSTEMS INTEREST RATE INTEREST RATES INVENTORY LABOR FORCE LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION LABOR MARKET LABOR SUPPLY LACK OF WATER LANDHOLDINGS LANDLESS LANDLESS HOUSEHOLDS LDCS LIQUID ASSETS LIQUIDITY MACROECONOMIC POLICIES MACROECONOMIC POLICY MACROECONOMIC STABILITY MANAGERIAL ECONOMICS MARKET LIBERALIZATION MICROFINANCE MIGRATION MONITORING COSTS MUTUAL INSURANCE NEEDY HOUSEHOLDS NEGATIVE EXTERNALITIES NONFARM INCOME NUTRITION PERMANENT INCOME POLITICAL ECONOMY POOR POOR HOUSEHOLDS PORTFOLIO POVERTY ANALYSIS POVERTY DYNAMICS POVERTY ESTIMATES POVERTY GAP POVERTY LEVEL POVERTY LINE POVERTY MEASURES POVERTY REDUCTION POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGIES PRECAUTIONARY SAVINGS PRIVATE TRANSFERS PRODUCT MARKETS PROFITABILITY PUBLIC SAFETY NETS PUBLIC TRANSFER PUBLIC TRANSFERS PURCHASING POWER RECIPROCITY RISK AVERSE RISK COPING RISK OF BANK FAILURE RISK POOLING RISK PREMIUM RISK REDUCING RISK REDUCTION RISK SHARING RISK-COPING ROSCAS RURAL RURAL AREAS RURAL COMMUNITIES RURAL CREDIT RURAL ECONOMY RURAL HOUSEHOLD RURAL HOUSEHOLDS RURAL POVERTY SAFETY SAFETY NET SAFETY NET PROGRAMS SAFETY NETS SAVINGS SAVINGS BEHAVIOR SCHOOL ENROLLMENT SELF-INSURANCE SHOCK SMOOTHING CONSUMPTION SOCIAL CAPITAL SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT SOCIAL PROTECTION SOCIAL SAFETY NETS SOCIAL SECURITY SUPPORT NETWORKS SUSU TARGETED TRANSFERS TARGETING TARGETING MECHANISMS TAXATION TONTINES TRANSACTIONS COSTS TRANSIENT ILLNESS TRANSIENT POVERTY TRANSPORT VILLAGE ECONOMIES VULNERABLE GROUPS VULNERABLE HOUSEHOLD VULNERABLE HOUSEHOLDS WAGE EARNERS WAR WEALTH WEALTH DISTRIBUTION WEATHER RISK WEATHER SHOCKS WORK PROGRAMS WORKING CAPITAL Poor rural and urban households in developing countries face substantial risks, which they handle with risk-management and risk-coping strategies, including self-insurance through savings and informal insurance mechanisms. Despite these mechanisms, however, vulnerability to poverty linked to risk remains high. This article reviews the literature on poor households use of risk-management and risk-coping strategies. It identifies the constraints on their effectiveness and discusses policy options. It shows that risk and lumpiness limit the opportunities to use assets as insurance, that entry constraints limit the usefulness of income diversification, and that informal risk-sharing provides only limited protection, leaving some of the poor exposed to very severe negative shocks. Public safety nets are likely to be beneficial, but their impact is sometimes limited, and they may have negative externalities on households that are not covered. Collecting more information on households vulnerability to poverty through both quantitative and qualitative methods can help inform policy. 2013-12-19T21:59:07Z 2013-12-19T21:59:07Z 2002-09-01 Journal Article http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2002/09/17591806/income-risk-coping-strategies-safety-nets World Bank Research Observer http://hdl.handle.net/10986/16419 English en_US CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/igo/ World Bank World Bank Publications & Research :: Journal Article Publications & Research :: Journal Article