Purpose
This paper examines the impact of cash transfers as a social protection tool and their ripple effects in rural Africa. While these transfers aim to alleviate poverty, concerns about dependency and potential negative effects persist. This study investigates whether such effects are widespread in rural Africa by basing discussion on the theories of change and the Local Economy-Wide Impact Evaluation (LEWIE) model.

Methodology/approach
A scoping review of 40 published papers and policy documents from 2005 to 2023 was conducted, using keywords like social safety nets, cash transfers, and rural Africa. The search spanned from October 2023 to March 2024, with a narrative synthesis used to integrate the varied findings.

Findings
Cash transfers stimulate local economies, boost enterprises, and create employment, particularly for ultra-poor households. They shift labour from wage employment to self-employment without reducing overall labour supply. However, negative spillovers, such as non-recipient exclusion which sometimes raised tensions between recipient and non-recipient, were found which meant inverse impact on social ties. Further, inflations is suggested by some studies as possible inverse ripple effects of cash transfers in rural Africa.

Limitations
Further evidence is needed on how these transfers influence social ties and parental labour in rural areas.

Practical & Social Implications
The mixed effects of cash transfers highlight the need for careful recipient selection to enhance social cohesion.

Originality
This study adds to discussions on cash transfers in Africa by using a scoping review to explore their broader impacts.

Authors:
Emefa Awuku, Lingnan University, Hong Kong
Kwame Asamoah Kwarteng, Independent Scholar, United Kingdom
Stephen Elvis Ampah, Technical University of Dortmund, Germany

About the Presenter(s)
Ms. Emefa Tonorgbevi Awuku is second Year PhD student at Lingnan University, Hong Kong (SAR)

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/emefa-tonorgbevi-a-731011135/

Connect on ResearchGate
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Emefa-Awuku

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