Do remittances help smooth consumption during health shocks?: Evidence from Jamaica

Abstract

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The Impact of Tropical Storms on Households: Evidence from Panel Data on Consumption

“…Remittances are typically seen as a factor affecting consumption or a way to alleviate poverty in developing countries (see Acosta, Fajnzylber and Lopez, ; Gupta, Pattillo and Wagh, ; Lubambu, ). Indeed, there is some evidence that in Jamaica remittances may act as important buffers for negative shocks (see Clarke and Wallsten, ; Beuermann, Ruprah and Sierra, ). While we do not have information on the actual amount of remittances received, as noted earlier, the JSLC does indicate whether households receive remittances or not.…”

The Role of Livestock Portfolios and Group-Based Approaches for Building Resilience in the Face of Accelerating Climate Change: An Asset-Based Panel Data Analysis from Rural Kenya

“…This is because safety nets programs improve food security, well-being and protect distress sale of assets in the short-run (Béné et al 2012;Berhane et al 2013), nonetheless, households incline to sell assets to cope with shocks in the long-run (Little et al 2004;Andersson et al 2011). Interestingly, households that received remittances are more likely to enhance coping capacity by increasing their ability to borrow through group-based approaches, hence smoothing their consumption level, besides, increasing livestock portfolios (see also Mohapatra et al 2009;Beuermann et al 2014 for more examples).…”

Financing the extension of social insurance to informal economy workers

“…Migration and remittances have long played a part in the risk management strategies of vulnerable households. Remittances from migrant workers allow households to diversify their income sources in case of impoverishing internal and external macro-economic shocks (Todaro, 1969[13]; Harris and Todaro, 1970[14]; Balli and Rana, 2015 [15]; OECD, 2017 [2]). In the absence of robust social protection systems, remittances play an important role in consumption smoothing, especially during spells of un-and underemployment (Yang and Choi, 2007[16]; Jimenez-Soto and Brown, 2012 [17]; Brown, Connell and Jimenez-Soto, 2014 [18]; Beuermann, Ruprah and Sierra, 2014 [19]).…”