TY - BOOK ID - 138346868 TI - Using Referenda to Improve Targeting and Decrease Costs of Conditional Cash Transfers AU - Alix-Garcia, Jennifer M. AU - Phaneuf, Daniel J. AU - Sims, Katharine R. E. PY - 2019 PB - Washington, D.C. : The World Bank, DB - UniCat KW - Access of poor to social services KW - Biodiversity KW - Conditional cash transfers KW - Disability KW - Economic assistance KW - Ecosystem services KW - Environment KW - Environmental disasters and degradation KW - Global environment facility KW - Payments KW - Poverty reduction KW - Services and transfers to poor KW - Social protections and labor KW - Stated preference KW - Targeting UR - https://www.unicat.be/uniCat?func=search&query=sysid:138346868 AB - Cost-effective allocation of conditional cash transfers (CCT) requires identifying recipients with low opportunity costs who might change behavior. This paper develops a low-cost approach for improving program implementation by using a stated preference, referendum-style survey question to calculate willingness to accept (WTA) for CCT contracts. This is illustrated in the context of Mexico's Payments for Ecosystem Services Program, with the paper finding that the estimated social cost based on WTA is substantially lower than actual payments. Simulation of three geographic targeting approaches shows that joint selection using deforestation risk and WTA could increase program impact under the same budget. The paper also simulates modified payment schedules based on predicted WTA and demonstrates that these could reduce program cost. ER -