Data for: Evaluating seasonal food storage and credit programs in east Indonesia

Abstract of associated article: Predictable annual lean seasons occur in many rural areas, including West Timor in Indonesia. Imperfections in savings and credit markets make it difficult for staple farmers to convert harvest season output into lean season consumption. We conduct a randomized evaluation of a seasonal food storage program and a food credit program. By providing improved ways to transfer assets across seasons, each program functions as a subsidy on lean season consumption. We find that neither program had effects on staple food consumption. The storage program increased non-food consumption. The credit program increased reported income and reduced seasonal gaps in consumption. Our results are consistent with positive income effects through the expansion of budget sets, but suggest that the average household could be close to staple food satiation.关联论文摘要：包括印度尼西亚西帝汶在内的诸多农村地区，每年都会出现可预见的季节性缺粮期。储蓄与信贷市场的不完备性，使得主食种植农户难以将收获季的农产品产出转化为缺粮季的消费能力。我们针对季节性粮食储备项目与粮食信贷项目开展了随机对照评估。通过提供优化的跨季节资产转移途径，两类项目均可发挥缺粮季消费补贴的作用。研究发现，两类项目均未对主粮消费产生显著影响；粮食储备项目提升了非食品消费支出，而粮食信贷项目则提高了农户自述收入，并缩小了消费的季节性缺口。本研究结果与“通过扩大预算集合实现正向收入效应”的推论相符，但同时表明普通农户或已接近主粮消费饱和状态。