Research:
The Effect of Smart Subsidies and Sanitation Marketing on Latrine Uptake in Rural Cambodia
Targeted subsidies and sanitation marketing should be recognized as complementary interventions . . . their additive effect is dramatic.
Researchers wanted to determine whether sanitation marketing alone, Output-Based Aid (OBA) subsidy targeting the poor alone, or a combination of both interventions would make a difference in latrine uptake across different poverty levels in Cambodian villages. The researchers analyzed data from households across three income groups – non-poor, near-poor, and poor – to determine differences in latrine uptake across different poverty levels.
Results
- There was no evidence of pro-poor subsidies acting as a disincentive to wealthier households to purchase and build latrines.
- Villages that implemented subsidies for the poor and sanitation marketing interventions showed higher latrine coverage among all income groups when compared to villages that implemented only one program.
Conclusion
Targeted subsidies and sanitation marketing should be recognized as complementary interventions, each targeting a particular income group, and their additive effect among the overall population is dramatic.