Three essays on development and wellbeing

Abstract

This dissertation studies the effect of government program and policy on development and wellbeing such as malaria prevention program in Myanmar and joint land certification policy in Ethiopia. In addition, this study discovers the situation of government support of agricultural recovery after the Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar. Chapter one examines the impacts of Malaria Prevention Program – distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) on human wellbeing such as health, labor force participation, and cognitive ability by using “Integrated Household Living Conditions Assessment (IHLCA) Survey”, 2010 Myanmar data. To identify the program impacts, this study mainly uses a Difference-in-Differences approach by exploiting variations in malaria intensity rate and the use of insecticide-treated bed net. Findings show that the distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets program improve human wellbeing such as increase in labor force participation and cognitive ability, and reduce the probability of getting sick. Chapter two examines the affect of joint land certification policy on husband and wife‟s subjective wellbeing and household expenditure. To identify the policy impact, the study mainly used a Difference-in-Differences approach by using “Ethiopian Rural Household Survey (ERHS)” data. We compare the outcome variables between individuals who have and who do not have jointly land certificate in Tigray region and SNNP (Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People‟s) region by exploiting time variation of policy intervention. Findings indicate that the expanding the rights to land tenure for women not only increases wife‟s subjective wellbeing but also husband‟s subjective wellbeing and household consumption expenditure. Chapter three investigates the situation of rebuilding agriculture activities and agricultural assistance after the Cyclone Nargis between households situated in the severely affected and less affected townships by using “Integrated Household Living Conditions Assessment (IHLCA) Survey” Myanmar, 2004 and 2009 round. The study mainly used a Difference-in-Differences approach by exploiting time variation between households situated in severely affected area and less affected area. The study found that after the Cyclone Nargis, households situated in severely affected area have decreasing number of own agriculture equipment, own farm large animals, and own motor boats, less likely to use land for crop production, and less likely to engage in livestock breeding activities. The study also found that after the Cyclone Nargis, households situated in severely affected area need more financial support, government bank support more financial to this area than private bank, and both public and private sectors still weak in terms of supporting agricultural service.