Rainy day funds? How men and women adapt to heavy rainfall shocks and the role of cash transfers in Mali

This presentation investigates how poor rural households in Mali adapt to heavy rainfall shocks and whether cash transfer programs strengthen their resilience, with a particular focus on differences between men’s and women’s responses. Using climate data linked to a randomized evaluation of the Jigisémèjiri cash transfer program, the study finds that intense rainfall negatively affects household consumption, assets, and labor allocation among households that do not receive transfers. Cash transfers help households smooth consumption during heavy rainfall events by reducing reliance on savings, protecting and expanding joint livestock and farming assets, and facilitating labor reallocation. While the program shows few gender differences in financial and asset-related adaptation strategies, it influences how men and women adjust their labor activities in response to climate shocks. The findings highlight the potential of social protection programs to strengthen climate resilience among vulnerable rural populations in Mali.