更好的道路，更好的道路？坦桑尼亚道路升级的证据

Economic Context - 80% of the world's extreme poor and 75% of the moderately poor live in rural areas, with spatial isolation being a major cause of poverty[2] - In sub-Saharan Africa, only 34% of the rural population lives within 2 kilometers of all-season roads, severely limiting access to agricultural production, healthcare, education, and job opportunities[2] Road Rehabilitation Program - The program aimed to upgrade 2,500 kilometers of major roads in Tanzania, addressing the poor infrastructure that ranked 118th out of 134 economies in the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Index[21] - By the end of 2013, 2,564 kilometers of roads were paved, increasing the proportion of well-maintained roads from 11% to 29.4%[22] Impact on Rural Livelihoods - The program led to a decrease in rice prices, negatively impacting rural households' agricultural income, which was not compensated by increased wage employment[1] - Households reallocated labor away from agriculture, but the increase in wage income did not offset the losses from agricultural income[1] Market Dynamics - The reduction in transportation costs intensified competition, leading to greater market pressures on rural families[1] - The findings suggest that improved access to quality roads may not yield the expected benefits for rural households, as they face increased competition from external producers[7] Methodology and Analysis - The study utilized household fixed effects and propensity score matching to assess the program's impact, focusing on various household behavior variables[1] - The analysis revealed that while the program aimed to enhance market access, it resulted in reduced market entry for rural households rather than improved access to new markets[10]