Income transfer program and family expenditure: evidence from the Pró-Família program in the state of Mato Grosso

Abstract

Income transfer programs are seen as one of the most widely disseminated social protection instruments, with a strong focus on targeting, aiming to map, identify and include the “vulnerable”, assuring them monetary benefits. In this study, the objective was to evaluate the impact of the Pró-Família Program of the State of Mato Grosso on food expenses. For this, combinations of the Cadastro Único database, Bolsa Familia and the list of beneficiaries of Pró-Família are used. The propensity score matching method is used to estimate the effect of the Pró-Família Program on the group of beneficiaries compared to non beneficiaries of the program. The evidence found suggests that the program has a positive impact  on food expenses, influenced by the purchasing power of families provided by predictability in the payment of the benefit.