Each semester, the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department curates a dynamic seminar series featuring leading scholars in agricultural and applied economics. These seminars are designed to inform, engage and inspire our colleagues at the University of Florida.
We are excited to announce that our first seminar of the semester will take place on Friday, September 13, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. EST, and will feature Dr. Abu S. Shonchoy, Associate Professor of Economics at the Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs, Florida International University (FIU).
These seminars are open to all interested in attending, in person on online via Zoom.
Event Details
When: Friday, September 13, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. EST
Where: McCarty Hall A 1151 or attend online via Zoom
Presentation Title: Seasonal Poverty Dynamics and Savings for the Lean Season: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment and High-frequency Data
Abstract: Using high-frequency panel surveys (18-rounds), we estimate consumption seasonality among ultra-poor households in rural Bangladesh. With another 18-rounds of panel, we examine whether an ex-ante measure — term deposits maturing at the lean season — can mitigate seasonal deprivation. We randomly assign households with zero-cost “premium” saving subsidies or prevailing “market” interest rate-based products. The premium product attracts more savings, resulting in transitory increases in food and non-food expenditures by 8-13% during the lean season compared to control. The market product shows insignificant impacts. While effects are short-lived, better-incentivized savings products could provide cost-effective measures against seasonal deprivation for ultra-poor.
About the Speaker: Hailing from Bangladesh, Dr. Abu S. Shonchoy is a tenured Associate Professor of Economics at Florida International University and affiliated with MIT’s J-PAL. He is an applied economist with interest in issues of global development. He has extensive experience conducting field research and experiments in South Asia and West Africa. His studies appeared in peer-reviewed international journals, including general interest journals, field journals, and public health and interdisciplinary journals. Prof. Shonchoy received several awards and recognitions, including the Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship, the Neil Vousden Memorial Scholarship, CDESG Best Paper Award and the ADB-IEA Innovative Policy Research Award.
For more information and Zoom link, visit our website at https://fred.ifas.ufl.edu/seminar-series/ or email Dr. Di Fang, seminar coordinator at difang@ufl.edu
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