The Links Between Community-Based Financial Inclusion and Household Food Availability: Evidence from Mozambique

Overview

Journal Foods

Date 2025 Jan 25

PMID 39856879

Authors

Aweke Tadesse

Kenan Li

Jesse Helton

Jin Huang

David Ansong

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Financial inclusion can boost wealth, health, and quality of life. However, few studies have examined how women's participation in community-based financial inclusion opportunities, such as village saving and loan groups (VSLGs), relates to household food security. Using program data from central Mozambique, this study examined whether low-income women's participation in VSLGs directly increases household food availability, as well as indirectly through increased asset ownership. Employing a post-test-only comparison group quasi-experimental design, the study sampled 205 female VSLG participants and non-participants from three sub-villages in Mozambique's Sofala province. Structural equation modeling (SEM) results indicated that low-income women's participation in VSLGs is directly associated with a reduction in household hunger score (β = -0.21, < 0.01), as well as indirectly associated through the mediating role of household assets ([Sobel indirect effect] = -0.06, = 0.05). The VSLG participants showed a significant increase in household asset ownership compared to non-VSLG participants (β = 0.15, < 0.05). Further, increased asset ownership significantly correlated with a lower probability of household hunger (β = -0.30, < 0.01). The results suggest that community-based financial inclusion approaches could improve the availability of food through asset building among Mozambique's low-income women. The study offers a potential strategy for policymakers and development experts to utilize community approaches to financial inclusion to improve rural and low-income women's livelihoods.

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