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Replication Data for: Development Effects of Rural Electrification

By Energy Division (VPS/INE/ENE)

What do we know about the effects of improved access to electricity? Does the research tell a unified story? To answer these questions, this brief examines 50 impact evaluation studies, focusing on the effects of electrification on education, labor, and income indicators. Overall, the literature finds substantial welfare gains, which tend to be greatest for women and small firms. On average, electrification leads increases of around 7% in school enrollment, 25% in employment, and 30% in incomes. However, the estimates vary widely, with many studies finding no effects, indicating weak links in the empirical literature. This review suggests that addressing the sources of such variance could be a means to fill the persistent knowledge gaps and to improve the effectiveness of electrification policies.

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Metadata & use

Identifier https://doi.org/10.60966/b5fqzlkn
License Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–NoDerivs 3.0 IGO
Related Knowledge Product
Citation

Jimenez Mori, Raul Alberto (2017). Replication Data for: Development Effects of Rural Electrification. IDB Open Data. https://doi.org/10.60966/b5fqzlkn
Published date 2017-01-01
Modified date 2026-08-26
Tags/Keywords Energy Distribution · Rural Development · Rural Electrification
Language
  1. English
Temporal coverage 1994-2015
Country
Brazil
Colombia
El Salvador
Guyana
Nicaragua
Peru
Region Latin America and the Caribbean
Publisher
Inter-American Development Bank
Author
Jimenez Mori, Raul Alberto
Data collection type Observational Data
Statistical type Cross-sectional Data
Data structure Structured Data
Data notes

What is rural electrification and why is it important?

The dataset examines the development effects of rural electrification, highlighting its role in improving economic outcomes, productivity, and household welfare. It suggests that access to electricity is a key driver of development by enabling better access to services and income-generating activities.

What is the impact of rural electrification on education and healthcare?

The dataset indicates that rural electrification contributes to improved living conditions, which can support better educational and healthcare outcomes, although sector-level impacts are not disaggregated in sufficient detail.

Why is it so expensive to provide electricity to rural areas?

Not explicitly answered by the dataset, though rural electrification projects typically involve high infrastructure and distribution costs due to geographic dispersion.

How does access to power reduce poverty in rural communities?

The dataset shows that electrification is associated with increased income opportunities, productivity gains, and improved economic conditions, which contribute to poverty reduction.

How does rural electrification help small-scale farmers increase crop yields?

The dataset suggests that electrification can enhance agricultural productivity by enabling access to machinery, irrigation, and storage, although specific yield impacts are not quantified.

What is the impact of rural electrification on agricultural cold chain logistics?

Not explicitly addressed, though improved infrastructure may indirectly support storage and logistics.

How does rural power access reduce urban-to-rural migration?

The dataset suggests that improved economic opportunities in electrified rural areas may reduce migration pressures, although this relationship is not directly quantified.

How does reliable electricity change the primary healthcare delivery in villages?

The dataset indicates improvements in service delivery conditions but does not provide a detailed analysis of the healthcare system.

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