Can Digital Cash Transfers Serve those in Active Conflict? Evidence from a Randomized Intervention in Sudan

Considering the case of Sudan, where active conflict and funding gaps continue to hamper the delivery of humanitarian services, we aim to address the following questions: (i) Can digital cash transfers improve food and nutrition security outcomes of beneficiaries in conflict-affected settings?; (ii) Can digital transfers improve subjective well-being and mental health in conflict setting?; and (iii) Who benefits more from digital transfers, and do the impacts of digital transfers vary depending on the size of transfers? To address these questions, we design a randomized controlled trial involving digital transfers of different sizes to randomly selected urban households in Sudan. Overall, digital transfers mitigated deterioration in food insecurity (by 7-8 pp) and improved subjective well-being and mental health. Interestingly, we find that digital transfers are more beneficial for those grappling with active conflict. Digital transfers appear to be less effective for poorer households and households of a larger size.