Dynamic Social Registries for Adaptive Social Protection in the Sahel: Four Recommendations

This policy note outlines the importance of transitioning from static to dynamic social registries to enhance Adaptive Social Protection (ASP) systems in the Sahel. It provides actionable recommendations for designing and operationalizing registries that can effectively respond to the frequent shocks and chronic vulnerabilities faced by populations in the region. The key value lies in offering practical guidance for governments aiming to build more inclusive, responsive, and efficient social protection delivery systems.

Core Arguments & Findings

The Need for Dynamic Systems in the Sahel

Countries in the Sahel face interconnected shocks (climate change, conflict) that exacerbate poverty, food insecurity, and low human capital (p. 2). Traditional static social registries, often updated infrequently through costly census-like campaigns, struggle to keep pace with changing household circumstances (p. 6). This leads to:

• Data Decay: Information quickly becomes outdated, reducing targeting accuracy and program effectiveness. Estimates suggest nearly 50% of registry data could be obsolete within 2 years (p. 6).
• Exclusion Errors: Households falling into poverty between updates or affected by shocks may not be captured, turning registries into “closed doors” rather than gateways to support (p. 6-7).
• Inefficiency: Repeated large-scale data collection is costly and logistically challenging (p. 6, 11).

Adaptive Social Protection (ASP) and the Role of Registries

ASP integrates social protection policies, systems, and programs to help households prepare for, cope with, and adapt to shocks (p. 2). Social registries are the “backbone” or “infrastructure” for ASP, providing data for targeting and delivering support (p. 2).

• Gateway Function: Registries facilitate intake, registration, needs assessment, and eligibility determination for various programs (p. 5).
• Shock Responsiveness: Dynamic registries enable rapid program expansion:
  • Vertical Expansion: Increasing support for existing beneficiaries using up-to-date welfare information (p. 3).
  • Horizontal Expansion: Identifying and enrolling newly affected households through on-demand intake or triggered registration campaigns (p. 3, Figure 1 p. 4).
• Coordination: Well-designed registries serving multiple programs can reduce fragmentation and improve coordination among government and humanitarian actors (p. 2, 5).

What Makes a Social Registry Dynamic?

Dynamic registries are designed for continuous data intake and updating, combining multiple data sources (p. 7). Key features include:

1. Unique Gateway: A single point of entry for households to be considered for multiple programs.
2. Continuous Updates: Enabled by a permanent interface (in-person or digital) allowing on-demand data submission.
3. Multiple Data Sources: Integrating self-reported (direct) and administrative (indirect) data through interoperability.
4. Needs Assessment: Evaluating household conditions against program eligibility criteria.
5. Data Sharing: Providing information on potentially eligible households to relevant ASP programs.

Data Intake Modalities

Dynamic registries utilize a mix of data intake methods (p. 8-10, Figure 4 p. 8):

• Direct Data (Self-Reported):
  • Administrator-Driven: Scheduled data collection (e.g., home visits, temporary sites, remote campaigns via SMS/IVR). Common in initial phases but less dynamic (p. 9).
  • On-Demand: Households initiate data provision/updates anytime via permanent interfaces (e.g., local government offices, permanent digital portals). Crucial for dynamism but requires accessible infrastructure (p. 9).
• Indirect Data (Administrative):
  • Leverages data from other systems (e.g., civil registration, tax records, utility bills, other program databases, mobile phone data/CDRs) (p. 9-10).
  • Requires unique identifiers, data sharing agreements, and interoperability (p. 10).
  • Cost-effective for verification, complementing, or updating information, but often incomplete, especially for informal populations (p. 9-10).

Modular Questionnaires for Efficiency

To manage data collection costs and complexity, especially with lengthy harmonized questionnaires serving multiple programs, a modular approach is recommended (p. 11):

• Core Module: Basic demographic and welfare data collected for all households in the registry.
• Complementary Modules: Detailed data relevant for specific programs or situations (e.g., disability, assets, shock exposure), collected on an as-needed basis. This allows efficient collection of essential data while enabling targeted collection of more detailed information when required (p. 11, Table 1 p. 11). Mauritania’s social registry provides an example of this approach (Box 1, p. 12).

Interoperability and Peer Learning

• Interoperability: Essential for dynamic registries to exchange data seamlessly with ID systems, payment systems, program MIS, grievance mechanisms, and early warning systems. This improves efficiency, coordination, and data accuracy (p. 2-3, 10).
• Peer-to-Peer Learning: Cross-country learning (South-South cooperation) is vital for accelerating the design, implementation, and scaling of dynamic registries in the Sahel, sharing workable solutions and adapting innovations (p. 3, 12).

Key Statistics & Data

• In Sub-Saharan Africa, an estimated 29.7% of the population moves in and out of transient poverty between surveys (often 5 years apart), while 33.3% remain chronically poor (p. 6).
• Broad estimates suggest database records become outdated at a rate of approximately 2% per month (p. 6).
• Simulations for Bangladesh suggest 15% of households change composition in year one, 36% by year three, and 49% by year five after data collection (p. 6).
• In Colombia’s SISBEN registry, between 2011-2015 cycles, 65% of households improved enough to be reclassified non-poor, while 17% fell into poverty (Endnote 6, p. 14).

Methodology

This policy note synthesizes the highlights of a broader study funded by the Sahel Adaptive Social Protection Program (SASPP) (p. 3). The study explored the operationalization of dynamic social registries in low-income, shock-prone contexts, drawing on innovations and experiences from low- and middle-income countries (p. 3). The note presents findings and recommendations based on this analysis.

Key Conclusions & Recommendations

Conclusions

• Dynamic social registries are crucial for building effective, efficient, and inclusive ASP systems in the Sahel, capable of responding to changing needs and shocks (p. 12).
• Designing dynamic systems requires balancing the need for timely, high-quality data with comprehensive population coverage and implementation costs (p. 12).
• Key elements include permanent client interfaces, integrating direct and indirect data, modular questionnaires, and interoperability with other government systems (p. 12).
• Static registries risk becoming ineffective due to data decay, leading to exclusion and poor targeting (p. 6-7).

Recommendations

The note provides four core recommendations for operationalizing dynamic social registries in the Sahel (p. 2):

1. Establish a Permanent Client Interface: Create accessible, permanent channels (potentially combining in-person options like local offices with digital options where feasible) for households to provide and update their information on-demand. This ensures data reflects current circumstances.
2. Adopt Modular Questionnaires: Structure data collection using core modules (essential data for all) and complementary modules (specific data collected as needed for certain programs or situations). This improves efficiency and reduces respondent burden.
3. Ensure Interoperability: Design registries to seamlessly connect and exchange data with other relevant systems (unique IDs, program MIS, payment systems, grievance redress, early warning systems). This enhances data verification, reduces duplication, and improves coordination.
4. Promote Peer-to-Peer Learning: Foster systematic knowledge exchange and technical cooperation between countries within and outside the Sahel region to share experiences, identify workable solutions, and build capacity for designing and implementing dynamic registries.