BCA of Community-Led Total Sanitation
2020
The article examines the economic implications of "community-led total sanitation" (CLTS) in a hypothetical rural area of sub-Saharan Africa, encompassing 200 villages and 100,000 inhabitants. Utilizing data from recent randomized controlled trials and evaluations, the analysis evaluates the effectiveness of CLTS in inducing community-level behavioral changes towards sanitation. It estimates the net benefits of CLTS, accounting for a positive health externality—specifically, the reduction in diarrhea rates due to communal latrine usage, which decreases waterborne pathogens and fecal bacteria. Despite passing benefit-cost assessments in many scenarios, the study finds less favorable outcomes compared to prior research. Results are contingent upon various factors such as baseline conditions, including time valuation, income levels, discount rates, disease incidence, and travel time to defecation sites. Consequently, the authors recommend thorough economic scrutiny of CLTS suitability in individual contexts, positing that alternative investment avenues may offer more attractive returns. The methods encompass a comprehensive modeling approach integrating empirical data on CLTS effectiveness and economic variables.
BCA of Community-Led Total Sanitation
Source:
Radin M, Jeuland M, Wang H, Whittington D. Benefit-Cost Analysis of Community-Led Total Sanitation: Incorporating Results from Recent Evaluations. Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis 2020; 11 (3): 380-417. https://doi.org/10.1017/bca.2020.6