18 October 2013, Rome – The impact of cash transfers has been a contentious issue for many concerned with exploring the most effective ways to reduce rural poverty. Governments known to implement such schemes fall under both fire and praise. Will cash in hand for the poor hit the right targets? Can cash transfers boost the economy? Can they better the livelihoods of the recipients? FAO has joined UNICEF, Save the Children UK and the University of North Carolina in supporting the design, implementation and impact evaluation of cash transfers in sub-Saharan Africa. From Protection to Production (PtoP) project is a multi-country impact evaluation of cash transfers in sub-Saharan Africa. The project is a collaborative effort between the FAO, the UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office and the governments of Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.