What market day schedules can teach us about economic development

Examines a natural experiment in Kenya in which market schedules over the past century were set quasi-randomly.

From:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Published
31 October 2025
Country:
Kenya
Document Type:
Briefing
Theme:
Economic Growth
First published:
5 February 2025
Authors:
Poll, Moritz

Abstract

The author identified a natural experiment in Western Kenya in which market schedules over the past century were set quasi-randomly. The author found that market schedule coordination causally and lastingly affected market attendance, driven by cross-attendance from other villages, as well as present day population and night-time luminosity as a proxy for economic activity.

This is an part of the Structural Transformation and Economic Growth (STEG) programme.

Citation

Poll M. ‘What market day schedules can teach us about economic development’ STEG Project Policy Brief, 2025

What market day schedules can teach us about economic development’

Updates to this page

Published 31 October 2025
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