MSC conducted a demand-side diagnostic of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), India’s flagship scheme to promote clean cooking through subsidized LPG connections for low-income households. The objective was to identify the behavioral, financial, and logistical barriers that hindered regular LPG usage and refill adoption among beneficiaries.

MSC used a mixed-methods approach and engaged with PMUY beneficiaries across Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh to unpack user experiences and perceptions. The research highlighted stark contrasts between PMUY beneficiaries and typical LPG users, revealed unique socioeconomic profiles, and underlined consumption behaviors that influence fuel choices.

Key findings showed that while the program was precise in reaching low-income households, sustained use remained limited. 23% of the surveyed beneficiaries who had received LPG connections before September 2017 had not refilled at all. 81% continued to rely on traditional fuels besides LPG, such as firewood or dung-cakes, and often viewed the latter as a “luxury” rather than a daily necessity.

Findings were distributed through policy presentations to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, which contributed to improvements in subsidy structures and last-mile delivery systems. The study also informed the design of targeted behavioral change campaigns to improve sustained adoption. Public dissemination at high-level forums encouraged further discussions around clean energy transitions for low-income households.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India, commissioned the project.

MSC undertook a comprehensive impact evaluation to assess the effectiveness of Berendina Micro Investments Company (BMIC), a leading microfinance institution in Sri Lanka. The study sought to evaluate the impact of BMIC’s financial services, particularly credit and support offerings, on client outcomes across a wide range of economic and social indicators. It used a counterfactual comparison to ensure attribution and depth of analysis.

MSC’s evaluation explored critical impact areas, which included income growth, savings behavior, access to education, healthcare, household resilience, and economic mobility. A detailed portfolio analysis was also conducted to assess BMIC’s institutional reach, client segmentation, and responsiveness to market and environmental challenges.

MSC led the evaluation using a mixed-methods approach that integrated quantitative surveys with strong difference-in-differences (DiD) analysis to measure changes over time. Qualitative interviews complemented this evaluation to capture lived experiences and contextual nuances. 

Besides client-level assessments, we carried out policy and process reviews to identify internal strengths and opportunities for strategic improvement. The evaluation findings were synthesized into a set of useful insights. BMIC used these outcomes to adopt clear, evidence-based recommendations that refined product offerings, enhanced service delivery, and improved client resilience during economic volatility.

Berendina Micro Investments Company (BMIC), Sri Lanka, commissioned the project.

Malnutrition is a persistent challenge in Bihar. 43%of children are stunted, and 63% of women of reproductive age suffer from anemia. The fisheries sector continues to expand and holds significant economic potential. Yet, per capita fish consumption remains low at just 9.6 kg per year. Most young children under the age of five do not consume fish daily. This gap in dietary practices exacerbates nutritional deficiencies during crucial developmental years.

The nutrition component in the JEEViKA Special Purpose Vehicle for Agriculture Transformation (JVSPAT) Fisheries program strives to boost household fish consumption. JVSPAT uses the Communication for Development (C4D) framework and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to implement social and behavior change communication (SBCC). These actions improve fish consumption in households. The C4D framework emphasizes participatory communication processes that engage the community. These processes promote ownership and sustainable change. TPB, on the other hand, highlights how behavior is influenced by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. These frameworks allow us to design comprehensive and context-specific interventions to address malnutrition effectively.

Enhance nutrition literacy: We raise awareness about nutritious diets and the benefits of fish through the distribution of information, education, and communication (IEC) materials in Hindi. Our simple and relatable messages help communities understand how fish support better health and balanced diets. Relatable IEC material builds nutrition literacy, improves attitudes toward fish consumption, and increases people’s ability to choose healthier foods confidently. 

Empower women: We empower women to improve household nutrition through workshops and capacity-building sessions. As women play a pivotal role in household dietary decisions, we address the subjective norms components of TPB. We involve women in decision-making processes to build a supportive environment that encourages dietary change. 

Promote healthy fish recipes: We engaged the community in experiential learning through interactive activities such as cooking demonstrations and puppet shows. These activities introduced varieties of fish and safe preparation techniques, particularly for young children. We demonstrated how fish-based diets can be practical and healthy for families. Our goal is to change people’s attitudes toward fish consumption and encourage more people to include fish in their daily meals. These interventions are suited to local contexts and preferences, which makes them more likely to be adopted and sustained.

The interventions have notably increased fish consumption among targeted households of 120 community ponds across 28 districts in Bihar. Cooking demonstrations effectively promoted the use of small fish varieties like mola, darkina, and pothia. These varieties are rich in protein and essential micronutrients. Preliminary impact assessments indicate a significant rise in nutritional awareness and dietary changes within the community, as more households now include fish in their daily meals.

MSC trained women from local communities to become nutrition champions. Their efforts helped extend the program’s reach to more than 100,000 fish farmer families and their local communities. This sustainable model ensures ongoing education and behavior change within the community and contributes to improved nutritional outcomes for women and children in Bihar.

MSC provided strategic monitoring and evaluation (M&E) support to strengthen the Soil Health Card (SHC) program, India’s flagship initiative to promote sustainable agricultural practices through evidence-based soil management. The objective was to generate actionable insights on the reach, adoption, and effectiveness of SHCs across diverse agroclimatic zones.

MSC developed a comprehensive results framework and designed a dynamic results tracker to monitor key performance indicators. We implemented concurrent evaluations in 54 districts across 18 states, using a mixed-methods approach to assess awareness, availability, and use of SHCs among farmers.

The evaluation included a large-scale quantitative survey of 11,300 farmers, complemented by qualitative interviews from frontline extension workers, government officials, and implementing partners. This allowed for a comprehensive understanding of ground-level implementation challenges, farmer behavior, and systemic enablers and barriers.

The insights generated led to a series of targeted policy and program-based recommendations, many of which were integrated into subsequent iterations of the SHC program. These changes improved last-mile delivery, increased SHC adoption, and enhanced farmer awareness on soil health and nutrient management.

The Gates Foundation commissioned the project.