COVID-19 lockdown and collective activities: Evidence from the world's largest self-help group program

We study the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 on the monthly savings of self-help groups (SHGs) in India, and the role of SHGs in mitigating the economic effects of the lockdown. Administrative data suggest that monthly savings of SHGs declined by 66% between March and July of 2020, with larger declines in areas with more stringent lockdowns. Survey data revealed that SHG and non-SHG households had similar consumption and income losses during the lockdown. Households with SHG members and those that received assistance from SHGs in procuring ration or accessing community kitchens reported significantly higher food security, however. © 2023 Agricultural & Applied Economics Association.