On-going Research
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Optimizing community-health-worker resources to scale promising child nutrition programs in rural Pakistan (with Uzma Afzal (LUMS), Ali Akram (Mathematica), Takashi Kurosaki (IER), and Abu Shonchoy (FIU). Funding from The Agency Fund. In the field.
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Scale-up of National Institutes of Mental Health funded U19 Youth FORWARD project to improve mental health and employment outcomes for vulnerable youth in a post-conflict setting (Sierra Leone). With Theresa Betancourt (Boston College), Nathan Hansen (University of Georgia) and Alethea Desrosiers (Boston College).
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Youth Readiness Interventions (YRI), Research Program on Children and Adversity, Boston College
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Improved learning and habit formation to increase uptake of health technologies (chlorine) in the developing world, in collaboration with Interactive Research and Development. With Reshma Hussam (Harvard University), Gabriella Fleischman (Harvard University) and Akib Khan (Uppsala University). Funded by USAID Development Innovation Ventures (DIV).
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Do Conservation Messages Save Water in Unmetered Settings? Results from an Experimental Study in Islamabad. With Sanval Nasim and Syed Hasan (Lahore University of Management Sciences, Pakistan).
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Nudging for Development, UNDP
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Publications
Accepted, Revise & Resubmit, or Submitted:
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Akram, A., Abidoye, B., Kannan, S., & Omotoso, K. O. (2025). The impact of climate change on African agriculture: A Ricardian Analysis of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Climatic Change. Accepted.
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Keshaviah, A., Akram, A., Rizmie, D., Raxter, I., Hasan, R., Rahman, Z., Suchana, A. J., Jahan, F., Rahman, A., Rahman, M., Rahman, M., Diamond, M. B., & D'Agostino, A. L. (2025). A cost-benefit analysis of using wastewater monitoring to guide typhoid vaccine campaigns. Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines. Revise and Resubmit.
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Akram, A. & Thampanishvong, K. (2025). Balancing Climate Change Adaptation and Profitability in Agriculture: The potential of a diversification-based climate adaption from Thailand. Submitted (under review).
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Khalid, H., Akram, A., Fox, A. M. & (2025). Lotteries are an effective strategy for increasing COVID-19 vaccine acceptance: Experimental evidence from Pakistan. Submitted (under review). Primary Health Care Research & Development.
Published:
- Khalid, H., Firdous, U., Jadoon, A., Stecher, C., Akram, A. A., & Fox, A. M. (2024). Can high-profile endorsements improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake and reduce hesitancy in Pakistan?. SSM-Health Systems, 3, 100020.
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See also: Public Trust and the Politics of Pakistan’s COVID-19 Vaccination Program, Evidence in Governance and Politics (EGAP)
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Akram, A. A., & Majid, H. (2024). Inclusivity, Gender, and Learning Gains: Are Online Education Platforms the Answer?. Journal of Economics, Race, and Policy, 7(4), 319-330.
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Shonchoy, A. S., Akram, A. A., Khan, M., Khalid, H., Mazhar, S., Khan, A., & Kurosaki, T. (2023). A Community Health Worker–Based Intervention on Anthropometric Outcomes of Children Aged 3 to 21 Months in Urban Pakistan, 2019–2021. American Journal of Public Health, 113(1), 105-114.
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See also:
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"Alleviating Childhood Stunting in Pakistan", Episode 18 CERP Podcasts
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"High-Frequency Nutrition Counseling & Growth Monitoring to Address Childhood Stunting: Evidence from Pakistan", World Bank policy brief
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Akram, A. A., & Mendelsohn, R. (2021). Akram, A. A., & Mendelsohn, R. (2021). Diaries to Increase the Adoption of Chlorine Tablets for Water Purification by Poor Households. Water Economics and Policy, 7(02), 1-34.
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See also:
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Hasan, S. M., Akram, A. A., & Jeuland, M. A. (2021). Increasing Willingness to Pay for Urban Drinking Water Service: Evidence from Lahore, Pakistan. Utilities Policy, 71(2021).
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Akram, A. A., & Mendelsohn, R. (2017). Agricultural water allocation efficiency in a developing country canal irrigation system. Environment and Development Economics, 22(5), 571-593.
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See also:
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Making Irrigation Work for Farmers. Panel discussion at the Consortium for Development Policy Research
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How much are farmers losing from inefficient irrigation? Developing Pakistan Blog
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Akram, A. A. (2013). Is a surface-water market physically feasible in Pakistan’s Indus Basin Irrigation System?. Water International, 38(5), 552-570.
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Aberman, Noora-Lisa, Wielgosz, Benjamin, Zaidi, Fatima, Ringler, Claudia, Akram, Agha Ali, Bell, Andrew Reid and Issermann, Maikel, (2013). The policy landscape of agricultural water management in Pakistan. No. 1265, IFPRI Discussion Papers, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
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Akram, A. A., & Olmstead, S. M. (2011). The value of household water service quality in Lahore, Pakistan. Environmental and Resource Economics, 49(2), 173-198.
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Jahangir Ikram, M., & Akram, A. A. (2007). Air pollution monitoring through a volunteer internet-based network. Environment and Urbanisation, 19(1), 225-241.
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See also:
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Pakistan Air Sensor Network Provides Rare Access to Pollution Data. Yale Environment 360.
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Working Papers
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“Do effective weather information services for farmers exist? The potential of PICSA to drive farmer adaptation to climate change – evidence from Malawi” with Babatunde Abidoye (UNDP) and Alefa Banda (UNDP).
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“Labor Market Impacts of a Mental Health Intervention for Vulnerable Youth in Sierra Leone” with Leslie Alex (IPA), Jordan Farrar (Boston College), Robert T. Brennan (Boston College), Ryan Borg (Boston College), Arja Dayal (IPA), Simo Goshev (Boston College) and Theresa S. Betancourt (Boston College)
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See also:
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Innovations for Poverty Action policy brief “Integrating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-based Interventions and Employment Programs for Youth in Sierra Leone”
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“Effects of Emigration on Rural Labor Markets” with Mushfiq Mobarak (Yale University) and Shyamal Chowdhury (Sydney University).
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See also:
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National Bureau of Economic Research working paper No. w23929, “Effects of Emigration on Rural Labor Markets”
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Innovations for Poverty Action policy brief, “The Impact of Migration Subsidies on Rural Labor Markets in Bangladesh”
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The International Growth Center policy brief, “No Lean Season: Reducing Seasonal Poverty”
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Copenhagen Consensus Smarter Solutions for Bangladesh, “Seasonal Migration”
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“Could young women hold the key to increasing contraceptive demand? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial in Lahore, Pakistan” with Faisal Bari (Lahore University of Management Sciences, Pakistan) and Mahrukh Khan (Center for Economic Research in Pakistan)
Other Contributions
Media
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Pakistan@100 Podcast #8 (Part 1): Pakistan's Water Use in Urban Areas
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Pakistan@100 Podcast #8 (Part 2): Pakistan's Water Use in the Agriculture Sector
Articles
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Akram, A. A., Gough, M., Kurukulasuriya, P., & Mendelsohn, R. O. (2016). Economics of Adaptation: Toolkit. United Nations Development Program.
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Akram, Agha Ali (2009). “Indus Basin Water Resources”, Tiempo, No. 70.
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Akram, Agha Ali (2006). “The Conflict Between Russia and Chechnya: A Historical Analysis”, Islamabad Papers, Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad.