Imagine if you were a film director, firstly, you would need to write a story line and then to cast actors. You might cast Leonardo DiCaprio on the sinking ship, or Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow.

Designing a cash transfer programme is like shooting a film. Policy makers need to cast and match development partners, recipient countries, researchers and implementation agencies. Everybody has different roles and tastes.

Development partners usually act as a film director. They build up a team and provide an initial investment in a pilot scheme.

Implementing agencies survey feasibility and confirm all the logistics would work.

Together with development partners and implementing agencies, researchers help design the pilot project and its impact evaluation.

The governments of developing countries have ownership and responsibility for budgeting and scaling up a pilot project.

Understanding different roles and taking full responsibility for their own mandate would lead a success in poverty reduction.

Shall we shoot a film?