Poverty Alleviation (poverty + alleviation)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Information and Communication Technologies for Direct Poverty Alleviation: Costs and Benefits

DEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 2 2002
Charles Kenny
Information and communications technologies (ICTs) are powerful tools for empowerment and income generation in developing countries. The cost-effectiveness of different ICTs does vary between developed and less developed countries, however. This article reviews the potential efficacy of radio, telephony and the Internet as tools of direct poverty alleviation in the latter. While the requirements for their successful utilisation make radio and telephone far more suitable technologies for the poor, traditional ICTs can act as a sustainable intermediary for them to gain indirect access to the power of the Internet. Governments should concentrate on opening up private and community provision of broadcasting and widening access to telephone services, so that they can effectively play this intermediary role. [source]


Agricultural Productivity Growth and Poverty Alleviation

DEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 4 2001
Xavier Irz
How important is agricultural growth to poverty reduction? This article first sets out the theoretical reasons for expecting agricultural growth to reduce poverty. Several plausible and strong arguments apply - including the creation of jobs on the land, linkages from farming to the rest of the rural economy, and a decline in the real cost of food for the whole economy - but the degree of impact is in all cases qualified by particular circumstances. Hence, the article deploys a cross-country estimation of the links between agricultural yield per unit area and measures of poverty. This produces strong confirmation of the hypothesised linkages. It is unlikely that there are many other development interventions capable of reducing the numbers in poverty so effectively. [source]


Poverty alleviation or poverty reduction: the contribution of civil society

JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, Issue 7 2001
Diana Mitlin
First page of article [source]


Politics, Plurality and Problemsheds: A Strategic Approach for Reform of Agricultural Water Resources Management

DEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 6 2007
Peter P. Mollinga
Starting from the assessment that past efforts at reform in agricultural water management in developing countries have achieved very little, this article argues that a fundamental change is required in the approach to policy and institutional transformation if the present deadlock in the internalisation of ecological sustainability, human development/poverty alleviation and democratic governance into the ,core business' of water bureaucracies is to be overcome. ,Social engineering' approaches need to be replaced by ,strategic action' approaches that acknowledge the inherently political character and the plurality of actors, institutions and objectives of water management , a perspective operationalised here around the notions of ,problemshed' and ,issue network'. [source]


Information and Communication Technologies for Direct Poverty Alleviation: Costs and Benefits

DEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 2 2002
Charles Kenny
Information and communications technologies (ICTs) are powerful tools for empowerment and income generation in developing countries. The cost-effectiveness of different ICTs does vary between developed and less developed countries, however. This article reviews the potential efficacy of radio, telephony and the Internet as tools of direct poverty alleviation in the latter. While the requirements for their successful utilisation make radio and telephone far more suitable technologies for the poor, traditional ICTs can act as a sustainable intermediary for them to gain indirect access to the power of the Internet. Governments should concentrate on opening up private and community provision of broadcasting and widening access to telephone services, so that they can effectively play this intermediary role. [source]


Integration of Different Data Bodies for Humanitarian Decision Support: An Example from Mine Action

DISASTERS, Issue 4 2003
Aldo A. Benini
Geographic information systems (GIS) are increasingly used for integrating data from different sources and substantive areas, including in humanitarian action. The challenges of integration are particularly well illustrated by humanitarian mine action. The informational requirements of mine action are expensive, with socio,economic impact surveys costing over US$1.5 million per country, and are feeding a continuous debate on the merits of considering more factors or ,keeping it simple'. National census offices could, in theory, contribute relevant data, but in practice surveys have rarely overcome institutional obstacles to external data acquisition. A positive exception occurred in Lebanon, where the landmine impact survey had access to agricultural census data. The challenges, costs and benefits of this data integration exercise are analysed in a detailed case study. The benefits are considerable, but so are the costs, particularly the hidden ones. The Lebanon experience prompts some wider reflections. In the humanitarian community, data integration has been fostered not only by the diffusion of GIS technology, but also by institutional changes such as the creation of UN-led Humanitarian Information Centres. There is a question whether the analytic capacity is in step with aggressive data acquisition. Humanitarian action may yet have to build the kind of strong analytic tradition that public health and poverty alleviation have accomplished. [source]


Do Developing Countries Need a Development Box?

EUROCHOICES, Issue 2 2003
Jonathan Brooks
Summary Do Developing Countries Need a Development Box? Developing country proposals for a Development Box focus on changes to WTO rules on agricultural trade that would enable them to address more effectively their objectives related to food security, poverty alleviation and economic development. Yet, there are few instances where developing countries have been constrained in the policies they can adopt. This does not mean that demands for a Development Box are pointless, for if the next WTO agreement is to have a real impact on rates of protection, there will be a need for tighter commitments in both developed and developing countries. Hence proposals for a Development Box can be seen as an insurance policy, given the prospect of deeper multilateral reforms. There is a strong case for easier access to safeguards, under which developing countries could temporarily apply higher tariffs on food security crops when world prices are depressed below threshold levels. There may be an economic justification for expanding the types of domestic support measures that developing countries can employ, in those rare cases where policies would otherwise be constrained. However, these demands should not constrain progress on the most important issue; namely, how OECD countries can do more for developing countries through improvements in market access, the elimination of explicit and implicit export subsidies, and reductions in trade-distorting domestic support. Faut-il une boite spéciale pour le développement ? Les propositions des pays en développement en vue ?établir une ,boîte pour le développement'à,OMC sont centrées sur ,idée qu'il convient de modifier les règies du commerce international agricole, afin de leur permettre ?aborder de façon plus efflcace leurs problèmes spécifiques de sécurité alimentaire, de réduction de la pauvreté et de développement économique. Pourtant, il existe peu ?exemples de situations dans lesquelles un pays en développement ait pu être gêné dans ,adoption ?une politique particulière. Cela ne veut pas dire qu'une boîte pour le développement soit inutile: si le prochain accord à,OMC doit avoir un effet réel sur les taux de protection, des engagements encore plus stricts seront nécessaires de la part, aussi bien des pays en développement que des pays développés. II en résulte que les propositions en vue ?une ,boîte pour le développement' peuvent être considérées comme une politique ?assurance, dans ,optique de réformes multilatérales plus approfondies. II y a des raisons sérieuses pour faciliter le recours aux clauses de sauvegarde, grâce auxquelles les pays en développement pourraient imposer temporairement des droits plus élevés sur les denrées importantes pour leur sécurité alimentaire lorsque les cours mondiaux descendent en deçà?un certain seuil. Il peut exister une justification économique à,extension des catégories de soutien que les pays en développement peuvent employer, dans les cas peu fréquents où les engagements pris seraient contraignants à cet égard. Mais surtout, il faut que les pays en développement prennent garde à ne pas entraver les progrès dans les domaines vraiment importants, à savoir ce que les pays de ,OCDE peuvent faire pour eux en améliorant ,accès aux marchés, en eliminant les subventions implicites et explicites aux exportations, et en réduisant les mesures de soutien intérieures qui affectent les échanges. Benötigen Entwicklungsländer eine Development Box? Die Vorschläge der Entwicklungsländer für eine Development Box zielen auf Änderungen in den Agrarhandelsvorschriften der WTO ab; es soil ihnen ermöglicht werden, ihre Zdele hinsichtlich der Nahrungsmt-telsicherheit, Armutsbekämpfung und Wirtschaftsentwicklung wirkungsvoller zu verfolgen. Bis heute jedoch wurden die Entwicklungsländer nur in wenigen Fällen bei der Ausgestaltung bestimmter Politikmaßnahmen eingeschränkt. Damit ist nicht gesagt, dass Forderungen nach einer Development Box zwecklos sind, denn wenn sich das kommende WTO-Abkommen tatsächlich auf die Protektionsraten auswirken soil, werden sowohl den entwickelten Ländern als auch den Entwicklungsländern mehr Verpflichtungen abverlangt werden. Daher können Vorschläge für eine Development Box als eine Versicherungspolirik vor dem Hintergrund der Aussicht auf tiefergreifende multilaterale Reformen angesehen werden. Es spricht vieles für einen einfacheren Zugang zu Schutzmaßnahmen, unter denen Entwicklungsländer vorübergehend höhere Zölle auf pflanzliche Erzeugnisse mit Bedeutung für die Nahrungsmittelsicherheit erheben könnten, wenn die Weltpreise unterhalb von Schwellenwerten liegen. Es mag aus ökonomischer Sicht eine Rechtfertigung für die Ausdehnung der inlandischen marktstützenden Maßnahmen geben, welche Entwicklungsländer anwenden dürfen; dies kann sinnvoll sein, wenn andernfalls, allerdings in seltenen Fällen, Politikmaßnahmen eingeschränkt werden müssten. Diese Forderungen sollten den Fortschritt bei den allerwichtigsten Themen jedoch nicht behindern; OECD-Länder können mehr für Entwicklungsländer tun, und zwar durch Verbesserung des Marktzugangs, durch die Abschaffung von expliziten und impliziten Exportsubventionen und durch Kürzungen bei den handelsverzerrenden Inlandssubventionen. [source]


Good Enough Governance: Poverty Reduction and Reform in Developing Countries

GOVERNANCE, Issue 4 2004
Merilee S. Grindle
The good governance agenda is unrealistically long and growing longer over time. Among the multitude of governance reforms that "must be done" to encourage development and reduce poverty, there is little guidance about what's essential and what's not, what should come first and what should follow, what can be achieved in the short term and what can only be achieved over the longer term, what is feasible and what is not. If more attention is given to sorting out these questions, "good enough governance" may become a more realistic goal for many countries faced with the goal of reducing poverty. Working toward good enough governance means accepting a more nuanced understanding of the evolution of institutions and government capabilities; being explicit about trade-offs and priorities in a world in which all good things cannot be pursued at once; learning about what's working rather than focusing solely on governance gaps; taking the role of government in poverty alleviation seriously; and grounding action in the contextual realities of each country. [source]


Japan's strategic contributions to hydro-meteorological disaster mitigation in the world: planning to establish the UNESCO,PWRI Centre

HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 6 2006
Tetsuya Ikeda
Hydro-meteorological disasters such as floods are major challenges that need to be overcome in order to realize sustainable development and poverty alleviation for humankind. Devastating flood disasters have occurring in various locations throughout the world, and there has recently been rising concern that the intensity and frequency of catastrophic floods may be increasing. Being located on the eastern edge of monsoonal Asia and having climatic variations according to the seasonal and regional conditions, Japan has long suffered from numerous flood disasters, and thus has developed advanced flood management policies. This paper aims to discuss flood disasters in Japan and the recently improved flood management policies. In addition, this paper introduces a new plan attempted by the Public Works Research Institute (PWRI) of Japan that takes advantage of the wealth of long accumulated experience and knowledge in the hydro-meteorological field. The PWRI is now working toward the establishment of an International Centre on Water-related Hazard and Risk Management by acquiring UNESCO's auspices. In order to contribute to the global challenge of reducing devastating hydro-meteorological disasters all over the world, this centre aims to conduct research, capacity-building and training programmes, and information networking activities at the local, national, regional and global levels. The aim is to prevent and mitigate hydro-meteorological disasters from the viewpoint of sustainable and integrated river basin management. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


A zoological perspective on payments for ecosystem services

INTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY (ELECTRONIC), Issue 2 2007
Jeffrey A. McNEELY
Abstract The concept of payments for ecosystem services is being developed as an important means of providing a more diverse flow of benefits to people living in and around habitats valuable for conservation. The Kyoto Protocol, under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, includes a Clean Development Mechanism to provide for payments for certain forms of carbon sequestration that may benefit animal species (at least as an incidental benefit). Other market-based approaches for paying for carbon sequestration services outside the Kyoto framework are being promoted in various parts of the world. Another common form of payment for ecosystem services is compensating upstream landowners for managing their land in ways that maintain downstream water quality; this can include habitat management that benefits wild animal species. While biodiversity itself is difficult to value, it can be linked to other markets, such as certification in the case of sustainably-produced forest products. This paper expands on some of the markets for ecosystem services that also benefit wildlife, identifies relevant sources of information, and highlights some of the initiatives linking such markets to poverty alleviation. Making markets work for ecosystem services requires an appropriate policy framework, government support, operational institutional support, and innovation at scales from the site level to the national level. Zoologists have much to contribute to all of these steps. [source]


Success factors for the effective implementation of renewable energy options for rural electrification in India,Potentials of the CLEAN DEVELOPMENT MECHANISM

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 12 2008
Gudrun Elisabeth Benecke
Abstract Developing countries as well as international development assistance have for a long time aspired to combat energy poverty in rural areas of developing countries. However, until now a major part of national and international public and private attempts to provide affordable and stable energy supply have failed due to various economic, political, social and institutional obstacles. This situation is reflected in case of India where in comparison with other South Asian states the status of rural electrification and of energy supply are in a dismal state despite the promotion of renewable energy and rural electrification as early as from the 1960s. Embedded in the global context of the international climate change regime, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol has now emerged as a new option to facilitate investment in climate change mitigating projects. In this respect, promoting the deployment of renewable energy through this project-based mechanism opens new avenues for rural electrification. The main objective of this paper is, hence, to examine the context conditions and factors determining the effective application of renewable energy options for rural electrification in a developing country context, namely India. Understanding contextual requirements for renewable energy investment has proved imminently important in order to appreciate the potentials provided by new market-based mechanisms such as the CDM for rural poverty alleviation. Comparative political science case study research methods are applied to the analysis of CDM biomass projects in the context of the four Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh. This allows for the conclusion that socio-political and historic framework conditions matter for the implementation of new renewable energy options. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Vertical or holistic decentralization of the health sector?

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2000
Experiences from Zambia, Uganda
Abstract Many countries in Africa have embarked on health sector reforms. The design of the reforms differs considerably. A key feature of the reforms is decentralization, of which Uganda and Zambia are implementing two different models. This paper analyses the two models of health sector reform, and their implications for ultimate development goals. In Uganda, the whole government has been decentralized, with a wide range of powers and resources transferred to the districts. The health care system is part of the political set up of the country. In Zambia, only the health sector has been decentralized. Power and resources for health care have been divested to new parallel organizations. While useful lessons can be drawn from the managerial and administrative experience in the two countries, not least concerning donor coordination, it seems that neither form of decentralization has so far led to a clear and appreciable improvement of health services and, ultimately, to a clear focus on development goals, such as poverty alleviation. The conditions for this to happen are discussed in this paper. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


The emergence of social assistance in China

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WELFARE, Issue 3 2006
Joe C.B. Leung
This article outlines the development of China's social assistance programme, including its design, implementation and trends. The Chinese government has given high priority to the establishment and institutionalisation of this programme. To have an effective social assistance programme in the context of an increasingly pluralistic society, China is facing the profoundly challenging task of designing a coherent and over-arching social protection system that would cover retirement, medical care, unemployment and poverty alleviation. [source]


The Child Support Grant in South Africa: a social policy for poverty alleviation?

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WELFARE, Issue 4 2005
Jean D Triegaardt
The article analyses the Child Support Grant (CSG) in South Africa as a measure of poverty alleviation. Introduced in 1998 amid a great deal of controversy and fanfare, the CSG was a means-tested cash benefit for poor children between the ages of 0 and 6 years, most of whom were located in the poorest of South Africa's nine provinces, i.e. the Eastern Cape, Kwazulu-Natal and Limpopo (formerly known as the Northern Province). South Africa's unique history is discussed to show how the CSG became an important poverty alleviation measure. Debates surrounding the introduction of the CSG are discussed, not least its reliance on effective inter-sectoral collaboration, research and the provision of developmental welfare programmes. [source]


Rural tourism development in China

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TOURISM RESEARCH, Issue 5 2009
Shunli Gao
Abstract This paper provides an overview and brief evaluation of China's rural tourism. Beginning with the form of poverty alleviation through tourism, China's rural tourism has undergone over 20 years of development and exhibited some unique features in its development pattern, scale and business operational models in accordance with China's political, social and economic systems. Government plays a decisive role in developing rural tourism in China. However, rural tourism has been valued mainly as an economic means for rural development during the country's modernisation process. Overlooking rurality as an essential issue in rural tourism may lead development to a wrong direction, which could jeopardise the sustainability of the industry. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Tourism and income distribution in East Africa

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TOURISM RESEARCH, Issue 6 2008
Adam Blake Professor
Abstract Research has highlighted the possibility that tourism expenditure in developing countries not only provides income for poor households, but also leads to contraction of other exporting industries. By highlighting the linkages between tourism-related industries and the rest of the economy, and through the distributional effects of their income flows, this paper examines the effects of tourism-related industries and other export industries on households in East Africa. Tourism-related industries are found to provide substantially less income for poorer households than other export activities, leading to concern that tourism expansion may be detrimental for poverty alleviation in these countries. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Social, Economic and Demographic Consequences of Migration on Kerala

INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION, Issue 2 2001
K.C. Zachariah
Migration has been the single most dynamic factor in the otherwise dreary development scenario of Kerala during the last quarter of the last century. It has contributed more to poverty alleviation and reduction in unemployment in Kerala than any other factor. As a result of migration, the proportion of the population below the poverty line has declined by 12 per cent. The number of unemployed persons , estimated to be only about 13 lakhs in 1998 compared with 37 lakhs reported by the Kerala Employment Exchanges , has declined by over 30 per cent. Migration has caused nearly a million married women in Kerala to live away from their husbands. Most of these so-called "Gulf wives" experienced extreme loneliness to begin with, and were burdened with added family responsibilities to which they had not been accustomed when their husbands were with them. But over a period, and with a helping hand from abroad over the ISD, most came out of their early gloom. Their gain in autonomy, status, management skills and experience in dealing with the world outside their homes were developed the hard way and would remain with them for the rest of their lives for the benefit of their families and society. In the long run, the transformation of these million women will have contributed more to the development of Kerala society than all the temporary euphoria created by remittances and modern gadgetry. Kerala is dependent on migration for employment, subsistence, housing, household amenities, institution building, and many other developmental activities. The danger is that migration could cease, as shown by the Kuwait war of 1993, and repercussions could be disastrous for the State. Understanding migration trends and instituting policies to maintain the flow of migration is more important today than at any time in the past. Kerala workers seem to be losing out in international competition for jobs in the Gulf market. Corrective policies are needed urgently to raise their competitive edge over workers in competing countries in South and South-East Asia. Like any other industry, migration from Kerala needs periodic technological upgrading of workers. Otherwise, there is a danger that the State might lose the Gulf market permanently. The crux of the problem is Kerala workers' inability to compete with expatriates from other South and South-East Asian countries. The solution lies in equipping workers with better general education and job training. This study suggests a twofold approach. In the short run, the need is to improve the job skills of prospective emigrant workers. This could be achieved through ad hoc training programmes focussed on the job market in Gulf countries. In the long run, the need is to restructure the educational system, taking into consideration the future demand of workers not only in Kerala but also in potential destination countries all over the world, including the US and other developed countries. Kerala emigrants need not always be construction workers in the Gulf countries; they could also be software engineers in developed countries. [source]


Impact of Migration on Kerala's Economy and Society

INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION, Issue 1 2001
K.C. Zachariah
This article reports results of the first migration study covering the entire State of Kerala. It encompasses both measurement as well as analysis of the various types and facets of migration. Migration has been the single most dynamic factor in an otherwise dreary development scenario in Kerala during the last quarter of the twentieth century. Kerala is approaching the end of the millennium with a little cheer in many people's homes as a result of migration which has contributed more to poverty alleviation than any other factor, including agrarian reforms, trade union activities and social welfare legislation. The study shows that nearly 1.5 million Keralites now live outside India. They send home more than Rs.4,000 million a year by way of remittances. Three-quarters of a million former emigrants have come back. They live mostly on savings, work experience, and skills acquired while abroad. More than a million families depend on an internal migrant's earnings for subsistence, children's education and other economic requirements. Whereas the educationally backward Muslims from the Thrissur-Malappuram region provide the backbone of emigration, it is the educationally forward Ezhawas, Nairs and Syrian Christians from the former Travancore-Cochin State who form the core of internal migration. The article also analyses the determinants and consequences of internal and external migration. It offers suggestions for policy formulation directed at optimum utilization of remittances sent home by emigrants and the expertise brought back by the return migrants. Migration in Kerala began with demographic expansion, but it will not end up with demographic contraction. Kerala has still to develop into an internally self-sustaining economy. The prevailing cultural milieu in which its people believe that anything can be achieved through agitation, and any rule can be circumvented with proper political connections, must change and be replaced by a liberalized open economy with strict and definite rules of the game. [source]


Designing a social security pension system

INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY REVIEW, Issue 1 2008
Robert L. Brown
It refers often to the systems that exist in the United States and Canada (the latter more particularly) to outline the issues involved in attempting to design a "good" social security pension system. Of course, one of the issues is the definition of "good". This paper will use criteria such as poverty alleviation, retirement income adequacy, benefit/contribution sustainability, income equality and wealth distribution. In the course of the discussion, the reader will be exposed to many issues that need to be addressed in the establishment of any social security pension system in the world. This may prove to be helpful in countries where new systems are established (and even for evolving systems). It is also hoped that future students of social security will find this paper helpful in that it is meant to lay out some basic principles consistent with good social security pension design. [source]


Social protection and poverty in Azerbaijan, a low-income country in transition: Implications of a household survey

INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY REVIEW, Issue 4 2007
Nazim Habibov
Using a nationally representative survey, this study examines the performance of social protection in Azerbaijan from the perspective of poverty reduction. Empirical evidence presented suggests that social protection programmes have an important impact on poverty alleviation. However, poverty is still widespread. The findings demonstrate that the current system of social protection has several important limitations. First, a significant proportion of the poor population is not covered by the social protection system. Second, the poor typically receive a smaller share of total benefits than the non-poor. Finally, most social transfers are too small to lift households out of poverty. The current system of social protection in Azerbaijan requires further strengthening. In particular, the government should develop and implement new social assistance programmes specifically directed towards poverty reduction. [source]


Traditional Management Systems, Poverty and Change in the Arid Zone Fisheries of Northern Nigeria

JOURNAL OF AGRARIAN CHANGE, Issue 1 2005
ARTHUR E. NEILAND
This paper, based on fieldwork results, explores traditional management systems (TMS) in the arid zone fisheries of north-eastern Nigeria with particular reference to their impact on rural poverty. The first section provides a historical background by tracing the evolution of the TMS since the nineteenth century, with reference to government policy on fisheries management and poverty alleviation. The second gives an overview of TMS, including definitions, distribution, principal objectives, regulatory mechanisms and the impact of TMS on the performance of the fisheries and on the livelihoods of rural people. The third considers the perceptions and attitudes of the fishing communities with regards to the fisheries and TMS. The paper concludes, paradoxically, that while TMS provide a basis for the sustainable livelihoods of many fishing people, they also reflect and enforce the social positions of the rich and powerful members of society who oversee them, at the expense of the poor. In the future, poverty alleviation in fisheries will need to incorporate both sectoral and non-sectoral strategies , dealing with the existing ,paradox of TMS' by encouraging appropriate institutional changes and community development, and recognizing the importance of employment creation in other sectors of the economy as a source of alternative income. [source]


The multidimensional nature of biodiversity and social dynamics and implications for contemporary rural livelihoods in remote Kalahari settlements, Botswana

AFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2009
S. M. Sallu
Abstract Despite rapid socio-economic development in Kalahari drylands, contemporary research suggests that biodiversity remains important as a component of the complex portfolio of livelihood strategies, as a real and perceived safety net in times of stress, and a key factor of cultural identity. The degree to which the spatially and temporally dynamic nature of biodiversity in drylands influences livelihoods is, however, little studied, particularly in socially complex contemporary rural settlements. Greater understanding in this area is required to allow better-informed design and implementation of rural development, poverty alleviation and conservation initiatives. This is particularly true in the light of predicted increases in environmental dynamism with climate change. An interdisciplinary approach was used in two environmentally and socially distinct dryland settlements in Botswana, to investigate the extent to which the dynamic biodiverse setting influences contemporary rural livelihoods. Results illustrate that biodiversity, particularly its dynamics, is of critical contemporary importance to rural settlement livelihoods, particularly in times of inner settlement scarcity. Entitlements to biodiversity dynamics were, however, bound up by complex settlement-specific social, economic and political factors. Unless such contextual within-settlement dynamics are understood, the relative importance of biodiversity in rural development and poverty alleviation strategies in contemporary Kalahari drylands may be undermined. [source]


Revisiting privatization in the context of poverty alleviation: the case of Sudan

JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, Issue 4 2006
Hulya Dagdeviren
Privatization programmes in the developing world have often been assessed on the grounds of efficiency. In recent years a more critical literature with a focus on the distributional and poverty impact of privatization has emerged. This article contributes to that literature in two ways. First, it presents a broad framework of empirical analysis of the relationship between privatization and poverty. Second, it applies this framework to the case of Sudan in as much as the existing data and information permit. The results do not lend much support for the arguments that privatization contributes to the efforts of poverty alleviation through various channels such as efficiency, employment creation and revenue generation for government. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Democracy and Social Policy in Brazil: Advancing Basic Needs, Preserving Privileged Interests

LATIN AMERICAN POLITICS AND SOCIETY, Issue 2 2009
Wendy Hunter
ABSTRACT Has democracy promoted poverty alleviation and equity-enhancing reforms in Brazil, a country of striking inequality and destitution? The effects of an open, competitive political system have not been straightforward. Factors that would seem to work toward this goal include the voting power of poor people, the progressive 1988 Constitution, the activism of social movements, and governance since 1995 by presidents affiliated with center-left and left parties. Yet these factors have been counterbalanced by the strong political influence and lobbying power of organized interests with a stake in preexisting arrangements of social protection and human capital formation. An analysis of four key federal sectors, social security, education, health care, and public assistance, illustrates the challenges for social sector reforms that go beyond raising basic living standards to enhancing socioeconomic inequality. [source]


Investments in agricultural water management for poverty reduction in Africa: Case studies of Limpopo, Nile, and Volta river basins

NATURAL RESOURCES FORUM, Issue 3 2008
Munir A. Hanjra
Abstract Much of Sub-Saharan Africa is burdened with water scarcity and poverty. Continentally, less than four percent of Africa's renewable water resources are withdrawn for agriculture and other uses. Investments in agricultural water management can contribute in several ways to achieving the Millennium Development Goals of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger and ensuring environmental sustainability. Increased yield and cropping area and shifts to higher valued crops could help boost the income of rural households, generate more employment, and lower consumer food prices. These investments can also stabilize output, income and employment, and have favourable impacts on education, nutrition and health, and social equity. Investments in agricultural water management can cut poverty by uplifting the entitlements and transforming the opportunity structure for the poor. The overall role of investments in agricultural water management in eradicating hunger and poverty is analyzed. This paper contributes to the present debate and efforts to identify strategies and interventions that can effectively contribute to poverty reduction in Africa. It provides an overview of population growth, malnutrition, income distribution and poverty for countries in three case study river basins , Limpopo, Nile, and Volta. With discussions on the contribution of agriculture to national income and employment generation, the paper explores the linkages among water resources investments, agricultural growth, employment, and poverty alleviation. It examines the potential for expansion in irrigation for vertical and horizontal growth in agricultural productivity, via gains in yield and cropping area to boost the agricultural output. Factors constraining such potential, in terms of scarcity and degradation of land and water resources, and poor governance and weak institutions, are also outlined. The paper argues that increased investments in land and water resources and related rural infrastructure are a key pathway to enhance agricultural productivity and to catalyze agricultural and economic growth for effective poverty alleviation. [source]


Sustainability of the dimension stone industry in Zimbabwe,challenges and opportunities

NATURAL RESOURCES FORUM, Issue 3 2001
Oliver Maponga
Abstract The rapid expansion of the dimension stone and black granite industry in Zimbabwe in the 1990s, a result of increasing domestic and international demand for black granite, has ushered in new challenges and opportunities for producers and beneficiaries alike. This article investigates the social, environmental and economic challenges emanating from the export boom, the economic opportunities presented by the expanding market and the potential role the robust industry could play in regional economic development and poverty alleviation. The article evaluates the long-term sustainability of the dimension stone industry and recommends the reinvestment of revenues into diversification of the regional economic base, upgrading of local infrastructure, further processing of rough stone before export and encouragement of micro-businesses to enhance sustainability. The author argues for modification of economic incentives to incorporate environmental and social objectives in order to enhance sustainability. The need for a holistic approach to policies affecting the exploitation, processing and marketing of granite resources and their products is recognized. More research on the operations of the industry is called for. [source]


Household income diversification and the production of local meat: the prospect of small-scale pig farming in Southern Yunnan, China

AREA, Issue 3 2009
Harvey Neo
This paper assesses the viability of small scale, specialised livestock farming led by the local government, to alleviate rural household poverty. In so doing, it reflects upon the prospect of niche livestock farming in an age where, ironically, demand for meat is ever-rising. It also highlights the ambiguous role that local government plays in poverty alleviation. The specific case study is on the Jinuo ethnic minority in Xishuangbanna autonomous region, located in Southwestern province of Yunnan, China. It is argued that thus far the Jinuo minority have had modest success in rearing indigenous pigs due to a confluence of factors. Nonetheless, a growing market will likely result in some degree of intensification in the production process that goes beyond the means of the upland farmers but will be eagerly exploited by the local government. If the pig rearing scheme is to remain an effective income diversification strategy in select marginalised mountainous communities, the march towards commodification, expansion and intensification, as well as the unchecked ambition of the local government, have to be carefully moderated. [source]


Economic Reforms and Human Development Indicators in India,

ASIAN ECONOMIC POLICY REVIEW, Issue 2 2008
Raghbendra JHA
D13; I3; O18; O53 This paper sketches the contours of progress in India across a broad range of human development indicators, especially those related to the Millennium Development Goals. This paper also considers the slackening of the drop in poverty reduction since the 1990s (as compared to the 1980s) and the theme of increasing personal and regional inequality in India in the post-reforms period. It also considers the even more persistent incidence of hunger in India and concludes by assessing the potential role of public policy in addressing the twin problems of slowdown in poverty alleviation and reduction of hunger. [source]


Cooperation and Community Empowerment in Myanmar in the context of Myanmar Agenda 21

ASIAN-PACIFIC ECONOMIC LITERATURE, Issue 1 2003
Helen James
Since embracing the market economy in 1988 Myanmar has attempted to involve its civil society organisations, particularly in the health, education and welfare sectors. Both domestic and international non-government organisations play a key role in service delivery, poverty alleviation and capacity building in these areas. Civil society is regarded as a partner in Myanmar's nation-building processes. As Myanmar emerges from its decades of isolation (1962,88) and seeks to find its place amongst the family of nations, it set out, in Myanmar Agenda 21 (1997), a policy framework for sustainable development consistent with the identified principles of good governance based on cooperation and participative practices. This paper discusses how far this framework has been implemented; the obstacles to continued evolution of the socio-political structures; and whether civil society, domestic and international, can foster the ,coming out' process in a way consistent with Myanmar's concept of nation building and holistic security. [source]


Perception and practice of child labour among parents of school-aged children in Ibadan, southwest Nigeria

CHILD: CARE, HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 3 2010
F. O. Omokhodion
Abstract Background The problem of child labour has lingered on in many countries because of the complex combination of social, cultural and economic factors involved. Parents play a critical role in child labour as it provides much needed extra income for the family. This study was carried out among parents of school-aged children in an urban, low-income community to determine the factors associated with child labour and attitudes to child labour in the community. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out in an urban community in Ibadan, southwest Nigeria. Questionnaires were administered to parents of school-aged children. Results A total of 473 parents were interviewed. They were aged between 23 and 56 years, mean 37.9 years. Thirty-nine per cent of parents indicated that they thought their school-aged children should work. More women than men, those from polygamous homes and those with lower educational status held this view. Reasons given for wanting their children to work were to supplement family income, 45%, to gain experience, 35% and to help in family business, 10%. In all, 236 (50%) respondents reported that their school-aged children were working. Parental factors associated with practice of child labour were polygamous marriage, low educational status, unskilled or partly skilled occupation and large family size. Seventeen per cent of parents with working children were not satisfied with their children's work conditions and complained of low earnings, long working hours, work on school days and unsafe work environment. Measures suggested to control child labour include addressing the issue of household poverty, public enlightenment about the ills of child labour and free education up to junior secondary level. Enforcement of child labour laws was the least mentioned. Conclusion We conclude that control of child labour should be a multifaceted approach involving poverty alleviation, family planning to reduce family size and free, compulsory education up to junior secondary level. Public enlightenment especially for mothers will be of additional benefit. [source]