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on Development |
| By: | Galán, Juan Sebastián (Universidad de los Andes) |
| Abstract: | This study examines the intergenerational effects of providing land to the rural poor. I use ID numbers to track applicants to the 1968 Colombian agrarian reform and their children in various administrative data. Exploiting discontinuities in the allocation of parcels, I find that the children of recipients exhibit higher intergenerational mobility. In contrast to the view that land would tie them to the countryside, today these children participate more in the modern economy. They have better living standards and are more likely to work in formal and high-skilled sectors. These findings appear driven by a relief of credit constraints that allowed recipient families to migrate to urban centers and invest in the education of their children. |
| Keywords: | Intergenerational mobility; agrarian reform; modern economy; Colombia. |
| JEL: | E24 J62 N36 O15 Q15 |
| Date: | 2024–11–28 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:col:000089:021266 |
| By: | Aysegül Kayaoglu; Ghassan Baliki; Tilman Brück |
| Abstract: | Climate change and violent conflict are defining challenges of our time. However, it is not yet understood how they interact in shaping human welfare and food security, how their interaction shapes gendered outcomes, or how social protection systems can mitigate their impact. To address these knowledge gaps, we first examine how household food insecurity relates to conflict and climate shocks and whether these associations are gender-sensitive. Second, we test what mechanisms can reduce the negative impacts of these shocks. |
| Keywords: | Gender, Climate change, Conflict, Food security, Social protection, Sudan |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2024-75 |
| By: | Adeyanju, Dolapo; Amare, Mulubrhan; Andam, Kwaw S.; Bamiwuye, Temilolu; Gelli, Aulo; Idowu, Ifetayo |
| Abstract: | This paper examines Nigeria’s Home-Grown School Feeding Program (HGSFP), an initiative that enhances traditional school feeding by supporting local agriculture. Operating across federal, state, and school levels, the HGSFP sources meals from local smallholder farmers, aiming to stimulate rural economies and improve food security. The program creates demand for locally grown food, encouraging farmers to increase productivity and adopt sustainable practices while providing them with stable income. The HGSFP has successfully expanded its impact beyond students to benefit farmers, communities, and local businesses; despite these achievements, the program still faces challenges including funding constraints, logistical issues, and monitoring difficulties. By analyzing successful implementations in other countries that are characterized by strong government support, well-developed supply chains, and active community participation, the paper offers insights for improvement. The discussion concludes with evidence-based recommendations for policymakers and program administrators. These suggestions aim to enhance the HGSFP’s effectiveness, efficiency, and long-term sustainability, ultimately contributing to Nigeria’s broader agricultural and economic development goals. |
| Keywords: | school feeding; efficiency; sustainability; agricultural development; Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Western Africa; Nigeria |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:2290 |
| By: | Samuel Ampaw; Michael Danquah; Rajesh Raj Natarajan; Kunal Sen |
| Abstract: | Using panels of labour force surveys from Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and India and a recent work status classification, we provide an in-depth analysis of labour mobility up or down the job ladder. This classification allows us to observe job transition possibilities across six work status groups. We examine factors driving upward mobility and probe its association with poverty. We find that people seldom transition from one work status to another across all countries. The prevalence of downward mobility is similar to upward mobility in the four African countries and India. |
| Keywords: | Labour market, Job mobility, job ladder, Poverty, Developing countries |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2024-84 |
| By: | Balana, Bedru; Olanrewaju, Opeyemi |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the effects of financial inclusion on adoption and intensity of use of agricultural inputs and household welfare indicators using data from the nationally representative Nigerian LSMS wave-3 (2015/2016) survey. For this, we constructed a financial inclusion index from four formal financial services access indicators (bank account, access to credit, insurance coverage, and digital transaction) using multiple correspondence analysis (MCA). We used Cragg’s two-step hurdle, instrumental variables for binary response variables, and a Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) models in the econometric analysis. Results show that households with access to formal financial services are more likely to adopt agricultural inputs and to apply these more intensively. These same households are less likely to experience severe food insecurity and are more likely to consume diverse food items. We also find that these effects are less for female farmers regardless of formal financial inclusion, suggesting that they may bear more non-financial constraints than their male counterparts. The results suggest a need for targeted interventions to increase access to formal financial services of farm households and gender-responsive interventions to address the differential constraints women farmers face. |
| Keywords: | farm inputs; financial inclusion; food security; households; inorganic fertilizers; seeds; Africa; Western Africa; Nigeria |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:2293 |
| By: | Kwabena Adu-Ababio; Evaristo Mwale; Rodrigo Oliveira |
| Abstract: | Low-income countries face the combined challenges of climate shocks and limited domestic revenue mobilization, yet these issues are rarely studied together. This paper provides new evidence on the impact of climate shocks on firm performance and tax revenue in a low-income country context, using firm-level data from Zambia. We find that extreme weather events, such as excessive rainfall and high temperatures, significantly reduce firms' sales, input purchases, and tax collection, particularly in sectors such as manufacturing, retail, accommodation, and construction. |
| Keywords: | Value-added tax, Weather shock, Zambia, Domestic revenue mobilization, Firms |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2024-71 |
| By: | Lakemann, Tabea; Beber, Bernd; Lay, Jann; Priebe, Jan |
| Abstract: | In many developing countries, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) employ more people than any other type of firm, so identifying ways to raise productivity, improve employment conditions and formalize labor in these settings is of prime policy importance. However, due to the small number of workers per firm and the possibly long results chain linking management to employment, few MSME-targeted interventions and evaluations address job-related outcomes directly. We do so in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a support program for MSMEs in Côte d'Ivoire that included financial management and human resources (HR) components. Six and eighteen months after the end of the program, we find muted impacts on business practices, access to finance, and firm performance. On the employment side we find sizeable, positive impacts on job quality, driven by the share of employees receiving at least the minimum wage and the share with written contracts. We find no significant effect on the number of staff. Taken together, our results underscore the difficulty of boosting firm performance and creating jobs with a low-intensity intervention on the one hand, and the feasibility and importance of improvements in employment quality in MSMEs in developing countries on the other. |
| Abstract: | In vielen Entwicklungsländern sind in Kleinst-, Klein- und Mittelunternehmen (KKMU) mehr Menschen beschäftigt als in jeder anderen Art von Unternehmen. Daher ist es von großer politischer Bedeutung, Wege zur Steigerung der Produktivität, zur Verbesserung der Beschäftigungsbedingungen und zur Formalisierung der Arbeit in diesem Umfeld zu finden. Aufgrund der geringen Anzahl von Arbeitnehmenden pro Unternehmen und der möglicherweise langen Zusammenhangskette zwischen Management und Beschäftigung befassen sich jedoch nur wenige auf KKMU ausgerichtete Interventionen und Evaluierungen direkt mit arbeitsplatzbezogenen Indikatoren. Wir leisten hier mit einer randomisierten kontrollierten Studie (RCT) eines Unterstützungsprogramms für KKMU in Côte d'Ivoire, das Komponenten des Finanz- und des Personalmanagements umfasst, einen Beitrag. Sechs und achtzehn Monate nach dem Ende des Programms finden wir eingeschränkte Auswirkungen auf Geschäftspraktiken, Zugang zu Finanzmitteln und Unternehmensleistung. Auf der Beschäftigungsseite finden wir beträchtliche, positive Auswirkungen auf die Qualität der Arbeitsplätze, die durch den Anteil der Beschäftigten, die mindestens den Mindestlohn erhalten, und den Anteil mit schriftlichen Verträgen bestimmt werden. Auf die Anzahl der Mitarbeiter haben wir keine signifikanten Auswirkungen festgestellt. Zusammengenommen unterstreichen unsere Ergebnisse einerseits die Schwierigkeit, die Unternehmensleistung zu steigern und Arbeitsplätze mit einer wenig intensiven Intervention zu schaffen, und andererseits die Machbarkeit und Bedeutung von Verbesserungen der Beschäftigungsqualität in KKMU in Entwicklungsländern. |
| Keywords: | MSME support, employment quality, firm performance, randomized controlled trial, Côte d'Ivoire |
| JEL: | O12 L26 M10 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:rwirep:306824 |
| By: | Eskander, Shaikh (University of Alabama Birmingham); Mahmud, Minhaj (Asian Development Bank) |
| Abstract: | This paper explores the mitigating effects of climate policies in addressing climate-induced health adversities. We first investigate the effect of in utero exposure to rainfall variations on child health outcomes in Bangladesh and find that in utero exposure to rainfall variations negatively affects children’s anthropometric outcomes. We then exploit the heterogeneity in location and timing of district-level allocations for climate projects under the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund to identify that some of these rainfall-induced health adversities can be mitigated through climate policies. Our findings are robust to alternative empirical specifications and have important policy implications. |
| Keywords: | climate change; climate finance; health; rainfall |
| JEL: | I38 Q54 Q58 |
| Date: | 2024–12–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:adbewp:0756 |
| By: | Kramer, Berber; Pattnaik, Subhransu; Ward, Patrick S.; Xu, Yingchen |
| Abstract: | Smallholder farmers often lack documented land rights to serve as collateral for formal loans, with livelihoods inextricably linked to weather conditions. Resulting credit and risk constraints prevent them from investing in their farms. We implemented a randomized evaluation of KhetScore, an innovative credit scoring approach that uses remote sensing to unlock credit and insurance for smallholders including landless farmers in Odisha, a state in eastern India. In our treatment group, where we offered KhetScore loans and insurance, farmers - and especially women - were more likely to be insured and borrow from formal sources without substituting formal for informal loans. Despite increased borrowing, treated households faced less difficulty in repaying loans, suggesting that insured KhetScore loans transferred risk and eased the burden of repayment. Moreover, the treatment enhanced agricultural profitability by increasing revenues during the monsoon season and reducing costs in the dry season. Positive and significant effects are found among both farmers with unconstrained baseline credit access, and quantity rationed farmers, suggesting that KhetScore helps address supply-side credit constraints. Finally, the treatment significantly enhanced women’s empowerment and mental health. In conclusion, remote sensing-enabled financial products can substantially improve landless farmers’ access to agricultural credit, risk management, resilience, and well-being. |
| Keywords: | smallholders; land rights; loans; livelihoods; weather; credit; remote sensing; access to finance; gender; impact assessment; insurance; India; Asia |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:2288 |
| By: | Kalle Hirvonen; Elia Machado; Andrew M. Simons |
| Abstract: | We assess how one of the largest public works programmes in the world—Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP)—affected violent conflict and civil unrest. Using difference-in-differences methods and linking administrative and geocoded conflict event data, we find that the PSNP did not change the risk of violent events, but reduced the likelihood of civil unrest by almost half when compared to non-PSNP districts. These effects are most pronounced during the period 2014-18, coinciding with widespread protests in Amhara and Oromia, the two most populous regions of Ethiopia. |
| Keywords: | Conflict, Social unrest, Public works, Social assistance |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2024-78 |
| By: | Galán, Juan Sebastián (Universidad de los Andes) |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the persistent effects of Crown versus settler colonialism. Exploiting a spatial regression discontinuity design in Mexico, I document that regions where the relative power of the colonial state over settler elites was higher exhibit higher historical and contemporary economic prosperity. In contrast to the view that Crown judges disproportionately weakened property rights, court records analyzed with natural language processing algorithms suggest they constrained settlers from expropriating indigenous lands. In the long-run, a feedback loop appears to have consolidated an emerging rural middle class, whose relative enfranchisement tied it less to patronage politics, encouraging public good provision and labor mobility out of agriculture. |
| Keywords: | Colonialism; courts; property rights; economic development; Mexico. |
| JEL: | D73 K40 N46 O12 P14 |
| Date: | 2024–12–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:col:000089:021268 |
| By: | Lahoti , Rahul (UNU-WIDER); Abraham , Rosa (Azim Premji University); Swaminathan, Hema (Asian Development Bank) |
| Abstract: | We investigate the impact of marriage and childbirth on women’s labor market participation in rural India. In the absence of panel data, we employ a novel approach using Life History Calendar data to analyze women’s labor market trajectories from age 15 onward. Our event study models reveal that marriage leads to a significant and sustained increase in women’s labor supply, particularly in informal agricultural work. This increase is more pronounced among women from poorer households and those with working mothers. Notably, childbirth does not negatively impact labor supply; this differs from findings in developed countries. We attribute these results to early marriage and motherhood, low levels of economic development, and prevalence of informal employment. Our research highlights the crucial role of socioeconomic context in shaping the impact of life events on women’s labor market outcomes in developing economies. |
| Keywords: | marriage; motherhood penalty; women’s labor force participation; event studies; life history calendar (LHC) |
| JEL: | J13 J16 J18 |
| Date: | 2024–12–06 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:adbewp:0757 |
| By: | Hidrobo, Melissa; Mueller, Valerie; Roy, Shalini; Fall, Cheikh Modou Noreyni; Lavaysse, Christophe; Belli, Anna |
| Abstract: | Weather shocks can affect men and women differently, due in part to differences in their adaptive capacities. We merge weather data with survey data from a randomized control trial of a cash transfer program in Mali to describe how men and women cope with weather shocks and the role of cash transfer programs in supporting adaptive responses. We find that heavy rainfall reduces household’s consumption but that the cash transfer program mitigates these impacts, primarily by allowing households to draw down both men’s and women’s savings, increasing the value of livestock and farming assets held jointly by men and women, and facilitating a reallocation of men’s and women’s labor to livestock production and women’s labor to domestic work. |
| Keywords: | cash transfers; gender; men; rainfall; shock; women; social protection; Africa; Western Africa; Mali |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:2301 |
| By: | Theo S. Eicher; Reina Kawai Eskimez; Ms. Monique Newiak |
| Abstract: | Crises often require economic consolidations that may unevenly affect different segments of the population. Some crisis countries enter financial arrangements with the IMF and adopt adjustment programs, and studies have associated program conditionality with negative impacts on gender inequality. Proper evaluations of the impacts of IMF-supported programs on gender inequality require, however, credible control groups that address the counterfactual: do post-crisis gender disparities evolve differently without an IMF-supported program? We examine over 150 IMF-supported programs (1994-2022) using custom-tailored control groups that match each IMF-supported program country’s gender and economic trends and find overwhelming evidence against systematic impacts of IMF-supported programs on gender equality. |
| Keywords: | Gender Inequality; Female Labor Force Participation; Education; Adolescent Fertility; Maternal Mortality; IMF-supported programs; Economic Crisis |
| Date: | 2024–12–06 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2024/247 |
| By: | Lukasz Grzybowski (University of Warsaw, Faculty of Economic Sciences); Zubair Maghmood Patel (University of Cape Town) |
| Abstract: | In this paper we analyse whether having a mobile phone impacts chances of getting employed. We use five waves of panel data from the National Income Dynamic Survey (NIDS), which was conducted in South Africa between years 2008 and 2017. In the estimation we include a vector of observable individual and household characteristics and account for unobserved heterogeneity amongst individuals. The estimation results suggest that mobile phone ownership has a positive impact on the change in employment status from unemployed to employed. On the other hand, ownership of a computer by a household and computer literacy do not increase the likelihood of getting employed. The average probability of becoming employed increases from 54.2% when no one among unemployed adults has a mobile phone to 57.4% when all of them have a mobile phone, which is an increase of 5.9%. |
| Keywords: | Mobile phones, Employment, NIDS, South Africa |
| JEL: | L13 L50 L96 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:war:wpaper:2024-21 |
| By: | Patrick A. Imam; Mr. Kangni R Kpodar; Djoulassi K. Oloufade; Vigninou Gammadigbe |
| Abstract: | This paper delves into the intricate relationship between uncertainty and remittance flows. The prevailing focus has been on tangible risk factors like exchange rate volatility and economic downturn, overshadowing the potential impact of uncertainty on remittance dynamics. Leveraging a new dataset of quarterly remittances combined with uncertainty indicators across 77 developing countries from 1999Q1 to 2019Q4, the analysis highlights that uncertainty in remittance-sending countries negatively affects remittance flows. In contrast, uncertainty in remittance receiving-countries has a more complex, dual effect. In countries with high private investment ratios, rising domestic uncertainty leads to a decline in remittances. Conversely, in countries with low public spending on education and health, remittances increase in response to uncertainy, serving as a social safety net. The paper underscores the heterogeneous and non-linear effects of domestic uncertainty on remittance flows. |
| Keywords: | Remittances; Uncertainty; Shocks; remittance flow; remittance dynamics; IRF of remittance; remittances in times; uncertainty indicator; Migration; Private investment; Health care spending; Global |
| Date: | 2024–11–22 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2024/244 |