World Development Perspectives最新文献

It has been long established that age and gender affect individuals’ experiences of poverty. However, the analysis of their simultaneous impacts is rarely afforded due to data limitations. Utilising nationally representative data for South Africa, this paper presents the results of an intersectional analysis investigating how age and gender shape the experiences of multidimensional poverty in South Africa. These survey data were collected in 2019 as part of a program of testing a gender sensitive, individual-level measure of multidimensional poverty. These results demonstrate that at the highest level of analysis available, women are likely to be more multidimensionally deprived compared to men. However, detailed analyses at lower levels highlight the utility of such datasets for better understanding the deprivation profiles of different social groups. Of the dimensions examined in some detail, age appears the stronger driver of outcomes in the food, voice, education and work dimensions, while for the time use and environment dimensions gender is the stronger driver of outcomes, and age and gender are equally important influences on the clothing and footwear dimension. Collecting individual-level multidimensional information enables the interrogation of deprivations that are unique to certain groups, providing more nuanced understanding of the different experiences of multidimensional poverty, which have to date been largely invisible. Such information can be used in prioritising poverty reduction policies, with potentially important implications for their targeting and design – in particular, by considering multiple deprivations jointly, constraints and enablers can be considered for holistic and gendered policy responses.

Previous studies suggest that on one hand, governance practices have the potential to transform natural resources as key drivers of ecological and socio-economic development and on the other, their ineffectiveness can cast multilayered environmental, socio-economic, and political impacts. Conflicts related to resource appropriation, distribution, and control have been an inevitable part of Nepal’s socio-political grounds. Moreover, in recent times, haphazard development practices, unplanned and rapid urbanization processes, a lack of pro-public development strategies, and highly politicized natural resource management processes propel such pre-existing challenges but, at it’s core, lie the intergovernmental conflicts and policy discrepancies. Using media monitoring as a data collection tool and through qualitative analysis of interactions with stakeholders in Bara, Rupandehi and Sunsari districts of Nepal, this paper argues that there are complex and multifaceted interlinkages between sustenance of natural resources and development processes in Nepal that are triggered by high prioritization of economic values of natural resources, uneven allocation of resources and ambiguities in it’s ownership and jurisdictions, casting multilayered impacts on ecology and human security.

Consideration of commercial agricultural owners’ Perceptions of soil degradation, deforestation, and climate change mitigation are crucial for the adoption of agroforestry in large-scale agriculture. Indeed, perceiving agroforestry as a sustainable land management approach can influence adoption decisions. This study aims to analyze the determinants of agroforestry adoption by Medium Agricultural Exploitation (MEAS) in the Littoral Region of Cameroon. We used Heckman’s two-stage model to analyze survey data collected from 310 MAEs. Results indicate that 32 MEAs are planting new trees and actively practicing agroforestry. In the first stage of probit regression, the study results show that the perception of agroforestry as sustainable land management was driven by factors such as farm size and number of employees, off-farm work, inheritance as a source of land, access to credit, social networks, and access to information. In the second stage, the adoption of agroforestry in the MAEs was influenced by the intention to increase farm size in the future, years of experience in agriculture, social network, access to credit, farm size, female sex of the MAE manager, own land or be able to rent land, have their source of seedlings, or have money to buy them. Moreover, if MAE perceives the land to be relatively fertile and has the intention to improve or maintain the fertility of its land in the future, then the likelihood of adopting agroforestry increases. However, when MAEs perceive rainfall to be changing, their land rights to be less secure, and their right to plant trees to be dependent on obtaining permission from the landowner or family members, they are less likely to adopt agroforestry. So, the government should secure land rights and provide a reliable source of agroforestry inputs, such as credit aces, information, land right and seedlings, to ensure that the resource requirements for agroforestry are well fulfilled.

This article examines the vulnerabilities of gig workers, specifically app-based couriers, to climate change. It provides valuable insights from Vietnam and calls for a re-evaluation of gig economy practices in an increasingly warming world. These workers, among the world’s most climate-exposed demographics, contend with challenging working conditions, adverse weather, and inadequate protections. By highlighting the intersections of flexibility, misclassification, and precarity with environmental risks, this paper emphasises the pressing need to integrate climate considerations into discussions of gig economy labour precarity. The paper argues for greater scrutiny of platform companies, urging them to leverage their technological capabilities towards environmentally sustainable practices. Ultimately, the research stresses the critical importance of taking a holistic approach to understanding climate change impacts on employment relations in the gig economy, calling on platform companies to spearhead transformative, environmentally responsible solutions.

The development of formal social protection in African countries is critical. The Covid-19 crisis has largely increased this need. Informal social protection mechanisms remain central to households' management of shocks. This article investigates the relationship between reciprocity norms and dependency in contexts of extreme poverty. Using egocentric networks, the study conducts an original analysis of reciprocity norms based on 2868 social relationships across three regions in southern Madagascar. Four reciprocity categories are identified within support relationships: symmetrical reciprocity, no reciprocity, and two asymmetrical reciprocities. Using a mixed method approach, the findings reveal that reciprocity norms are closely associated with household living conditions, with individuals in poverty more likely to be integrated into relationships characterized by asymmetrical reciprocity. Moreover, the article identifies a strong correlation between food-safety shocks and asymmetrical reciprocity. Lastly, the results highlights the significant role of local organizations in formation of symmetrical support relationships. These findings underline the need to develop analyses and policies that take into account the diversity of social protection mechanisms (formal and informal).

Promoting a peaceful environment is integral for socioeconomic reconstruction in conflict-affected societies. However, the absence of violence does not immediately result in national endeavors for development because a post-conflict state often lacks a popular base of state legitimacy owing to the wartime fragmentation of socio-political groups. Implementing a questionnaire survey in northwestern tribal areas in Pakistan, specifically the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas, this study explores how and why state legitimacy rises and declines as a result of wartime interactions between political actors and civilians. Empirical analyses of novel survey data reveal that wartime service provision is associated with post-conflict sustainable development regarding the civilian perception of legitimacy of the state. State legitimacy is strongly perceived by civilians who have received public services from the state and weakly by those who have been exposed to rebel services. We further disaggregate wartime service provision to explore the influence of providers and variety/types of services. The results indicate that the provision of a wider variety of wartime services impresses upon civilians’ perceived legitimacy; furthermore, while the delivery of basic and extra services beyond justice and security is associated with state legitimacy, the impact is conditional on service providers. State legitimacy has an important role in political stability and national collectivity needed for post-conflict sustainable development. As wartime civil–military relations persistently influence civilians’ perception of political legitimacy, post-conflict reconstruction needs to take locals’ experiences into consideration so that the development initiatives can be legitimate and sustainable.

Gender-biased educational investment remains a critical issue for vulnerable households. Despite increased female enrolment in the past decade, motivation to invest on female education remains low. Resource scarcity and low woman empowerment are two major reasons of low educational expenditure on female children of a vulnerable household. As the most vulnerable households in a society, informal settlers (slum households) are supposed to spend less on female children. However, whether there is any gender bias in informally settled households’ spending on education remains a question. Further, Cash Transfer (CT) programs provide resources to vulnerable households for investing on human capital elements like education. This study aims to examine three research questions: whether a informally settled household’s spending on education is gender biased, whether the households in which women receive CT spend more for female education than those in which women do not receive CT, and finally whether the impact of female receipt of CT differs from that of male receipt of CT in terms of female education expenditure. As the assignment of female access to CT is not randomized, the simple comparison between the treated and untreated suffers from selection bias. We employ propensity score matching (PSM) as an identification strategy to address selection bias. Inverse probability weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA) has been applied as a robustness check. The study's policy implications highlight the significance for policymakers in the domains of women's education, empowerment, and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

The key to social equity and sustainable economic prosperity rests on the inclusion of diverse socio-cultural and ethnic groups in socio-economic activities. Ecotourism promotes the fair and equitable sharing of available opportunities among local people to ensure social equity, sustainable economic prosperity, and tourism sustainability. This study presents an analysis of how ecotourism has contributed to social equity and sustainable economic prosperity within multicultural communities in three villages: Ghandruk, Landruk, and Dhampus along the Annapurna Sanctuary Trail (AST) in Nepal, through the lens of the local community with 120 face-to-face questionnaire surveys, five key informant interviews, six focus group discussions, and field observations. Ecotourism is found to be an effective mechanism for fostering social equity and economic prosperity through socio-economic empowerment, particularly among marginalized groups such as women, Dalits, and Janajatis through the reduction of gender-based income disparities, increased access to micro-financial services, enhanced social cohesion, and increased participation in decision-making processes. Furthermore, the study reveals that households from diverse castes and ethnic backgrounds have benefitted from ecotourism through various income-generating activities, including the sale of local handicrafts and agricultural products, leasing land and property, and infrastructure development. However, it also identifies challenges such as rising living costs, land prices, abandoned agricultural lands, and income inequality. For the sustainability of ecotourism in the region, the need for regulatory measures to control local prices, and integrate agricultural activities into tourism experiences is proposed. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of engaging marginalized groups, particularly Janajatis and Dalits, in ecotourism development initiatives.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development aims to forge a more equitable and sustainable world by integrating peace and development efforts. Despite this ambition, challenges persist as these initiatives often operate in isolation, limiting their collective impact. Moreover, the most affected populations by conflicts find themselves trapped without resources or capabilities. The lack of development often exacerbates underlying conditions, leading to recurring conflicts. The question arises then: How can vulnerable groups overcome these barriers collectively?

The Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) emerges as a transformative approach to achieving peace-centred sustainable development. SSE is a people-centred and nature-responsible economic model characterised by voluntary cooperation, collective goods, local action, and democratic governance. Additionally, SSE initiatives contribute significantly to achieving various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), fostering resilience, promoting well-being, and reducing inequalities. Although SSE is revolutionary in its principles, it has yet to be studied in an interdisciplinary manner within peace and conflict studies. This review article explores the potential of integrating SSE into peacebuilding and development agendas. Our study provides policy recommendations to enhance the impact of SSE on achieving the SDGs and promoting peace. We also identify barriers and limitations, advocating for an integrated approach to ensure collective and solidarity-driven development.

Tanzania has implemented a number of policies and initiatives to promote the growth of the agricultural sector. Among these are efforts geared toward fostering large-scale farm investments, which is partly premised on the notion that smallholder farmers will also benefit through improved access to factor markets and output markets, better prices, and knowledge transfers. Nevertheless, evidence on such spillover effects is far from clear. To fill this gap, we draw on the 2019/20 National Sample Census of Agriculture to estimate the spillover effects from large and medium-scale farms to smallholder farmers in Tanzania. Using logistic and linear regression models, we find evidence consistent with positive effects from medium-scale farms to smallholder farmers around adoption of improved technologies—particularly the use of improved seeds, organic fertilizer, irrigation, and mechanization—and crop yield. These relationships are more evident for maize farms. We also find evidence consistent with spillover effects from large-scale farms, specifically around the adoption of improved crop technologies and livestock vaccinations. These results add an argument in favor of policies that foster the coexistence of large-, medium-, and small-scale farms.