With 1.5 billion people covered globally, food and voucher programs provide an important lifeline for the poor and vulnerable. The study is the 1.5 Billion People Question: Food, Vouchers or Cash Transfers?
... See More + reveals that while countries increasingly support people with cash as a form of safety net, food-based programs are still important interventions in some contexts. The analysis highlights how food and voucher programs remain relevant, and in most circumstances, have improved over time.It is against such a backdrop that this book explores how to genuinely integrate the agendas of social protection and food assistance. To be clear: over the past decades, efforts to introduce, expand, and upgrade social protection systems in low- and middle-income countries primarily revolved around cash transfers—and for good reasons. At the same time, about 1.5 billion people worldwide have been covered by in-kind food programs, 1 billion of whom live in countries examined in this volume. In-kind transfers have been a key vehicle to provide income support to poor consumers; but, on average, they have often done so at high cost and as part of broader agricultural support and food price risk management efforts. In other words,in-kind programs can generate technical and political economy quandaries that go well beyond income support to poor consumers.The book provides a long-awaited and very much-needed analysis on such a shift: when viewed through the lenses of history, countries are increasingly moving from in-kind provisions to cash-based transfers, often with vouchers as an intermediate step. Yet this process is far from straightforward, and it is checkered by the bumpy and erratic pathways of evolution. In particular, the book argues that many of the precursors of current cash transfer programs were in-kind measures and that such measures are still relevant in certain circumstances. The volume’s analysis—one at the intersection of economics, political economy, politics, sociology, and history—would help debunk some long-standing myths about food assistance, highlight the complex and inter- twined objectives pursued by well-intentioned food programs, and identify insightful lessons from reform processes that are, regrettably, seldom available internationally.
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This paper proposes a non-parametric adaptation of a recently developed parametric technique to produce point estimates of intra-generational economic mobility in the absence of panel data sets that follow individuals over time.
... See More + The method predicts past individual income or consumption using time-invariant observable characteristics, which allows the estimation of mobility into and out of poverty, as well as household-level income or consumption growth, from cross-sectional data. The paper validates this method by sampling repeated cross-sections out of actual panel data sets from three countries in the Latin America region and comparing the technique with mobility from panels. Overall, the method performs well in the three settings; with few exceptions, all estimates fall within the 95 percent confidence intervals of the panel mobility. The quality of the estimates does not depend in general on the sophistication level of the underlying welfare model's specifications. The results are encouraging even for those specifications that include few time-invariant variables as regressors.
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Policy Research Working Paper WPS8220 OCT 16, 2017
The paper employs the Commitment to Equity framework to present a first attempt at a comprehensive fiscal incidence analysis for Belarus, encompassing the revenue and expenditures components of the fiscal system, including direct and indirect taxes, as well as direct, indirect, and in-kind transfers.
... See More + The analysis reveals that fiscal policies in Belarus effectively redistribute income from the top to the bottom of the income distribution. Direct transfers, especially pensions, are the most equalizing and pro-poor of the fiscal interventions—direct transfers and direct taxes lower the national poverty headcount by 17 percentage points and lower the Gini index of inequality from 0.407 to 0.267. Some of the indirect taxes, by contrast, are regressive and indirect transfers -- poorly targeted, such that the effect of these components of the fiscal system is not equalizing. Finally, the cost-efficiency of different parts of the fiscal system in Belarus varies considerably. Unemployment benefits, pensions, and child benefits are found to be cost -- efficient, while indirect subsidies are highly cost-inefficient. The analysis points toward possible reforms that would allow reducing poverty and inequality more efficiently.
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Policy Research Working Paper WPS8216 OCT 12, 2017
All countries in Central America provide direct electricity subsidies to a majority of residential consumers, in some cases benefiting close to 80 percent of the population.
... See More + In general, these subsidies entail substantial fiscal costs for countries that are already facing tight budget constraints. This book answers key questions regarding residential electricity subsidies in Central America: how do the subsidy mechanisms function in each country?, what are their fiscal costs?, how effective have these subsidies been in easing the burden of electricity expenditures on poor households?, how efficiently has this spending reached households in need, and what factors drive this effectiveness?, and what are the reform options? The main message of this book is that there is considerable scope for improving the efficiency of electricity subsidies in Central America by better targeting them to low-income households. This is the first study to assess the fiscal and welfare implications of electricity subsides in Central America and to simulate policy options aimed at improving the efficiency of spending. The focus of the study is on residential subsidies because these accounts for the largest share of electricity (and energy) subsidies in Central America. This study provides tools for the evaluation of trade-offs when considering policy changes needed in response to higher production costs. Chapter one gives overview. Chapter two describes the evolution of electricity sectors and subsidy mechanisms in each of the six countries of Central America. Chapter three examines the fiscal impacts of electricity subsidies. Chapter four assesses the distribution of benefits of electricity subsidies in terms of their ability to reduce the electricity costs of low-income households. Chapter five identifies why the subsidy mechanisms in Central America result in inefficient targeting and a regressive distribution of public spending. Chapter six illustrates the broad trade-offs between reform strategies by simulating fiscal savings, efficiency gains, and welfare impacts of five prospective scenarios in each of the six countries in the region.
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The objectives of the Second Social Protection Administration Project are to: (i) improve social protection service delivery and (ii) strengthen analytical and monitoring and evaluation functions of the agenciesdelivering social protection benefits and services.Some of the negative impacts and mitigation measures include: waste collection and disposal pathways and sites will be identified for all major waste types expected from demolition and construction activities; mineral construction and demolition wastes will be separated from general refuse, organic, liquid and chemical wastes by on-site sorting and stored in appropriate containers; construction waste will be collected and disposed properly by licensed collectors; the records of waste disposal will be maintained as proof for proper management as designed.
... See More + Whenever feasible the contractor will reuse and recycle appropriate and viable materials (except asbestos); construction noise will be limited to restricted times agreed to in the permit. The civil works will cause some noise mostly in defined working hours, however the Contractor shall maximally reduce inconvenience caused to the nearby residents; during operations, the engine covers of generators, air compressors and other powered mechanical equipment shall be closed, and equipment placed as far away from residential areas as possible; the site will establish appropriate erosion and sediment control measures such as e.g. hay bales and / or silt fences to prevent sediment from moving off site and causing excessive turbidity in nearby streams and rivers; The public has been notified of the works through appropriate notification in the media and/or at publicly accessible sites (including the site of the works); and all legally required permits have been acquired for construction and/or rehabilitation.
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The objectives of the Second Social Protection Administration Project are to: (i) improve social protection service delivery and (ii) strengthen analytical and monitoring and evaluation functions of the agenciesdelivering social protection benefits and services.Some of the negative impacts and mitigation measures include: waste collection and disposal pathways and sites will be identified for all major waste types expected from demolition and construction activities; mineral construction and demolition wastes will be separated from general refuse, organic, liquid and chemical wastes by on-site sorting and stored in appropriate containers; construction waste will be collected and disposed properly by licensed collectors; the records of waste disposal will be maintained as proof for proper management as designed.
... See More + Whenever feasible the contractor will reuse and recycle appropriate and viable materials (except asbestos); construction noise will be limited to restricted times agreed to in the permit. The civil works will cause some noise mostly in defined working hours, however the Contractor shall maximally reduce inconvenience caused to the nearby residents; during operations, the engine covers of generators, air compressors and other powered mechanical equipment shall be closed, and equipment placed as far away from residential areas as possible; the site will establish appropriate erosion and sediment control measures such as e.g. hay bales and / or silt fences to prevent sediment from moving off site and causing excessive turbidity in nearby streams and rivers; The public has been notified of the works through appropriate notification in the media and/or at publicly accessible sites (including the site of the works); and all legally required permits have been acquired for construction and/or rehabilitation.
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The objectives of the Second Social Protection Administration Project are to: (i) improve social protection service delivery and (ii) strengthen analytical and monitoring and evaluation functions of the agenciesdelivering social protection benefits and services.Some of the negative impacts and mitigation measures include: waste collection and disposal pathways and sites will be identified for all major waste types expected from demolition and construction activities; mineral construction and demolition wastes will be separated from general refuse, organic, liquid and chemical wastes by on-site sorting and stored in appropriate containers; construction waste will be collected and disposed properly by licensed collectors; the records of waste disposal will be maintained as proof for proper management as designed.
... See More + Whenever feasible the contractor will reuse and recycle appropriate and viable materials (except asbestos); construction noise will be limited to restricted times agreed to in the permit. The civil works will cause some noise mostly in defined working hours, however the Contractor shall maximally reduce inconvenience caused to the nearby residents; during operations, the engine covers of generators, air compressors and other powered mechanical equipment shall be closed, and equipment placed as far away from residential areas as possible; the site will establish appropriate erosion and sediment control measures such as e.g. hay bales and / or silt fences to prevent sediment from moving off site and causing excessive turbidity in nearby streams and rivers; The public has been notified of the works through appropriate notification in the media and/or at publicly accessible sites (including the site of the works); and all legally required permits have been acquired for construction and/or rehabilitation.
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The development objective of the Statistics for Decision Making in Kosovo is to strengthen the production of data and indicators by the Kosovo Agency of Statistics (KAS) in key areas, including poverty, social inclusion, health and informality.
... See More + The Grant was approved on September 2, 2016, however there was a delay in countersigning the grant. It became effective only on February 27, 2017. Since February, there has been a discussion and revision of the necessary steps to start procurement activities on the project, including revisions to the procurement plan,terms of reference for the different assignments, discussion on needs for training (STEP and SurveySolutions), and discussion of survey implementation timelines to maximize data quality. The procurement plan is now finalized, and General Procurement Notice has been approved by the Bank.Due to these delays, Kosovo Agency of Statistics has asked for one year extension of the closing date, to allow to complete the project. The project closing date is extended to December 28, 2018.
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The development objective of Social Protection Investment Project aims to support the government of Rwanda to improve the coverage of the vulnerable and the effective delivery of Rwanda's main social protection program.
... See More + Some of the negative impacts and mitigation measures include: (i) for PAPs who are losing the land, first option is a land replacement to be given; (ii) resettle and compensate full market value for the structures to be demolished; (iii) provide assistance with relocation, and cover all the costs of moving any salvageable parts of existing structures and reinstallation and start ups; (iv) resettle and compensate full market value for assessed crops, plants or trees; and (v) vulnerable will be given special consideration by providing to them any assistance they may need to get back or above their previous livelihoods status.
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The Project Objective of the Social Protection Investment Project for Rwanda is to support the Government of Rwanda to improve the coverage of the vulnerable and the effective delivery of Rwanda's main social protection programmes.
... See More + Some of the negative impacts are includes : (i) air pollution causing health risks due to dust and exhaust gas from vehicle; (ii) noise pollution causing health risks due to noise from vehicles; (iii) reduced traffic safety due to improved roads, inducing drivers to exceed the speed limits and cause accidents (mostly to pedestrians); (iv) exhaust fumes and dust emission from movement of construction trucks and equipment and construction activities like digging etc.; (v) drainage discharging their sediments into water bodies; (vi) due to the removal of vegetation during public works, borrow pits, waste dumping area, protected areas, etc.; (vii) conflicts with incompatible activities and land uses; (viii) use of local labor and therefore income earning; (ix) Indiscriminate disposal of human waste or free-range defecation by project workers could create environmental health problems for local communities; Some of the mitigation measures are includes : (i) temporary storage of sanitary and cleaning wastes in containers. disposal should occur at waste dumps; (ii) Integrating land stability into the roads and radical terraces (and other relevant project activities) designs to address the landslide risks. The planting of grasses on embankments slopes with low landslide risks, stone masonry construction on embankments’ slopes with high risks; tree planting along rehabilitated roads or terraces embankments and other critical areas should be considered; (iii) adequate sanitary facilities should be available for workers and open range defecation should not be countenanced; (iv) limit any temporary interference with private property (e.g. farms) in creating routes; (v) all open trenches and excavated areas will be backfilled as soon as possible after construction has been completed. access to open trenches and excavated areas will be secured to prevent pedestrians or vehicles from falling in; (vi) design should ensure a proper drainage network allowing for return flow from the plantation plots into the river during the dry season; (vii) training of farmers to regulate quantities of water used will be a long term investment in sustaining the chemical properties of the soil for continuous fertility; (viii) provision of speed restriction measures (speed limit signs, bumps) near villages and special facilities (schools, health posts, markets); (ix) provide traffic control signage prominently at the entrance and throughout populated village areas;
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The objective of the Third Regional Development Project for Georgia is to improve infrastructure services and institutional capacity to support increased contribution of tourism in the local economy of the Samtskhe-Javakheti and Mtskheta-Mtianeti regions.
... See More + Some of the negative impacts and mitigation measures include: the local construction and environment inspectorates and communities have been notified of upcoming activities; the public has been notified of the works through appropriate notification in the media and/or at publicly accessible sites (including the site of the works); all legally required permits have been acquired for construction and/or rehabilitation; the contractor formally agrees that all work will be carried out in a safe and disciplined manner designed to minimize impacts on neighboring residents and environment; revision of vehicles will be required to ensure that there is no leakage of fuel and lubricating materials. All machinery will be maintained and operated such that all leaks and spills of materials will be minimized. Daily plant checks (Vehicle Maintenance Procedure) will be undertaken to ensure no leaks or other problems are apparent. Vehicle maintenance, cleaning, degreasing etc. will be undertaken in designated areas, of hard-standing, not over made ground. Maintenance points will not be located within 50m of any watercourse; and lubricants, fuel and solvents should be stored and used for servicing machinery exclusively in the designated sites, with adequate lining of the ground and confinement of possible operation and emergency spills. Spill containment materials (sorbents, sand, sawing, chips etc.) should be available on construction site.
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Developing East Asia and the Pacific has continued to perform well in the first half of 2017. The region grew more rapidly than almost all other developing regions.
... See More + Improved global economic performance contributed to the region's growing exports and favorable financing conditions. China's economy grew more rapidly in the first half of 2017 than was anticipated. With sustained growth, poverty continues to decline across the region. Major downside risks include financial sector vulnerabilities, large fiscal imbalances, and the possible escalation of geopolitical tensions. The improved outlook for global growth provides a window of opportunity for developing EAP to continue to reduce key vulnerabilities and strengthen the foundations for sustained and inclusive growth in the medium term. Developing EAP countries could benefit significantly from further developing tourism sectors and deepening regional integration to offset the emerging global protectionism. Policies to ensure inclusive growth should involve ensuring economic mobility and security for all, going beyond an exclusive focus on reducing poverty.
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This Migration and Development Brief reports global trends in migration and remittance flows, major policy developments, and the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators for reducing remittance costs and recruitment costs.
... See More + The Brief reports new data on recruitment costs, a potential indicator for the SDG of promoting safe and regular migration. The special focus of the Brief is return migration, currently a challenging issue globally following the increase in asylum seekers and undocumented migrants.
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Botswana’s economic growth recovered strongly in 2016, fueled by mineral exports and services sector. Further gains are expected for the medium-term, with a real gross domestic product (GDP) growth of up to 4.8 percent by 2019.
... See More + Growth will be driven by the mining sector activity as global demand increases, construction activity supported from public investments, and the services sectors. Over the period, poverty is projected to decline by 0.7 percentage point annually to reach 10.6 percent of the population by 2019. The report presents: recent developments; outlook; and risks and challenges.
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Growth has slowed down since 2015 from 5.6 to 2.3 percent due to modest growth in the services sector. Higher growth rates are projected for 2017-18, boosted by an increase in construction and mining despite the narrowing fiscal space.
... See More + The report presents: recent developments; outlook; and risks and challenges.
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The pace of economic growth significantly subsided in 2016, as construction activity shrank and mineral prices remained low. In the medium-term, growth is projected to recover gradually, reaching 3 percent by 2018, driven mostly by mining and services sector activities.
... See More + The fiscal consolidation is expected to continue, though its success will be highly dependent on mining sector revenues, Southern African Customs Union (SACU) receipts and policy commitment. With expected weak per capita growth in the medium run, modest gains in poverty reduction are forecasted. The report presents: recent developments; outlook; and risks and challenges.
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Poverty has fallen significantly since democracy in 1994, but this trend reversed between 2011 and 2015. The economy has been growing too slowly since the global financial crisis to create jobs for poor South Africans.
... See More + In 2017, the economy is expected to contract on a per capita basis for a third year in a row. Fiscal space is limited as South Africa lost its investment grade status earlier in the year. Decisive structural reforms are needed to continue social progress. The report presents: recent developments; outlook; and risks and challenges.
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Economic growth is expected to decline to 0.9 percent in 2017 from 1.3 percent in 2016, due to slow recovery in agriculture and escalating fiscal challenges.
... See More + Domestic arrears doubled in less than a year, posing significant macroeconomic risks. Public debt may breach the government’s medium term threshold, unless corrective measures are taken. Foreign reserves have been deteriorating as they are partly financing the fiscal deficit. No gains in poverty reduction are expected in 2017 owing to slow recovery in agriculture. The report presents: recent developments; outlook; and risks and challenges.
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Economic activity has improved in 2017, following a bumper harvest and improved hydro-electricity generation, increased copper production, higher copper prices, and more accommodating monetary policy.
... See More + Growth is projected to register 4.2 percent in 2017 (up from 3.6 percent in 2016) and improve over the medium term. Despite this, huge fiscal and debt challenges remain. Economic and fiscal reforms remain key for a shift to sustained and more inclusive growth that can accelerate poverty reduction. The report presents: recent developments; outlook; and risks and challenges.
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Economic growth is projected to recover to 2.8 percent in 2017 up from 0.7 percent last year. Good rains boosted agricultural growth and poverty alleviation in rural areas.
... See More + The large and growing fiscal deficit has drained liquidity from the banking system. Quantitative restrictions on cash withdrawals from banks have led to an active parallel market on which cash dollars’ trade at a premium to interbank dollars. Inflation remains low and a well-functioning interbank market provides liquidity for domestic transactions. The report presents: recent developments; outlook; and risks and challenges.
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