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Economic Significance of Selective Export Promotion on Poverty Reduction and Inter-Industry Growth of EthiopiaChala, Zelalem Teklu 14 September 2010 (has links)
The purpose of this thesis was to assess the economic implications of an export promotion policy on poverty reduction and inter-industry growth of Ethiopia. The study was conducted in four steps. The first and the second steps involved simulation scenarios. Scenario 1 simulated the change in the incidence of poverty when FDI capital was selectively introduced into non-coffee export agriculture. Scenario 2 simulated a situation in which the coffee industry received the same policy treatment as other export agriculture in accessing FDI capital. Step three analyzed inter-industry growth under the two scenarios. In the fourth step, sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the possible outcomes of Scenario 1 and 2 under fluctuations in world coffee prices and changes in substitution parameters.
A micro-simulated CGE model was constructed to determine optimum production, income and consumption. A Beta frequency distribution function and FGT poverty measures were used to examine the changes in three household groups' income distribution and prevalence of poverty. For these analyses, the National Accounting Matrix and the Household Income and Expenditure Sample Survey data set were used.
At the macro level, growth in GDP due to expansion of export agriculture was significant. But at a micro level, the magnitude and dimension of economic changes were different with respect to each policy alternative. In the selective export promotion, for instance, only rural households were able to achieve statistically significant income changes. More particularly, about 10 percent of rural households were drawn out of poverty while only 1.7 and 0.5 percent of small and large urban households overcame poverty. When export promotion was assumed to be implemented across the board of all agricultural activities, the welfare gains were extended beyond rural household groups. In this policy alternative, statistically significant mean income
changes were observed for both rural and urban household members. Specifically, about 12 percent of rural, 9 percent of small urban and 5 percent of large urban households were able to escape poverty. These achievements were attributed to higher intensification of coffee production and better linkages with other industries to efficiently allocate factors of production where they provided higher rates of return. The increase in income and consumption of millions of coffee dependent households has also stimulated more agricultural and some non-agricultural productions. Simulation results were observed to deteriorate when export promotion was evaluated under world coffee price fluctuation. The negative effect of a price shock, however, was observed to be minimized under alternative an export promotion approach. / Ph. D.
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The effectiveness of the 'fetsa tlala' initiative in improving food security of women smallholder farmers : a case of Semaneng Village, Polokwane Local MunicipalityTefu, Kgabo Maureen January 2022 (has links)
Thesis (M.Dev. (Planning and Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Development projects, including the Fetša Tlala Initiative, were designed to contribute to the
National Development Plan, 2030. The objectives of this research assessed how effective
the Fetša Tlala project was in improving food and nutrition security of women farmers and
the degree of empowerment the project afforded them. A semi-structured interview guide
was applied to 16 purposefully selected respondents during face-to-face interviews as the
data collection method. The findings indicated that physical resources provided to beneficiaries
contributed to the effectiveness of the project. However, the inconsistent institutional support provided
by the project initiators were considered to detract from the effectiveness. The findings also revealed
that the beneficiaries were empowered by the opportunities afforded through the initiative, but were
further empowered by their own resilience in the face of adversity. The study concludes by
recommending the continuation of the project with improved institutional support.
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The critical success factors for commercialising microfinance instititions in AfricaKiweu, Josephat Mboya 03 1900 (has links)
Dissertation presented for
the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
at Stellenbosch University. / Thesis (PhD (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Uncertainty of continued donor funding poses a risk to microfinance operations worldwide, and this
study explores the circumstances under which African microfinance institutions (MFIs) will consider
commercial funding as a viable alternative source of funding. This research aims to identify the
factors that are associated with successful access to private capital for pro-poor financial
institutions. It examines the suitability of new opportunities for accessing fresh capital by MFIs for
development and poverty reduction using commercialisation as an option. In a world awash in
private capital, it is vital to harness the power of the private sector to solve key development
challenges (World Bank, 2007). As microfinance institutions grow, they increasingly find
themselves in need of additional capital to finance expansion of services to cover more poor
communities.
The study undertook a cross-country data analysis of 103 microfinance institutions to help provide
understanding of the critical success factors that underpin successful access to commercial capital.
The study also tested the hypothesis on the viability of commercial finances, and developed and
tested a commercialisation success model for tapping commercial funds. The prediction model
based on firm-level data from a sample of 21 African countries between 1998 and 2003, aims to
minimise chances of failure and act as a screening system by investors as well as a selfassessment
tool for MFIs intending to seek commercial capital. On examining the direct and
indirect impact of firm-level success factors on commercialisation, the study identified key
predictors of success and guidelines for MFI financing’s integration with the larger financial system.
The study finds that certain critical success factors (CSFs) define minimum pre-conditions for
microfinance institutions considering commercial funding as an alternative source of finance. There
is evidence to suggest that the desire to tap into the capital markets and capacity to link with
commercial investors is a realisable vision for African MFIs. The research evidence is instructive of
widened financing options for MFIs and capacity to relax growth constraint in the industry. Based
on the CSFs, the study suggests how MFIs can break free from 'captive' donor funding as a
necessary platform for the switch to commercial finance in the industry. However, the findings also
suggest the need for MFIs to satisfy the interests and requirements of prospective commercial
investors to overcome new challenges.
In particular, the results show that the extent of organisational formalisation and transparency in
financial reporting are absolutely essential in drawing commercial lenders to invest in microfinance.
In addition the study establishes the reasons why traditional approaches to financing microfinance
cannot work any longer. There are some concerns on mission drift; in particular whether the poor
gain from commercialisation, and under what circumstances their interests are taken care of in
order to preserve the long-term social value of microfinance as a poverty reduction strategy.
The study was carried out based on a rather limited time series data. However, the number of firms
and the diversity is considered adequate for the study, as well as sample representation across
Africa. The study also used views of 'thought leaders' as the source of information. Other
personnel calibre may have had different suggestions. Perceptions were drawn from commercial
lenders/investors of microfinance programmes based in Africa. Needless to say, any generalisation
of CSFs beyond the African microfinance context should be made with caution.
This study is probably one of the first attempts to explore the possibility of a linkage between
microfinance and capital markets and it will be of interest to MFIs, commercial banks, international
donors and investment funds with an interest in investing in the microfinance industry. The findings
suggest that the speed of increase in financial leverage per country depends as much on the
dynamism of the market, as it does on the level of development of the finance sector. The results
indicate that commercial investors will be attracted by good financial returns and administrative
efficiency (return on assets, cash-flow adequacy and operating expense ratio), transparent
reporting and information disclosure and clarity, as well as low inflation levels. Investors will also be
looking for larger, regulated and profitable MFIs with a low-risk profile for their investment
portfolios.
The study found strong support to the hypothesis that the commercialisation index (CI) is a better
measure of successful commercialisation than the LMA (leverage multiplier added), given the
variables used. In all cases, compelling evidence shows that the CI has more explanatory power
and is an accurate predictor of two-year success in commercialisation as examined by logistic
regression. These results suggest that the superior predictive abilities of the CI commercial rating
rule could be explored to guide screening efforts for winners, investment decisions and other
binary classification investigations. Specifically, the model can be useful in guiding successful
commercialisation schemes in Africa because it provides MFIs with a structured approach for
achieving sustainable commercial microfinance. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Onsekerheid oor volgehoue skenkerbefondsing is ’n risiko vir mikrofinansieringsinstansies
wêreldwyd, en hierdie studie ondersoek die omstandighede waaronder Afrika se
mikrofinansieringsinstansies (MFIs) kommersiële befondsing sal oorweeg as ’n lewensvatbare,
alternatiewe bron van befondsing. Hierdie navorsing poog om die faktore, wat met die suksesvolle
toetrede tot private kapitaal van pro-arm finansiële instellings geassosieer word, te identifiseer. Dit
ondersoek die gepastheid van nuwe geleenthede vir MFIs om vars kapitaal te bekom en as ’n
opsie te gebruik vir ontwikkeling en die vermindering van armoede deur kommersialisasie. In ’n
wêreld met oorvloedige bronne van private kapitaal is dit lewensnoodsaaklik om die krag van die
privaatsektor in te span om kern ontwikkelingsuitdagings op te los (World Bank, 2007). Soos
mikrofinansieringsinstansies groei, het hulle ’n toenemende behoefte aan addisionele kapitaal ten
einde die uitbreiding van dienste te kan finansier en om meer arm gemeenskappe te kan bereik.
Die studie het data komende van 103 mikrofinansieringsinstansies uit verskeie lande ontleed om
begrip van die kritiese suksesfaktore (KSFe), wat suksesvolle toegang tot kommersiële kapitaal
onderskraag, te verkry. Die studie het ook die hipotese oor die lewensvatbaarheid van
kommersiële finansiering getoets, en ’n model vir kommersialisasie-sukses ontwikkel en getoets
om kommersiële fondse te bekom. Die voorspellingsmodel, wat gebaseer is op maatskappy-vlak
data van ’n groep van 21 Afrika lande tussen 1998 en 2003, poog om die kanse op mislukking te
minimeer en te dien as ’n siftingstelsel vir beleggers sowel as ’n selfondersoekmiddel vir MFIs wat
beplan om kommersiële kapitaal te bekom. Deur die direkte en indirekte impak van maatskappyvlak
suksesfaktore op kommersialisasie te bestudeer, het die studie sleutelvoorspellers van sukses
asook riglyne vir die integrasie van MFI finansiering met die groter finansiële stelsel geïdentifiseer.
Die studie bevind dat sekere KSFe minimum voorvereistes vaslê vir MFIs wat kommersiële
befondsing as ’n alternatiewe bron van finansiering oorweeg. Daar is bewyse wat daarop dui dat
die begeerte om toegang tot die kapitaalmarkte te verkry en die kapasiteit om met kommersiële
beleggers te skakel ’n realiseerbare visie vir Afrika MFIs is. Die navorsing lewer insig wat
aanduidend is van breër finansieringsopsies vir MFIs, en wat die beperkinge op groei in die
industrie verslap. Gebaseer op die KSFe, stel die studie voor hoe MFIs uit die houvas van
skenkerbefondsing kan loskom as ’n nodige stap vir die oorskakeling na kommersiële finansiering
in die bedryf. Die bevindings dui egter ook op die behoefte van MFIs om aan die belange en
vereistes van moontlike kommersiële beleggers te voldoen ten einde nuwe uitdagings te oorkom.
Die resultate dui spesifiek daarop dat die mate van organisasie-formalisering en die deursigtigheid
van finansiële verslagdoening noodsaaklik is om kommersiële uitleners te trek om in
mikrofinansiering te belê. Verder bevestig die studie die redes waarom tradisionele benaderings tot
die finansiering van mikrofinansiering nie meer kan werk nie. Daar is wel sekere bekommernisse oor die moontlike kompromittering van missie; in besonder is die vraag of die armes wel baat vind
by kommersialisasie, en onder watter omstandighede daar na hulle belange omgesien word ten
einde die langtermyn sosiale waarde van mikrofinansiering as ’n strategie vir armoede verligting te
behou.
Die studie is uitgevoer gegrond op tydreeksdata wat betreklik beperk is. Die aantal maatskappye
en die diversiteit word egter as voldoende beskou vir die studie, asook dat die steekproef
verteenwoordigendend was van lande regoor Afrika. Die studie gebruik ook die menings van
‘leierdenkers’ as ’n bron van inligting. Personeel van ’n ander kaliber mag verskillende voorstelle
gehad het. Persepsies is verkry van kommersiële uitleners/beleggers van
mikrofinansieringsprogramme wat in Afrika gebaseer is. Vanselfsprekend behoort enige
veralgemening van die KSFe buite die Afrika mikrofinansieringskonteks met omsigtigheid gedoen
word.
Hierdie studie is waarskynlik een van die eerste pogings om die moontlikheid van ’n skakel tussen
mikrofinansiering en die kapitaalmarkte te ondersoek en dit sal van waarde wees vir MFIs,
kommersiële banke, internasionale skenkers en beleggingsfondse wat in belegging in die
mikrofinansieringsbedryf belangstel. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat die spoed waarmee die effek
van finansiële hefboom in ‘n land toeneem net soveel afhang van die dinamika van die mark as
van die ontwikkelingsvlak van die finansiële sektor. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat kommersiële
beleggers aangetrek sal word deur goeie finansiële opbrengste, administratiewe doeltreffendheid
(opbrengs op bates, voldoende kontantvloei en die bedryfsuitgawe verhouding), deursigtige
verslagdoening en duidelike openbaarmaking van inligting, sowel as lae inflasievlakke. Beleggers
gee ook voorkeur aan groter, gereguleerde en winsgewende MFIs met ’n lae risikoprofiel vir hulle
beleggingsportefeuljes.
Die studie vind sterk ondersteuning vir die hipotese dat die Kommersialisasie-indeks (CI) ’n beter
aanduiding van suksesvolle kommersialisasie is as die Leverage Multiplier Added (LMA), gegewe
die veranderlikes wat gebruik is. In alle gevalle was daar sterk getuienis dat die CI ’n beter
verduideliker is en ’n akkurate voorspeller is van die tweejaartermyn sukses in kommersialisasie
soos deur middel van logistiese regressie getoets. Hierdie resultate dui daarop dat die superieure
voorspellingsvermoëns van die CI se kommersiële beoordelingsreëls beproef kan word om die
sifting van wenners, beleggingsbesluite en ander binêre klassifikasie ondersoeke te lei. Die model
kan spesifiek nuttig wees om rigting te gee aan suksesvolle kommersialisasieskemas in Afrika
omdat dit MFIs ’n gestruktureerde benadering gee tot die bereiking van volhoubare kommersiële
mikrofinansiering.
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Skuldlättnader som vapen i kampen mot korruption? : Om hur HIPC-initiativet påverkar korruptionsgraden i berörda länderMellander, Annette, Westin, Olle January 2008 (has links)
<p>This paper examines how debt cancellation, given under the HIPC-initiative, has affected corruption over the period 2000-2006. The examination is foremost interesting due to earlier research showing that high corruption leads to unequal distribution of economic resources. This, combined with the objective of the HIPC initiative to reduce poverty, indicates that combating corruption must be successful in order to fulfill the goals of the initiative. A linear regression shows that countries that have benefited from the HIPC-initiative indeed have a lower corruption than other countries. A panel-data analysis shows on the other hand that no effect on corruption due to debt cancellation or reforms undertaken in the program can be confirmed.</p>
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以微型貸款做為減貧策略—將一個持續進行的方案進行個案研究 / Microfinance as a poverty reduction strategy—a case study of an ongoing program王之燕, Wang, Prudence Unknown Date (has links)
Combating poverty is a global issue. In the past, anti-poverty strategy heavily rely on in-kind and in-cash social assistance, until microfinance model had proved remarkable saving outcomes, and then its ideology had swept the world. After the concept of Grameen Bank is widely recognized by Taiwanese, fostering small business and fostering self-reliance to create a cycle of sustainability pave an innovative thinking for social assistance models, and modify the conventional social welfare paradigm. The aforementioned factor thus brings about the origin of Taiwan’s Microfinance Program. This research interviewed the program stakeholders to conclude strategies to improve cost-effectiveness, as the program performances, judged by most program stakeholders, remained unsatisfied for a while. The research consistently addresses the aforementioned issues in terms of bank design, borrower characteristics, and bank supportive services; then, the research paper draws a conclusion and recommendations to improve the program performance.
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Ajuda internacional e crescimento econômico: os condicionantes e efeitos para os países receptores segundo estudos empíricos selecionadosFetter, Natália Wulff 27 June 2012 (has links)
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Previous issue date: 2012-06-27 / Nenhuma / Houve um aumento da riqueza e uma melhora na qualidade de vida das nações ao redor do mundo, notadamente desde o início do século XX. Neste contexto de crescimento econômico, percebe-se que nem todos os países cresceram da mesma maneira e que aproximadamente uma em cada seis pessoas vive em extrema pobreza atualmente. Uma alternativa para resolver este problema é a ajuda internacional e tem se estudado e debatido como ela pode acelerar o processo de crescimento econômico. Inúmeros fatores são mencionados na literatura como essenciais para este avanço. O presente trabalho debate os resultados de recentes estudos empíricos quanto aos impactos da ajuda internacional sobre o crescimento econômico dos países receptores. Assim, a partir da perspectiva das possibilidades de atuação para apressar o desenvolvimento econômico e abreviar a desigualdade de renda, este estudo avalia o crescimento econômico dos países menos desenvolvidos, sobretudo a pobreza, enfatizando o comportamento do continente africano. A seguir, são expostos os conceitos referentes à ajuda internacional para os países e sua evolução ao longo do tempo, buscando decompor os gêneros de assistência e suas finalidades. A revisão de literatura também contempla diferentes maneiras testadas na avaliação da eficácia da ajuda para os países favorecidos, identificando os métodos e indicadores que buscam elucidar a relação entre ajuda e crescimento. / Since the beginning of the XIXth century the world has been living in an era of economic prosperity and quality of life improvement. In this context of economic growth, there have been different kinds of growth among countries and there are about one in six people in the world that live in extreme poverty. One alternative that has been discussed to reduce poverty is foreign aid and how it can haste this process. The literature mentions several factors as essential to this progress. Thus, from the perspective of possibilities to accelerate economic development and shorten the income inequality, this paper aims to address the international aid as a motivator of progress. Initially, the study assesses the economic growth of less developed countries, especially the issue of poverty, emphasizing the behavior of the African continent. Then foreign aid is delimitated by actors, types and purposes. The literature review also addresses the different ways tested in evaluating the effectiveness of aid in recipient countries by identifying and selecting methods and indicators that explain the relationship between aid and growth.
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Assessment of the type, extent and modalities of intra-regional fish trade: A case of South Africa and other Southern African Development Community (SADC) countriesJimu, Tawanda January 2017 (has links)
Magister Philosophiae - MPhil (LAS) (Land and Agrarian Studies) / This study assessed the type, extent and modalities of intra-regional fish trade
between South Africa and other SADC countries. Cross-border fish trade and its
importance in boosting intra-regional fish trade between South Africa and the rest
of SADC is poorly documented and as such, little systematic effort has been made
to understand its type, extent and modalities in order to address the problems of
those engaged in the activity. Regional fish trade continues to be important even
though it is not always adequately reflected in official statistics.
The qualitative research methodology formed the basis of this study. Data was
collected through semi-structured interviews with fish traders at Park City Central
Bus Station in Johannesburg and in-depth interviews with selected key informants
from customs, port, health and immigration officials at the Beitbridge and
Lebombo border posts. Participants of the study were selected through a
combination of purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Geographical
Information System (GIS) was used to digitise national boundaries, border posts
and the routes used by fish traders from the sources to distribution points in
Johannesburg. The study adopted the new regionalism, regional integration and
regional trade conceptual frameworks and attempted to apply the pro-fish trade
theory as the theoretical framework.
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Sustainability Challenges for Maize and Cassava Farmers in Amankwakrom Subdistrict, GhanaAtadja, Franklin Komla 01 January 2016 (has links)
Agricultural system in Ghana underperformed because of limited financing, which constrained some small-scale maize and cassava farmers. The purpose of this case study design was to explore the methods that some small-scale maize and cassava farmers in Amankwakrom Subdistrict used in obtaining farm financing. Two themes from the literature review were a lack of collateral for small-scale farm financing and the small-scale farmers cooperative associations' role in farm financing. Regional-scale management sustainability index formed the conceptual framework for this study. Data collection included semistructured face-to-face interviews with 8 fluent English speaking small-scale maize and cassava farmers who have obtained farm financing in the previous years. Using the Microsoft Excel and Non-numerical unstructured data indexing and theorizing software program for data analysis method, 3 major themes emerged: the farmer's membership benefits of working in cooperative associations; farmer's ability to provide the collateral requirements for the financial institutions; and farmer's good loan repayment history. The study findings indicated that some small-scale maize and cassava farmers obtained farm loans because they used the cooperative associations as their collateral assets in order to satisfy for the requirements of the financial institutions. Social implications include the potential to guide the small-scale maize and cassava farmers to access farm credits to use in expanding their farm sizes. Expansion in farm sizes may result in more maize and cassava production that can help eliminate hunger and reduce poverty in the Amankwakrom Subdistrict of Ghana.
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Power and Ownership : A critical analysis of the Bretton Woods Institutions' Country Owned Poverty Reduction StrategiesHjort, Mattias January 2008 (has links)
<p>Previously, studies in the intersection of power and development have predominantly concentrated on power as domination; how powerful actors can force recipient countries into embracing specific policies due to economical asymmetries. Yet, with the introduction of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP) approach to development employed by the Bretton Woods Institutions (BWI), conditions on certain policies have decreased and it is said that the approach allows for country ownership as development strategies are written by the countries themselves. As a critical response, the conception of power is broadened here through the separate employment of governmentality theory and neo-Gramscian International Relations theory. They share among them a theoretical premise which allows for an understanding of power that extends beyond domination to the realm of discursive practices which, it is argued, allows for influence despite the notions of ownership and without power as domination.</p><p>The object of this thesis is to suggest how the discourses of the PRSP regime can influence subjects whom they addressed. The two theories have different assumptions here. More specifically, the neo-Gramscian theory argue that discursive practice may render ideological issues as common sense why they can come to be embraced by subjects, whereas the governmentality theory assume that discourses can, perhaps without conscious recognition, reshape the very identities of subjects. The theories differences are retained and bracketed when a discourse analysis of the PRSP regime is conducted which concludes that the BWIs require that suitable skills are embraced by subjects appropriate for a good governed market economy. These skills are located to basic capacities in calculating, accounting and social capital accumulation. Thereafter a practical example of discursive practice in a capacity building mission is reviewed to explicate how these skills are actualized through training modules enabling influence towards preferred standards of the BWIs without power as domination. The two theories are brought in for a discussion on how these discursive practices may be understood according to their respective premises, but also to discuss the usefulness of these theories for studies of this kind.</p><p>It is argued, among other conclusions, that the neo-Gramscian understanding of power as operating on the conscious level can fruitfully be coupled with the proposition of governmentality that powers also work on an unconscious level for understanding practises of capacity building. As concerning the weaknesses of the theories it is put forth that the neo- Gramscian theory suffers from an assumption of class identity presented as a “brute fact” before the realm of the political, whereas the governmentality theory suffers from an exclusive focus on discourse and leaves behind how different actor constellations may seek to appropriate discourses. To remedy these weaknesses, the thesis concludes with an argument that a combination of these theories can provide a lucrative foundation for further studies.</p>
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Skapar mikrokrediter en bättre tillvaro? : En fallstudie av Grameen Bank i BangladeshNilsson, Hanna January 2008 (has links)
<p>In course of time the role of the individual being has become increasingly important in the fight against poverty. Through its microcredit programmes, the organization Grameen Bank offers “aid to self-help” to poor women on the countryside in Bangladesh. The purpose of this essay is to investigate how participation in Grameen’s microcredit programmes can affect these women’s social situation and working situation. In order to achieve the purpose the following questions have been formulated: How does microcredit affect women’s self-esteem, influence in the household, and exposure to domestic violence? How does microcredit affect women’s occupational situation, to what extent do they have control over their loans, and how is microcredit regarded in comparison with permanent jobs, as a way to reduce poverty?</p><p>The research, which has been carried out as a qualitative text analysis, shows that Grameen plays an important role when it comes to improving women’s living conditions. The access to microcredit helps women increasing their working activity as well as their self-esteem and influence in the household. However, microcredit does not merely create positive consequences. There are cases where microcredit increases the risk of domestic violence. Often the loans are transferred within the household, and then controlled by men. In addition, women’s use of microcredit is still confined to activities traditionally performed by women. These factors are important to consider when evaluating Grameen’s programmes, since they counteract Grameen’s vision of creating development for women.</p>
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