Other Rural Study

112 items available

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https://hdl.handle.net/10986/2207

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Cambodia Sanitation Marketing
(Washington, DC, 2015-04-17) World Bank
This report synthesizes the technical assistance (TA) “Cambodia Sanitation Marketing” carried out by the World Bank’s Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) from July 2011 to February 2015 in support of developing the rural sanitation market in Cambodia. It documents the results and lessons learned and makes recommendations to government on how - with support of development partners – the effectiveness and scale of the sanitation market can be increased to achieve sustainable sanitation outcomes for rural Cambodians. This TA is part of a larger support program to assist the Government of Cambodia, notably the Ministry of Rural Development, to increase access and use of improved sanitation in rural areas of Cambodia. Technical Assistance P132212 is a complementary effort that focusses on strengthening the policy and enabling environment for rural sanitation service delivery at national and sub-national level. The following lessons were learned from the TA: (1) the local private sector has catered more than 50,000 latrines to rural households, (2) the provinces where the TA was taking place experienced an average 10 percentage point increase in overall sanitation access, more than three times the national average increase within the same time period, (3) the increase in sanitation access among the poor was eight percentage point indicating the challenges that the private sector has in reaching the poorer segment of the population, (4) the private sector’s revenue was estimated to amount to nearly USD 2.6 million from the sales of the underground latrine core, and (5) more than USD 600,000 was disbursed by two microfinance institutions (MFIs) to nearly 10,000 cash constrained households, enabling them to gain access to improved sanitation.
Rural Development in Haiti: Challenges and Opportunities
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2014-09-01) Coello, Barbara; Oseni, Gbemisola; Savrimootoo, Tanya; Weiss, Eli
The objective of this report is to examine the linkages between rural economic activity, food insecurity and poverty in Haiti as a means of determining the barriers to rural development. The analysis draws on a newly available set of house-hold level living standards measurement data collected in 2012 (ECVMAS). About 70.7 percent of all rural households are poor, and education levels are low with an average of 2.8 years of education for the household head. Agriculture dominates economic activity (78 percent of all households are involved in agricultural activities), although almost 25 percent of the agricultural households supplement their agricultural income by engaging also in some type of nonfarm activity. Overall nonfarm activity participation (including households that engage in agricultural activities and households that do not) is reported at 46 percent. Nonfarm activities can be related to agriculture upstream (input supply) or downstream (value-adding and processing), or they can be unrelated to the sector (retailing). This report identifies the main factors of production that correlate with increased productivity in the agricultural sector and examines the determinants of nonfarm participation, poverty and food security within rural Haiti. The information and analysis presented in this report point to two priority areas for rural development interventions in Haiti: (i) promoting diversification of livelihoods sources among rural households, and (ii) improving the performance of rural markets for inputs and outputs.
Rural Road Development in India : An Assessment of Distribution of PMGSY Project Benefits in Three States by Gender and Ascribed Social Groups
(Washington, DC, 2014-06-12) World Bank
In 2000, the Government of India launched the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (hereinafter PMGSY) with the primary objective of providing all-weather road connectivity (with necessary culverts and cross-drainage structures operable throughout the year), to eligible unconnected habitations in rural areas. Currently, about 60 percent of the 170,000 eligible habitations have a road. By the end of 2010, expenditures for the program had amounted to about US$14.6 billion, and a further US$40 billion is estimated to be required to complete the program by 2020 (World Bank, 2010). The PMGSY program is a very large undertaking with the World Bank also being involved in its financing and execution all along; the most recent credit amounted to US$1.4 billion. This report summarizes findings based on data collected as part of the primary survey, coupled with findings from the qualitative survey which included focus group discussions (FGDs). It highlights findings which answer the six key questions which are relevant to decision makers as evidence to improve existing and proposed programs and for further policy dialogue. This is a short version of a separate detailed report which in addition to the key findings of the quantitative and qualitative surveys has annexes on key impacts and detailed findings by state. The detailed analysis and tables generated are part of the full statistical analysis report by international consultants and the preliminary findings report which will serve as background reports for reference as required. It is hoped that the report(s) will make a useful contribution to the process of drawing up recommendations to improve PMGSY's impact in the sphere of ascriptive distribution - in short, on its 'inclusiveness'.
Identifying Investment Opportunities for Ruminant Livestock Feeding in Developing Countries
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-11) World Bank
In the future scenario for livestock development, there is a continuing role for smallholder producers, particular for dairy and small ruminants, relying heavily on grass and crop-residues, however in a growth mode, intensifying production, and enhancing the efficiency of resource use (less land, labor and feed resources per unit product). In particular improving the efficiency of converting feed into milk and meat will be critical to increase their income. Ensuring that happens will require technical solutions, in ensuring that feed rations are adequately balanced with the appropriate feedstuffs of adequate quality, and institutional solutions on how to provide smallholders access to high quality information and reliable supplies of sufficient quality feeds. Investment strategies will need to be purposefully tailored to fit these specific contexts. This study assesses where the demand for feed is likely to change the most, and where investments in feed are most likely to increase animal productivity and improve the livelihoods of those who raise livestock. The study focuses on smallholder ruminant-based livestock systems because they have potentially major transformative effects on the livelihoods of producers and others engaged in the related value chains. While pig and poultry enterprises typically play an important role in livelihoods at very low input levels, such as backyard scavenging poultry, they tend to be replaced very quickly by larger scale commercial units. In India for instance, broiler production moved from a few hundred birds per unit to units with a weekly turnover of ten to twenty thousand between 2001 and 2006.
Climate Change and Agriculture in Latin America, 2020-2050 : Projected Impacts and Response to Adaptation Strategies
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-01) Fernandes, Erick C.M.; Soliman, Ayat; Confalonieri, Roberto; Donatelli, Marcello; Tubiello, Francesco
The impacts of climate change on agriculture are projected to be significant in coming decades, so response strategies, and their likely costs, should be evaluated now. That is why this study produced an open-access, crop-climate-economic impact modeling platform for Latin America and the Caribbean, that can be extended to other regions, then modified and improved by users as new crop, climate, and economic datasets become available. The new platform projects the likely impacts of agroclimatic factors on crop productivity, on the basis of climate projections from two general circulation models, and couples it with an economic model to derive and evaluate a range of climate-change scenarios and likely agricultural productivity and economic impacts over the next several decades.
ICT in Agriculture : Connecting Smallholders to Knowledge, Networks, and Institutions
(Washington, DC, 2011-11) World Bank
The livelihoods of the world's poor rise and fall with the fate of agriculture. Enhancing the ability of smallholders to connect with the knowledge, networks, and institutions necessary to improve their productivity, food security, and employment opportunities is a fundamental development challenge. Where once rural areas were largely disconnected from the greater world, today, networks of information and communication technologies (ICTs) enmesh the globe and represent a transformational opportunity for rural populations, both as producers and consumers. However, climate change and price fluctuations in the global food market remind us that realizing this opportunity requires a long-term commitment to mobilizing appropriate resources and expertise. It is for this reason that we are particularly pleased to introduce the ICT in agriculture e-sourcebook. This resource was designed to support practitioners, decision-makers, and development partners who work at the intersection of ICT and agriculture. The authors hope is that it becomes a practical guide in understanding current trends, implementing appropriate interventions, and evaluating the impact of those programs. It combines cutting-edge expertise in ICT with empirical knowledge of a wide range of agricultural sectors, from governance to supply chain management. As an online knowledge source, it will continue to evolve and be updated to reflect the emerging and changing challenges and opportunities facing the sector. This activity was carried out as part of the program on creating sustainable businesses in the knowledge economy, for which the Government of Finland provided generous support. The publication represents a partnership of infoDev and the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of the World Bank Group, with significant contributions from outside experts.
Improving Water Management in Rainfed Agriculture : Issues and Options in Water-Constrained Production Systems
(Washington, DC, 2010-06-29) World Bank
Due to climate change and increasing food prices, emphasis needs to be placed on addressing water management as a key determinant for agricultural production and productivity. However, governments and donors have tended to pay relatively little attention to this area, and investments remain low. This report, which is based on economic and sector work carried out in the Water Anchor of the World Bank, highlights the importance of improving water management in rainfed agriculture, with a focus on those production systems where water is a main constraint. It provides a synthesis of the state-of-the-art thinking and experience. Considering the various issues that are currently preventing further upscaling of these measures, and better evaluation of the feasibility of applying particular measures or combination of measures, the report proposes options and recommendations for interventions to help overcome these issues. In doing so, the report aims to stimulate discussion and encourage new thinking among World Bank staff and counterparts in client countries who work on enhancing agricultural productivity and livelihoods in rainfed agriculture through improved water management and related interventions.
Zambia - Commercial Value Chains in Zambian Agriculture : Do Smallholders Benefit?
(World Bank, 2009-06-01) World Bank
Agriculture and agroprocessing are important in Zambia's economy, representing more than 40 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and contributing about 12 percent of national export earnings. Agriculture employs some 67 percent of the labor force and supplies raw materials to agricultural industries, which account for some 84 percent of manufacturing value-added in the country. Smallholder agriculture dominates the rural economy. It provides livelihoods for the overwhelming majority of rural households. The commercialization of smallholder agriculture is an important element of Zambia's strategy to increase economic growth in an equitable manner and diversify smallholder agriculture. This study therefore asks: 'do Zambian smallholders benefit from greater participation in value chains?' It provides an evidence-based analysis of the benefits and constraints associated with smallholders' integration into specific commercial value chains. The study also investigates whether the benefits of participating in these value chains can be increased for smallholders and provides corresponding policy and investment recommendations.
Vulnerability to Climate Change in Agricultural Systems in Latin America and the Caribbean: Building Response Strategies
(Washington, DC, 2009-05-22) World Bank
This study reports the results of “action research” to identify and prioritize stakeholder driven, locally relevant response options to climate change. These response options comprise the basis of local action plans developed to address agricultural adaptations to climate change in three diverse agroecoystems: the Yaqui Valley in northwestern Mexico, the Mantaro Valley in central Peru, and the western littoral regional of Uruguay. The study has three primary objectives. The first is to develop and apply a pilot methodology for assessing agricultural vulnerability to climate change and for formulating response strategies to inform private and public sector decisions in the Latin America region. The second objective is to formulate recommendations for investments in each of the selected agro-ecosystems in a range of areas including agricultural technology adaptation, infrastructure investments, public and private sectoral support activities, and institutional and policy changes. The final objective is to disseminate the study results in the Latin America region to help increase understanding of the impacts of climate change and alternative adaptation response strategies.
India - Taking Agriculture to the Market
(Washington, DC, 2008-10) World Bank
Policy makers in India recognize the importance o f well-functioning markets to agricultural growth, food security, and broad-based rural development. Markets facilitate the commercialization and diversification of farming, and they are essential for efficiently bringing food and agricultural products to domestic and international consumers. Well functioning domestic markets can reduce the cost of food and assure stability of supply, which as the recent global food crisis has highlighted, are key to assuring the food security of poor and non-poor households. They also open opportunities for greater value-addition and employment throughout the economy. The rapid growth of the Indian economy is bringing new forces for change in agricultural marketing and processing systems. Changes in consumer demand are fueled by rising incomes, increasing urbanization, a growing middle class demanding more diversified and higher-quality food, more working women demanding access to prepared or processed foods and more convenient shopping under one roof, and increased exposure to products through wider media penetration (domestic and international television, cable, and internet). These forces in turn drive changes in the structure of marketing and encourage agricultural diversification.