Person:
Etang, Alvin

Poverty and Equity GP, Africa

Fields of Specialization

Poverty, High Frequency Surveys

Departments

Poverty and Equity GP, Africa

Last updated January 31, 2023

Biography

Alvin Etang is an Economist in the Poverty Global Practice at the World Bank. Previously a Postdoctoral Associate at Yale University, Alvin received his Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Otago. His interest in micro-development has led him to focus on analysis of poverty and welfare outcomes. With substantial experience in the design, implementation and analysis of household surveys, Alvin has worked in many African countries. He has also taught economics courses at the undergraduate level, and has experience in designing and using economic experiments as a tool to analyze poverty issues. He has a number of scholarly publications.

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 23

Socioeconomic Impact of the Crisis in North Mali on Displaced People

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2015-05) Etang Ndip, Alvin ; Hoogeveen, Johannes G. ; Lendorfer, Julia

This paper analyzes the impact of the 2012 crisis in Mali on internally displaced people, refugees and returnees. It uses information from a face-to-face household survey as well as follow-up interviews with its respondents via mobile phones. This combination was found to present a good and robust way to monitor the impact of conflict on hard-to-reach populations who at times live in areas inaccessible to enumerators. Results indicate that better educated and wealthier households as well as those exposed to less violence fled the crisis. Significant amounts of durable goods (20–60 percent) and animals (75–90 percent) were lost and the welfare of the displaced declined considerably as a result of the crisis. Yet over time its impact has diminished. By February 2015, most eligible children were going to school and employment levels and number of meals consumed were at pre-crisis levels. The paper finds that different ethnic groups chose different places of refuge. Depending on location, the narrative of the crisis and the solutions that are envisaged differ diametrically.
Analysis of the Mismatch between Tanzania Household Budget Survey and National Panel Survey Data in Poverty and Inequality Levels and Trends

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2018-03) Belghith, Nadia Belhaj Hassine ; Adelaida Lopera, Maria ; Etang Ndip, Alvin ; Karamba, Wendy

This study carries out a thorough investigation of the potential sources of mismatch in poverty and inequality levels and trends between the Tanzania National Panel Survey and Household Budget Survey. The main findings of the study include the following. First, the difference in poverty levels between the Household Budget Survey and the National Panel Survey is essentially explained by the differences in the methods of estimating the poverty line. Second, the discrepancy in poverty trends can be mainly attributed to the difference in inter-year temporal price deflators, and, to a lesser extent, spatial price deflators. The use of the consumer price index for adjusting consumption variation across years would show a decline in poverty during the past five years for the Household Budget Survey and the National Panel Survey. Third, despite noticeable differences in the methods of household consumption data collection, the Household Budget Survey and National Panel Survey show close mean household consumption levels in the last rounds, when using the consumer price index to adjust for inter-year price variations. Mean household consumption levels in the Household Budget Survey 2011/12 and National Panel Survey 2010/11 are comparable, and the mean consumption level in the National Panel Survey 2012/13 is around 10 percent higher. The difference is driven by higher levels of aggregate and food consumption by the better-off groups in the National Panel Survey. Fourth, the mismatch in inequality trends and pro-poor growth patterns between the two surveys could not be resolved and is a subject for further analysis.
Shocks and Household Welfare in Sudan

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2019-10) Etang Ndip, Alvin ; Touray, Sering

The Sudanese economy has faced several shocks over the years, sometimes resulting in devastating impacts on the economy and the welfare of Sudanese households. The sources of these shocks vary, ranging from weather-related shocks such as droughts and floods to the global financial crisis and commodity price hikes. In the absence of effective social protection programs, exposure of households to frequent shocks lowers their ability to escape poverty, pushing households slightly above the poverty line back into poverty and sliding poor households deeper into poverty. This paper applies this framework to examine the impact of shocks on the welfare of Sudanese households and explore coping strategies typically utilized by households to mitigate the negative effects of shocks. The paper uses the 2009 National Baseline Household Survey (NBHS) and the 2014-15 National Household Budget and Poverty Survey (NHBPS) to document the main types of shocks that Sudanese households are exposed to and describe the profile of Sudanese households likely to be vulnerable and/or resilient to shocks. To complement this analysis, the paper uses the most recent round of the data collected in 2014/15 (containing information on idiosyncratic shocks) together with data on covariate shocks such as rainfall and conflict obtained from other sources to estimate the impact of shocks on household welfare. Since the impact of shocks on household welfare is likely to be multidimensional, various indicators of household welfare such as consumption, poverty status, assets, dietary quality, and diversity are considered in the paper. Results from the analysis are used to highlight the state of social protection in Sudan and discuss the need for an expansion of the existing system.
Is the Sudan Cash Transfer Program Benefiting the Poor? Evidence from the Latest Household Survey

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2020-03) Etang Ndip, Alvin ; Hassan, Fareed ; Osman, Eiman

The objective of this note is to assess the extent to which the CT program is benefiting intended poor households and the appropriateness of the benefit level under the current inflation situation for poverty reduction. This assessment is needed now more than ever as the impending reforms will require having an appropriate system in place for social safety net delivery for the poor and vulnerable. If CT programs are to reach and aid the poor, then ensuring a correlation between poverty and program beneficiaries must be prioritized. Are current beneficiaries of the Sudan CT program, poor households? If targeting is weak, and the answer to the question is no, then scaling up the existing CT program may not achieve its poverty reduction objective. The note proceeds as follows. Section two presents an overview of Sudan’s CT program, including background details, targeting approach used, the number of beneficiaries and the cash transfer amount. Section three shows the extent to which the CT program is benefiting intended poor households based on evidence from the latest household survey data. Section four evaluates the value of the cash transfer, proposing a correct amount required to lift households out of poverty. Section five concludes this note, and additionally, proposes a number of policy recommendations.
Women Empowerment for Poverty and Inequality Reduction in Sudan

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2020-06) Osman, Eiman ; Etang, Alvin ; Kirkwood, Daniel

Several key gender issues likely act as an impediment to poverty reduction and shared prosperity in Sudan. While many of these issues are common across countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa region, some of them are accentuated by the status of Sudan as a fragile state. Fragility and conflict negatively affect men and women in different ways, resulting in gender-specific disadvantages. While men are often disproportionately affected by the direct effects of conflict (for example, death and disability), women and girls are affected by a range of constraints and protection challenges that fragility and conflict pose. These issues include disrupted access to basic social services and infrastructure, lower access to productive assets, displacement, and increased exposure to gender-based violence (GBV). This study aims to examine how gender equality has evolved in Sudan during the last decade, by looking at different dimensions. These include the accumulation of endowment in all its forms (human capital [education and health] and physical capital), access to economic opportunities (labor market opportunities and access to income-generating activities), access to services (water, sanitation, and electricity), and voice/representation to make decision at all levels. The study will highlight the areas in which gender inequality persists and propose policies to reduce gender inequality in Sudan.
Education, Health and Poverty in Sudan

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2018-11) Etang Ndip, Alvin

Sudan’s medium-term national development policy framework is embodied in the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (IPRSP). The paper was formulated in 2012 in the context of immense political upheaval due to the separation of the North (now Sudan) and South Sudan in 2011, which resulted in substantial loss (about 75 percent) in oil revenue and Sudan’s total revenue. To this end, Sudan launched a Five-Year Development Plan (2012-2016) to serve as a growth-oriented strategy with a primary focus on sustainable development and poverty reduction in the medium term. The IPRSP aims to reduce poverty through rapid, sustainable, and shared economic growth. Developing human resources is one of the four broad pillars of the IPRSP, which recognizes the role of investment in human development to build and enhance the population capabilities through education and better health. The Government of Sudan is now preparing the full PRSP that outlines a medium- to long-term plan for poverty reduction. This aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the World Bank Group’s twin goals to eliminate extreme poverty (with US1.90 dollars per day as the poverty line) and boost shared prosperity by 2030. The paper proceeds as follows. Section two presents the results of selected education outcomes, linking them with poverty. Section three focuses on the link between health outcomes and poverty in Sudan. Section four provides a summary of the main findings and policy options.
The Labor Market and Poverty in Sudan

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2019-05) Etang Ndip, Alvin ; Lange, Simon

Using the most recent household survey data, this paper examines the characteristics of Sudan’s labor market as it relates to poverty outcomes. Several important aspects of the labor market are analyzed, including the relationship between labor market indicators and the demographic structure of the population, geographic location, education, and gender. It highlights the significant differences in labor market outcomes depending on the structure and distribution of the population and Sudan’s labor market’s many challenges across different dimensions, including demography, gender, and geography. The four key messages can be summarized as follows: first, Sudan is at the verge of entering the earl-dividend stage of the demographic transition. Sudan’s population, while still very young, is on track to enter into the early-dividend stage of the demographic transition within just a few years, raising the stakes for job creation and investment in human capita. Second, while we find evidence for an increase in employment and labor force participation at the national level, this increase seems to be driven by seasonal labor in agriculture and increasing economic hardship, respectively. In urban areas, however, unemployment increased sharply, especially among youth. And despite the overall increase in employment and labor force participation, Sudan’s labor market still underperforms in comparison to its peers. Third, Sudan’s labor market is characterized by large gender disparities, including in terms of employment opportunities and pay. Finally, we find no signs of the beginnings of a structural transformation over the time-period author study; agriculture remains the mainstay of a large majority of employed Sudanese. Rather, labor productivity and real wages outside of agriculture declined markedly between 2009 and 2014, especially in sectors with links to the oil economy. The paper offers policy insights to enhance the role of the labor market in reducing poverty and boosting shared prosperity in Sudan, key among which are 1) encouraging private sector growth, 2) overcoming gender discrimination in the labor market, 3) investing in agriculture and re-storing price incentives, and 4) further expanding access to quality education.
Education and Health Services in Uganda: Quality of Inputs, User Satisfaction, and Community Welfare Levels

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2017-06-26) Tsimpo, Clarence ; Etang, Alvin ; Wodon, Quentin

Good health and quality education are essential for economic growth and poverty reduction. Unfortunately, the quality of the education and health services provided in low-income countries is often low. Improving access and quality of education and health are key policy goals for Uganda. This paper builds on the Service Delivery Indicator study by further exploring issues related to the quality of service delivery in Uganda. The paper analyzes the quality of service from a poverty perspective, to contribute to the ongoing policy debate on the quality of service delivery in Uganda, especially in the education and health sectors. Combining data from the Service Delivery Indicator and the Uganda National Household Survey surveys, the paper shows a strong correlation between welfare and quality of service. The quality of service is lowest for those living in poor areas. This has implications for pupils' learning outcomes. Pupils in poor areas perform poorly on a standardized test covering English, numeracy, and nonverbal reasoning. Increased access to education was not accompanied by improvement in learning outcomes. Results from econometric analysis suggest that improvements in school facilities, improvements in the quality of teaching, and the knowledge base of teachers could bring substantial gains in student performance, particularly in poor communities. Despite the low quality they face, if the poor are more satisfied with the service, this has implications for demand for social accountability, as the poor often are not exposed to or ignore the standard of service to which they should refer.
Beyond Income Poverty: Nonmonetary Dimensions of Poverty in Uganda

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2017-06) Etang, Alvin ; Tsimpo, Clarence

The proportion of Ugandan households living in poverty reduced by more than half between 1993 and 2013. Using household survey data, this paper analyzes nonmonetary dimensions of poverty in Uganda for levels and trends, to explore whether the observed reduction in monetary-based poverty are reflected in the nonmonetary indicators of poverty. The results show that Uganda's progress in reducing poverty is strongly reflected in several nonmonetary indicators of poverty. The analysis finds that the trends in many nonmonetary indicators are consistent with the trend of monetary-based measure of poverty. The paper also examines whether progress has been as fast as would be expected, given Uganda's impressive performance in reducing poverty. Overall, the evidence indicates that progress on nonmonetary poverty was consistent with expectations, and faster than what would be expected, for some indicators, based on other countries' experiences. This finding is similar to Uganda's progress on reducing monetary poverty, which is also at the expected level based on experience in other countries.
Fuel Subsidy Reform in Sudan: An Assessment of the Direct Welfare Impact on Households

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2019-06) Etang Ndip, Alvin

This paper investigates the distributional direct welfare impact on households resulting from fuel subsidy removal. Note that this analysis focuses only on the direct distributional impact. A fuller understanding of the impact of fuel subsidies removal involves analyzing the indirect impact as well. Unfortunately, analysis of the distributional effect of fuel subsidies removal or fuel price increases is heavily constrained by the lack of appropriate data in Sudan. We do not have access to the relevant input-output table that describes the number of monetary transfers between sectors of the economy, making it impossible to simulate the indirect effect of fuel price increases on prices in other sectors. Therefore, the estimated impacts in this paper should be considered as the lower bound of the potential impact, as the overall impact will be higher when indirect impacts are factored. The paper is organized as follows. Section two examines the empirical evidence on the impact of fuel subsidy removal. Section three discusses the methodology and data used in this study. Section four presents an analysis of the welfare impact of fuel subsidies removal. Section 5, the conclusion, provides some suggestions on the way forward. The results from this work would inform policy dialogue with the Government of Sudan regarding the overall economic reforms that are being considered for stabilization of the economy.