International Development in Focus
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The International Development in Focus series comprises original, well-developed studies that highlight current development issues and are intended to influence programs and policy. These books result from research and analysis carried out as part of the World Bank's operational work around the world.
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Publication Mini Grid Solutions for Underserved Customers: New Insights from Nigeria and India(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-02-21) Tenenbaum, Bernard; Greacen, Chris; Shrestha, AshishTraditionally, mini grids have been viewed as “off-grid” systems that are built and operated solely for communities without electricity. The reality, however, is that millions of people in Sub-Saharan Africa and India who are connected to the main grid suffer from poor grid reliability (“weak grid”), sometimes with a power supply of less than 4 to 8 hours daily and with frequent disputes over the accuracy of billing. As a backstop, these poorly served customers often find themselves forced to rely on small fossil fuel–powered generators that are noisy, polluting, and expensive to operate. "Mini Grid Solutions for Underserved Customers: New Insights from Nigeria and India" explores another option: undergrid mini grids. These are mostly solar hybrid–powered mini grids built and operated by private companies in areas already connected with the main electricity grid but facing poor technical and commercial service. This comprehensive book examines how undergrid mini grids can create win-win-win outcomes for retail customers, distribution enterprises, and mini grid developers. Drawing on extensive discussions with pioneering developers, the book showcases detailed case studies from Nigeria and India, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities of interconnected and non-interconnected undergrid mini grids. The authors address technical issues of grid interconnection and delve into the policy and regulatory considerations crucial for the financial sustainability and success of undergrid mini grids. The book is an invaluable resource for policy makers, energy practitioners, and researchers seeking practical insights to bridge the electricity access gap, empower communities with reliable and affordable electricity, and drive environmentally and commercially sustainable development. • “The report is rich with insight, not least because the authors have been able to contrast the Nigeria and India approaches taken by the respective private sectors in each country. The five case studies are very valuable. The authors have powerfully illustrated the importance of the policy and regulatory framework and how that translates into investor behavior.” — Mohua Mukherjee, Senior Research Fellow, Oxford Institute of Energy Studies • “This great report represents a pivotal turning point in the history of energy and has global implications for the role of mini grids for communities that have been poorly served by main grid utilities.” — Peter Lilienthal, Founder HOMER Energy • “This is a tremendous addition to the literature on mini grids and an important guide for all of us practitioners working in this area.” — James Sherwood, Director of Research & Innovation, RMI | Global South Program • “This refreshingly honest and open report provides an excellent overview of interconnected and isolated mini grids, as well as a thorough analysis of key ground-level implementation issues in regulation, business, and engineering.” — Joanis Holzigel, Chief Operating Officer, INENSUSPublication Water Management in Oil and Gas Operations: Industry Practice and Policy Guidelines for Developing Countries(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-02-13) Bandlien, Einar H.; De Kruijf, Sander; Vik, Eilen Arctander; Ekern, Ole Fredrik; Siqueland Knudsen, Johan Bernhard; Dyce, Geoffrey; Tordo, Silvana; Bertone, FrançoisSteadily increasing demand for water poses a threat to sustainable development, and an increasing number of regions are chronically short of water. Putting caps on water consumption, increasing water use efficiencies, and supporting improved sharing of water resources are now critical to reducing the perils posed by water scarcity to biodiversity and human welfare. Although freshwater demand in oil and gas operations is a small fraction of global water demand, oil and gas fields are commonly clustered in smaller areas, where their operations often dominate freshwater abstraction and wastewater discharge. At the same time, oil production generates large amounts of produced water that may be used to reduce freshwater abstraction and possibly serve beneficial purposes outside the petroleum sector. In the most advanced countries, regulation promotes the sound use of freshwater in the oil and gas industry and incentivizes the reuse or beneficial use of treated produced water. Regulation is also used to prevent the contamination of freshwater resources from the disposal of unproperly treated produced water. In many developing and emerging economies, however, regulation to prevent water contamination is often lacking or nonexistent or, when present, is poorly enforced. Optimal policy and regulation of the use of freshwater and the reuse of water generated by oil and gas operations depend on a range of geographic, geological, technical, and economic factors. This book identifies common policy principles organized around key regulatory functions and critical links of the oil and gas value chain. This report offers practical solutions to guide policy makers and regulators seeking to minimize the environmental impacts of oil and gas operations, to promote sustainable cross-sectoral economic linkages, and to reduce competition and potential conflicts over access to and use of water resources.Publication Investing in Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health in Uganda: What Have We Learned, and Where Do We Go from Here?(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-02-11) eds.; Mensah, Julia; Kiirya, Stephen Kisembe; Asege Ekochu, Elizabeth; Ayiko, Rogers; Hayes, Brendan Michael; Chansa, Collins; Murindwa, Grace; Crabbe, Richard; DeFrancis, MarcIn Uganda, conditions in reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH) remain the primary drivers of morbidity and mortality, accounting for 60 percent of years of life lost. The high burden of these conditions can be attributed to a poor quality of care resulting from inadequate financial, human, and material resources compounded by weak multisectoral coordination. Moreover, the country’s high population growth rate and a young population imply that RMNCAH service delivery will continue to dominate health sector reforms—even with the increasing prevalence of noncommunicable and infectious diseases. Over the past two decades, Uganda has focused on improving the quality of RMNCAH service delivery, leading to declines in the maternal, infant, and under-five mortality ratios and the increased use of modern contraception among married women. However, the neonatal mortality and teenage pregnancy rates have stagnated, and the low civil registration of births and deaths remains challenging. “Investing in Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health in Uganda: What Have We Learned, and Where Do We Go from Here?” comprises 12 studies conducted as part of the RMNCAH Operational Research Program drafted between 2019 and 2021 and finalized and disseminated in October 2022 across 45 districts of Uganda with funding from Sweden and the World Bank. These studies underscore important lessons learned and offer suggestions for enhancing the delivery of RMNCAH interventions. Each chapter represents one study and discusses service delivery, the health workforce, financing, health information systems, and governance and leadership. Two appendixes summarize key findings and recommendations and explain the roles of key stakeholders in the RMNCAH Operational Research Program.Publication Working Today for a Better Tomorrow in Ethiopia: Jobs for Poor and Vulnerable Households(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-12-21) eds.; Chapman, Emily Weedon; Vinez, MargauxEthiopia has long prioritized creating more and better jobs as core to its sustainable and inclusive development. However, steady growth in the gross domestic product and gains in agricultural productivity in recent decades have not translated into better opportunities nor increased earnings for much of the population. The 2021 Labor Force Survey data reveal labor trends since 1999 and underscore these realities. Moreover, COVID-19 and other shocks have reinforced the disconnect between positive macroeconomic trends at national level and stagnant incomes at the household level. "Working Today for a Better Tomorrow in Ethiopia: Jobs for Poor and Vulnerable Households" outlines how Ethiopia can leverage its social safety net programs to help poor and vulnerable workers earn more in today’s labor market. The government’s latest development planning policies focus on private sector growth and structural transformation to create more and better jobs. While these long-term reforms take hold, the jobs agenda also must include near-term measures to improve worker productivity in and connect people to jobs that already exist. Complementing cash transfers with capital, training, and other services can help workers earn more in their current work, diversify into new types of employment, or connect to available wage jobs. These investments can have an immediate impact for poor people in Ethiopia while also contributing to sustainable and inclusive development.Publication Greening National Development Financial Institutions: Trends, Lessons Learned, and Ways Forward(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-12-20) Dalhuijsen, Emma; Gutierrez, Eva; Kliatskova, Tatsiana; Mok, Rachel; Regelink, Martijn Gert JanNational Development Financial Institutions (NDFIs) are crucial for mobilizing the required financing, including from private sources, to reach countries’ climate and environmental (C&E) objectives. Funding needed to achieve countries’ C&E goals is in the trillions of dollars, with many countries also facing significant fiscal and economic constraints. NDFIs are well positioned to overcome the market barriers associated with green investments and catalyze private-sector financing. The main purpose of “Greening National Development Financial Institutions: Trends, Lessons Learned, and Ways Forward” is to examine the current trends and recommend policy actions for “greening” NDFIs. This report identifies key steps NDFIs can take to catalyze finance toward countries’ C&E objectives and manage C&E risks. The assessment of NDFIs’ C&E practices is based on a review of key elements of NDFI operations and their institutional setup. The work draws from the results of a survey conducted by the World Bank of greening practices within NDFIs based in countries in a range of regions and income levels, as well as on in-depth case studies of four NDFIs: Los Fideicomisos Instituidos en Relación con la Agricultura, Korea Development Bank, Türkiye Sinai Kalkinma Bankasi, and Development Bank of Southern Africa.Publication Enhancing Skills in Sri Lanka for Inclusion, Recovery, and Resilience(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-12-07) Sosale, Shobhana; Hong, Seo Yeon; Subasinghe, Shalika; Herat, HiranSri Lanka has confronted and is grappling with a number of exogenous shocks, including the devastating 2004 tsunami; the 2008 global recession; the COVID-19 global pandemic; and, more recently, the ongoing “triple crisis” (fuel, food, fiscal). The country is now at a crossroads. An ongoing process of strengthening skills and improving education will be crucial to Sri Lanka’s economic recovery. Sri Lanka is transitioning from a rural-based to a modern, urbanized economy, and better jobs are being created, especially in services. To remain globally competitive, the Sri Lankan workforce must gain the technical competencies and higher-order cognitive skills that meet the needs of local and foreign labor markets. As a result, Sri Lanka will need to transform its current skills development system and processes to align them to emerging jobs; improve their market relevance; and develop an effective, inclusive, and accessible education and training system for skilling, reskilling, and upskilling the stock and flow of the workforce. "Enhancing Skills in Sri Lanka for Inclusion, Recovery, and Resilience" addresses these urgent issues and provides recommendations for educators and policy makers.Publication Braced for Impact: Reforming Kazakhstan’s National Financial Holding for Development Effectiveness and Market Creation(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-11-05) Melecky, Martin; Di Benedetta, Pasquale; Ahmad Fontan, Ismael; Jambal, Ganbaatar; Noel, MichelBraced for Impact: Reforming Kazakhstan’s National Financial Holding for Development Effectiveness and Market Creation offers a framework for assessing the readiness of development finance institutions (DFIs) and their conglomerates to deliver credible development impact and create financial markets. The framework focuses on accountability for impact, responsible leveraging of entrusted capital, holistic risk management, and proper governance. It is used to assess Baiterek, Kazakhstan’s national financial holding—a conglomerate of DFIs—and to derive policy options and practical recommendations for the given country context. If the recommended reforms are implemented, Baiterek will be braced for positive impact on Kazakhstani firms, households, and the environment while also helping create deeper financial markets through robust mobilization of private capital. A reformed Baiterek could become a leading global DFI conglomerate and a role model for similar institutions in other countries. However, if too few or none of the recommended reforms are undertaken, Baiterek will need to brace for further criticism from unhappy stakeholders.Publication Social Protection Program Spending and Household Welfare in Ghana(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-09-15) Raju, Dhushyanth; Dadzie, Christabel E.Ghana administers multiple social protection programs. One of these, pensions provided by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust, has a long history, but others—the Ghana School Feeding Programme, Labor-Intensive Public Works program, Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty program, and National Health Insurance Scheme—have been introduced and expanded only over the past two decades. Social Protection Program Spending and Household Welfare in Ghana assesses the performance of the government of Ghana’s main social assistance and social insurance programs. The study discusses the programs’ main design and implementation parameters; summarizes existing evaluative and operational research; and examines the patterns and trends in program benefit spending, using government administrative data, and the programs’ coverage rates, incidence, and effectiveness for reducing poverty and inequality, using recent national household sample survey data. Furthermore, the study examines the relationship between household participation in social assistance programs and exposure to adverse covariate shocks—specifically, possible weather-related shocks—on the basis of high-resolution climate risk maps for the country.Publication Enhancing STEM Education and Careers in Sri Lanka(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-06-20) Subasinghe, Shalika; Sosale, Shobhana; Aturupane, Harsha; Holtz, Paul; O’Malley, AnnIn recent decades, the Sri Lankan government has introduced reforms aimed at enhancing education access and quality, as well as emphasizing the importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), which are crucial fields for economic development and social inclusion. “Advancing STEM Education and Careers in Sri Lanka” examines how access to STEM education can affect enrollments at various levels (lower, upper secondary, higher education, and technical and vocational training) and careers in the labor market. The report also analyzes STEM education status by gender at the central, provincial, and district levels, and it highlights factors that enable and hinder the achievement of desired outcomes. The report offers a wide range of interventions to boost student access and teacher training, including developing digital learning materials and technology-based tools to broaden service delivery, facilitate learning, and support an inclusive public education system. In addition, it proposes policy options at the central and provincial levels. The findings and recommendations can be used to guide policy and investments to achieve the country’s potential to expand human capital, foster inclusion, contribute to economic development and competitiveness, promote recovery from the economic crisis, and build resilience.Publication A Balancing Act for Brazil’s Amazonian States: An Economic Memorandum(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-05-18) Hanusch, MarekBrazil's nine Amazonian states, here collectively referred to as Amazônia, include some of the world's richest ecosystems, including the Amazon rainforest and parts of the Cerrado savanna and Pantanal wetlands. The region is also among Brazil’s poorest socioeconomically. As a result, sustainable, inclusive development of Amazônia calls for raising living standards while protecting natural forests. A Balancing Act for Brazil’s Amazonian States: An Economic Memorandum explores how a recalibrated development approach can achieve these goals. In the shorter term, there is an urgent need to halt deforestation--a massive destruction of natural wealth that poses risks to the climate and economy. Amazônia is Brazil’s deforestation hot spot, and the Amazon rainforest is approaching tipping points into broad and permanent forest loss. Reversing the recent increase in deforestation requires stronger land and forest governance, including land regularization and more effective law enforcement. In the longer term, both Brazil and Amazônia need a new growth model. This model would be anchored in productivity rather than resource extraction and it would diversify the export basket beyond commodities. A more balanced structural transformation requires the lagging urban sectors, such as manufacturing and services, to step up to promote economic growth, reduce pressure on the agricultural frontier, and generate jobs for Brazil and Amazônia's largely urban populations. The public-good value of Amazônia's forests could generate conservation finance linked to verifiable reductions in deforestation. Such financing would support a new development approach, combining forest protection, productivity, balanced structural transformation, sustainable production techniques (including the bioeconomy), and other measures to address the needs of Amazônia's urban and rural populations. This approach must also heed the needs and interests of Amazônia's traditional communities. Given both the value and the fragility of Amazônia's ecosystems, coupled with considerable socioeconomic local needs, the stakes are high—for Amazônia, Brazil, and the world.