Potential impact of higher food prices on poverty : summary estimates for a dozen west and central African countries

Concerns have been raised about the impact of rising food prices worldwide on the poor. To assess the impact of rising food prices in any particular country it is necessary to look at both the impact on food producers who are poor or near-poor and could benefit from an increase in prices and food consumers who are poor or near-poor and would looseout when the price increases. In most West and Central African countries, the sign (positive or negative) of the impact is not ambiguous because a substantial share of food consumption is imported, so that the negative impact for consumers is larger than the positive impact for net sellers of locally produced foods. Yet even if the sign of the impact is clear, its magnitude is not. Using a set of recent and comprehensive household surveys, this paper summarizes findings from an assessment of the potential impact of higher food prices on the poor in a dozen countries. Rising food prices for rice, wheat, maize, and other cereals as well as for milk, sugar and vegetable oils could lead to a substantial increase in poverty in many of the countries. At the same time, the data suggest that the magnitude of the increase in poverty between different countries is likely to be different. Finally, the data suggest that a large share of the increase in poverty will consist of deeper levels of poverty among households who are already poor, even if there will also be a larger number of poor households in the various countries.Rural Poverty Reduction,Food&Beverage Industry,Population Policies,Poverty Lines

Do Changes in Weather Patterns and the Environment Lead to Migration in the MENA Region?

Migration is one of several strategies used by households to respond to changes in climate and environmental conditions as well as extreme weather events. Yet while there is a burgeoning literature on climate change and migration and other adaptation strategies worldwide, the evidence available for the MENA region remains limited, in part because of a lack of survey and other data. This chapter is based on new data collected in 2011 in Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Syria, and Yemen in two climate affected areas per country. The chapter provides an analysis of the impact of changes in weather patterns and the environment (as perceived by households) on migration, both by members residing in the households (temporary migration) and former household members who have left (permanent migration). The results suggest that perceptions of negative changes in weather patterns and the environment are indeed associated with a higher likelihood of migrating temporarily or permanently

How Do Households Cope with and Adapt to Climate Change in the MENA Region?

What are the coping mechanisms and adaptation strategies (apart from migration which is discussed in part III of the study) that households use in order to respond to changes in climate and environmental conditions? Are households forced to sell assets or take other emergency measures in cases of losses due to extreme weather events? Beyond short term emergency responses, are they taking measures to adapt to changing conditions? This paper is based on new household survey data collected in 2011 in Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Syria, and Yemen, documents the coping and adaptation strategies of households as well as government and community responses to changes in weather patterns and the environment. Overall, the results suggest that coping and adaptation strategies used by households to deal with shocks are diverse, but still limited, as are the community and government responses that could help them

Perceptions of Climate Change, Weather Shocks, and Impacts on Households in the MENA region

What are the perceptions of households in the Middle East and North Africa Region regarding changes in the climate of the areas where they live? To what extent are households affected by extreme weather events such as droughts or floods? And who tends to suffer the most from such events when they occur? This chapter suggests answers to these questions on the basis of new household survey data collected in 2011 in Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Syria, and Yemen. The household surveys were implemented in two climate affected areas in each country. Overall, households in these areas do perceive important changes in the climate, for example with droughts becoming more frequent. While many households declare being affected by extreme weather events, with resulting losses in income, crops, livestock, or fish catchment, this is especially the case of the poor who appear to suffer the most from extreme weather events

Poverty Trend and Profile for Senegal from 1994 to 2006

This paper provides comparable estimates of poverty in Senegal from 1994 to 20076 using household surveys (ESAM I, ESAM II, and ESPS). Nationally, the share of the population in poverty was reduced from 67.9% in 1994/95 to 57.1% in 2001/02, and finally 50.8% in 2005/06. Poverty was reduced more significantly in urban than in rural areas, and large differences in poverty measures persist according to a wide range of household characteristics.Poverty; Senegal

Poverty Trends and Determinants in Mali from 2001 to 2006

This paper analyzes the trend in, and determinants of poverty in Mali from 2001 and 2006. Thanks to strong economic growth, poverty has been reduced. Yet due to demographic growth, the number of the poor is still increasing. Households working in agriculture, especially in the cotton producing area of Sikasso, suffer from higher rates of poverty. Other household characteristics also affect consumption levels and thereby poverty.Poverty; Mali

Migration influenced by environmental change in Africa:A systematic review of empirical evidence

BACKGROUND Despite an increase in scholarly and policy interest regarding the impacts of environmental change on migration, empirical knowledge in the field remains varied, patchy, and limited. Generalised discourse on environmental migration frequently oversimplifies the complex channels through which environmental change influences the migration process. OBJECTIVE This paper aims to systematise the existing empirical evidence on migration influenced by environmental change with a focus on Africa, the continent most vulnerable to climate change. METHODS We select 53 qualitative and quantitative studies on the influence of environmental change on migration from the comprehensive Climig database and systematically analyse the literature considering the multidimensional drivers of migration. RESULTS Environmental change influences migration in Africa in an indirect way by affecting other drivers of migration, including sociodemographic, economic, and political factors. How and in what direction environmental change influences migration depends on socioeconomic and geographical contexts, demographic characteristics, and the type and duration of migration. CONCLUSIONS The contextually contingent nature of migration-environment relationships prevents us from drawing a universal conclusion, whether environmental change will increase or suppress migration in Africa. However, this study unravels the complex interactions between the nature and duration of the environmental pressure, the livelihood of the populations, the role of kinship ties and the role of demographic differentials on migration response. CONTRIBUTION The review provides an initial systematic and comprehensive summary of empirical evidence on the environmental drivers of migration in Africa. It also discusses the implications of the scale, materials, and methods used in the 53 studies

Tendance et profil de la pauvreté au Sénégal de 1994 à 2006

This paper provides comparable estimates of poverty in Senegal from 1994 to 20076 using household surveys (ESAM I, ESAM II, and ESPS). Nationally, the share of the population in poverty was reduced from 67.9% in 1994/95 to 57.1% in 2001/02, and finally 50.8% in 2005/06. Poverty was reduced more significantly in urban than in rural areas, and large differences in poverty measures persist according to a wide range of household characteristics

Tendance et profil de la pauvreté au Sénégal de 1994 à 2006

This paper provides comparable estimates of poverty in Senegal from 1994 to 20076 using household surveys (ESAM I, ESAM II, and ESPS). Nationally, the share of the population in poverty was reduced from 67.9% in 1994/95 to 57.1% in 2001/02, and finally 50.8% in 2005/06. Poverty was reduced more significantly in urban than in rural areas, and large differences in poverty measures persist according to a wide range of household characteristics

Tendance, profil et déterminants de la pauvreté au Mali de 2001 à 2006

This paper analyzes the trend in, and determinants of poverty in Mali from 2001 and 2006. Thanks to strong economic growth, poverty has been reduced. Yet due to demographic growth, the number of the poor is still increasing. Households working in agriculture, especially in the cotton producing area of Sikasso, suffer from higher rates of poverty. Other household characteristics also affect consumption levels and thereby poverty