Ghana's evolving protein economy

This paper provides an initial analysis of Ghana's protein economy in the light on current debates about nutritional transition and livestock revolution. Ghana's strong economic growth and reducing levels of poverty make it a particularly interesting case. Protein-rich foods, including fish and livestock products, supply 20-40 percent of protein consumed. Overall fish is becoming less important and poultry more important; but there also are large difference in household expenditure on protein-rich foods across wealth categories, regions and areas. Specifically, the protein element of the nutritional transition and the consumption side of the livestock revolution would appear to be unfolding at different speeds and in different ways, along an axis that is urban-south-non-poor at one end, and rural-north-poor at the other. We explore the policy and political economy dimensions of these change

Making science of influencing: assessing the impact of development research

The impact and influence of development research is an agenda that has been gathering momentum over the last few years. This agenda is a coming together of two divergent concerns. The first, from the funders of research, draws on results based management and is concerned with getting value-for-money from research spending or with ‘more bang for the buck’. The second, more typical of those in the development studies research community, is concerned with whether research in the area is ‘making a difference’. Among development researchers there is also often a political or normative basis – addressing global poverty and inequality – and catalysing change. The meanings of the terms’ impact and influence are multiple, multi-layered and complex to track. They may refer to use (i.e. consideration) or actual outcome(s) of social change. They can be visible or invisible; progressive or regressive. Impacts and influence can be intended or unintended and immediate or long-term. The processes of impact and influence are acknowledged to be non-linear, iterative and complex. This paper considers the impact and influence of development research from a plurality of perspectives. Interest in the impact/influence of research projects aggregates upwards to support the overall case for (often public) funding of development research (in areas that are likely to play a major role in the next few years in changing the climate for public expenditure in light of the global financial crisis)

Does Research Reduce Poverty? Assessing the Impacts of Policy?oriented Research in Agriculture

In the current context of the global financial crisis and its aftermath, development resources are likely to be getting scarcer. Resources for development research are too. The set of circumstances generating the resource scarcity is also putting pressure on development gains. More than ever before, every dollar spent on development will have to count towards sustainable poverty reduction, as will every dollar spent on development research. In light of this context this article asks what do we know about the welfare impacts of research in agriculture