Multidimensional Poverty in Cameroon: Determinants and Spatial Distribution

The study examined the usefulness and relevance of the contingent valuation method (CVM) in community-based (CB) project planning and implementation. To elicit willingness to pay (WTP) values for the restocking of Lake Bamendjim with Tilapia nilotica and Heterotis niloticus fish species, the study used pre-tested questionnaires interviewer-administered to 1,000 randomly selected households in the Bambalang Region of Cameroon.The datawere elicitedwith the conventional referendumdesign and analysed using a referendum model. Empirical findings indicated that about 85% of the sampled households were willing to pay about CFAF1,054 (US$2.1) for the restocking project. This amount was found to be significantly related to the starting price used in the referendum design, household income, the gender of the respondent, the age of the respondent, household poverty status, and previous participation of a household in a community development project.The findings prompted the following recommendations. Firstly, in order to reduce community burden due to cash constraints, it is advisable for the mean estimate obtained for the scheme to be split into four instalments over a year. Secondly, since the success of the scheme largely depends on the governing roles of the scheme, it is further advisable for the community to allowthemanagement of the scheme to be handled by the elderly community members. Finally, it will be important during the financing of the scheme, to levy wealthier household heads an amount sufficient to subsidize poorer household heads who cannot afford to pay the threshold price.

Bankruptcy, financial liberalization and efficiency of commercial banks in Cameroon

The effects of financial liberalization policy on banking efficiency are backed up neither by theoretical studies nor by empirical studies. The main objective of this study is to analyze the evolution of productivity of Cameroonian commercial banks, following the implementation of the recent financial liberalization measures. For this purpose, we use the DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) method to measure the evolution of efficiency, and The Malmquist Index to measure and decompose the total factor productivity. The results show that the effects of financial liberalization are mixed because many transmission channels were either insensitive; or they evolved in an unexpected direction due to a decline in loans to the economy. We recommend that institutional measures be taken, so as to improve the business environment and enable banks to overcome difficulties in having reliable accounting and financial information on loan applicants

Diversité ethno-culturelle et différentiel de pauvreté multidimensionnelle au Cameroun

Peu de recherches ont concilié le caractère multidimensionnel de la pauvreté avec le conditionnement culturel des populations pour orienter les politiques. La démarche de la MES (Modélisation en Équations Structurelles) à travers sa technique de comparaison de modèles nichés a permis de formuler et de tester les hypothèses de recherche. Les résultats montrent que les différences de niveau observées sur les dimensions de pauvreté résultent significativement (ce qui ne veut pas dire exclusivement) des systèmes de valeurs culturelles partagés au sein des groupes. Les facteurs par lesquels transite l'élément culturel vers le domaine de la pauvreté sont de deux ordres. Il s'agit du différentiel des perceptions et des déterminants de la pauvreté. Compte tenu de ces résultats et pour une stratégie crédible de réduction de la pauvreté, nous proposons une approche participative et décentralisée prudente pour définir les actions de lutte répondant aux besoins exprimés par les populations concernées.Pauvreté multidimensionnelle, culture, différentiel de pauvreté, MES, modèles nichés, variables latentes, indicateurs de pauvreté

Determinants and Spatial Distribution of Multidimensional Poverty in Cameroon

The aim of this study is to target poverty following a multidimensional approach. The Multiple Correspondence Analysis, the Pα class of poverty measures and the logistic regression permitted us to construct a Composite Welfare Index, to draw up multidimensional poverty profiles and to identify its determinants. The results show that, with regard to the spatial distribution, Cameroon’s regions can be divided into three: an area of extreme multi-poverty, an area of non-multi-poverty, and an area in between. With regard to socio-economic characteristics, the residential area variable was found to be an absolute determinant. Monetary poverty is obviously considerable in this distribution, and so are existence poverty, infrastructural poverty and human poverty. Policies aimed at fighting poverty must target the areas of extreme multi-poverty and rural areas on the basis of shortages of capabilities in all these dimensions

New evidence on life expectancy and development: is Sub-Saharan Africa different?

This paper applies the standard β-convergence analysis and the log-t test methods to compare the convergence process of life expectancy and per capita GDP, using a sample of 89 countries between 1960-2019 and analyse the interrelation and the dynamics of these phenomena in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) after the international epidemiological transition. We use life expectancy at birth and per capita GDP estimates from respectively the World Bank’s Population Estimates and Projections and the Penn World Table. Our results show evidence of significant catching-up in life expectancy between SSA countries and the rich and the other poor world by 2019 after a slowdown period between 1985 and 2000 in which most SSA countries converge into multiple steady states. Further, we find that the world without SSA is converging economically in 2019 while significant cross-country variations and convergence clubs are noted when taking into consideration the region. Finally, our results indicate that the economic performances of SSA are not the only factors driving the health catch-up, the increasing convergence in the antimalarial policies’ implementation in SSA after 2003 play great role in this process

ELASTICITE EMPLOI DE LA CROISSANCE ECONOMIQUE ET SES DETERMINANTS MARCROECONOMIQUES AU CAMEROUN

The main objective of this paper is to determine the employment effects of growth in Cameroon. Specifically, it determines how employment responds at the global level and in each sector relative to change in production and indentifies variables likely to affect these changes. To this effect, we apply the employment elasticity method using macroeconomic determinants of employment elasticity on Cameroonian data. Our results globally suggest that economic growth affects positively employment. In effect, determining employment elasticity relative to GDP suggests that a 1% increase in economic growth will lead to a 0.41% increase in total employment. Sector-based elasticities show that agricultural employment is more sensitive to the value added of agricultural sector than to the GDP variations. Conversely, industrial employment is more sensitive to GDP variation than to the value added variation of this sector while employment in the services sector is sensitive to the GDP variation as to the value added variation of this sector. Moreover, the cost of employment, the share of the value added of the services sector in GDP as well as commercial opening affect positively the elasticity, at the same time, inflation and population growth rate rather affect it negatively. Based on these observations, the Cameroonian government should favor the development of industrial sector, the increase of employment productivity in the services sector, revalue employment cost, and stabilize inflation as well as the evolution of active population

How Does Inequality of Opportunities Affect the Distribution of Economic Wellbeing in Cameroon

The objective of this study is to measure the empirical effects of inequality of opportunities (IOP) on the distribution of economic wellbeing, which is captured by consumption per adult equivalent of households in Cameroon. To this effect, we apply both the parametric and non-parametric approaches to measure the magnitude of IOP, and Shapley’s method for its decomposition. The results show that IOP has an estimated effect of 25% in 2001 and 35% in 2007. Its main sources are the agro-ecological zone with a contribution of 45.59% in 2001 and 44% in 2007, the place of residence with a contribution of 31.22% in 2001 and 29.49% in 2007, and the distance relative to a good road with a contribution of 12.57% and 13.83%, respectively. We recommend that the government should reinforce national integration policies for local agricultural product markets. She should also extend in rural areas, vocational training that characterizes human capital in urban areas; and she should expand and improve road infrastructure, especially in rural areas

Economic Growth and Poverty in Cameroon: the role of Employment

This study investigates empirically the effect of employment in the transmission of economic growth to poverty change in Cameroon. Using data covering the period 1991 to 2017. We estimate two models: the employment intensity of growth model of Kapsos; and the Loayza and Raddatz model, which assesses the impact of sectoral employment intensity of economic growth to the change in poverty. Analyses highlight two main results. First, economic growth positively affects employment and negatively affects poverty rates. Second, the transmission of economic growth through employment is not effective in reducing poverty in Cameroon. These results show that in recent decades, economic growth has propelled the creation of employment in Cameroon. However, these employments, which are mostly precarious, generated by the informal sector, have not significantly reduced poverty

Economic Growth and Poverty in Cameroon: the role of Employment

This study investigates empirically the effect of employment in the transmission of economic growth to poverty change in Cameroon. Using data covering the period 1991 to 2017. We estimate two models: the employment intensity of growth model of Kapsos; and the Loayza and Raddatz model, which assesses the impact of sectoral employment intensity of economic growth to the change in poverty. Analyses highlight two main results. First, economic growth positively affects employment and negatively affects poverty rates. Second, the transmission of economic growth through employment is not effective in reducing poverty in Cameroon. These results show that in recent decades, economic growth has propelled the creation of employment in Cameroon. However, these employments, which are mostly precarious, generated by the informal sector, have not significantly reduced poverty