Household's vulnerability to shocks in Zambia

Zambia is a county characterized by a high incidence of poverty and exposure to several types of shocks like HIV/AIDS, macroeconomic instability and periodic droughts. In this paper the authors conduct an in depth analysis of the incidence and impact of those shocks on poverty. The analysis of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, carried out using the data on the occurrence of the death of an adult in the previous 12 months and the existence of foster children, shows the existence of a generaldecrease in consumption with the exception of non poor rural families. The deterioration of the economic situation and the related high level of unemployment resulted in a lower level of economic wellbeing. Finally, the analysis of the impact of the drought shows that while a significant percentage (17 percent) of the poorest households in rural areas would experience significant losses in maize production (covering 8 percent of all the households), they are concentrated in a few communities in Southern, Central and Western provinces. In order to identify those households that might suffer more from the negative impact of the shocks and/or have a low level of human capital the authors defined"vulnerable households", those that are likely to be poor and exposed to shocks, and"chronically poor households", those that are likely to be poor and have low levels of human capital outcomes. According to this definition, about 20 percent of the households are vulnerable whilst almost 40 percent are chronically poor and 10 percent are at the same time both vulnerable and chronically poor and therefore at most risk. Private coping mechanisms and private transfers are very common, but they do not seem to be effective in helping households to deal with the adverse impact of shocks. On the other hand, household participation in food for work programs increase after the death of a household member. Therefore there is a need for long term household human capital investments, programs to alleviate the burden of HIV/AIDS, and targeted programs for the alleviating weather related shocks like the drought.Rural Poverty Reduction,Services&Transfers to Poor,Poverty Assessment,Small Area Estimation Poverty Mapping,Housing&Human Habitats

Optimal amplification of streamwise streaks in plane jets and their stabilizing effect on the inflectional instability

Optimal transient energy growths supported by the plane Bickley jet are computed for a set of spanwise wavenumbers and Reynolds numbers. It is shown that the maximum energy amplification is proportional to the square of the Reynolds number. The computed optimal streamwise vortices are then used to efficiently force finite amplitude streaks that are shown to stabilize the jet's powerful inflectional instability, which is clearly relevant for a number of applications in the control of free shear flows

A small satellite mission devoted to mid-low latitude earth observation

This paper aims at assessing the feasibility of a small mission devoted to observe the mid-low latitude regions. The satellite will be equipped with three optical sensors: a medium-high spatial resolution VIS-NIR multi-spectral sensor, allowing the surface monitoring and land-use and land-cover studies; a medium spatial-resolution 3-bands thermal (MIR-TIR) sensor allowing the surface temperature (LST, SST) estimate and hot-spots (fires, volcanic eruption, etc.) detection; a panchromatic VIS-NIR camera for night-time observation able to reveal artificial and natural lights. The selected orbit, called multi-sun-synchronous (MSS), represents an innovation with respect to the classical sun-synchronous orbit much suitable for observing tropical regions, allowing an enhanced revisit frequency. Further, such an orbit allows the observation of the same region of the Earth at different local-time. In this way, the diurnal cycle of surface temperatures can be reconstructed with a 2-hours local-time step. An analysis of the capability of the selected ground stations to acquire the data gathered by the remote sensing sensors has been carried out. Orbital perturbations have been taken into account and an estimate of the propellant required for ground track control has been performed in order to verify its compatibility with a small mission requirements

The Food For Education program in Bangladesh

The Government of Bangladesh launched the innovative Food for Education (FFE) program in 1993. The FFE program provides a free monthly ration of rice or wheat to poor families if their children attend primary school. The goals of this program are to increase primary school enrollment, promote attendance, reduce dropout rates, and enhance the quality of education. This paper presents the findings of a recent International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) evaluation of the FFE program that demonstrates the extent to which these goals were met. This evaluation uses primary data collected from multiple surveys covering schools, households, communities, and foodgrain dealers. The authors first examine the performance of the FFE program, showing that it has largely fulfilled its objectives of increasing school enrollment, promoting school attendance, and preventing dropouts. The enrollment increase was greater for girls than for boys. The quality of education, however, remains a problem. Next, they analyze the targeting effectiveness of the program, its impact on food security, and its efficiency in distributing rations. In general, the FFE program targets low-income households. However, there is considerable scope for improving targeting, as a sizable number of poor households remain excluded from the program even while many nonpoor households are included. Furthermore, the evaluation results indicate that the functioning of the current private-dealer-based foodgrain distribution system of the FFE program is not satisfactory.School children Food ,

In-kind transfers and household food consumption

This paper examines the impact of wheat transfers and cash incomes on wheat consumption and wheat markets. Using propensity score- matching techniques, the total marginal propensity to consume (MPC) for wheat is, on average, 0.33, ranging from essentially zero for Food For Work (a program with large transfers) to 0.51 for Food For Education. Econometric estimates indicate that the MPC for small wheat transfers to poor households is approximately 0.25, while the MPC for wheat out of cash income is near zero. This increase in demand for wheat reduces the potential price effect of three major targeted programs involving small rations (Food For Education, Vulnerable Group Development, and Vulnerable Group Feeding) by about one-third.Transfer payments. ,Incomes. ,Wheat. ,Wheat Economic aspects Bangladesh. ,Food consumption. ,Cereal crops. ,Education. ,Labor. ,Access to education. ,

In-kind transfers and household food consumption

This paper examines the impact of wheat transfers and cash incomes on wheat consumption and wheat markets. Using propensity score- matching techniques, the total marginal propensity to consume (MPC) for wheat is, on average, 0.33, ranging from essentially zero for Food For Work (a program with large transfers) to 0.51 for Food For Education. Econometric estimates indicate that the MPC for small wheat transfers to poor households is approximately 0.25, while the MPC for wheat out of cash income is near zero. This increase in demand for wheat reduces the potential price effect of three major targeted programs involving small rations (Food For Education, Vulnerable Group Development, and Vulnerable Group Feeding) by about one-third.Transfer payments. ,Incomes. ,Wheat. ,Wheat Economic aspects Bangladesh. ,Food consumption. ,Cereal crops. ,Education. ,Labor. ,Access to education. ,

How to make public works work : a review of the experiences

This paper reviews the experience with public works programs (PWPs) in several countries over the past 20 years to delineate use patterns and to determine the factors contributing to its use as a successful safety net program. The analysis shows that PWP have been used extensively in response to either a one-time large covariate shock, or repeated shocks. In low income countries, PWPs also have an antipoverty or poverty reduction objective. Our review shows that well designed and implemented PWPs can help mitigating income shocks; the program can also be used as an effective anti-poverty instrument. The paper examines the factors behind the observed wide variation in the effectiveness of the program in accomplishing its goals and identifies prerequisites for making PWPs successful safety net interventions capable of protecting the poor from income shocks, thus reducing both temporal and seasonal poverty, while creating useful public goods or services for the communities. For public works programs to be successful, it is important firstly to: a) have clear objectives; b) select projects that can create valuable public goods; and c) ensure predictable funding. Secondly, the success of the program depends critically on careful design and incorporation of all the key design features. Finally, a credible monitoring and evaluation system designed right upfront, prior to launching of theprogram can allow for mid course corrections and to respond to sudden changes which can inhibit effective implementation. The potential of the PWP program is enormous both in countries that have experiences with these programs and especially in countries that never used them. However, more research is needed investigation is needed to better understand the impact of PWPs, such as second round effects from the created assets, the impacts on the labor market, and their cost-effectiveness after factoring in both the immediate and second round benefits from its program.Safety Nets and Transfers,Rural Poverty Reduction,Labor Markets,Labor Policies,Public Sector Economics

Technical Efficiency in Bangladesh Rice Production: Are There Threshold Effects in Farm Size?

Replaced with revised version of poster 07/21/10.Data Envelopment Analysis, Threshold Estimation, technical efficiency, total factor productivity, rice, farm size, Bangladesh, Community/Rural/Urban Development, International Development, Productivity Analysis,

O Primeiro Toque: Palco Jovem

Em Junho de 2006 fui convidado a dirigir um pequeno curso de Expressão Dramática nas instalações do INATEL de Coimbra, promovido pela Fundação Pires Negrão de Cantanhede. Estava longe de imaginar que este seria o primeiro de muitos encontros com um grupo de pessoas extraordinárias que foram o grande alicerce deste projecto. De facto, foram eles os verdadeiros impulsionadores desta aventura. Os professores, pais e alunos das escolas que se associaram a esta fundação sem qualquer interesse a não ser o de conhecer e praticar a arte do teatro, ajudaram-me a redescobrir cenicamente, juntamente com um excepcional grupo de profissionais da área, o belo drama de Romeu e Julieta, de William Shakespeare. Se bem que o propósito inicial fosse o de montar um espectáculo no final do projecto a partir desta belíssima obra, penso que sem o entusiasmo deste grupo de aprendizes jamais teria conseguido o resultado artístico que se obteve no final. Assim, depois de vários fins-de-semana passados a exercitar o jogo dramático, na sua vertente meramente pedagógica, com pessoas que descobriam em cada sessão da formação uma maneira intensa, viva, de estar e comunicar com os outros, apercebime que havia vontade de continuar. Foi o actor Jorge Mota, organizador do curso e um dos professores da Fundação que me aliciou para um trabalho que desse uma consequência a esta formação. Foi a ele que propus então este projecto que já tinha tido algumas apreciações positivas por parte de outras entidades, como o Teatro Nacional D. Maria II, Teatro Nacional São João, a companhia de teatro O Teatrão, de Coimbra, ou a Escola Superior de Educação de Coimbra. Com o Jorge Mota, e depois com a actriz bailarina Marta Nunes, estabeleci com a direcção da Fundação, nomeadamente com o seu director, Dr. Pires Negrão, em Dezembro de 2006, um plano de trabalho que previa a estruturação de um projecto artístico e pedagógico, relacionado com as artes performativas. Esta terminologia pomposa traduziu-se rapidamente numa série infindável de parcerias que deram origem a uma verdadeira festa do teatro, da dança e da música. Esta festa prolongou-se no tempo e deixou um rasto fácil de encontrar actualmente, de cada vez que entramos em qualquer uma das escolas que estiveram envolvidas neste evento, ou nos locais onde o projecto excedeu o eco popular (ver nos anexos o DVD 1 com o trailer do documentário que foi realizado entre Janeiro e Abril de 2007). A proposta era ambiciosa. Pegar num clássico, relê-lo, juntar três escolas secundárias e uma escola superior ligada as artes plásticas e criar, durante seis meses, com uma equipa de profissionais, um espectáculo que ultrapassaria a fronteira do palco convencional. O que queríamos era envolver toda uma comunidade na feitura de uma peça de teatro. Mas não só! Queriamos ir mais além! O nosso objectivo era o O PRIMEIRO TOQUE - PALCO JOVEM CRIAÇÃO 5 DIRECÇÃO MARCANTONIO DEL CARLO de intervirmos artisticamente junto de uma comunidade receptiva, mas que desconhecia os meandros de uma arte muitas vezes mal entendida. Foi na escola, e em tudo o que ela representa na formação de todos nós, que eu e uma pequena equipa de profissionais assumimos o nosso papel de intérpretes de uma outra pedagogia que aliasse o útil ao agradável. Ou seja, a partir de um contexto comum decidimos em conjunto desenhar uma estratégia que trouxesse o teatro às pessoas e não o contrário. O pai, o filho, o aluno, o professor e a cidade iriam ser cúmplices, autores, do que seria criado num palco oficial e comum a todos. Como? Primeiro todo o acto criativo ia ser descoberto no seio da comunidade: na escola, na rua e em casa. O tal palco de todos, a sala nobre e as luzes da ribalta, surgiriam no fim como a cereja em cima do bolo. O bolo seria confeccionado por todos. A cereja viria depois com as centenas de pessoas que nos iriam aplaudir ou talvez apupar. Felizmente para nós não houve apupos e a energia das palmas que recebemos feznos acreditar num teatro popular, que o é na essência de quem o faz, convictos de que a verdade artística pode ser aquela que nós quisermos. Temos é de acreditar nela. Não foi fácil juntar centenas de alunos, pais, professores, conselhos executivos, juntas de freguesia, câmaras municipais e todos os outros intervenientes num projecto com esta dimensão. O mérito da procura de um equilíbrio, face às muitas e constantes adversidades que o projecto teve de enfrentar, não foi só meu, deveu-se igualmente à inspiração do cenógrafo Eurico Lopes, à dedicação da Marta Nunes e ao seu saber enquanto formadora, ao talento dos alunos de música do professor Nora, da escola Pedro Teixeira de Cantanhede, à disponibilidade dos actores (profissionais e amadores), e à visão da Virgínia Esteves, que dá sempre “luz” às minhas encenações. Em todos nasceu o desejo de repetirmos esta experiência noutro lugar deste país. O texto será outro, sem dúvida, mas o contexto será sempre o mesmo: viver com uma comunidade um momento artístico único na forma e enriquecedor no conteúdo