Essays on market conditions and household decisions : internalizing markets through farming decisions & social networks

The objective of the chapters in this thesis is to examine the behavior of farming households in rural Ethiopia where the assumption of perfect markets may be violated by the presence of high transactions costs, thin and isolated markets, and missing markets for insurance among other goods or factors. Since farming households combine both producer and consumer aspects of microeconomic analysis, constraints to consumption decisions due to market failures are (or can be) relaxed through production decisions. This forms the basis of the agricultural household model formalizing non-separability of household decisions under market failures. Using this model, the forms of these responses and their effectiveness have been examined using data on farmers’ choice of crops such as selection between food and cash crops; and composition of crop portfolio; and market participation decisions such as allocation of farm output to market exchange and household consumption; from several countries especially the developing world. These decisions are analyzed through the lens of farmers’ efforts to internalize imperfect food markets through their farming decisions. In addition to production decisions, other responses take the form of informally designed strategies such as risk-sharing and state-contingent credit arrangements between households facing missing insurance markets. We consider the use of these strategies by farmers in rural Ethiopia using rich plot level data added to information about household characteristics (including social networks) and market/community infrastructure collected in repeated rounds of survey starting from 1989 through 2009. We find that nonseparability or jointness in household decisions can be observed through farmers’ crop choices and use of farm output. The extent to the nonseparability of household decisions appears to be particularly sensitive to household characteristics such as size of food consumption and risk attitude; and market characteristics such as distance to market as well as community and market infrastructure. Informal risk-sharing arrangements through mutual support between households also exist in rural Ethiopia. It is observed that these informal insurance arrangements are highly persistent between relatives and neighbors

Impact of risk factors on maternal outcomes in pregnancies complicated with gestational diabetes mellitus

Background Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as an alteration of the glucose metabolism during pregnancy. GDM is a common pregnancy complication affecting over 17% of all pregnancies and is associated with maternal and neonatal morbidity. Universal screening is widely the norm. Objective The present study was performed to investigate the impact of the presence- or lack - of risk factors on maternal outcomes in pregnancies complicated with GDM, during pregnancy and after delivery. We investigated this in the context of a regular care including capillary glucose management, lifestyle modification, treatment if indicated, which may impact some of the outcomes. Material and methods This study included 673 pregnant women diagnosed with GDM according to the International Society of Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group (IADSPG) criteria with a 75g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) performed at 24-28 weeks of gestational age. Anthropometric and metabolic characteristics were assessed for each participant. Risk factors were chosen based on the recommendation of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), their known impact on the risk of GDM, their prevalence and the feasibility to define them clearly in routine clinical care. These included: previous GDM, first degree relatives with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), ethnicity with high diabetes prevalence, overweight and/or obesity. The presence of maternal, mostly metabolic outcomes such as the need for any medical glucose treatment (regardless if insulin or metformin), HbA1c level, FBG and 2h BG values after the 75g OGTT 6-8 weeks post-partum as well as the mode of delivery were prospectively recorded according to these individual risk factors as well as according to the presence or absence of any risk factor. We tested for normal distribution for continuous variables. Logistic regression and linear regression were used to compare dichotomous variables and continuous variables respectively. Outcomes are expressed as odds ratio and β coefficient. The latter, if statistically significant, means that for every 1-unit increase in the predictive factor, the outcome variable will increase by the β coefficient value. Results The mean age was 32.9 (± 5.4). Women with a previous history of GDM had significantly higher values of HbA1c at the first GDM appointment (β coefficient 0.22 [0.11-0.33]), at the end of pregnancy (β coefficient 0.17 [-0.2-0.36]), and at 6-8 weeks post-partum (β coefficient 0.18 [0.08-0.28]). Same was found for fasting blood glucose (FBG) (β coefficient 0.26 [0.10-0.42]), 2h-BG (β coefficient 0.89 [0.42-1.36]) levels during the OGTT at 6-8 weeks post-partum. The need for medical glucose treatment was greater in women with this RF (OR 1.97 [1.07-3.06]). 5 Women with history of first-degree relatives with T2DM had significantly higher values of HbA1c at the first GDM appointment (β coefficient 0.11 [0.05-0.18]), at the end of pregnancy (β coefficient 0.16 [0.06-0.27]) as well as 2h-BG (β coefficient 0.34 [0.05-0.62]) levels post-partum. The need to treat was greater in women with the RF (OR 1.52 [1.08-2.14]). Women with a high-risk non-Caucasian ethnicity had higher values of HbA1c at the first GDM appointment (β coefficient 0.09 [0.32-0.17]) and at 6-8 weeks post-partum (β coefficient 0.11 [0.04-0.17]). The same was found for post-partum FBG (β coefficient 0.13 [0.01-0.22]), and 2h-BG (β coefficient 0.45 [0.17-0.72]) levels. Women with this RF were more likely to need medical glucose treatment (OR 1.51 [1.08-2.14]). Overweight and/or obese women had significantly higher values of HbA1c at the first GDM appointment (β coefficient 0.15 [0.09-0.21]) and at 6-8 weeks post-partum (β coefficient 0.09 [0.04-0.15]). The same was found for FBG (β coefficient 0.27 [0.18-0.36]), 2h-BG (β coefficient 0.33 [0.06-0.59]) levels during the OGTT at 6-8 weeks post-partum. The need for medical glucose-lowering treatment was greater in women with this RF (OR 1.74 [1.26-2.40]). Obese women had significantly higher values of HbA1c at the first GDM appointment (β coefficient 0.15 [0.07-0.22]), at the end of pregnancy (β coefficient 0.15 [0.01-0.25]), and at 6-8 weeks post-partum (β coefficient 0.11 [0.04-0.18]). The same was found for FBG (β coefficient 0.17 [0.07-0.28]) levels during the OGTT at 6-8 weeks post-partum. The need for medical glucose treatment was greater in women with this RF (OR 1.67 [1.12-2.48]). Women with at least one risk factor had more likely elevated HbA1c level at the first GDM consultation (β coefficient 0.14 [0.07-0.21]), at the end of pregnancy (β coefficient 0.11 [0.01-0.22]) and at 6-8-week post-partum (β coefficient 0.11 [0.04-0.17]). Similar increase was found for fasting, 1 and 2h-BG. Women with a risk factor were more frequently treated pharmacologically. Conclusion Women with an history of GDM and with first degree relative with type 2 diabetes mellitus and women of high-risk ethnicity and overweight/obese women have more frequent adverse pregnancy and maternal metabolic outcomes during and after pregnancy. Surprisingly none of these risk factors are associated with an increase of caesarean delivery in pregnancies complicated with GDM in the setting of routine clinical care and few are associated with a difference of metabolic control at the end of pregnancy

The Role of the Economic Community of West African States in Counterinsurgency and Conflict Resolution

From 1991 to 2002, the Sierra Leone government and the Revolutionary United Front waged war against each other, subjecting Sierra Leone to a civil war. This war devastated the nation and resulted in many human casualties. Although many researchers have investigated the role of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in counterinsurgency and conflict resolution, few studies have been conducted on the specific role of strategic processing tools used by ECOWAS during the Sierra Leone war to sustain a durable peace resolution in the country. Using Galula\u27s conceptualization of counterinsurgency and conflict resolution as a guide, the purpose of this qualitative, I used an explanatory case study to determine the elements that made strategic processing tools effective. Data were collected through open ended interviews with 10 Sierra Leoneans that experienced the conflict, publicly available documents, and mass media reports related to the Sierra Leone civil war. All data were manually coded and then subjected to constant comparative analytic procedures. The key finding of this study was that conflict resolution was successful because intervention by ECOWAS was largely viewed by Sierra Leoneans favorably and legitimate. The ECOWAS use of force was vital for the peace process. However, there were occurrences of human rights violations that were not fully resolved through the procedural mechanisms in place at the time. The positive social change implications stemming from this study includes recommendations to ECOWAS to establish a disciplinary unit to oversee violations of international humanitarian law and other serious abuses by ECOWAS troops. These actions may advance peace among religions, political parties, and ethnic groups in the region

evidence from developing and transition economies

Thesis(Master) --KDI School:Master of Public Policy,2019In 2010, the world has registered significant strides to reduce global poverty by half but despite this progress the amount of people living in abject poverty globally remain inadmissibly high at 735 million. At this pace, unless more efforts are directed to this campaign, the target of ending poverty by the 2030 would remain elusive. One of those efforts is financial inclusion. Using five proxies of financial inclusion and the poverty headcount, as a proxy for poverty, this paper attempt to examine the effects of access to finance on poverty. This paper employs the panel data methods and the results suggest that access to banking services can contribute to poverty alleviation.1 Introduction 2 Literature review 3 Econometrics Methodologies, Data, and summary statistics 4 Results 5 Conclusion 6 BibliographymasterpublishedYankuba K. TOURAY

Improving Access to Financial Services in Poor Communities: Introducing the Graduation Microfinance Model in The Gambia, 2015–2018

Across The Gambia, many people lack access to basic financial services that would allow them to borrow and save money. The problem is particularly prevalent in rural areas, where very few banks have branches, and as a result, most rural dwellers—particularly women—remain unbanked. Without savings or access to credit, families struggle to grow their income and improve their wellbeing. To address the problem, Irish Aid, Ireland’s international development aid organization, funded Improving Access to Pro-Poor Financial Services in Sierra Leone and The Gambia, a project launched in 2015 by the National Association of Cooperative Credit Unions of The Gambia (NACCUG) (Dalzell and O’Sullivan 2018). The initiative aimed to provide financial services to poor rural communities by helping credit unions—membership-based financial cooperatives—to implement “graduation microfinance,” a loan system for groups of people who do not individually qualify for credit union membership. After paying back a loan as a group, each group member would became eligible to join the credit union as a full member. However, NACCUG first had to convince the credit unions to make group loans in the targeted communities as well as find a way to teach financial management skills to people with little or no formal education. The project facilitated the creation of 39 graduation microfinance groups with more than 600 active saving members and 300 borrowers. By May 2018, 93 individuals had graduated to full credit union membership. The project helped create a culture of saving in the targeted areas in rural parts of The Gambia and helped women in those communities improve how they managed their finances. The 600-plus active saving members who participated in the project can now access loans to invest in their businesses and can use the profits to pay for household expenses and their children’s education

Impacts of Flash Flood on Ground Water Quality: Case Study of Central River Region, The Gambia

Floods rank as one of the most common natural calamities, impacting the lives of millions across the globe. With ongoing population growth and expanding water and land usage, the potential for contamination and human disturbances to negatively impact water bodies continues to rise globally. This paper aims to comprehensively analyze the repercussions of floods on the groundwater quality of a region called CRR in the Gambia, during the July 2022 flood event. The focus lies on exploring the change in water quality parameters of twelve water samples from wells and boreholes through laboratory analysis of eight parameters such as pH, turbidity, temperature, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, nitrate, iron, sulfate, and microbial proliferation. The laboratory analysis results of the physiochemical parameters such as turbidity, and iron exceeded the safe drinking water standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) in about 60% of the sites and fecal coliform presence in 75 % of the samples. The other parameters varied differently across all sites. However, most of the values are observed to be more prominent at the open well than borehole. The Water Quality Index (WAWQI) score also shows that 1 site has excellent water quality, 25%, has good quality and 25% has fair quality. The rest of the sites which make up 42% of the samples, are all of poor quality and unsuitable for drinking purposes. The results provide a crucial groundwork for subsequent studies targeting the water quality in this area.&nbsp

The Gambia’s Higher Education Reform Requirements: Sub-Systemic Interrogation

The study extracted data from experts, one from each of the higher education systems in The Gambia, Nigeria and Kenya, and two from two universities in England. The data was analysed qualitatively through coding and the identification of themes. These themes are the requirements for higher education reform, extracted through an empirical literature review. Besides other activities and structures, the expert interviews identified the need to establish specialised offices in the identified Gambian institutions to ensure the system's readiness for the reform process. These offices will include research and consultancy, shared financing through loan schemes, alumni engagement, internship and placements, quality assurance and enhancement of staff capacity, among other initiatives

Higher Education Reforms: A Crux in The Gambia’s National Development Agenda

The development of a nation is positively correlated to the human capital in the development sectors, and only the right higher education system can spur such development. Thus, for any nation to rise to the challenges of its development imperatives, it has to have the requisite structures in place for its human capital formation. The Gambia has made numerous attempts to reform its education system, purposely to address its development challenges but policy implementation cycle after implementation cycle has proven futile and until today the country continues to yearn for a shift from a low-income economy to a middle-income economy. This paper attempted to look at the national development policy initiatives, the link between human capital formation and national development programs, and the education system, human capital dimension for national development and higher education reform agenda and strategies along the four (4) highlighted thematic areas. The reform was in response to the realization of the need to strengthen the engineering and technology base of the education sector as well as the foundation for STEM education and promote a 65 percent turn around in the sciences in the tertiary and higher education system. For these to be achievable, it was suggested that the right educational infrastructure such as the state-of-the-art laboratories and other equipment must be provided. Training of the drivers of the sector in content and pedagogy as well as effective planning and management of the educational system must also be a priority. Finally, the need for strong collaboration with industries and other higher learning institutions at the national, regional and international levels was recommended

The Pre-reform Conundrum of the Gambia Public Higher Education System: A Quantitative Examination

This study examined the Gambia public higher education system in the period before the 2018 higher education reform, as referenced in the National Development Plan 2018-2021. The study relied on a sample size of 239 staff members out of the target population of 391 staff members of the four subvented public tertiary and higher education institutions in The Gambia, the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology and the National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority. Using both descriptive and inferential statistics in the analyses, findings revealed poor performance of all the sampled institutions in relation to governance, staffing, instructional quality and relevance, research and development and financing