Small towns and local economic development in four districts of Madhya Pradesh and Orissa, India (NRI report no. 2767)

This study aims to improve understanding of the scale and nature of interdependencies between small towns and their rural hinterland, and to derive relevant policy implications. It was conducted in two districts of Madhya Pradesh (Betul and Narsimhpur) and two districts of Orissa (Bolangir and Nayagarh). The focus is on block headquarter towns, the lowest level locations within the urban hierarchy in India, since it is at this level that interaction between the village and urban economies is most regular and intense

Perceived Water Prices and Estimated Water Demand in the Residential Sector of Windhoek, Namibia. An Analysis of the Different Water Market Segments

We develop a demand model for the water market of Windhoek, Namibia, and segment the market by income. The model uses the perceived price concept developed by Shin (1985). Results confirm the Shin hypotheses that consumers dont know actual prices, but respond to perceived prices. The average price and covariates have the expected signs. However, marginal price (MP) coefficient is positive. Shins perception parameter (k) is negative in two of three income segments. In the Shin model, this implies that consumers respond to MP (through perceived prices). Ambiguities about prices warrant further investigation.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Rapid Market Appraisal (RMA) for Fodder Products

The training course “Rapid Market Appraisal for Fodder Products” was conducted under the auspices of the IFAD Fodder Adoption Project. The training was provided by Tiago Wandschneider of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). Thirteen people from Ethiopia, Syria, Vietnam and the United Kingdom participated in the course. The main objective of the course was to equip participants with basic knowledge and skills that will enable them to contribute to future market research activities under the IFAD fodder Adoption Project. Emphasis was given to providing participants with an understanding of important marketing concepts and key features of agricultural markets and to guiding them through the different steps of a Rapid Market Appraisal (RMA)

Policy initiatives for strengthening rural economic development in India: Case studies from Madhya Pradesh and Orissa

The purpose of this publication is to present the findings of research concerned with improved understanding and appropriate policy development for the rural non-farm economy (RNFE) in India. The research was undertaken by the Natural Resources Institute (NRI) in collaboration with local partners1; with funding from the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) under a collaborative agreement with the World Bank. The two Indian states selected for analysis were Madhya Pradesh and Orissa. Research objectives of this study sought to inform policy on two interrelated topics: 1) sources of farm and non-farm income in rural households; barriers to uptake of non-farm employment; and opportunities which can be translated into policy recommendations; 2) the effect of local governance on the development of the RNFE in particular and rural development in general; and the opportunities for making local governments more responsive to local needs

Poverty and the rural non-farm economy in Armenia, Georgia and Romania: a synthesis of findings (NRI report no. 2773)

The focus of this paper is on rural non-farm livelihoods in economies in transition. It looks at key factors affecting the ability and motivation of rural dwellers to become involved in the non-farm economy. The intended outputs of this study are: (i) to improve understanding of the dynamics of the RNFE in providing employment and income diversification opportunities in Armenia, Georgia and Romania; and (ii) to promote mechanisms for integrating research results into relevant policy processes

Advice manual for the organisation of collective marketing activities by small-scale farmers

This manual is designed to assist the staff of service-providers (SPs) supporting small-scale farming communities to advise farmers on how best to work together to increase the value of the goods they sell using group marketing strategies. The manual outlines the benefits of collective marketing and the types of strategies that could be used by different types of farming communities in Uganda. It offers a step-by step-guide on how to achieve these aims beginning with suggestions on how to bring groups of farmers together to discuss all the issues involved. Further guidance is offered on how the group might chose which strategies to adopt depending on their circumstances, the rights and obligations of each member and the practices needed to achieve a successful outcome. These include the use of democratic decision-making systems, the allocation of specific tasks to individual members, accurate record-keeping, the group's relationship with traders and credit providers, making use of available market information and how to negotiate with produce buyers and input providers

European breast surgical oncology certification theoretical and practical knowledge curriculum 2020

The Breast Surgery theoretical and practical knowledge curriculum comprehensively describes the knowledge and skills expected of a fully trained surgeon practicing in the European Union and European Economic Area (EEA). It forms part of a range of factors that contribute to the delivery of high quality cancer care. It has been developed by a panel of experts from across Europe and has been validated by professional breast surgery societies in Europe. The curriculum maps closely to the syllabus of the Union of European Medical Specialists (UEMS) Breast Surgery Exam, the UK FRCS (breast specialist interest) curriculum and other professional standards across Europe and globally (USA Society of Surgical Oncology, SSO). It is envisioned that this will serve as the basis for breast surgery training, examination and accreditation across Europe to harmonise and raise standards as breast surgery develops as a separate discipline from its parent specialties (general surgery, gynaecology, surgical oncology and plastic surgery). The curriculum is not static but will be revised and updated by the curriculum development group of the European Breast Surgical Oncology Certification group (BRESO) every 2 years

Quality of facility-based maternal and newborn care around the time of childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic: online survey investigating maternal perspectives in 12 countries of the WHO European Region

Background Multi-country studies assessing the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) during the COVID-19 pandemic, as defined by WHO Standards, are lacking. Methods Women who gave birth in 12 countries of the WHO European Region from March 1, 2020 - March 15, 2021 answered an online questionnaire, including 40 WHO Standard-based Quality Measures. Findings 21,027 mothers were included in the analysis. Among those who experienced labour (N=18,063), 41·8% (26·1%- 63·5%) experienced difficulties in accessing antenatal care, 62% (12·6%-99·0%) were not allowed a companion of choice, 31·1% (16·5%-56·9%) received inadequate breastfeeding support, 34·4% (5·2%-64·8%) reported that health workers were not always using protective personal equipment, and 31·8% (17·8%-53·1%) rated the health workers’ number as “insufficient”. Episiotomy was performed in 20·1% (6·1%-66·0%) of spontaneous vaginal births and fundal pressure applied in 41·2% (11·5% -100%) of instrumental vaginal births. In addition, 23·9% women felt they were not treated with dignity (12·8%-59·8%), 12·5% (7·0%-23·4%) suffered abuse, and 2·4% (0·1%-26·2%) made informal payments. Most findings were significantly worse among women with prelabour caesarean birth (N=2,964). Multivariate analyses confirmed significant differences among countries, with Croatia, Romania, Serbia showing significant lower QMNC Indexes and Luxemburg showing a significantly higher QMNC Index than the total sample. Younger women and those with operative births also reported significantly lower QMNC Indexes. Interpretation Mothers reports revealed large inequities in QMNC across countries of the WHO European Region. Quality improvement initiatives to reduce these inequities and promote evidence-based, patient-centred respectful care for all mothers and newborns during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond are urgently needed. Funding The study was financially supported by the Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy. Study registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04847336This research was funded by the Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste Italy