Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Direct democracy is designed to better align public resource allocation decisions with citizen preferences. Using a randomized field experiment in 250 villages across Afghanistan, this paper compares outcomes of secret-ballot referenda with those of consultation meetings, which adhere to customary decision-making practices. Elites are found to exert influence over meeting outcomes, but not over referenda outcomes, which are driven primarily by citizen preferences. Referenda are also found to improve public satisfaction, whereas elite domination of allocation processes has a negative effect. The results indicate that the use of direct democracy in public resource allocation results in more legitimate outcomes than those produced by customary processes.

Customary decision-making --- Direct democracy --- Housing & Human Habitats --- Macroeconomics and Economic Growth --- Parliamentary Government --- Peri-Urban Communities --- Public resources --- Public satisfaction --- Resource allocation --- Rural Urban Linkages --- Social Accountability

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

This paper uses quantitative methods to examine the way African farmers have adapted livestock management to the range of climates found across the African continent. The authors use logit analysis to estimate whether farmers adopt livestock. They then use three econometric models to examine which species farmers choose: a primary choice multinomial logit, an optimal portfolio multinomial logit, and a demand system multivariate probit. Comparing the results of the three methods of estimating species selection reveals that the three approaches yield similar results. Using data from over 9,000 African livestock farmers in 10 countries, the analysis finds that farmers are more likely to choose to have livestock as temperatures increase and as precipitation decreases. Across all methods of estimating choice, livestock farmers in warmer locations are less likely to choose beef cattle and chickens and more likely to choose goats and sheep. As precipitation increases, cattle and sheep decrease but goats and chickens increase. The authors simulate the way farmers' choices might change with a set of uniform climate changes and a set of climate model scenarios. The uniform scenarios predict that warming and drying would increase livestock ownership but that increases in precipitation would decrease it. The climate scenarios predict a decrease in the probability of beef cattle and an increase in the probability of sheep and goats, and they predict that more heat-tolerant animals will dominate the future African landscape.

Agriculture --- Animal --- Animals --- Beef --- Beef cattle --- Chickens --- Communities & Human Settlements --- Environment --- Farm --- Farmer --- Livestock --- Livestock and Animal Husbandry --- Livestock farmers --- Livestock management --- Peri-Urban Communities --- Rural Development --- Rural Urban Linkages --- Urban Development --- Wildlife Resources

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

This paper uses quantitative methods to examine the way African farmers have adapted livestock management to the range of climates found across the African continent. The authors use logit analysis to estimate whether farmers adopt livestock. They then use three econometric models to examine which species farmers choose: a primary choice multinomial logit, an optimal portfolio multinomial logit, and a demand system multivariate probit. Comparing the results of the three methods of estimating species selection reveals that the three approaches yield similar results. Using data from over 9,000 African livestock farmers in 10 countries, the analysis finds that farmers are more likely to choose to have livestock as temperatures increase and as precipitation decreases. Across all methods of estimating choice, livestock farmers in warmer locations are less likely to choose beef cattle and chickens and more likely to choose goats and sheep. As precipitation increases, cattle and sheep decrease but goats and chickens increase. The authors simulate the way farmers' choices might change with a set of uniform climate changes and a set of climate model scenarios. The uniform scenarios predict that warming and drying would increase livestock ownership but that increases in precipitation would decrease it. The climate scenarios predict a decrease in the probability of beef cattle and an increase in the probability of sheep and goats, and they predict that more heat-tolerant animals will dominate the future African landscape.

Agriculture --- Animal --- Animals --- Beef --- Beef cattle --- Chickens --- Communities & Human Settlements --- Environment --- Farm --- Farmer --- Livestock --- Livestock and Animal Husbandry --- Livestock farmers --- Livestock management --- Peri-Urban Communities --- Rural Development --- Rural Urban Linkages --- Urban Development --- Wildlife Resources

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

This paper examines how farmers have adapted their livestock operation to the current climate in each agro-ecological zone in Africa. The authors examine how climate has affected the farmer's choice to raise livestock or not and the choice of animal species. To measure adaptation, the analysis regresses the farmer's choice on climate, soil, water flow, and socio-economic variables. The findings show that climate does in fact affect the farmer's decision about whether to raise livestock and the species. The paper also simulates how future climates may alter these decisions using forecasts from climate models and the estimated model. With a hot dry scenario, livestock ownership will increase slightly across all of Africa, but especially in West Africa and high elevation agro-ecological zones. Dairy cattle will decrease in semi-arid regions, sheep will increase in the lowlands, and chickens will increase at high elevations. With a mild and wet scenario, however, livestock adoption will fall dramatically in lowland and high latitude moist agro-ecological zones. Beef cattle will increase and sheep will fall in dry zones, dairy cattle will fall precipitously and goats will rise in moist zones, and chickens will increase at high elevations but fall at mid elevations. Livestock adaptations depend on the climate scenario and will vary across the landscape. Agro-ecological zones are a useful way to capture how these changes differ from place to place.

Agriculture --- Animal --- Animal species --- Communities & Human Settlements --- Dairy --- Dairy cattle --- Environment --- Farmer --- Livestock --- Livestock and Animal Husbandry --- Livestock Management --- Livestock operation --- Livestock ownership --- Peri-Urban Communities --- Rural Development --- Rural Urban Linkages --- Sheep --- Urban Development --- Wildlife Resources

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

This policy note discusses promoting inclusive growth by creating opportunities for the urban poor and is part of a broader Philippines urbanization study. Inclusive urbanization requires an integrated multi-dimensional approach that addresses three key dimensions of inclusion - economic, spatial, and social. The three dimensions of inclusion are interrelated and mutually reinforcing. Currently cities fail to keep pace with the rapid urbanization in the Philippines and multi-dimensional poverty in urban areas is deepening and widening. With in-migration from rural areas to urban centers came surges in demand for jobs, housing, infrastructure and basic services in major cities. Yet, the Government has been unable to address the increased demand given the accelerated pace. The result has been proliferation of informal settlers in urban areas without adequate access to decent living conditions. Addressing urban poverty and inequality remains an important challenge for the Philippines and will require a holistic approach that integrates all dimensions of inclusive urbanization.

Crime --- Job Creation --- Municipal Governance and Institution Building --- Peri-Urban Communities --- Poverty Reduction --- Sanitation --- Urban Development --- Urban Economic Development --- Urban Economics --- Urban Housing --- Urban Poor --- Urban Poverty --- Urban Services to the Poor --- Urbanization