This study examines the relationship
between transport infrastructure and agriculture in
Sub-Saharan Africa using new data obtained from geographic
information systems (GIS). First, the authors analyze the
impact of road connectivity on crop production and choice of
technology. Second, they explore the impact of investments
that reduce road travel times. Finally, they show how this
type of analysis can be used to compare cost-benefit ratios

This paper proposes a parametric
approach to estimating a dynamic binary response panel data
model that allows for endogenous contemporaneous regressors.
This approach is of particular value for settings in which
one wants to estimate the effects of an endogenous treatment
on a binary outcome. The model is next used to examine the
impact of rural-urban migration on the likelihood that
households in rural China fall below the poverty line. In

Uttar Pradesh, the largest state in
India, has 170 million inhabitants who represent 16.2
percent of India's population. Uttar Pradesh (UP) is
classified as one of the 'lagging states of India'
for its slow growth, low human development indicators and
high concentration of the poor. UP occupies an important
position in India because of its size and as a determinant
of the country's overall progress. UP has continuously

The amount of available water has been
constant for millennia, but over time the planet has added 6
billion people. Water is essential to human life and
enterprise, and the increasing strains on available water
resources threaten the mission of institutions dedicated to
economic development. The ultimate goal is to achieve a
sustainable balance between the resources available and the
societal requirement for water. In this evaluation the

This note presents relevant
interventions that have aimed to stimulate rural economies a
natural disaster based on case studies from the Philippines,
Turkey, and Pakistan. Introducing new, untested
infrastructure methods or designs involves careful analysis
and may delay reconstruction. If this level of analysis is
not completed, the reconstructed infrastructure may not meet
expectations. For example, in Turkey, the Erzincan

There is increasing interest in climate
change issues in Indonesia particularly in the lead-up to
the COP13 or Copenhagen meeting in Bali in December 2007
when there was renewed focus on Indonesia as the third
largest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the world due
to deforestation, peat-land degradation, and forest fires.
In Indonesia, the agriculture sector employs the largest
share, 45 percent, of Indonesia's labor and contributes

Agriculture sector growth has made a
powerful contribution to post-war economic recovery in
Tajikistan, accounting for approximately one third of
overall economic growth from 1998 to 2004. Sector output
increased by 65 percent in real terms during this period,
and has now returned to the level extant at independence in
1990. Total Factor Productivity (TFP) has also increased, by
3 percent per year. Despite this progress, there is

Women's contributions to poverty
reduction, economic growth, and private sector development
are increasingly recognized globally. A growing amount of
research demonstrates the link between women's
empowerment and societal well-being. Yet research also
indicates that woman's economic contributions continue
to lag behind their achievements in health and education,
and a variety of barriers still prevent women in many parts

Over 70 percent of the farm workers in
Tajikistan are women. Most face difficult working conditions
and are paid in agricultural outputs such as oil, rather
than in cash. When the South Tajikistan Cotton Lending
Project started in early 2007, IFC and its donor, the
Canadian International Development Agency, decided to
develop a Gender Equality Plan to address gender issues a
high priority for both organizations. The challenge was to

This study examines the constraints on
the housing sector in Afghanistan. It evaluates government
policy on housing, looks at the state of housing finance,
and examines legal and regulatory barriers with a bearing on
the housing market. The report provides policy
recommendations aimed at helping to develop a private-sector
led housing market. To assist in formulating policies and
implementing actions, the study recommends forming a housing

Agriculture sector growth has made a
powerful contribution to post-war economic recovery in
Tajikistan, accounting for approximately one third of
overall economic growth from 1998 to 2004. Sector output
increased by 65 percent in real terms during this period,
and has now returned to the level extant at independence in
1990. Total Factor Productivity (TFP) has also increased, by
3 percent per year. Despite this progress, there is

Yemen is particularly vulnerable to
climate change and variability impacts because of its water
dependence and current high levels of water stress. This
natural resource challenge is compounded by demographic
pressure, weak governance and institutions, and by a
deteriorating economic situation. The economic and social
outlook is not bright, and planning and international
support will certainly be needed to help Yemen to adapt to