Boosting Productivity In Sub Saharan Africa

Author : Cesar Calderon
Publisher : World Bank Publications
Page : 325 pages
File Size : 41,5 Mb
Release : 2021-12-17
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781464815515

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Boosting Productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa by Cesar Calderon Pdf

Economic growth in the Sub-Saharan Africa region has been plagued by a series of shocks—wars, political instability, natural disasters, epidemics, terms-of-trade deterioration, and sudden stops in capital inflows—that have had lingering effects on productivity and growth. Within the overall productivity gap of the region are substantial differences across the sectors of economic activity and production units. Boosting Productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa: Policies and Institutions to Promote Efficiency documents the productivity trends in Sub-Saharan Africa in three different dimensions, assessing productivity at the aggregate level, the sectoral level, and the establishment level. It characterizes the evolution of productivity in the region relative to other countries and regions, as well as country groups in Africa, classified by their degree of natural resource abundance and condition of fragility. The volume suggests that the persistence of the productivity gap in Africa vis-à -vis the technological frontier can be attributed to the slow accumulation of physical and human capital relative to the region’s growing population, as well as the poor allocation of these resources. These allocative inefficiencies are the outcome of policies and institutions that introduce distortions in the decision-making process of individuals. Hence, the volume assesses the implications of production decisions across agricultural farms and manufacturing firms. It presents evidence on aggregate productivity from the perspective of production units, using recent household surveys for farmers and firm-level surveys for select countries, as well as frontier estimation techniques. It documents the extent of severe resource misallocation across agricultural and manufacturing production units. These distortions decelerate the growth of the production units, disincentivize their adoption of productivity-enhancing technologies, and reduce the ability of their peers to learn new techniques. Boosting Productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa highlights the adoption of digital technologies to reduce some of these market frictions. Mobile money has increased financial inclusion in several countries, and digital financial technologies have given individuals access to savings instruments and loan products. Enhancing access to credit can help individuals invest in schooling and overcome the costs of formality. The volume discusses further avenues of research that may provide additional insights on the productivity dynamics across countries in the region, and it identifies the different channels of policy transmission to enhance productivity. The empirical work presented can help to guide the design of policy in the region.

Author : World Bank Group
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 44,9 Mb
Release : 2020
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 146481550X

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Boosting Productivity in Sub-saharan Africa by World Bank Group Pdf

Author : Keijiro Otsuka,Donald F. Larson
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 302 pages
File Size : 46,7 Mb
Release : 2012-12-22
Category : Technology & Engineering
ISBN : 9789400757608

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An African Green Revolution by Keijiro Otsuka,Donald F. Larson Pdf

This volume explores the usefulness of the Asian model of agricultural development for Africa, where, even before the recent world food crisis, half the population lived on less than on dollar a day, and a staggering one in three people and one third of all children were undernourished. Africa has abundant natural resources; agriculture provides most of its jobs, a third of national income and a larger portion of total export earnings. However the levels of land and labor productivity rank among the worst in the world. The book explains Africa’s productivity gap and proposes ways to close it, by examining recent experience in Africa and by drawing on lessons from Asia.

Author : Katrine Anderson Saito,Celia Jean Weidemann
Publisher : World Bank Publications
Page : 69 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 1990-01-01
Category : Agricultural extension work
ISBN : 8210379456XXX

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Agricultural Extension for Women Farmers in Africa by Katrine Anderson Saito,Celia Jean Weidemann Pdf

Operational guidelines on how to provide cost- effective agricultural extension services to women farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Author : Aparajita Goyal,John Nash
Publisher : World Bank Publications
Page : 350 pages
File Size : 49,7 Mb
Release : 2017-03-10
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781464809408

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Reaping Richer Returns by Aparajita Goyal,John Nash Pdf

Enhancing the productivity of agriculture is vital for Sub-Saharan Africa's economic future and is one of the most important tools to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity in the region. How governments elect to spend public resources has significant development impact in this regard. Choosing to catalyze a shift toward more effective, efficient, and climate-resilient public spending in agriculture can accelerate change and unleash growth. Not only does agricultural public spending in Sub-Saharan Africa lag behind other developing regions but its impact is vitiated by subsidy programs and transfers that tend to benefit elites to the detriment of poor people and the agricultural sector itself. Shortcomings in the budgeting processes also reduce spending effectiveness. In light of this scenario, addressing the quality of public spending and the efficiency of resource use becomes even more important than addressing only the level of spending. Improvements in the policy environment, better institutions, and investments in rural public goods positively affect agricultural productivity. These, combined with smarter use of public funds, have helped lay the foundations for agricultural productivity growth around the world, resulting in a wealth of important lessons from which African policy makers and development practitioners can draw. 'Reaping Richer Returns: Public Spending Priorities for African Agriculture Productivity Growth' will be of particular interest to policy makers, development practitioners, and academics. The rigorous analysis presented in this book provides options for reform with a view to boosting the productivity of African agriculture and eventually increasing development impact.

Author : Deon Filmer,Louise Fox
Publisher : World Bank Publications
Page : 283 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2014-01-24
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781464801075

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Youth Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa by Deon Filmer,Louise Fox Pdf

"The series is sponsored by the Agence Francaise de Developpement and the World Bank."

Author : Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere,Samson Jemaneh
Publisher : Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Page : 34 pages
File Size : 40,8 Mb
Release : 2012-03-30
Category : Technology & Engineering
ISBN : 9780896297937

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Increasing Agricultural Productivity and Enhancing Food Security in Africa by Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere,Samson Jemaneh Pdf

Author : Omar Arias,David K. Evans,Indhira Santos
Publisher : World Bank Publications
Page : 286 pages
File Size : 53,9 Mb
Release : 2019-06-20
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781464813504

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The Skills Balancing Act in Sub-Saharan Africa by Omar Arias,David K. Evans,Indhira Santos Pdf

Despite strong recent economic growth, Sub-Saharan Africa has levels of economic transformation, poverty reduction, and skill development far below those of other regions. Smart investments in developing skills—aligned with the policy goals of productivity growth, inclusion, and adaptability—can help to accelerate the region’s economic transformation in the 21st century. Sub-Saharan Africa’s growing working-age population presents a major opportunity to increase shared prosperity. Countries in the region have invested heavily in building skills; public expenditure on education increased sevenfold over the past 30 years, and more children are in school today than ever before. Yet, systems for building skills in this population have fallen short, and these shortcomings significantly impede economic prospects. In half of the countries, fewer than two in every three children complete primary school; even fewer reach and complete higher levels of education. Learning outcomes have been persistently poor, leading to substantial gaps in basic cognitive skills—literacy and numeracy—among children, young people, and adults. The literacy rate of the adult population is below 50 percent in many countries; functional literacy and numeracy rates are even lower. Systemwide change is required to achieve significant progress. Multiple agencies at the central and local levels are involved in skills development strategies, making skills “everyone’s problem but no one’s responsibility.†? Policies and reforms need to build capacity for evidence-based policies and create incentives to align the behaviors of all stakeholders with the pursuit of national skills development goals. The Skills Balancing Act in Sub-Saharan Africa: Investing in Skills for Productivity, Inclusivity, and Adaptability lays out evidence to inform the policy choices that countries will make in skill investments. Each chapter addresses a set of specific questions, drawing on original analysis and synthesis of existing studies to explore key areas: • How the skills appropriate to each stage of the life cycle are acquired and what market and institutional failures affect skills formation • What systems are needed for individuals to access these skills, including family investments, private sector institutions, schools, and other public programs • How those systems can be strengthened • How the most vulnerable individuals—those who fall outside the standard systems and have missed critical building blocks in skills acquisition—can be supported. Countries will face trade-offs—often stark ones—that will have distributional impacts and a bearing on their development path. Committed leaders, reform coalitions, and well-coordinated policies are essential for taking on the skills balancing act in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Author : Jieun Choi,Mark A. Dutz,Zainab Usman
Publisher : World Bank Publications
Page : 247 pages
File Size : 49,5 Mb
Release : 2020-06-26
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781464814457

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The Future of Work in Africa by Jieun Choi,Mark A. Dutz,Zainab Usman Pdf

The Future of Work in Africa focuses on the key themes of creating productive jobs and addressing the needs of those left behind. It highlights how global trends, especially the adoption of digital technologies, may change the nature of work in Sub-Saharan Africa by creating new opportunities and challenges. It argues that, contrary to global fears of worker displacement by new technologies, African countries can develop an inclusive future of work, with opportunities for lower-skilled workers. Harnessing these opportunities is, however, contingent on implementing policies and making productive investments in four main areas. These are enabling inclusive digital technologies; building human capital for a young, rapidly growing, and largely low-skilled labor force; increasing the productivity of informal workers and enterprises; and extending social protection coverage to mitigate the risks associated with disruptions to labor markets. This companion report to the World Bank’s World Development Report 2019 concludes with important policy questions that should guide future research, whose findings could lead to more inclusive growth for African nations.

Author : Mr.Anupam Basu,Mr.Anthony A. Calamitsis,Mr.Dhaneshwar Ghura
Publisher : International Monetary Fund
Page : 24 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 2000-10-02
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 1557759669

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Promoting Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa by Mr.Anupam Basu,Mr.Anthony A. Calamitsis,Mr.Dhaneshwar Ghura Pdf

Africa is the world’s poorest continent, but amid all the bad news, there is hope for change. This pamphlet examines the lessons to be learned from some of the more successful economies south of the Sahara, and discusses a policy framework to promote sustainable economic growth and reduce poverty across the region.

Author : Aidar Abdychev,La-Bhus Fah Jirasavetakul,Mr.Andrew W Jonelis,Mr.Lamin Leigh,Ashwin Moheeput,Friska Parulian,Ara Stepanyan,Albert Touna Mama
Publisher : International Monetary Fund
Page : 29 pages
File Size : 51,6 Mb
Release : 2015-01-13
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781475547184

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Increasing Productivity Growth in Middle Income Countries by Aidar Abdychev,La-Bhus Fah Jirasavetakul,Mr.Andrew W Jonelis,Mr.Lamin Leigh,Ashwin Moheeput,Friska Parulian,Ara Stepanyan,Albert Touna Mama Pdf

Many small middle-income countries (SMICs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have experienced a moderation in growth in recent years. Although factor accumulation, most notably capital deepening, was crucial to the success of many SMICs historically, this growth model appears to have run its course. The analysis in this paper suggests that the decline in the contribution of total factor productivity (TFP) to growth is largely responsible for the slowdown in trend growth in many SMICs, which highlights the need for policy actions to reinvigorate productivity growth. This paper explores the question of what kind of structural policies could boost productivity growth in SMICs and the political economy factors that may be contributing to the slow implementation of these critical reforms in these countries. The findings suggest that although macroeconomic stability and trade openness are necessary for productivity growth, they are not sufficient. SMICs need to improve the quality of their public spending, most notably in education to minimize the skill mismatch in the labor market, reduce the regulatory burden on firms, improve access to finance by small and medium-sized enterprises and create the enabling environment to facilitate structural transformation in these economies.

Author : Kaleb G. Abreha,Woubet Kassa,Emmanuel K. K. Lartey,Taye A. Mengistae,Albert G. Zeufack
Publisher : World Bank Publications
Page : 266 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 2021-12-18
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781464817212

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Industrialization in Sub-Saharan Africa by Kaleb G. Abreha,Woubet Kassa,Emmanuel K. K. Lartey,Taye A. Mengistae,Albert G. Zeufack Pdf

Industrialization drives the sustained growth in jobs and productivity that marks the developmental take-off of most developed economies. Yet, academics and policy makers have questioned the role of manufacturing in development for late industrializers, especially ith more job creation. Industrialization drives the sustained growth in jobs and productivity that marks the developmental take-off of most developed economies. Yet, academics and policy makers have questioned the role of manufacturing in development for late industrializers, especially in view of rapid advancements in technologies and restructuring of international trade.Concurrently, industrialization and structural transformation are integral to the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the development strategies of several countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Given this renewed interest in industrialization across the region, a central question is not whether SSA countries should pursue industrialization as a potential path to sustainable growth but how to promote the prospects of industrialization. Industrialization in Sub-Saharan Africa: Seizing Opportunities in Global Value Chains addresses this question by reassessing the prospects for industrialization in SSA countries through integration into global value chains. It also examines the role of policy in enhancing these prospects. The main findings indicate that • SSA has not experienced premature deindustrialization; the region has witnessed substantial growth in manufacturing jobs despite a lack of improvement in the contribution of manufacturing value-added to GDP. • The region’s integration into manufacturing global value chains is reasonably high but it is dominated by exports of primary products and engagement in low-skill tasks. • Global value chain integration has led to job growth, and backward integration is associated with more job creation. The report emphasizes the role of policy in maintaining a competitive market environment, promoting productivity growth, and investing in skills development and enabling sectors such as infrastructure and finance. Policy makers can strengthen the global value chain linkages by (1) increasing the value-added content of current exports, (2) upgrading into high-skill tasks, and (3) creating comparative advantages in knowledge-intensive industries.

Author : Ms.Louise Fox,Mr.Alun H. Thomas,Cleary Haines
Publisher : International Monetary Fund
Page : 43 pages
File Size : 43,8 Mb
Release : 2017-04-07
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781475583397

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Structural Transformation in Employment and Productivity by Ms.Louise Fox,Mr.Alun H. Thomas,Cleary Haines Pdf

This paper provides the most complete analysis of the structural transformation among low- and low-middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa to date.

Author : Punam Chuhan-Pole
Publisher : World Bank Publications
Page : 48 pages
File Size : 47,6 Mb
Release : 2014-11-24
Category : Economic development
ISBN : 9781464804687

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Africa's Pulse, Fall 2014 by Punam Chuhan-Pole Pdf

Africa’s Pulse is a biannual publication containing an analysis of the near-term macro-economic outlook for the region. It also includes a section focusing on a topic that represents a particular development challenges for the continent. It is produced by the Office of the Chief Economist for the Africa Region.This issue is an analysis of issues shaping Africa's economic future. Growth remains stable in Sub-Saharan Africa. Some countries are seeing a slowdown, but the region's economic prospects remain broadly favorable. External risks of higher global financial market volatility and lower growth in emerging market economies weigh on the downside. In several Sub-Saharan African countries, large budgetary imbalances are a source of vulnerability to exogenous shocks and underscore the need for rebuilding fiscal buffers in these countries. The Ebola outbreak is exacting a heavy human and economic toll on affected countries and, if not rapidly contained, the risk of wider contagion grows. Without a scale-up of effective interventions, growth would slow markedly not only in the core countries (Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone), but also in the sub region as transportation, cross-border trade, and supply chains are severely disrupted. In Sub-Saharan Africa, growth in agriculture and services is more effective at reducing poverty than growth in industry. Structural transformation has a role to play in accelerating poverty reduction in Sub-Saharan Africa. Increasing agricultural productivity will be critical to fostering structural transformation. Boosting rural income diversification can facilitate this transformation, as well. Investments in rural public goods and services (for example, education, health, rural roads, electricity and ICT), including in small towns, will be conducive to lifting productivity in the rural economy. Although Sub-Saharan Africa's pattern of growth has largely bypassed manufacturing, growing the region's manufacturing base, especially by improving its fundamentals, lower transport cost, cheaper and more reliable power, and a more educated labor force, will benefit all sectors.

Author : Katrine Anderson Saito,Hailu Mekonnen,Daphne Spurling
Publisher : World Bank Publications
Page : 130 pages
File Size : 41,6 Mb
Release : 1994
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 0821327496

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Raising the Productivity of Women Farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa by Katrine Anderson Saito,Hailu Mekonnen,Daphne Spurling Pdf

World Bank Discussion Paper 230. Based on four country studies and extensive household surveys, this paper documents the breakdown of traditional farming systems in Sub- Saharan Africa and its implications for the role of women in agriculture.