R4D Growth

Oral iron supplementation for preventing or treating anaemia among children in malaria-endemic areas

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:52:00 GMT

Miscellaneous J. U. Ojukwu, J. U. Okebe, D. Yahav, M. Paul 2009 Ojukwu JU, Okebe JU, Yahav D, Paul M. Oral iron supplementation for preventing or treating anaemia among children in malaria-endemic areas. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD006589. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006589.pub2 Children commonly develop anaemia (low haemoglobin) after birth. Anaemia is associated with several ill-effects, including hindering motor development and learning skills, and it may have an adverse effect on immunity. Babies and children are therefore commonly given iron supplements to prevent or treat anaemia. In countries where malaria is prevalent, it has been suggested that iron supplementation increases the risk of malaria and deaths. The high dose of iron which is given as medicine may result in free iron circulating in the blood and available to the malaria parasite, which promotes its growth. We therefore aimed to assess the effects of iron administered to children living in countries where malaria is prevalent. We included only randomized controlled trials that compared iron given orally as a medicinal product (and not as food or drink fortification) with placebo or no treatment.

Iron did not increase the risk of malaria disease, indicated by fever and presence of parasites in the blood. The presence of parasites in the blood was slightly higher with iron overall, but not in trials with adequate randomization methods. There was no increased risk of death among iron-treated children. Although more than 70 trials were identified for this review, malaria-related outcomes and deaths were reported in only 16 and 11 trials, respectively. Iron supplementation increased haemoglobin by about 1 g/dL in areas where malaria is highly prevalent. At the end of follow up, which varied between two weeks and six months after the end of iron supplementation, the gain was smaller but still present at 0.4 g/dL. Iron did not increase the risk of respiratory infections, but episodes of diarrhoea were more frequent with iron when it was administered with zinc. Children given iron visited medical clinics less than children given placebo, but the rate of hospitalization was similar. Weight and height at the end of treatment were similar. Iron did not adversely affect rates of cure when given together with antimalarial treatment in three trials that examined this issue.

Our conclusions are that iron supplementation does not adversely affect children living in malaria-endemic areas. The evidence shown in our review is limited by the lack of trials examining the relevant outcomes and the limited information allowing us to analyse factors that can affect our results, such as the children's baseline level of haemoglobin. Based on our review, routine iron supplementation should not be withheld from children living in countries where malaria is prevalent.

Poverty and growth in remote villages in Tanzania (2004-2008): insights from Village Voices film research. CPRC Working Paper No. 153.

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:29:00 GMT

Miscellaneous L. da Corta and L. Price 2009 CPRC Working Paper No. 153, Chronic Poverty Research Centre, London, UK, ISBN: 978-1-906433-55-0, 61 pp. This working paper accompanies Village Voices, a film which covers the lives of people in five remote regions of Tanzania over five years (2004-08). The paper examines specifically why high economic growth during the period of Tanzania's poverty reduction strategy (MKUKUTA 2005-2010) has not translated into the expected reduction in poverty, as there has been a rise in one million people living in poverty over the period 2001 to 2007. The official response has been a call for broad-based growth by stepping up efforts to green revolutionise agriculture through an Agriculture First (Kilimo Kwanza) strategy.

Quantitative trait loci for root morphology traits under aluminum stress in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:58:00 GMT

Miscellaneous H. D. López-Marín, I. M. Rao and M. W. Blair 2009 Theoretical and Applied Genetics (2009) 119 (3) 449-458 [doi: 10.1007/s00122-009-1051-0] Aluminum (Al) toxicity is a major limiting factor of crop production in acid soils, which are found mostly in developing countries of the tropics and sub-tropics. Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is particularly sensitive to Al toxicity; and development of genotypes with better root growth in Al-toxic soils is a priority. The objectives of the present study were to physiologically assess root architectural traits in a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population of common bean that contrasts for Al resistance (DOR364 × G19833) and to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling root growth under two nutrient solutions, one with 20 μM Al concentration and the other without Al, both at pH 4.5. A total of 24 QTL were found through composite interval mapping analysis, 9 for traits under Al treatment, 8 for traits under control treatment, and 7 for relative traits. Root characteristics expressed under Al treatment were found to be under polygenic control, and some QTL were identified at the same location as QTL for tolerance to low phosphorous stress, thus, suggesting cross-links in genetic control of adaptation of common bean to different abiotic stresses.

Registration of California Blackeye 50 Cowpea

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:23:00 GMT

Miscellaneous J. D. Ehlers, B. L. Sanden, C. A. Frate, A. E. Hall and P. A. Roberts 2009 Journal of Plant Registrations (2009) 3: 236240. [DOI: 10.3198/jpr2009.01.0039crc] California Blackeye 50, a blackeye-type cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] (Reg. No. CV-290, PI 655235) cultivar, was developed by the University of California, Riverside, and released by the California Agricultural Experiment Station in 2008. California Blackeye 50 distinguishes itself from the industry standard California Blackeye 46 (CB46) by its greater individual seed weight and grain quality features that are desired in the dry package trade and export markets of this crop. California Blackeye 50 was bred using traditional pedigree breeding methods. It has resistance to the two predominate races (races 3 and 4) of Fusarium wilt (caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. tracheiphilum) found in the irrigated production systems of the southwestern United States, while other currently grown blackeye-type cowpea cultivars adapted to the region either have resistance only to race 3 of this disease or are susceptible to both races. Selection for resistance to Fusarium wilt was conducted using a "clip-dip" procedure in the greenhouse. California Blackeye 50 is also resistant to the two most important root-knot nematodes of the region, Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood and M. javanica (Treub) Chitwood. Selection for resistance to root-knot nematodes was conducted at specially managed infested field sites and in "pouch tests" in growth chambers. California Blackeye 50 has given grain yields equivalent to CB46 in 13 field tests conducted over 4 yr at multiple environments in the Central Valley of California while producing highly attractive grain that is larger and more than 15% heavier.

The large-effect drought-resistance QTL qtl12.1 increases water uptake in upland rice

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:15:00 GMT

Miscellaneous J. Bernier, R. Serraj, A. Kumar, R. Venuprasad, S. Impa, R. P. Veeresh Gowda, R. Oane, D. Spaner, G. Atlin 2009 Field Crops Research (2009) 110 (2) 139-146 [doi: 10.1016/j.fcr.2008.07.010] Drought stress is the most important abiotic factor limiting upland rice yields. Identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) conferring improved drought resistance may facilitate breeding progress. We previously mapped a QTL with a large effect on grain yield under severe drought stress (qtl12.1) in the Vandana/Way Rarem population. In the current paper, we present results from a series of experiments investigating the physiological mechanism(s) by which qtl12.1 affects grain yield under drought conditions. We performed detailed plant water status measurements on a subset of lines having similar crop growth duration but contrasting genotypes at qtl12.1 under field (24 genotypes) and greenhouse (14 genotypes) conditions. The Way Rarem-derived allele of qtl12.1 was confirmed to improve grain yield under drought mainly through a slight improvement (7%) in plant water uptake under water-limited conditions. Such an apparently small increase in water uptake associated with this allele could explain the large effect on yield observed under field conditions. Our results suggest that this improvement of plant water uptake is likely associated with improved root architecture.

Orchestration of transpiration, growth and carbohydrate dynamics in rice during a dry-down cycle

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:07:00 GMT

Miscellaneous D. Luquet, A. Clément-Vidal, D. This, D. Fabre, N. Sonderegger, M. Dingkuhn 2008 Functional Plant Biology (2008) 35 (8) 689704 [DOI: 10.1071/FP08027] The regulation of carbohydrate metabolism and sourcesink relationships among organs play a key role in plant adaptation to drought. This study aimed at characterising the dynamics of transpiration, development, growth and carbon metabolism, as well as the expression of invertase genes, in response to drought during a dry-down cycle. Three 1-month experiments were conducted in controlled environment using the rice genotype IR64 (Oryza sativa L., indica). Plant leaf relative transpiration and expansion rates decreased linearly when fraction of transpirable soil water (FTSW) dropped below 0.66 and 0.58, respectively. Hexose and starch concentration responses to FTSW in a given organ were generally linear and opposite: in source leaves, hexose concentration increased and starch decreased, and vice versa in sink leaves and roots. Sucrose remained constant in source leaves and increased slightly in sink leaves. Starch reserves built up during stress in sink organs were rapidly mobilised upon rewatering, indicating its involvement in a mechanism to ensure recovery. Expression of cell-wall and vacuolar invertase genes under stress increased in sink leaves, interpreted as a mechanism to maintain sink activity (cell wall) and osmotic adjustment (vacuolar). It is concluded that carbohydrate metabolism in sink organs under drought is highly regulated, and important for stress adaptation.

Development of a seed DNA-based genotyping system for marker-assisted selection in maize.

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:47:00 GMT

Miscellaneous S. Gao, C. Martinez, D. J. Skinner, A. F. Krivanek, J. H. Crouch and Y. Xu 2008 Molecular Breeding (2008) 22 (3) 477-494 [doi: 10.1007/s11032-008-9192-4] Leaf collection from the field, labeling and tracking back to the source plants after genotyping are rate limiting steps in leaf DNA-based genotyping. In this study, an optimized genotyping method using endosperm DNA sampled from single maize seeds was developed, which can be used to replace leaf DNA-based genotyping for both genetic studies and breeding applications. A similar approach is likely to be suitable for all plants with relatively large seeds. Part of the endosperm was excised from imbibed maize seeds and DNA extracted in 96-tube plates using individuals from eight F2 populations and seven inbreds. The quality of the resultant DNA was functionally comparable to DNA extracted from leaf tissue. Extraction from 30 mg of endosperm yields 310 μg DNA, which is sufficient for analysis of 200400 agarose-gel PCR-based markers, with the potential for several million chip-based SNP marker analyses. By comparing endosperm DNA and leaf DNA for individuals from an F2 population, genotyping errors caused by pericarp contamination and hetero-fertilization were found to average 3.8 and 0.6%, respectively. Endosperm sampling did not affect germination rates under controlled conditions, although under normal field conditions the germination rate, seedling establishment, and growth vigor were significantly lower than that of non-sampled controls for some genotypes. However, careful field management can compensate for these effects. Seed DNA-based genotyping lowered costs by 24.6% compared to leaf DNA-based genotyping due to reduced field plantings and labor costs. A substantial advantage of this approach is that it can be used to select desirable genotypes before planting. As such it provides an opportunity for dramatic improvements in the efficiency and selective gain of breeding systems based on optimum combinations of marker-assisted selection and phenotypic selection within and between generations.

New Crosscutting Disability with Poverty Research Programme

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:00:00 GMT

A new DFID-funded research programme seeks to provide evidence on how disability interacts with other factors influencing poverty.

Nobel Prize decision highlights significance of institutions

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:00:00 GMT

According to the Directors of the DFID-funded Research Programme Consortium for Improving Institutions for Pro-Poor Growth (IPPG), the recent joint award of this year's Nobel Prize in Economics to Elinor Ostrom and Oliver Williamson highlights the significance of institutions

Relationship between carbon isotope discrimination and grain yield in spring wheat under different water regimes and under saline conditions in the Ningxia Province (North-west China).

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:39:00 GMT

Miscellaneous X. Xu, H. Yuan, S. Li, P. Monneveux 2007 Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science (2007) 193 (6) 422-434 [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-037X.2007.00281.x] The relationship between grain yield and carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) was analysed in wheat grown under different water regimes in the Ningxia Province (north-west of China). When the association was significant, the relationships between grain yield, Δ and other drought tolerance related traits, such as leaf ash content (ma), chlorophyll concentration (Chl), relative water content (RWC), stomatal conductance (gS) and the ratio of internal CO2 leaf concentration to ambient CO2 concentration (Ci/Ca), were also examined. Using correlation analysis, the relationships were determined during two consecutive years in a set of 20 spring wheat cultivars (landraces, improved varieties and advanced lines) under rainfed and irrigated conditions, including saline conditions. The relationship between Δ and yield within environments highly depended on the quantity of water stored in the soil at sowing, the quantity and distribution of rainfall during the growth cycle, and the irrigation before anthesis. Δ predicted grain yield under limited irrigation (post-anthesis water stress) but not under pre-anthesis water stress (rainfed conditions), fully irrigated and saline conditions. Under limited irrigation, grain Δ correlated significantly to grain yield leaf ma at heading and maturity. It also significantly positively correlated to Chl, RWC, gS and Ci/Ca assessed at anthesis. A precise characterization of the timing and intensity of the abiotic constraints experienced by the crop is consequently needed before implementing the use of Δ in wheat breeding programmes.

Relationship between carbon isotope discrimination and grain yield in spring wheat cultivated under different water regimes.

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT

Miscellaneous Xing Xu, Hanming Yuan, Shuhua Li, R. Trethowan, P. Monneveux 2007 Journal of Integrative Plant Biology (2007) 49 (10) 14971507 [DOI: 10.1111/j.1672-9072.2007.00562.x] In C3 plants, carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) has been proposed as an indirect selection criterion for grain yield. Reported correlations between Δ and grain yield however, differ highly according to the analyzed organ or tissue, the stage of sampling, and the environment and water regime. In a first experiment carried out in spring wheat during two consecutive seasons in the dry conditions of northwest Mexico (Ciudad Obregon, Sonora), different water treatments were applied, corresponding to the main water regimes available to spring wheat worldwide, and the relationships between Δ values of different organs and grain yield were examined. Under terminal (post-anthesis) water stress, grain yield was positively associated with Δ in grain at maturity and in leaf at anthesis, confirming results previously obtained under Mediterranean environments. Under early (pre-anthesis) water stress and residual moisture stress, the association between grain Δ and yield was weaker and highly depended on the quantity of water stored in the soil at sowing. No correlation was found between Δ and grain yield under optimal irrigation. The relationship between Δ and grain yield was also studied during two consecutive seasons in 20 bread wheat cultivars in the Ningxia region (Northern China), characterized by winter drought (pre-anthesis water stress). Wheat was grown under rainfed conditions in two locations (Guyuan and Pengyang) and under irrigated conditions in another two (Yinchuan and Huinong). In Huinong, the crop was also exposed to salt stress. Highly significant positive associations were found between leaf and grain Δ and grain yields across the environments. The relationship between Δ and yield within environments highly depended on the quantity of water stored in the soil at sowing, the quantity and distribution of rainfall during the growth cycle, the presence of salt in the soil, and the occurrence of irrigation before anthesis. These two experiments confirmed the value of Δ as an indirect selection criterion for yield and a phenotyping tool under post-anthesis water stress (including limited irrigation).

Development Research Centre for the Future State (Research Scheme R8490) Annual Report 1 July 2008 30 June 2009

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:40:00 GMT

Miscellaneous Institute of Development Studies 2009 73 pp.

Progress on the 3 programmes is reported:

1.Public Action and Private Investment
Progress has been steady. Key activities/achievements have included the PAPI 2009 cross cutting workshop attended by representatives of all the major projects. This workshop was also attended by Max Everest Phillips (DfID) and representatives from the Africa Power and Politics RPC and the Institutions for Pro Poor Growth RPC. Closer ties with these RPCs which carry out research in similar themes have been highlighted as having great potential to deepen the research and analysis and vastly improve quality through knowledge sharing activities.

The field research on the 'China's investment in Africa' project was completed and work has now entered a new phase. This project has received a lot of attention from the academic and policy making community. Jing Gu the lead researcher has been highly active in presenting her work and publications are being finalised. Additional funding for this project was recently obtained for the work to continue.

There has been good progress in the Egypt project with a number of publications in the final stages of writing or publication. The projects in Indonesia and Brazil have now been completed with outputs coming from both. The work on particularistic property rights regimes in China is nearing completion. There has been fair progress in the Vietnam project; research partners have been formally identified. With regret the research in Pakistan cannot be completed.

A new project due for completion in March 2010 will attempt to bring some of the key findings of the programme into two publications to answer the core question.

2.Collective Action around Service Delivery (Social Accountability)
Despite good performance as reported in last year's report Modes of Service Delivery in Brazil, India and Mexico (BIM) has experienced some setbacks. It has been formally agreed that Mexico can no longer form part of the project as no researcher of suitable ability could be identified who would be willing to finish the work. There have been some problems with writing up from some of the India researchers, many of whom are younger academics in their early careers. This has led to some delays. Brazil continues to perform well. Despite these setbacks there have been some major achievements especially in the communication of research findings at conferences.

3.State Capacity, Financing the State and Informal Local Governance
Comprising three key research themes (State Capacity, Financing the State and Informal Local Governance), programme three has progressed well over the last year.

There have been some major movements in the taxation work, mainly in communication efforts. The multi country study into the resource curse in Andean countries started and is now nearing completion.

Work into Informal Local Governance institutions has progressed adequately and there is possibility of funding one further stage of work. The multi-country study into donor proliferation in Africa was completed and a research proposal submitted to other funders for follow up work.

DFID plans new Research Programme Consortia on Effective and Fragile States, and Taxation

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Expression of Interests are sought for service providers of four new DFID Research Programme Consortia on the themes of 'Effective' and 'Fragile' states, and on taxation

This is Open Access Week

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:00:00 GMT

This week, 19-23 October 2009, is the first International Open Access Week, which aims to broaden awareness and understanding of Open Access.

Hunger and gender inequality go hand-in-hand

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:00:00 GMT

The 2009 Global Hunger Index just released by IFPRI draws attention to the link between hunger and gender inequalities

Global Development Awards and Medals Competition 2009. Deadline Extended

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:00:00 GMT

The Global Development Network invites researchers from developing and transition countries to submit new research proposals and completed research papers on the themes of globalization, regulation and development, international migration, and regional integration

Knowledge for Change Programme - Phase 2 (KCP 2)

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:55:00 GMT

Current

A first phase of KCP will be completed in 2010.

KCP Phase 1 is a multidonor trust fund. It has three main funding categories (i) poverty dynamics and delivery of basic services; (ii) investment climate and trade and integration; and (iii) global public goods. The first addresses issues at the heart of poverty reduction, empowerment and sustainable development; the second focuses on the major elements of a business program conducive to growth, with emphasis on the role of small- and medium-scale industries; and the third focuses on global issues that require collective action and coordination across countries because lack of action or progress in some countries could undermine benefits for all.

The Bank is responsible for administering the KCP. The KCP donors are represented in the Consultative Group, which meets yearly to discuss the strategic direction of the program, as well as its progress and accomplishments.

Goal: To reduce poverty and promote sustainable development by generating and applying analytical tools, data, research findings and policy advice.

Purpose: To act as an effective, transparent and efficient vehicle for the pooling of intellectual and financial resources and to generate new knowledge in support of the Bank's mission.

1. High quality and relevant research produced in a number of areas in the period 2009-2012 and gaps in policy research identified and filled.

2. Bank's empirical research activities expanded and deepened by engaging outside sponsors including bilateral development agencies.

3. Research outputs disseminated in both donor and client countries.

4. Research capacity in developing countries increased.

Domestic Resource Mobilisation North-South Institute (Phase 2) (DRM)

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:28:00 GMT

Current Sub Saharan Africa faces significant financial resource gaps in meeting its developmental needs. These gaps can be financed through external resource mobilization (e.g. through ODA and FDI) and through enhanced domestic resource mobilization, which entails increasing and enhancing domestic savings mobilization, improving financial sector performance and enhancing public sector revenue collection and expenditure. For sustainable growth and poverty reduction to take place in Sub Saharan Africa, it is essential that a coherent, dynamic and domestically driven capital accumulation, intermediation and mobilization process take root in the region. This is necessary to wean countries away from aid and other unpredictable and volatile external flows that can be problematic even when well intentioned.

The overall purpose of the research is to enable Sub Saharan African countries to enhance mobilization of domestic financial resources to finance domestic developmental priorities.

Phase 2 of the project is intended to build on the analytical work done in phase 1, and to address the key questions through a country focused approach via 5 in-depth country case-studies on DRM in Burundi, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda.

5 in-depth country case-studies

Production of a synthesis paper that brings together key findings from each case-study

Donor Handbook on Resource Mobilization

A final publication to be undertaken jointly with other project partners

Five in-country stakeholder engagement workshops

End of project conference and report

Rewarding Achievements in International Development

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:00:00 GMT

DFID, in partnership with Marie Stopes International (MSI) and the Guardian, has unveiled the five finalists of the Guardian Achievements in International Development Award.

Call for papers: Rethinking African Economic Policy in light of the global economic and financial crisis Conference

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 01:00:00 GMT

A three-day conference is to be held from 6-8 December 2009 on the theme Rethinking African Economic Policy in Light of the Global Economic and Financial Crisis.

DFID releases a new project database

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Information about projects funded by DFID, ranging from emergency aid for countries affected by conflict or humanitarian crises, to ongoing support to improve health, education and sanitation in the poorest countries, is now available online.

Communications vacancies at DFID

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 01:00:00 GMT

DFID is seeking applicants for four posts in the Communications Team in its Policy and Research Directorate

Encouraging growth in Africa's seed industry

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:00:00 GMT

The DFID-supported programme providing business development services to small and medium-sized seed companies is helping to transform Africa's growing seed industry

United Nations University - World Institute for Development Economics Research, (UNU-WIDER): Developing Country Scholars and Policy Makers

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:23:00 GMT

Current The World Institute for Development Economics Research (WIDER), of the United Nations University, is one of the leading research institutes of the UN system. Its mission is to undertake multidisciplinary research and policy analysis on structural changes affecting the living conditions of the world's poorest people. WIDER undertakes research on a number of themes aimed at improving our understanding of the economic and social development of poor countries, including: poverty, inequality and human development; globalisation, finance and growth; health inequalities and growth; southern engines of growth; and development in an urban world. Through its research, WIDER seeks to raise frontier issues and provide new and original insights and policy advice to boost economic and social development in the world's poorest nations. It undertakes multidisciplinary research and policy analysis on structural changes affecting living conditions of the world's poorest people. WIDER provides a forum for professional interaction and advocacy of policies leading to robust, equitable and environmentally sustainable growth. It also promotes capacity strengthening and training for scholars and government officials in the field of economic and social policy making. Research papers, briefing papers, articles and books.

WIDER is held in high regard internationally for the quality and challenging nature of the research and its independence. Work is commissioned out to a large network of contacts which includes academics and researchers from a number of universities and institutes (including FAO, ILO, IMF, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNICEF and World Bank).

Wide range of research papers and books widely used within the international development community.

Rural Financial Services Feasibility Study

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed In August 1998 TWIN/TWINTrading (TWIN) and the Day Chocolate Company (DCC) received approval in principle from the Ghana desk to assist in the launch of a ,Fair Trade, chocolate bar in the UK market in Autumn 1998. Funds have been provided (contingent liability) to facilitate the involvement of UK based banks in providing finance to the DCC, a UK company limited by guarantee, which involves Ghanaian small scale cocoa producer-members of the Kuapa Kokoo Ltd (KKL) in its financial and management structure. In the course of the partnership between TWIN and KKL, it became evident that slow progress in the World Bank sponsored reforms in the financial sector posed serious constraints to the availability of credit and savings facilities for new and/or micro, small or medium sized enterprises (SME), particularly those in the rural areas. Interest rates in excess of 40% have persisted, largely due to an excess of government expenditure over revenues (and the consequent ,crowding out, of the private sector). This has resulted in less than satisfactory growth in output, employment and incomes of those engaged in agricultural production and associated support services (local transport operators, input suppliers, etc). KKL has over 30,000 small scale farmers from 182 village level societies, organised into 8 regions, with a headquarters in Kumasi. It has a deserved reputation for having developed an organisation that is wholly accountable to its farmer members. Some of the stronger village-based societies have begun to save a portion of their members' cocoa receipts, in the form of treasury bills, which are cashed in during the lean periods when farmers have insufficient income to meet their basic needs (a few months before the light crop in June, and the heavy crop in November). Many of the particularly low income farmers find themselves in a position of borrowing funds, either from usurious moneylenders or other borrowing against their crop, from other licenced buying companies; when they default they often lose their farms. In the past 6 months KKL has purchased the debt of five different farmer members, in order to save them and their families from certain penury. The idea of this work is to build on the existing society-based model, to help farmers to break out of the loan trap they often get into, by inculcating a culture of savings and credit that is controlled by the farmers themselves. To develop a rural financial services project for small scale cocoa growers in Ghana. An assessment of the emerging society-level model. Recommendations for the most suitable institutional structure and actions required to meet the legal requirements of the non-bank financial institutions regulations. Project design report. An initial revolving fund of £20,000 can also be made available to ,kick start, a pilot initiative, provided the institutional framework for managing this fund has been suitably established.

DFID contribution to the UNDP/UNCHS/multi-donor urban management programme Phase 4

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Awaiting Confirmation of Completion The process of urban management is an important component of the DFID Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA). Urban managers have the potential to create an ,enabling, city environment for pro-poor economic growth through a number of mechanisms. The development of appropriate mechanisms responsive to the real needs of poor people, improved service delivery and revenue collection, effective public-private partnerships and participatory urban management structure are examples of good urban management policy which help to increase the options and resources available to poor people to make a living. However, generally, urban managers and civil society in the developing world currently lack the capacity, know-how and the resources to adopt these measures in practice. DFID aims to support multi-lateral technical co-operation programmes and research that enable municipal authorities to implement improved, pro-poor urban management processes through a variety of management practices and sustainable livelihoods approaches. The joint UNCHS/UNDP/World Bank Urban Management Programme (UMP) develops and applies urban management knowledge in the fields of participatory urban governance, elimination of urban poverty, and urban environmental management, and facilitates the dissemination of this knowledge at the city, country, regional and global levels. The Department is keen to ensure the continuity of this programme for the full implementation of its Phase III. The thematic objectives of the programme are urban poverty reduction, participatory governance and environmental management. In the last ten years, the UMP has been based on a consultative process which brings together local governments, the private sector, NGOs, community members and donors who collaborate as partners in identifying problems and seeking solutions to urban issues. An aspect of the programme is to develop the UNDP-initiated sustainable livelihoods approach for urban areas. Based on the experiences and lessons learned in Phase III, the programme will concentrate on a selected number of city consultations in specified countries with an explicit focus on activities that affect the living conditions of the poor in cities and towns. More emphasis will be placed on consolidation of previous programme experiences, integration with other complementary initiatives, and stengthening the knowledge base of urban management. To provide support to UMP, in order to provide for the strengthening of urban and local authorities to undertake pro-poor initiatives enhancing livelihood opportunities. Institutions with an enhanced capacity to initiate urban management programmes and related activities, undertake research and consultancies at a regional level as well as manage regional networks of experts.

Plans of action, new policies or legal frameworks or other measurable actions.

Country consultations, regional/sub-regional workshops and global meetings.

Policy frameworks, tools and research outputs produced by the UMP teams, institutions or panels which have influenced change in national or local policy.

Documented and dissemination of UMP and other urban management related publications to regional and national institutions.

Influence of international social, health and environmental policy objectives and trade agreements on the livelihoods of livestock-dependent people in developing countries.(SHE-LEAD)

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed Human population growth, increasing urbanisation, and rising incomes have fuelled an unprecedented demand for livestock products in the developing world. This should present opportunities for poor people who rear, process or market livestock to enhance their livelihoods. However, numbers of large-scale, intensive (industrialised) forms of poultry, pig and dairy production are rising to meet supply of livestock products. The proliferation of industrial enterprises is assisted by favourable economies of scale created by distorted market conditions and low transaction costs at both input and product-supply level. It is anticipated that poor people will find it increasingly difficult to compete with the industrial sector and thus risk losing a significant means of livelihood. International policies and institutions that confer comparative advantage on industrial livestock production in developing countries have been in flux over the past few decades, and are likely to continue in this state as trade distortions and non-trade (social, health and environmental (SHE)) concerns are raised more explicitly in WTO negotiations, for example. The implications of past and future changes in international trade agreements and non-trade concerns (manifested in multilateral agreements, externalities of western governments' policies and responsible corporate behaviour) on domestic policies and markets that affect the livestock sector are far from being properly understood. This project examines the international factors influencing domestic policies and market structures and how this has affected the social and economic structure of the livestock sector in India, Brazil, Thailand and the Philippines - developing countries with dynamic sector expansion, and where large-scale and small-scale production co-exist. This understanding is a prerequisite to formulating livestock policies that attain outcomes with higher SHE values in developing countries. Improved understanding of how international agreements, trade/SHE (social, health and environmental) policies, consumer behaviour in powerful economies and corporate social responsibility shape domestic policies and social and market structures in the livestock sector of developing countries. Characterisation and quantification of social and structural changes in the livestock sector.

Understanding the mechanisms through which international agreements, trade policies and domestic policies influence change in the livestock sector.

Scenarios for how internal and external changes will affect the structure of the livestock sub-sector in each country case over the next decade.

Identification of specific domains in need of policy reform and the policy instruments to address SHE objectives.

Study on trade facilitation from developing countries' perspective: concerns, options and way forward

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed A number of developing countries have expressed strong reservations about the inclusion of trade facilitation in the next round of WTO negotiations. Some of these countries, such as those represented in the ,Green Room, group - South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Senegal, Kenya and Nigeria, plus Ghana and Zambia - and India, Malaysia and the members of the Caribbean Economic Community (CARICOM), do not participate in WTO meetings on trade facilitation but apparently defend a strong position against the inclusion of this issue in the multilateral negotiations. These concerns need to be understood and adequately addressed The consultant to prepare an analysis of the concerns of a number of developing countries regarding the inclusion of trade facilitation in the WTO agenda and on the basis of work undertaken, distinguish between those sets of concerns that need to be addressed through a multilateral negotiations and areas where developing country capacity needs to be built or other forms of assistance ought to be provided. Trade facilitation needs to be recognised as a priority for development, since trade facilitation initiatives can be an important means to foster economic growth, creating an enabling policy and regulatory environment that supports the expansion of both trade and encourages investment. An effort is therefore required from both recipient countries as well as donors (bilateral or multilateral) for clearly identifying trade facilitation as a priority - to ensure that it receives the attention it is due in development co-operation and the promotion of good governance. At the same time, developing countries need to be more active in articulating their vision of what would constitute an appropriate clarification of the rules for trade facilitation. *Research and analyse the positions of the identified countries through contacts with the permanent missions to the WTO in Geneva, local diplomatic posts of major trading partner countries, officers in the relevant national institutions, selected private sector representatives.

*Create for the organisers of the Forum a file containing all relevant policy papers, statements, minutes of the meetings with various officials and contact details relating to the research carried out.

*Identify and analyse the key economic, legal and political reasons for the opposition of the identified developing countries to the inclusion of the issue of trade facilitation in the WTO negotiations.

*Analyse the attitude to trade facilitation as a part of the overall negotiating tactics of these developing countries and balance the findings of this analysis against the real needs of those countries.

*Assess the current level of understanding and perceived meaning of the approaches to and benefits of trade facilitation in the specified countries.

*Summarise the suggested approaches to trade facilitation by developing countries The research conducted during the course of this study indicates that developing countries have a number of key concerns about negotiations related to trade facilitation in the WTO. These are that:
*The forthcoming negotiations on trade facilitation in the WTO should be delayed, or their scope narrowed, in order to preserve negotiating room in the overall negotiations.
*The negotiations on trade facilitation will lead to obligations that are expensive and difficult for developing country administrations to implement.
*The scope for new obligations on trade facilitation under the WTO is uncertain.
*Developing countries are reluctant to be subject to new obligations which are subject to dispute settlement in the WTO.
*Commitments to capacity building and trade facilitation by WTO members will prove to be insufficient.

There are both competitive challenges to be addressed and potential opportunities to be realised which taken together should prompt developing countries to examine and implement trade facilitation initiatives.

The competitive challenges stem from the fact that trade facilitation initiatives will continue to be implemented on a voluntary basis amongst developed countries and those developing countries that are more dynamic traders - regardless of the stance which the majority of developing countries choose to take. This will result in competitive pressures on producers in economies that do not participate in trade facilitation initiatives.

Potential opportunities for developing countries stem from trade facilitation initiatives and related reforms of customs administration that will contribute to their economic development through the expansion of trade, through improvements in customs integrity and reduced incentives for corruption, through more effective and selective border controls, and through more efficient revenue collection.

Rural, economic and enterprise development (REED) - a framework

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Current Rural Economic and Enterprise Development (REED) has the potential to help the rural poor to diversify their income-generating activities by stimulating engagement in value addition to rural products and in non-farm production and services, which provide additional income opportunities and reduce household risk. It allows people to graduate from semi-subsistence and food security activities to improved, diversified and sustainable livelihoods. This work contributes to the Millennium Development Goal for the reduction of poverty. The scope of REED incorporates many aspects of the economic development of rural areas: policies and institutional framework, infrastructure, services and markets, entrepreneurial competence, and stakeholder involvement and linkages. It also includes the promotion of on-farm commercial activities, as well as non-farm activities, by rural households and enterprises, which ultimately leads to the creation of new jobs, improved rural livelihoods and growth. The main focus is on promoting employment, labour opportunities and generating income through micro-, small- and medium-sized rural businesses and on improving the access of resource-poor rural households to these opportunities. The proposed research aims to develop further a conceptual framework and project tool for the fostering of rural economic and enterprise development in developing countries. Promoting rural economic and enterprise development may require interventions that differ from other business development services and urban enterprise programmes. Economic and enterprise development has to overcome multiple institutional and government obstacles at the macro, meso and micro levels. As a result of a joint donor initiative (GTZ, DFID, SDC, IFAD, World Bank, CTA and FAO) launched in 2002, a conference was hosted by GTZ in Berlin (November 2002) which synthesised the success factors of operational experience on REED from a wide range of programmes and projects. The REED framework was developed as a potential tool for joint analysis, planning and evaluation and learning among stakeholders (government, donors, private sector, etc) concerned with REED. However, the conceptual framework is not yet comprehensive and some gaps exist, e.g. there is currently a weak understanding of effective mechanisms for fostering a political or institutional environment for REED. To focus on new pro-poor economic and enterprise development mechanisms for public policy, and interventions to enhance poverty outcomes in developing countries. The model and good practice generated will guide the development community. To refine and develop the conceptual framework so that it can address gaps in the framework.

To pilot the approach in Bangladesh and South Africa in the form of in-depth case studies including training for local development practitioners and government in utilising the framework as a pro-poor REED programme planning, design and evaluation tool.

To make widely available a robust framework and set of tools for use by the development community including national institutions.

Achieving pro-poor growth through agriculture: Consortium

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Current Recognition of the multi-disciplinary and cross-cutting nature of land issues has led a number of countries actively to debate this topic and in many cases to initiate pilots or pass innovative pieces of legislation. However, PRSP's and equivalent strategy documents, especially in Africa and South Asia, hardly mention land issues, implying a serious risk that the opportunity may be missed and little progress be made in terms of either implementing highly appropriate legislation or in carefully evaluating and drawing appropriate lessons from pilots. To encourage dialogue and sharing of good practice by policy makers and opinion formers in developing countries on the role of agriculture in broad-based growth. To bridge the gap between global research and policy design at the national level, the project will provide evidence to demonstrate the importance of secure land tenure and effective land institutions at the country level, help to identify policy and institutional options to improve tenure security and land access for the poor, and integrate these into country strategies/PRSP's. This will be complemented by a benchmarking of countries' performance against others, which, over time, may help in overcoming resistance to reform by vested interests.

To translate policy into practice, the project will monitor and evaluate innovative tools for pro-poor land administration in order to allow policy-makers to select the most appropriate approaches for their specific conditions and identify associated institutional and resource requirements as well as critical risks, thereby making it easier for countries (and donors) to respond quickly to specific problems or opportunities.

Knowledge for Change Programme - Phase 1 (KCP 1)

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Current

A second phase of KCP started in February 2009.

Goal: To reduce poverty by developing making use of analytical tools ,data research and policy advice.

Purpose: The Knowledge for Change Programme to act as an effective, transparent and efficient vehicle for the pooling of intellectual and financial resources for data collection, analysis and research supporting poverty reduction and sustainable development.

Phase 1 is not yet complete. KCP1 is a programme comprising many individual projects as explained above. 1. To produce research in a number of areas in the period 2006-2008 and to identify gaps in policy research

2. To expand and deepen the Banks empirical research activities by engaging outside sponsors including bilateral development agencies

3. Dissemination of research outputs in both donor and client countries

4. To build research capacity in developing countries

Over 60 projects have been funded, completed or ongoing. Completed projects are peer reviewed. Projects outputs have been rated highly. The programme responds to emerging research needs. Ongoing research by theme is as follows:

1. POVERTY DYNAMICS & DELIVERY OF BASIC SERVICES

Ongoing programmes 2008/09

WDR 2007 Development and the Next Generation $642,000 Mamta Murthi
Poverty Reduction and Human Development: Analysis of Alternative Strategies Within an Economy-Wide Framework $210,000 Hans Lofgren
Political Institutions, Development and a Domestic Civil Peace $650,000 Ibrahim Elbadawi
Identifying Policy Interventions to Overcome Political Obstacles to Serving the Poor $310,000 Stuti Khemani
WDR 2008 Agriculture, Poverty and Development $1,450,000 Derek Byerlee
Aid Effectiveness: New Research Directions $150,000 Stephen Knack
Labor Issues in Service Delivery for Human Development: Incentives and Performance $152,000 Elizabeth King
Research for Improving Household Survey Data $302,000 Katherine Scott
Micro Simulations of Poverty Reduction and Service $384,000 Maurizio Bussolo
Evaluating the Role of Participation in Poverty Reduction $150,000 Ghazala Mansuri
African Green Revolution: Finding Ways to Boost Productivity $350,000 Donald Larson
World Development Report 2009 - Reshaping Economic Geography $775,000 Chorching Goh
Measuring and Understanding the Impacts of Development Projects $690,000 Elizabeth King
Determinants of Low-Income Countries' Access to Private Debt Markets $70,000 Douglas Hostland
Methodology for Aggregating Poverty-Specifi c PPPs $81,000 Yonas Biru
Policy Research Report on Local Governance and Local Development $200,000 Ghazala Mansuri
Peace and Development, Post-Conflict Transitions $100,000 Ibrahim Elbadawi
Information and Life Transitions Among Youths: Evaluating the Impact of ICT in Two Developing Countries $150,000 Elizabeth King
Improving Women's Health in Africa $180,000 Berk Ozler

New programmes for 2008/09

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Sustainable Land Management Interventions in Ethiopia $75,000 Klaus Deininger
Are Opportunity Profiles Useful to Inform Policy Decisions? $75,000 Francisco Ferreira
China Urban Dibao Study $60,000 Shaohua Chen
Schooling, Income and HIV Risk $80,000 Berk Ozler
Aid EffectivenessHow Unpredictable Aid Influences Service Delivery: Results from Country Case Studies $75,000 Punam Chuhan-Pole

2. INVESTMENT CLIMATE & TRADE AND INTEGRATION

Ongoing programmes 2008/09

Access to Finance and Poverty Alleviation $90,000 Asli Demirguc-Kunt
Evaluating Investment Climate Improvements and Growth at the Firm Level $180,000 Mary Hallward-Driemeier
Barriers to Banking $250,000 Asli Demirguc-Kunt
Household Surveys of Access to Financial Services $300,000 Asli Demirguc-Kunt
International Migration, Remittances and Development $425,000 Maurice Schiff
Growth, Innovation, and Reform $65,000 Norman Loayza
New Research on Firm Informality $225,000 David McKenzie
Household Surveys of International Migration and Remittances $1,150,000 Maurice Schiff
Investment Climates Contribution to Growth Through Firm Dynamics and Allocative Efficiency $80,000 Mary Hallward-Driemeier
Private Sector Development Research Program $300,000 Asli Demirguc-Kunt
Worldwide Governance Indicators $90,000 Aart Kraay
Growth Effects of Public Investment $80,000 Luis Serven
Expansion of Global Retail Chains: Implication for Technology Transfer and Pro-Competitive Effects in Developing Countries $60,000 Ana Fernandes
U.S. Antidumping on Vietnamese Catfish: Impacts on Mekong Farmers $80,000 Guido Porto
Migration, Remittances and Development in Africa: Household Survey with Existing Sampling Frame $50,000 Dilip Ratha
Macroeconomic Effects of Allocative Efficiency $85,000 Mary Hallward-Driemeier
How do Institutional Investors Manage World Savings? $70,000 Sergio Schmukler

New programmes for 2008/09

Brain Drain and Brain Gain of Ghana's Best and Brightest $50,000 Caglar Ozden
Access to Banking Services in Mexico $50,000 Miriam Bruhn/ Inessa Love
Food Prices, and Poverty $50,000 Caglar Ozden
Innovation and Informality Across the Firm Size Spectrum in Sri Lanka $50,000 David McKenzie
Capital Raising Activity in Domestic and International Markets $50,000 Sergio Schmukler
New Research on Private Equity in Developing Countries $60,000 Leora Klapper
Migration and its Impact on Households and Individuals in Migrant-Sending Communities $100,000 Kathleen Beegle/ John Giles
Credit Bureau Reform: Does Greater Credit Bureau Coverage Improve Borrower and Lender Outcomes? $50,000 Leora Klapper Bilal Zia
Labor Markets, Structural Transformations, and the Informal Sector $70,000 John Giles/ Markus Goldstein
Causes and Consequences of Macroeconomic Volatility: $50,000 Claudio Raddatz

3. GLOBAL PUBLIC GOODS

Ongoing programmes 2008/09

Mitigating Climate Change by Avoiding Lock-Ins to High Carbon Energy Systems $395,000 Ariel Dinar
Understanding Disease Control of Highly Pathogenic Avian Infl uence $150,000 Jed Friedman
Global Migration Database Extensions A Global Public Good $65,000 Caglar Ozden
Options for Cleaner Energy in Developing Countries and Overcoming Barriers to Their Adoption and Sustainability $450,000 Ariel Dinar
Global Warming and Developing Countries: An Economy-Wide Perspective $150,000 Dominique van der Mensbrugghe
The Social and Economic Impacts of Influenza Epidemics and Policies to Contain Them $200,000 Jed Friedman
Improving Malaria Outcomes Through Evidence-Based Program Design: A Multi-Country Initiative to Support the World Banks Booster Program for Malaria Control $100,000 Jed Friedman

New programmes for 2008/09

World Development Report 2010Part 1 Climate Change and Development $200,000 Marianne Fay
Economic and Environmental Impacts of Biofuels $250,000 Dominique van der Mensbrugghe / Govinda Timilsina

Since its inception in 2002, the number of donors has increased from 2 to 14.

The results of each project are widely disseminated and each Project Completion report contains a section on dissemination activities. The work of the KCP has been influential in providing seed money for major research and policy publications such as the World Development Reports. Efforts are being made to allow greater access to research data through electronic means.

Capacity building is not a primary objective of the programme, although ability to support developing country researchers is one of the criteria for project selection. World-class research should remain the primary objective. Independent evaluation of KCP noted that:

" . . the KCP has worked well . . . many of the projects have achieved very good results, and some are outstanding. Apart from substantial contributions with regard to analysis and publications, there have also been major achievements with regard to data collection and the development of policy analysis tools. There is a broad consensus that there is a shortage of research funds, which KCP has helped to alleviate. Funding from the KCP has produced value added over and above what regular research funding gives."

Trade case studies

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 01:00:00 GMT

Building capacity for trade plays an important role in enabling developing countries to take advantage of the opportunities of international trade

"Clean Genes" Open the Door to New Pest-Resistant Rice

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 01:00:00 GMT

A 'clean gene' technology has been used to breed upland varieties of rice to make them resistant to virulent pests...

Livelihoods and Diversity Directions Explored by Research (LADDER)

Mon, 16 Jan 2006 01:00:00 GMT

by Frank Ellis, Overseas Development Group

R4D Growth

Oral iron supplementation for preventing or treating anaemia among children in malaria-endemic areas

Poverty and growth in remote villages in Tanzania (2004-2008): insights from Village Voices film research. CPRC Working Paper No. 153.

Quantitative trait loci for root morphology traits under aluminum stress in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Registration of California Blackeye 50 Cowpea

The large-effect drought-resistance QTL qtl12.1 increases water uptake in upland rice

Orchestration of transpiration, growth and carbohydrate dynamics in rice during a dry-down cycle

Development of a seed DNA-based genotyping system for marker-assisted selection in maize.

New Crosscutting Disability with Poverty Research Programme

Nobel Prize decision highlights significance of institutions

Relationship between carbon isotope discrimination and grain yield in spring wheat under different water regimes and under saline conditions in the Ningxia Province (North-west China).

Relationship between carbon isotope discrimination and grain yield in spring wheat cultivated under different water regimes.

Development Research Centre for the Future State (Research Scheme R8490) Annual Report 1 July 2008  30 June 2009

DFID plans new Research Programme Consortia on Effective and Fragile States, and Taxation

This is Open Access Week

Hunger and gender inequality go hand-in-hand

Global Development Awards and Medals Competition 2009. Deadline Extended

Knowledge for Change Programme - Phase 2 (KCP 2)

Domestic Resource Mobilisation North-South Institute (Phase 2) (DRM)

Rewarding Achievements in International Development

Call for papers: Rethinking African Economic Policy in light of the global economic and financial crisis Conference

DFID releases a new project database

Communications vacancies at DFID

Encouraging growth in Africa's seed industry

United Nations University - World Institute for Development Economics Research, (UNU-WIDER): Developing Country Scholars and Policy Makers

Rural Financial Services Feasibility Study

DFID contribution to the UNDP/UNCHS/multi-donor urban management programme Phase 4

Influence of international social, health and environmental policy objectives and trade agreements on the livelihoods of livestock-dependent people in developing countries.(SHE-LEAD)

Study on trade facilitation from developing countries' perspective: concerns, options and way forward

Rural, economic and enterprise development (REED) - a framework

Achieving pro-poor growth through agriculture: Consortium

Knowledge for Change Programme - Phase 1 (KCP 1)

Trade case studies

"Clean Genes" Open the Door to New Pest-Resistant Rice

Livelihoods and Diversity Directions Explored by Research (LADDER)

Registration of California Blackeye 50 Cowpea

Development Research Centre for the Future State (Research Scheme R8490) Annual Report 1 July 2008 30 June 2009