VoxDev Development Economics

With record levels of armed conflict around the world in recent years, the study of conflict has gone from being a niche corner of economics into a thriving discipline that learns from, and interacts with, development economics. Rigorous empirical research on conflict is, however, relatively recent.  The Reducing Conflict and Improving Performance in the Economy (ReCIPE) programme aims to provide a better understanding of the links between conflicts, economic growth, and public policies. this week we speak to Dominic Rohner (Geneva Graduate Institute), the Research Director of the programme, and Oliver Vanden Eynde (Paris School of Economics), the Head of Engagement about their new research that attempts to link the attributes of countries to the types of conflict they experience, how economic methods can advance our knowledge of conflict and the policies to reduce it, and what the work of ReCIPE can do to influence policy around conflict and development. 

Johan Swinnen, Director General of IFPRI, and Purnima Menon, Senior Research Fellow, delve into pressing food policy issues. They discuss the evolution of global food security, highlighting successes and setbacks over the past 50 years. The impact of climate change on food systems and the importance of resilience are explored, especially for marginalized groups. Urbanization's effects on food access, particularly for the urban poor, are examined. They also address the manipulation of food access in conflict zones and stress the need for innovative solutions and equity in food value chains.

What happens from the moment goods are manufactured or harvested, until they are bought by consumers? As we know from experience, most of the things we consume reach us having been bought and sold, sometimes many times, by intermediaries – most of us don’t order a phone from the factory. Many interventions designed to increase the welfare of consumers in developing economies are designed to shorten these supply chains by cutting out those traders in the middle. But what happens when you do that in the real world?  Meredith Startz of Dartmouth College tells Tim Phillips why the story of what intermediaries deliver, and even their effect on the prices consumers pay, is more nuanced than our economic models often suggest. 

Like all of us, healthcare providers bring their biases to work. But if those biases result in a reduced level of care for their patients, how can we correct them?  An innovative experiment in three very different countries attempted to reduce bias in contraceptive care for women. Zachary Wagner of USC and Manisha Shah of UC Berkeley were two of a multidisciplinary team that implemented program and evaluated the results. They talk to Tim Phillips about how biases shape contraceptive care, the methods that can help us to understand why they arise, and the challenges of creating a program that can work in different cultural and religious settings. 

In the second of our two podcasts with Francis Annan of UC Berkeley on his research on mobile money first in Ghana, then beyond, Tim Phillips discusses how he worked with commercial providers, not just to set up the RCTs designed to investigate the extent and reduce financial fraud, but to ensure that the insights could be scaled up.  While contacting sceptical commercial providers can often meet with little or no response, he says, the ability to frame research in a way that makes them realise the commercial value as well as the social value can get, and keep, their attention – and lead to a long-run partnership that achieves more than working independently or through regulators. 

In this insightful discussion, Francis Annan, a researcher from Berkeley, shares his extensive studies on mobile money in rural Ghana. He delves into the innovative ways to minimize fraud and protect consumers in low-trust environments. Topics include the role of 'human ATMs' in underserved areas, strategies for reducing cheating through information transparency, and the impact of monopolistic practices on consumer trust. Annan also highlights the gender dynamics in financial services, showcasing the challenges faced by female consumers and vendors.

Stigma, shame and social norms around menstruation can prevent women and girls managing their periods with dignity and hygiene in low-income settings. So how can we provide information, influence those norms, and change behaviour to improve women’s health and well-being? Silvia Castro of LMU Munich and Kristina Czura of University of Groningen have conducted extensive field research in Bangladesh and other countries.  They tell Tim Phillips how we can reduce the stigma and taboo around menstruation and give women and girls the information they need at home, at school, and at work.  Read about Silvia’s work on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/health/breaking-silence-advancing-health-technology-adoption-through-open-discourse

Amber Peterman, a UNICEF staff member and edutainment advocate, discusses the transformative power of storytelling in reducing violence against women and children. She shares insights from her recent review that highlights how engaging narratives can challenge harmful practices like FGM and child marriage. Peterman explores successful interventions in countries like Vietnam and Senegal, demonstrating edutainment's potential to shift community norms and promote pro-social behavior. The conversation reveals both the effectiveness and challenges of utilizing entertainment as a tool for social change.

Cátia Batista, a Professor at Nova School of Business and Economics, and Caroline Theoharides, an Assistant Professor at Amherst College, challenge the traditional view of migration. They explore how skilled emigration might lead to 'brain gain' for home countries through investments in education and remittances. The discussion highlights the transformative role of diaspora networks in boosting economies, the impact of return migration, and the policies needed to harness these benefits. Their insights reshape our understanding of the effects of talent migration.

Lucas Conwell, a UCL researcher focused on urban transit in developing countries, shares insights on Cape Town's public minibus networks. He highlights how these chaotic systems can be optimized with minimal policy tweaks. By mapping passenger experiences, Lucas reveals the potential for reduced wait times and enhanced security. He discusses the unique role of privatized shared transit in connecting urban centers with suburbs, as well as the challenges commuters face. Overall, small interventions could significantly improve the efficiency and safety of minibuses.