VoxDev Development Economics

Asif Saleh, executive director of BRAC, discusses the impact of climate change in Bangladesh, highlighting adaptation strategies for vulnerable communities. The podcast explores the urgency of supporting developing countries, the importance of tailored crisis response programs, the crucial role of climate finance, and the challenges in allocating government resources for climate policy.

Researcher Eva Vivalt and expert Tim Phillips discuss how policymakers interpret evidence, focusing on biases like confirmation bias. They explore the importance of balancing local knowledge with formal evidence for better policymaking decisions, emphasizing tailored presentation of evidence for policymakers. The conversation highlights the significance of collaboration between researchers and policymakers in translating research findings into actionable policies.

Expert Oyebola Okunogbe discusses innovative tax collection methods in LMICs. Topics include challenges in tax-to-GDP ratios, improving tax capacity, leveraging technology for efficiency, government motivations, global tax innovations, and the optimism and challenges in tax collection for developing economies.

Inequality is high in many LMICs, and progressive taxation is a policy tool that would reduce it. But would a personal income tax or a consumption tax redistribute in the same way as in a high-income country? Lucie Gadenne of Queen Mary University of London and the IFS tells Tim Phillips that one of these taxes may be less progressive, and one may be more progressive, than we expect.

Economic development expert Penny Goldberg discusses the shift towards economic nationalism in global development. They explore the need for policies to address domestic demand and building a middle class for sustainable growth. Topics include the impact of trade dynamics, strategies for wealth redistribution, and challenges faced by policymakers in developing nations.

Chris Udry, editor of Agricultural Technology in Africa, discusses the stagnation in African agriculture and its impact on living standards. They explore the role of technology, property rights, and private sector collaboration in enhancing productivity and uplifting smallholder farmers.

Adrienne Lucas discusses scaling educational interventions in Ghana to improve learning outcomes, comparing small- and large-scale trials. Lessons from India inspire interventions like smaller class sizes and after-school programs in 500 schools. Challenges of implementation and the importance of quality for successful interventions are highlighted, emphasizing the need for differentiated teaching and post-COVID-19 educational resilience.

Justice Tei Mensah from The World Bank discusses the impact of electricity shortages on employment in Africa. They delve into the consequences on firm productivity, profits, and job prospects. The urgency for policy action and infrastructure investments to address the issue is emphasized.

Robert Jenkins, UNICEF representative, discusses progress in tackling the global learning crisis. They explore disparities in education, digital learning for marginalized children, greening education for climate disruptions, securing funding for education, and reflecting on COVID-19's impact on global education.

What determines how a war is fought, and who chooses to fight it? Eleonora Guarnieri of the University of Exeter talks to Tim Phillips about how cultural distance influences whether, and how, sexual violence is used as a weapon of war – and its role in civil conflict in Africa.