World Development Perspectives最新文献

{"title":"Towards community-driven rural development: Path of women group in empowering rural Women’s capacities and role in rural development","authors":"Adzani Ameridyani ,&nbsp;Minori Tokito ,&nbsp;Izuru Saizen","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100700","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100700","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The increase in rural-development issues demand a shift from a highly centralised to a more decentralised development strategy. The Indonesian government has been implementing programs and policies to promote community-driven development that encourages participatory decision-making processes among marginalised groups, including rural women, at the local level. Whereas the Indonesian government has implemented several policies and programs aimed at promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment, gender-mainstreaming strategies remain inadequately implemented at the local level, particularly in rural communities. Consequently, most women’s participation is limited to instrumental purposes only. This empirical study investigates the role, challenges, and strategy of women groups in decentralising rural development based on an actual case of women’s group formation in Kampung Areng, West Java, Indonesia, known as Kelompok Karya Ibu (KKI). To address the degrading environmental conditions of their village, KKI aims to improve the cattle waste-treatment system using biogas slurry for vermicompost production. KKI’s vermicompost production promotes zero-waste biogas, generates secondary income from vermicompost communal sales, and improves the community social network. Findings from social-network analysis indicate that the KKI’s collective effort not only enhances the socioeconomic status of the members but also contributes to the village’s overall socioeconomic development. KKI’s high betweenness centrality positions it as an intermediary that connects other nodes in Kampung Areng’s social network. KKI bridges relations between local and external actors, thus enabling knowledge and capital distribution from external actors to the Kampung Areng community, and vice versa. Results from ego-network analysis bolstered confidence in KKI’s role in bridging and circulating resources among local and external actors participating in Kampung Areng’s community-based cattle-farming waste management. Based on the case of KKI, our study reinforces previous evidence suggesting the significance of strong bonding in rural-community capacity building, particularly in amplifying the implementation and deliverability of the local initiative. Extending prior research, we discovered that the experience and knowledge obtained from local initiatives, which are bolstered through initial strong community bonding, foster mutual knowledge sharing with external actors, thus resulting in the bridging and linking of social capital. These findings are significant to policymakers, nongovernmental organisations, and other stakeholders involved in promoting rural development and women’s empowerment in rural communities. They highlight the necessity for concerted efforts to promote the participation of rural women in the development and planning process through policies that account for their unique demands and challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"39 ","pages":"Article 100700"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144366361","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Colonial education disparity, contemporary institutions, and long-run economic performance","authors":"Yeti Nisha Madhoo,&nbsp;Shyam Nath","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100697","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100697","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We posit that colonial education disparity (relative to colonizer nations) at independence, reflecting dominant exploitative motives of colonists and initial drawback due to colonial illiteracy policy, to be exogenous determinant of long-run quality of institutions. A novel weighted colonial education disparity (CED) index is constructed capturing <em>early</em> versus <em>late</em> demise of colonialism, and the difference between uneducated population in a formerly <em>colonized</em> country at independence versus that in <em>colonizer</em> nations. Cross-country results suggest that CED impacts economic development via institutional quality channel. Robust OLS and 2SLS findings show that colonial education disparity directly harms long-run institutional quality whereas settler mortality rate works indirectly through the CED channel. The new historic CED index seems to be a plausible instrument for institutional measures. Additional results support the direct role of geography and the disease environment in shaping development outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"39 ","pages":"Article 100697"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144314306","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Traders and agri-food value chain resilience: the case of maize in Myanmar","authors":"Joseph Goeb ,&nbsp;Cho Cho San ,&nbsp;Ben Belton ,&nbsp;Nang Lun Kham Synt ,&nbsp;Nilar Aung ,&nbsp;Mywish Maredia ,&nbsp;Bart Minten","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100699","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100699","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Myanmar has experienced a sequence of severe crises beginning in 2019 including the unexpected closure of a principal trade route, COVID-19 lockdowns and travel restrictions, and a military coup leading to years of disruptions in the banking and transport sectors, inflation, and conflict. Despite these cascading shocks Myanmar’s maize sector experienced robust growth in production and exports. This paper examines the key factors underlying this apparent paradox. Our findings contribute to the small but growing literatures on agri-food value chain (AVC) resilience and adaptation by traders – an area of increasing interest from policymakers and development partners due to its important implications for food security and welfare. Using data from several sources, including rare panel data sets of traders and farmers and key informant interviews, we show that crop traders were central to the resilience of Myanmar’s maize value chain during this turbulent period. High global maize prices incentivized traders to adapt and continue trading despite the risks and disruptions, allowing them to perform three critical functions contributing to resilience: (i) market discovery when primary trade routes were closed; (ii) overcoming transportation disruptions and bank closures to move maize from the farmgate to local and export markets; (iii) maintaining flows of credit to farmers throughout the crises in the form of selling inputs on credit and direct cash lending, injecting much needed liquidity amid disruptions in the banking sector and rising input prices. These findings highlight how trader-driven adaptations, supported by favorable prices and returns, sustained the sector’s growth through profound economic and political uncertainty.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"39 ","pages":"Article 100699"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144320928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The dynamics of crop diversity and seed use in the context of recurrent climate shocks and poverty: Seasonal panel data evidence from rural Uganda","authors":"Clifton Makate ,&nbsp;Arild Angelsen ,&nbsp;Teshome Hunduma Mulesa ,&nbsp;Ola Tveitereid Westengen","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100698","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100698","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change and variability impact smallholders’ use of seeds from different sources. Empirical studies of smallholders’ use of crop diversity and seed provide essential evidence for the continued adaptation of seed policies to changing climatic conditions. We address two key questions: (i) How do smallholders in Uganda use off-farm seed sourcing and crop diversity in response to climate shocks and variability? and (ii) How do differences in socioeconomic status influence smallholders’ crop diversity and seed use? We analyze household seasonal panel data from the Uganda National Panel Survey, complemented by high-resolution climate data. Smallholder farmers maintain high crop diversity. About half of the farmers purchase part of the seeds used, and more farmers buy local than improved varieties. Fewer than 5% of farmers buy certified seed, and the purchase of Quality Declared Seed is at about the same level. Exposure to less-than-normal rainfall over the previous five years is associated with higher crop diversification, more seed purchases, and more farm-saving of seeds. Farmers experiencing long-term rainfall variability increase seed purchasing, particularly of improved varieties, and reduce seed saving. These findings suggest that crop diversity, variety type, and seed source are integral to farmers’ strategies for coping with and adapting to climate shocks. Wealthier farmers are more likely to diversify and increase off-farm seed purchases in response to drought shocks, highlighting unequal access to these adaptation strategies. Realizing the adaptation potential in crop diversity and seeds will require policy coherence and concomitant implementation of social protection programs with seed system interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"39 ","pages":"Article 100698"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144314305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Measuring poverty in Tanzania: Comparison of diary and recall approaches to food consumption data collection","authors":"Akuffo Amankwah ,&nbsp;Darcey Jeanne Genou Johnson ,&nbsp;Josephine Ofori Adofo ,&nbsp;Maryam Gul ,&nbsp;Amparo Palacios-Lopez","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100696","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100696","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Consumption data from household surveys continue to be the main source for poverty and inequality statistics in low- and middle-income countries. Although recent research has demonstrated that the choice of diary- versus recall-based methods for food consumption data collection can directly impact poverty measurement, the available evidence stems largely from small-scale, subnational survey experiments. This study uses data from a nationally representative randomized survey experiment in Tanzania to provide a comparative assessment of how household consumption and poverty measures may be impacted by relying on a 14-day food consumption diary versus two variants of a 7-day recall-based food consumption data collection. Both descriptive and regression analytical approaches were employed. The results reveal significant differences in food consumption expenditures across the diary and recall arms, and these differences result in some variations in total consumption expenditures as well. The results show further that while the diary method captures more diversity in food consumption items, the overall food consumption expenditure appears significantly lower than in the recall arms, even at different percentiles. Despite these disparities, the paper finds little statistically significant difference in poverty headcount between the diary and recall arms, even at different thresholds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"39 ","pages":"Article 100696"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144279900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Towards an ‘Ethics of Evidence’: Unsettling knowledge inequalities in urban development practice","authors":"Stephanie Butcher ,&nbsp;Kazi Nazrul Fattah ,&nbsp;Jennifer Dam ,&nbsp;Rewa Marathe","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100689","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100689","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Globally, ‘evidence-based’ approaches within urban development policy and planning are on the rise. However, terms such as data, evidence, research, information, and knowledge are often used interchangeably, which can obscure epistemological differences on the understandings of <em>knowledge.</em> Taking cues from Southern scholars, this article unpacks the epistemological underpinnings which shape how knowledge—and therefore evidence—are understood. To do so, this article focuses on three concepts which have a strong influence on global evidence discourse: objectivity, rigour, and value for money, unsettling their rationalities and manifestations in contemporary urban development practice. This paper argues that the turn towards evidence—while fundamental to addressing global challenges—also embodies many of the characteristics of a ‘boundary concept’, with sufficient interpretive flexibility to foster collaboration across a range of diverse stakeholders, but with risks attached to its conceptual fuzziness. This article concludes by calling for an ‘ethics of evidence’, which challenges the uneven geographies of knowledge, and draws out the implications for an approach to evidence which engages with how urban developmental challenges are understood, measured, and managed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100689"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144240942","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Local tourism as financial and economic development driver of the community: Management aspect","authors":"Nadiya Bakalo ,&nbsp;Viktoriia Makhovka ,&nbsp;Iryna Krekoten ,&nbsp;Alla Glebova ,&nbsp;Svitlana Kulakova","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100693","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100693","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The study aims to analyse the role of local tourism in strengthening the financial and economic potential of the community through the optimisation of management processes and implementation of sustainable development strategies. The research methodology included an analysis of various areas of tourism, such as cultural, ecological, gastronomic, event and medical, which affect the development of the local economy, support small and medium-sized businesses and contribute to the creation of new jobs. The study is based on the analysis of local tourism in the Poltava region, which has a rich historical and cultural potential and significant natural resources. The results showed that local tourism significantly stimulates the development of the regional economy by increasing revenues to local budgets and supporting entrepreneurs. At the same time, it promotes the preservation of cultural heritage and natural resources, ensuring responsible use in the context of sustainable development. An important part of local tourism is cultural exchange, which deepens the interaction between tourists and local communities, promoting mutual understanding and preserving national identity. The impact of COVID-19 on the growth of interest in domestic tourism, as well as the impact of the war in Ukraine on the tourism industry, was highlighted. The war has created significant challenges, such as a decline in tourist flows due to security threats and the destruction of infrastructure. However, the role of domestic tourism, and volunteer and patriotic initiatives is growing, contributing to the economic support of local communities. Rebuilding infrastructure and developing new tourism products after the war will be essential for regional economic recovery and social stability. The study highlights the importance of cooperation between the state, business and local communities to ensure sustainable tourism development in the post-war period.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100693"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144147266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Road connectivity and contraceptive choices: Empirical evidence from rural India","authors":"Reshmi Sengupta ,&nbsp;Debasis Rooj","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100690","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100690","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, we examine the role of rural roads construction in India in influencing women’s use of modern contraceptives. We show that improved road access at the district level leads to increased use of modern contraceptive methods among women living in rural areas. Furthermore, the study reveals a shift in family planning practices from short-acting reversible methods to long-acting reversible methods following infrastructure improvements. Additionally, the results indicate a significant increase in female sterilization due to enhanced accessibility. We observe distinct variations in the use of modern contraceptives among women with higher education, those in high-wealth households, and across different religious and caste groups. Moreover, our study identifies several channels through which rural roads influence these family planning practices. We show that local road improvements enhance women’s year-round employment opportunities, financial autonomy, and decision-making power within households, enabling more informed contraceptive choices. Moreover, last-mile road connectivity reduces the concern about distance as a barrier to accessing healthcare. Additionally, improved local roads increase access to modern contraceptives through private health facilities. Our findings suggest that rural road infrastructure can significantly influence family planning practices among women, shaping their reproductive health choices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100690"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144147054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"What do communities feel about community-driven development? Learning from investigations in rural Malawi","authors":"Anirudh Krishna ,&nbsp;Daimon Kambewa ,&nbsp;Frank Tchuwa ,&nbsp;Frank Kasonga ,&nbsp;Patrick Higdon","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100692","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100692","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Calls for bottom-up or community-driven development initiatives have been justified on the grounds that, compared to outsiders, rural communities are in better positions to determine their own priorities, utilize resources effectively, and underwrite benefits sustainably. But are communities in poorer parts of the world able and willing to take on these responsibilities? Or is the project an outsider’s aspiration? We, a mixed team of scholars and practitioners, inquire about these questions within nine rural Malawi communities, finding that community leaders share sophisticated understandings of what community-led development entails, and they consider it the only viable mode of local development – “orphan projects” result when outsiders manage local development. Communities aspire to become self-developing communities by building stronger local institutions and gaining technical and managerial capacities. Commonly, community groups asked for outside assistance to help with capacity building, including the capacity for evaluation and self-assessment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100692"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144116354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Perception and factors affecting farmers’ adoption of smart agriculture in Vietnam: Implications for extension strategies","authors":"Duc Thanh Tran ,&nbsp;My Thi Dieu Duong ,&nbsp;Hung Gia Hoang","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100691","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100691","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research is designed to look at vegetable and crop farmers’ perception of smart agriculture and factors that influence farmers’ decision to adopt smart agriculture in Vietnam. The questionnaire was developed to randomly survey 211 vegetable and crop households from a total population of 477 vegetable and crop farming households. Data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. It was found that vegetable and crop farmers who frequently communicate with agronomists/researchers were in a better position to adopt smart agricultural technologies including soil georeferenced sampling, auto pilot spraying, management software and application of variable-rate fertilizers and correctives than those who did not communicate with these people. Vegetable and crop farmers who often communicate with extension workers tend to be users of auto pilot spraying and application of variable-rate fertilizers and correctives. Younger vegetable and crop farmers who had higher levels of education are in a greater position to adopt soil georeferenced sampling, auto pilot spraying, management software and application of variable-rate fertilizers and correctives than older vegetable and crop farmers who had lower levels of education. Vegetable and crop farmers who engaged in rural credit/training programmes are better soil georeferenced sampling users than those who did not engage in these development programmes. Developing and promoting a new agricultural extension model that bases on high-quality farmer and scientist interaction and considers demographic and socio-economic characteristics of farmers is a suitable agricultural education and extension strategy, which can facilitate farmers’ adoption of smart agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100691"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144090163","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}