Governance and net-import dependency on food and agricultural products in Sub-Saharan Africa: does any causality exist?

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-104
Author(s):  
Esther Nyambura Mwangi ◽  
Fuzhong Chen ◽  
Daniel Njoroge
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Agricultural Products ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Development Agenda ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Governance Index ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Government ◽  
Ssa Countries

Though most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are agricultural-based, the region is a net importer of food and agricultural products and experiences the highest level of food insecurity globally. The government have a joint goal of achieving a favourable balance of trade and food security; hence this study examines the causal relationship between quality of governance and net-import dependency on food and agricultural products for 25 SSA countries during the period 1995-2015. Principal component analysis is employed to develop a governance index based on the six worldwide governance indicators and a multivariate panel vector error correction framework applied to infer causality in the short and long run. The results reveal that a higher governance index is correlated with a lower net-import dependency ratio and the relationship is statistically significant. Evidence of unidirectional causality running from governance to net-import dependency is reported in 14 SSA countries, mainly in the long run. In conclusion, improving governance quality could support reduced food and agricultural net-import dependency through promoting agriculture production, exports and consequently reduced trade deficits in the long run. Hence, governance reforms in the region should be placed at the heart of the agricultural development agenda.

Policy analysis of Korea’s development cooperation with sub-Saharan Africa: a focus on fragile states

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (0) ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Huck-ju Kwon ◽  
Suyeon Lee ◽  
Ye Eun Ha
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
New Deal ◽  
Development Cooperation ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Fragile States ◽  
Development Agenda ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Government ◽  
The New Deal ◽  
Ssa Countries

It has been ten years since the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States was endorsed by the global community. The government of South Korea set out development initiatives to put fragile states at the top of its development agenda and substantially increased its bilateral aid to them. This study analyses the policy orientations of South Korea’s aid to fragile states by exploring the determinants of Korea’s official development assistance to forty-eight sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries over the period 2010-2019 with reference to the top ten OECD donors to SSA countries as a group. The study found that South Korea does not give special consideration to the needs of fragile states. Unfortunately, this result is not only for South Korea but for the top ten OECD donors as well. While South Korea’s aid has been responsive to post-natural disaster displacement in SSA countries, the overall results indicate that donors in general have failed to embrace their commitment to state-building and peacebuilding in the New Deal for Fragile States and the 2030 Agenda. Given that pursuing ‘development and peace’ is a collective and enduring process with shared obligations and responsibilities across countries, donors shall prioritise development efforts on countries that need most assistance.

The nexus between economic institutions and unemployment: evidence from sub-Saharan Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullahi Abdulhakeem Kilishi ◽  
Hammed Adesola Adebowale ◽  
Sodiq Abiodun Oladipupo
Keyword(s):  
Panel Data ◽  
Private Investment ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Economic Institutions ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Ssa Countries

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the nexus between economic institutions (EI) and unemployment in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Specifically, the paper examines the impact of aggregate EI and ten different components of institutions on total, male and female unemployment in SSA. Design/methodology/approach The paper used unbalanced panel data of 37 SSA countries covering the period between 1995 and 2018. A dynamic heterogenous panel data model is specified for the study. Two alternative estimation techniques of dynamic fixed effect and pool mean group methods were used to estimate the models. The choice of appropriate method is based on Hausman specification test. Findings The findings reveal that aggregate EI and institutions related to the monetary system, trade flows, government spending and fiscal process significantly lead to less unemployment in the long-run. However, there is no evidence of a significant relationship between EI and unemployment in the short-run. These findings are consistent for total, male and female unemployment, respectively. Practical implications To reduce unemployment significantly in the long run, policymakers in SSA need to build more market-friendly institutions that will incentivize private investment, allow free movement of labour and goods, as well as guarantee a stable macroeconomic environment and efficient fiscal system. Originality/value Most of the existing studies focused on the influence of labour market institutions on unemployment ignoring the effects of other forms of institutions. While available studies on the link between institutions and unemployment used either OECD or other developed countries sample, with scanty evidence from Africa. However, the effects of EI could vary across regions. Thus, generalizing the findings from developed countries for SSA countries and other developing countries may be misleading. Hence, this paper contributes to the existing literature by examining the nexus between different types of EI and unemployment using the SSA sample.

scholarly journals Skills Training in the Informal Sector: Perspectives from Ghana

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvonne Ayerki Lamptey ◽  
Yaw A. Debrah
Keyword(s):  
Informal Sector ◽  
Youth Unemployment ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Informal Workers ◽  
Entrepreneurial Skills ◽  
Development Agenda ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Government ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities

Youth unemployment is a major concern in sub-Saharan Africa. Unemployment usually results from the lack of appropriate skills to enter the labour market. In Ghana, many enter the informal sector to train for a vocation, but the problem with acquiring skills in the informal sector is that the training is usually informal and unstructured. This article explores the modes of training in the informal sector to find out how the skills provided aid the employability of these workers. It provides empirical evidence to anchor policies on education and institutional policy prescriptions towards effectively equipping the youth with both employable and entrepreneurial skills that promote economic growth in the country. This research adopts a qualitative approach to explore training in the informal sector, and follows the grounded theory process to collect and analyse data. In all, 26 respondents were sampled using the purposive and convenience methods. The findings indicate that training designed for informal workers is not linked to the development agenda of the state, and the institutions are challenged in the execution of their mandates. Some beneficiaries are unable to implement their learning for lack of start-up capital, and they divert to other entrepreneurial activities as a survival strategy. The government needs to plan for the development of entrepreneurial skills in the informal sector, to extend the coverage of this development and to support the industrialisation agenda.

scholarly journals Clusters of sub-Saharan African countries based on sociobehavioural characteristics and associated HIV incidence

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aziza Merzouki ◽  
Janne Estill ◽  
Erol Orel ◽  
Kali Tal ◽  
Olivia Keiser
Keyword(s):  
National Level ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Demographic And Health Surveys ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Hiv Incidence ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Aggregated Data ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Ssa Countries

AbstractIntroductionHIV incidence varies widely between sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. This variation coincides with a substantial sociobehavioural heterogeneity, which complicates the design of effective interventions. In this study, we investigated how sociobehavioural heterogeneity in sub-Saharan Africa could account for the variance of HIV incidence between countries.MethodsWe analysed aggregated data, at the national-level, from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys of 29 SSA countries [2010-2017], which included 594’644 persons (183’310 men and 411’334 women). We preselected 48 demographic, socio-economic, behavioural and HIV-related attributes to describe each country. We used Principal Component Analysis to visualize sociobehavioural similarity between countries, and to identify the variables that accounted for most sociobehavioural variance in SSA. We used hierarchical clustering to identify groups of countries with similar sociobehavioural profiles, and we compared the distribution of HIV incidence (estimates from UNAIDS) and sociobehavioural variables within each cluster.ResultsThe most important characteristics, which explained 69% of sociobehavioural variance across SSA among the variables we assessed were: religion; male circumcision; number of sexual partners; literacy; uptake of HIV testing; women’s empowerment; accepting attitude toward people living with HIV/AIDS; rurality; ART coverage; and, knowledge about AIDS. Our model revealed three groups of countries, each with characteristic sociobehavioural profiles. HIV incidence was mostly similar within each cluster and different between clusters (median(IQR); 0.5/1000(0.6/1000), 1.8/1000(1.3/1000) and 5.0/1000(4.2/1000)).

DOES REMITTANCE INFLOW PROMOTE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA? AN EMPIRICAL INSIGHT

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
MALAYARANJAN SAHOO ◽  
NARAYAN SETHI
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Human Capital ◽  
Human Development ◽  
Financial Development ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Cointegration Tests ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Ssa Countries

This paper examines the relationship between human development, remittances and other macroeconomic variables like life expectancy, human capital, FDI, inflation, economic growth and financial development by considering 31 Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries during the period of 1990–2018. Kao and Fisher residual cointegration tests are applied to check the cointegration among the variables in the long-run. We apply fully modified OLS (FMOLS) and DOLS to show the long-run elasticity of explanatory variables on dependent variable. The result indicates that remittances have a positive and statistically significant effects on human development in SSA region. Similarly, government expenditure, human capital, inflation and economic growth have positive effects on human development in the region. Dumitrescu–Hurlin panel granger causality tests were observed such that there is a unidirectional causality between remittance and human development in SSA countries. However, human development and inflation rate show bi-directional relationship with each other. This paper suggests that public policies can be conceived to promote health, education and income, thereby encouraging and enhancing human development. Policymakers should also rely on other macroeconomic factors, such as government spending and financial development, to stimulate human development in SSA region.

scholarly journals The impacts of governance on Environmental Pollution in some countries of Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa: The Evidence from panel Quantile Regression and Causality

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melike Bildirici
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Quantile Regression ◽  
Environmental Pollution ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Panel Quantile Regression ◽  
Governance Index ◽  
Government Bureaucracy ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Two Parameters

Abstract In some countries of the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa, it was studied the impacts of governance and FDI on environmental pollution over the period of 1996–2018 by the Panel Quantile and Granger causality methods. The countries were selected by considering two different measurements, EPI (2020) and governance index (2020). Accordingly EPI(2020), these countries have low scores in terms of environmental quality and in governance index(2020), they have bad governance scores because of inefficient regulatory structures, government bureaucracy, weak law enforcement, etc. Panel Quantile regression revealed the evidence of the long-run relation among the environmental pollution, the governance and FDI. Accordingly Quantile regression results, governance has the greatest positive effect on CO2 emission. Both traditional and Dumitrescu-Hurlin (DH) causality methods found the evidence of causality among governance and environmental pollution in the context of two parameters of governance, as the evidences of unidirectional causal nexus from political governance and FDI to environmental pollution and from economic governance, and FDI to environmental pollution.

scholarly journals Long-run Spatial and Temporal Yield Variability Analysis of Three Major Crops Affected by Fertilizer Use and Rainfall in Ethiopia over the Past 15 Years (2004/05–2018/19)

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Mulugeta Demiss ◽  
Joaquin Sanabira ◽  
Upendra Singh
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Patterns ◽  
Fertilizer Use ◽  
The Past ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Government

Ethiopia is one of the major producers of maize and wheat and the only producer of teff at a larger scale for grain in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Various efforts have been made by the government of Ethiopia to increase productivity over the past 15 years. Here we analyze a dataset with more than 1,260 yield observations from 2004/05 to 2018/19 for three crops (teff, maize, and wheat) in the 28 zones of the two major cereal-growing regions of the country. These two regions, Amhara, and Oromia represent around 81% of cropped area, 75% of fertilizer use, and 82% of cereal production of Ethiopia annually. Zonal level crop production data were used to analyze spatial and temporal patterns of teff, wheat, and maize yield. Zones were categorized as wet and dry based on annual rainfall. We dissect the evolution of yield trends over time and space, analyze yield variation, and evaluate whether growth of yields has increased, decreased, or stalled in recent years. We found that productivity of teff, wheat, and maize continued to increase from 0.95 to 1.76 metric tons per hectare (mt ha -1), 1.56 to 2.76 mt ha -1, and 1.72 to 4.0 mt ha -1 respectively, between 2004/05 and 2018/19. There was an average annual increase of 5%–8% during this time. The data also show a strong correlation of yield with rainfall and fertilizer use patterns; therefore, we recommend that the fertilizer advisory service should also make use of the rainfall conditions of the different locations to fine-tune fertilizer recommendations.

scholarly journals A Review of Energy Communities in Sub-Saharan Africa as a Transition Pathway to Energy Democracy

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 2128
Author(s):  
Amollo Ambole ◽  
Kweku Koranteng ◽  
Peris Njoroge ◽  
Douglas Logedi Luhangala
Keyword(s):  
Stakeholder Engagement ◽  
Energy Systems ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Energy Access ◽  
Energy Projects ◽  
Global North ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Energy Justice ◽  
Design Proposal ◽  
Ssa Countries

Energy communities have received considerable attention in the Global North, especially in Europe, due to their potential for achieving sustainable energy transitions. In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), energy communities have received less attention partly due to the nascent energy systems in many emerging SSA states. In this paper, we argue that these nascent energy systems offer an opportunity to co-create energy communities that can tackle the energy access challenges faced by most SSA countries. To understand how such energy communities are realised in the sub-region, we undertake a systematic review of research on energy communities in 46 SSA countries. Our findings show that only a few energy projects exhibit the conventional characteristics of energy communities; In most of these projects, local communities are inadequately resourced to institute and manage their own projects. We thus look to stakeholder engagement approaches to propose co-design as a strategy for strengthening energy communities in SSA. We further embed our co-design proposal in energy democracy thinking to argue that energy communities can be a pathway towards equity and energy justice in SSA. We conclude that energy communities can indeed contribute to improving energy access in Africa, but they need an enabling policy environment to foster their growth and sustainability.

scholarly journals Implications of Governance, Natural Resources, and Security Threats on Economic Development: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 6236
Author(s):  
Husam Rjoub ◽  
Chuka Uzoma Ifediora ◽  
Jamiu Adetola Odugbesan ◽  
Benneth Chiemelie Iloka ◽  
João Xavier Rita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Causal Effect ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Security Threats ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Short Run ◽  
Sub Saharan

Sub-Saharan African countries are known to be bedeviled with some challenges hindering the economic development. Meanwhile, some of these issues have not been exhaustively investigated in the context of the region. Thus, this study aimed at investigating the implications of government effectiveness, availability of natural resources, and security threats on the regions’ economic development. Yearly data, spanning from 2007 to 2020, was converted from low frequency (yearly) to high frequency (quarterly) and utilized. Data analysis was conducted using Dynamic heterogeneous panel level estimators (PMG and CS-ARDL). Findings show that while PMG estimator confirms a long-run causal effect of governance, natural resources, and security threats on economic development, only natural resources show a short-run causal effect with economic development, while the CS-ARDL (model 2) confirms the significance of all the variables both in the long and short-run. Moreover, the ECT coefficients for both models were found to be statistically significant at less than 1% significance level, which indicates that the systems return back to equilibrium in case of a shock that causes disequilibrium, and in addition, reveals a stable long-run cointegration among the variables in the model. Finally, this study suggests that the policy makers in SSA countries should place more emphasis on improving governance, managing security challenges, and effectively utilizing rents from the natural resources, as all these have severe implications for the economic development of the region if not addressed.

scholarly journals Charcoal and Wood Biomass Utilization in Uganda: The Socioeconomic and Environmental Dynamics and Implications

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (20) ◽  
pp. 8337
Author(s):  
Dastan Bamwesigye ◽  
Petr Kupec ◽  
Georges Chekuimo ◽  
Jindrich Pavlis ◽  
Obed Asamoah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
Fuel Use ◽  
Wood Fuel ◽  
Biomass Utilization ◽  
Qualitative Approaches ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Government

Charcoal and firewood fuel biomass utilization is thought to be the main cause of deforestation in Uganda. Moreover, the practice of utilizing charcoal and wood fuel in Uganda is said to impact the health of many women and children in the region. The goal of this study was to comprehensively analyze charcoal and wood fuel utilization processes in Uganda and sub-Saharan Africa and the environmental and socioeconomic dynamics and implications. The study equally intended to model out some possible improvements to wood fuel use while conserving natural forests. Both qualitative and qualitative approaches were used to study the charcoal and wood fuel energy situation in Uganda. The study collected field data (sample size: 199) which was subjected to descriptive analysis. The findings show that over 90% of households in Uganda and the sub- Saharan region use firewood and charcoal wood fuel, and that this fuel use creates social and environmental hazards. Our findings are also in agreement with numerous empirical studies showing that firewood and charcoal biomass are among the major causes of deforestation in Uganda and the sub-Saharan region. Ceteris paribus, we propose the adoption of Improved Eco-Stoves (ICE), which not only enable comprehensive combustion but also lessen the quantity of firewood used by more than 60%, together with policy decisions on the government of Uganda, given peoples willingness to take on alternative energy sources such as gas and electricity.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document