Microestimates of wealth for all low- and middle-income countries

Many critical policy decisions, from strategic investments to the allocation of humanitarian aid, rely on data about the geographic distribution of wealth and poverty. Yet many poverty maps are out of date or exist only at very coarse levels of granularity. Here we develop microestimates of the relative wealth and poverty of the populated surface of all 135 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) at 2.4 km resolution. The estimates are built by applying machine-learning algorithms to vast and heterogeneous data from satellites, mobile phone networks, and topographic maps, as well as aggregated and deidentified connectivity data from Facebook. We train and calibrate the estimates using nationally representative household survey data from 56 LMICs and then validate their accuracy using four independent sources of household survey data from 18 countries. We also provide confidence intervals for each microestimate to facilitate responsible downstream use. These estimates are provided free for public use in the hope that they enable targeted policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic, provide the foundation for insights into the causes and consequences of economic development and growth, and promote responsible policymaking in support of sustainable development.

Economic Development and Growth Perspectives in Entrepreneurship

In developing countries, entrepreneurship is seen as a phenomenon related to the growth of the economy. Innovative start-ups feed the country's economy and contribute to reducing unemployment. The aim is to identify the voids to understand how entrepreneurs can better serve their country. Therefore, the authors evaluated the concepts of how entrepreneurs can effectively serve developing economies. The role of entrepreneurial factors such as entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial eco-systems in creating entrepreneurial intention is discussed along with the implementation of entrepreneurial learning in multiple disciplines to help reduce innovative obstacles.

Convergence in Green Growth as the Key to Fighting Climate Change, 1990–2019

The consequences of climate change are an important point of contention in the current policy debate on the sustainability of economic development and growth. Climate change contributes to many socio-economic disadvantages and risks. The primary objective of global policy 2050 is to fully understand the negative externalities of environmental change. Goal and methodology: the main goal of the study is to examine convergence to the steady green growth state for a sample of 130 countries from 1990 to 2019. Setting up an efficient and consistent policy to fight climate change demands empirical knowledge on green growth. Using log (t) test methodology, we investigate convergence in green growth indicators for selected samples based on available country data. Findings: our assumptions are: (1) economies are not motivated and eager to foster energy transition; instead, they accept it as a random policy goal and (2) economies want to foster energy transition, but they are limited by a significant trade-off factor pulling their efforts down. Convergence testing shows the existence of two significant convergence clubs, one with countries moving to energy transition and the second still promoting national output based on fossil fuels. The findings indicate future divergence between the two clubs and significant convergence within identified convergence clubs. Conclusions: the energy transition is moving forward at two-tier speed with green leaders and green follower clubs. Policymakers and practitioners must closely monitor the dynamics of green growth to assess the risk and uncertainties of climate change.

Efektivitas Program Baznas Microfinance di Desa Bojong Rangkas Ciampea Bogor

Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are proven to have played a role in economic development and growth, not only in developing countries but in developed countries as well. MSMEs are very important because this business sector absorbs more workers than large businesses. However, there is one problem faced by MSMEs in all countries, namely limited capital, which is mainly due to small or no access to banks or other financial institutions. In this case, zakat distributed to mustahiq will act as a supporter of their economic improvement if allocated to productive activities. The National Amil Zakat Agency (BAZNAS) is a zakat management institution established by the government that distributes zakat funds productively through a program, namely Baznas Microfinance. This study aims to determine how effective the Baznas Microfinance Desa program is in disbursing funds, to find out how effective the Baznas Microfinance Desa program is to improve MSME skills, and to find out what obstacles are faced by BMD Bojong Rangkas. This research is a qualitative research with a qualitative descriptive approach. Data collection techniques using interviews and documentation. Interviews were conducted with Baznas Microfinance in Bojong Rangkas Village. The results of the study show that Baznas Microfinance Desa provides loans only to zakat mustahik whose income is less than the minimum wage and the allocation is only for business. The maximum limit for applying for a loan is Rp. 2.500.000;- After getting a loan, there will also be a mentoring process carried out by BMD such as financial management training, product photos, marketing training, business development. Constraints faced by BMD Bojong Rangkas are the incompatibility of partners with the initial realization, delays in paying installments, and also many mustahik who do not know that in this program there is a business assistance process.

Fulani herdsmen/farmers conflict and the challenges of food security in the middle belt region of Nigeria

The agriculture sector, the backbone of an economy, provides the basic ingredients to mankind and raw material for industrialization. It plays a strategic role in the process of economic development and growth. Leading industrialized countries of today were once predominantly agricultural economies and still dominate in agriculture. The agricultural sector contributes a major proportion of the national income and caters to a large workforce segment. However, one of the biggest security challenges in Nigeria lately is the expanding clashes between farmers and herders. Today, the conflict has spread over several regions in Nigeria and the Middle-Belt-Region specifically. It is against this foundation that this research is carried out to inspect how conflicts between farmers and herders influence food production, food accessibility, food stability, and food usage in the Middle Belt. The study is based on selected secondary sources and findings from the field research conducted in the Middle Belt region such as Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Bauchi, Nasarawa, etc. The qualitative research techniques involved in-depth interviews with local people and direct observation. This study observes that the food insecurity in this region is driven by the constant clash between the farmers and herdsmen, which have inflicted fear of going to cultivate their farmland in the lives of these rural farmers, consequently leading to shortages in food production in the region.

Solutions to Nigerian problems of industrialization and manufacturing

Industrialization is the key for country’s economic development and growth. In African, most of their government refused to fully sponsor or fund MSE’s and industrialization ideologies. Their infrastructural development and economic policies are of very minimal for strong industrial development. Nigeria faces such situation and the government has refused and neglects the industrialization sectors, yet they want to be a developed country. The solution to industrialization is for the Nigerian government is to reform their economic policies, industrial policies, Develop infrastructures, promote MSEs, research and development (R and D). There is also a very significant need for the Nongovernment organizations to aid the Nation to industrialize and promote the manufacturing systems.

Comparison of Concrete and Asphalt in Road Construction - Which is Better?

This Roads plays an important role in economic development and growth, as well as providing significant social benefits. They are critical to a country's growth and development. Furthermore, a road network is critical in the fight against poverty because it provides access to employment, social, health, and education services. Roads connect more people and places, promoting economic and social growth. As a result, road infrastructure is the most valuable of all public properties. Type of roads are being considered when constructing it, whether it is concrete reinforced or asphalt. Different factors are being considered in order to build an economical yet durable highways. This study is focused on comparing two types of roads and which one is best to use in terms of durability, life longevity, maintenance, cost and effect in environment; concrete or asphalt road. This study aims to help the government reduce cost but provide a durable, economical and environmentally friendly road to users.

Impact Of Working Mother To Children’s Health In Indonesia

There are still many challenges facing the field of child health in Indonesia. Children's health is crucial due to its role in Indonesia’s future economic development and growth. The objective of this research is to determine the consequence of a mother’s work status on children's health. Other factors such as the effect of the location of residence (urban and rural) and the level of mother's education are also evaluated on children's health. This study was conducted using data obtained from IFLS 5 (Indonesia Family Life Survey 5) in 2014 with a sample size of 8,907 individuals. This study utilizes the Binary Logit regression method using STATA 14. The results indicated that the status of a mother’s work has a significant and negative effect on the level of children's health, while the mother's education level and location of residence (urban) have a significant and positive effect on the level of children's health. This research implies the promotion of education for future improvements in child health. Keywords: Child Health; Mother's Education Status; Mother's Work Status; Place of Residence

Universities as Engines of Development

The Bayh–Dole Act was enacted in the United States in 1980 to promote economic development and growth at regional and national levels. A key engine is research generated within universities. This article addresses the question of how universities can serve as engines of development. Drawing on Cooter and Shaeffer’s work on law and development, specifically what they call the double trust problem, this article shows how the Bayh–Dole Act was justified as resolving the double trust problem arising from lack of property rights in university research. This article presents the argument that this goal of the Bayh–Dole Act ignores how universities solve another dimension of the double trust problem, namely the generation of human capital. The author examines the theoretical justifications for the Bayh–Dole Act and universities and the empirical policy literature assessing university patenting and commercialization in the United States, South Africa, and India.