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Blog post
A Crise Socioeconómica no Meio Rural Zambeziano
Os distritos da Média e Alta Zambézia sofreram o maior impacto da queda do preço de feijão bóer em 2017. O grosso dos produtores não teve retorno financeiro do investimento feito na última campanha agrícola, o que provocou efeitos multiplicadores na economia local. Moçambique tem atravessado tempos de crise económica desde 2015, provocada pela descoberta de...
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Blog post
Assessing the economic benefits of transit trade in Tanzania
Tanzania benefits significantly from transit trade, serving as a potential driver of economic growth, welfare and local enterprise development. This highlights the indispensable role of the government in promoting transit trade in the country. The untapped potential of transit trade in Tanzania One of the highlights of the Tanzanian 2017 budget speech was the abolishment...
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Identifying realistic export opportunities for Rwanda
Using an innovative approach called the ‘Decision Support Model’ (DSM), a mapping of Rwanda’s export potentials has been produced, revealing its most promising export products, accompanied by an overview of markets that currently demand such goods.
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Lessons from Uganda’s tax reform: Improving tax administration in Tanzania
Uganda’s reforms involved increased staff capacity, digitised databases and inhouse revenue collection, requiring knowledge, political will and funding. A government task force, culture of compliance and cost-benefit analysis can support reform in Tanzania. On the 2nd – 4th October 2017, the International Growth Centre (IGC) was invited to participate in the 33rd...
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Blog post
India's commodity tax system leads to low compliance
Data on tax rates in India for the past fifteen years reveals how rates vary by state and product. This heterogeneity and volatility results in high compliance costs, inter-state distortions, and households substituting toward lower-tax products. Tax in India India’s commodity tax system is complex, with large variation across states, products and time. We document the...
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Local government corruption in Ghana: Misplaced control and incentives
Bureaucrat corruption corresponds to the control politicians have over their careers. Politicians distort processes to extract funds and garner influence. A more structured bureaucrat transfer process and the monitoring of procurement can curtail corruption. In Ghana in early 2017, a police officer became embroiled in a conflict with a renowned Member of Parliament (MP)....
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Clarence Blay: ‘Ghana has 140,000 mobile money agents versus 1,300 bank branches’
The most famous mobile payments system in Africa, MPesa, allows users to make payments by sending text messages from simple mobile phones, not necessarily smart ones. The idea has started a new wave of mobile payments and transfers in the continent, and governments are taking steps to help this ingenious solution usher in a new era of financial inclusion for their...
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Blog post
Overcoming barriers to women’s mobility in Pakistan
Expanding transport networks, scheduling services, providing reliable transport in peri-urban areas, improving the design of women’s-only services, educating drivers and conductors on sexual harassment, and improving public safety improve mobility. Social norms against women coming into close contact with unrelated men, and the discomfort, social stigma, and fear of...
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Microfinance in Bangladesh: Flexibility, growth and client type
Increased loan flexibility for clients with a good credit history improves client satisfaction and socio-economic status. It also attracts highly productive entrepreneurs who want to expand their business to take a loan, making this approach a win-win. Microfinance has been heralded as an effective pro-poor policy instrument to ease the problem of credit rationing....
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Factors determining rural-urban market linkages in India
Bihar is enjoying increased rural-urban connectivity thanks to infrastructure improvements, fueling demand for goods, services and jobs. The factors influencing market linkages include sourcing inputs, catering to rural consumers, and access to public services. Jhanjharpur, India We were wandering down the main market of Jhanjharpur, a small town in North Bihar in India,...
Blog post
Trade liberalisation in developing countries: the importance of roads
Research on Ethiopia shows that trade liberalisation can boost the productivity of firms in developing countries, but only if they have access to good roads. Gains from trade liberalisation are not uniform within countries Many developing countries have liberalised trade in the hope that greater international exposure will improve the performance of local firms. Lower...