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Publication - Policy Brief
Cooling developing countries: How income and climate drive air conditioning adoption
Over 90% of people living in hot areas lack air conditioning. The expansion of air conditioning in these areas will bring comfort but increase greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and refrigerant leaks and could stress electric grids. This study develops country-specific estimates of how air conditioning saturation relates to climate and household income and...
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Publication - Policy Brief
Tracking constraints to micro-entrepreneurship using IVR technology: Results from a pilot study in Kenya and Uganda
Current data collection exercises fail to capture the heterogeneity of entrepreneurs in developing countries in terms of scale. This project proposes a research agenda around understanding the constraints faced by micro-entrepreneurs, both formal and informal, through a series of mobile-based surveys (using IVR technology) delivered to small firms and...
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Publication - Policy Brief
How can Skill India improve outcomes for female trainees?
Skill India is a government programme which includes an initiative aimed at training and linking young women to employment opportunities. Not only are female participants of the programme less likely to accept a job offer than a male counterpart, but they are even less likely to accept one that involves some form of migration. This brief uses existing data to...
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Publication - Policy Brief
Staving off the hungry season in Zambia: Testing a simple and cost-effective approach
Multiple countries in sub-Saharan African experience seasonal extreme food insecurity, a phenomenon in some cases referred to as the “hungry season.” In Zambia, the context of this project, recent studies suggest that between 60-80% of rural households run out of food before the annual harvest. Seasonal food insecurity has serious impacts on health and wellbeing....
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Publication - Policy Brief
Examining the impact of the Common External Tariff of the East African Community in Uganda
The primary goal of the Common External Tariff (CET) of the East African Community (EAC) is to allow for free trade within a larger market than that of the individual countries that comprise it. The CET has, from inception, held a 0-10-25 tariff structure: 0% for raw materials, 10% for semi-finished products and 25% on finished products. Although this structure has...
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Publication - Policy Brief
Density in various forms
Indian census data suggests that around a third of citizens live in areas that could be considered urban, with this set to rise to about 40% by 2030. However, in addition to population numbers and density, the criteria to be considered urban also contains a less conventional stipulation that at least 75% of adult main male workers in an area must work in...
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Publication - Policy Brief
Assessing waste management services in Kigali
Kigali’s rapid population and economic growth over the last two decades has meant a steady increase in the amount of Municipal solid waste. Despite laudable efforts by the city to deal with issues related to waste management, it is unclear whether the waste collection system will be able to simultaneously increase service quality and deal with future waste...
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Publication - Policy Brief
Density, connectivity and liveability: Linking the Kigali Master Plan to economic development
The 2013 Kigali Master Plan has contributed to Kigali becoming one of the most liveable and green cities on the continent. However, it has been criticised for being disconnected from economic planning, by being overly rigid, unevenly regulated and unaffordable for households and businesses to implement. Whilst the Kigali 2018 Master Plan Review is on course to do...
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Publication - Policy Brief
Setting water tariffs right: Considerations and approaches
Governments must ensure access to water for all citizens as it is a right with far-reaching social, political and economic implications. To facilitate sustainable access to quality water, an appropriate approach to water tariffs needs to be determined that considers various contextual challenges and opportunities. This brief looks at the potential options for...
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Publication - Policy Brief
Curbing leakage in public programmes: Evidence from India’s Direct Benefit Transfer Policy for LPG subsidies
Welfare programmes often observe a high rate of leakage of public funds. Many developing countries subsidise access to essential commodities with in-kind transfer programmes, where beneficiaries receive goods at a subsidised price while non-beneficiaries have to pay the market price. The design of traditional in-kind transfer programmes itself, when it leads to a...
Publication - Growth Brief
Saving microfinance through innovative lending
The traditional microfinance model has had limited impact on the income and productivity of borrowers. More innovative and flexible lending models can boost entrepreneurship and welfare.