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The debate on the changes in livelihood assets as a function of health shocks remains inconclusive, thus spurring attention from scientists and development practitioners across the globe. This paper analyses COVID-19-induced changes in the livelihood assets of rural households in Ghana. While content analysis was employed in qualitative data analysis, the quantitative data set was analysed using a binary logistic regression model. The analyses led to the following conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic led to a more significant decline in financial assets than social assets. Although several socio-economic factors determine changes in the livelihood assets of households, the assets base of migrants was disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Further, women were disproportionately affected since market access restrictions significantly affected their income and savings and, consequently, their ability to buy farm necessities. These results suggest the need to emphasise the resilience of financial assets in times of pandemics, especially for migrants. This study provides new insights to inform the sustainable livelihoods framework, emphasising pandemics and changing livelihood strategies. Studies to uncover the coping strategies of migrants in the context of health shocks are required to complement this position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the impact of the government enterprise and empowerment program (GEEP) on women's performance in entrepreneurship development in Nigeria. Results from the use of difference-in-difference (DiD) quasi-experimental design indicate that GEEP intervention has significant impacts on enterprise turnover, reduction in per unit cost of production, and increase in profitability and return on investment (ROI). The results also show unequal access to resources and opportunities available in GEEP, between rural and urban residents. The findings suggest that, if the rural women had equal access to the resources and opportunities available to their urban counterparts in GEEP, they would participate in traditional industries and build livelihoods in rural economies. This implies that embracing increased GEEP interventions with rural dwellers will enhance women's entrepreneurship development, raise women's economic status, and deter aggression in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reference groups can influence an individual's perceptions of social and gender norms which can affect health beliefs, behaviours, and outcomes. This qualitative study in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo explored young women's and men's reference groups for relationship dynamics and family planning. Some reference groups and mechanisms of influence were common to relationship dynamics and family planning. Some exercised influence through certain mechanisms but not others. Understanding these dynamics can contribute to effective interventions which curtail intimate partner violence and increase access to voluntary uptake of family planning, both paramount to advancing the rights and health of women and girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides insights into a decade long process of evidence production and use in support of the Government of Ghana's adoption of the Complementary Basic Education (CBE) program for out-of-school children. A review of existing evidence on the program and our semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders revealed the centrality of the government's culture of evidence-informed policy making. Our findings also highlight the importance of both formal and informal relationships between key stakeholders and the often-neglected significance of civil society in evidence production and uptake, leading to a modification of Hinton et al.'s policy impact framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the right to participation, few persons with disabilities have access to public decision-making structures in Zambia. Focussing on the General Elections of 2021 and by examining testimonies of activists, politicians, and persons with disabilities, we identify the barriers to, and underlying causes of, the low participation of persons with disabilities in public affairs. Our findings show that even though the political parties are supportive of diversity, the persistent negative attitudes around the capabilities of persons with different impairments continue to be the greatest barrier to political participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International development agencies often support community-based organisations (CBOs) to improve the wellbeing of children and their families. The relevance, impact, and sustainability of these funding partnerships are neither widely nor consistently understood. This article discusses the CBO leader and practitioner perspective on social change and partnering. Surveys, interviews, and convenings involving CBOs from nine sub-Saharan African countries found that – distinct from international aid's focus on program implementation and service delivery, many CBOs focus on mobilising, engaging, and empowering the community to take charge of their own development. Donor–CBO partnering arrangements should integrate this role and definition of effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amid the global tree-planting rush to restore degraded landscapes, this study examined how service providers organise incentives for smallholder forest plantations in rural Ghana. Current incentives push farmers to plant trees without adequate mechanisms for ensuring they benefit over time. This enables timber merchants to exploit many tree growers, discouraging most farmers from participating in restoration activities. While some tree growers innovate, converting their plantations into a sustainable charcoal system, land tenure insecurity and poor access to finance remain barriers policymakers, governments, and development practitioners must overcome to reinforce smallholders' contributions and ability to benefit from landscape restoration perennially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the drivers of water conservation practices among opinion leaders in a water-scarce district of Ghana. It was found that the majority of the respondents have a positive attitude towards conservation of water and also felt hurt to see water go to waste. The majority do engage in water conservation practices. Age, environmental concern, income, perceived behaviour control, gender, and emotion were important drivers of water conservation practices. Social norm was found to exert no significant effect on water conservation. Policymakers should involve opinion leaders in the promotion of water conservation behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The informal sector plays a vital role in providing income opportunities to the unemployed. The sector can create more employment opportunities in this distressed South African economy; however, sustainability concerns do exist. An exploratory research design was used in this qualitative study in order to understand the policy stances towards the informal business sector and the issues that threaten its sustainability. The results indicated that the government's efforts to support informal businesses are not tangible and are not focused on inclusive development. A strategic roadmap that could be used by the government to help the sector sustain itself is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This practice note combines key theoretical principles of value-for-money (VfM) assessment with the authors' experiences of conducting these studies in the health and agriculture sectors in Ethiopia. It documents an innovative approach to VfM analysis in contexts where data is limited. The approach combines quantitative and qualitative methods, can be easily applied to policy-relevant questions, and is simple and easily reproducible in developing countries. This practice note is useful to policymakers interested in VfM assessments of social spending in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary purpose of this study is to establish the moderating role of generational differences in the relationship between mobile money adoption and use and financial inclusion in developing countries. Three key findings emerged: first, there is a moderating role of generational differences on mobile money adoption and use; second, both mobile money adoption and use and generational differences have significant and positive effects on financial inclusion; third, the inclusion of generational differences, as a moderator, results in 6.7 per cent increase in financial inclusion in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The developing country entrepreneur is championed as a driver of economic growth, poverty alleviation, and social development. Yet little is known about what drives entrepreneurial ambitions in developing countries. This study uses qualitative data from focus group discussions with university-educated Sierra Leonean youths to explore these issues. Findings show that very few have entrepreneurial ambitions ex ante, though a large share resort to entrepreneurship as a survival mechanism. Limited entrepreneurial ambitions can be explained by macro-level factors such as access to credit, but are largely driven by individual-level factors such as conceptions of success and cultural perceptions about entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This practice note reviews the theory of conditional grants and their use in five countries (Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and India). The note makes the case for conditional specific purpose grants based on theory and then puts forward five practical suggestions that can guide developing countries in designing specific purpose grants. These include setting clear conditions, establishing robust monitoring systems, developing sub-national capacity, being cognisant of sub-national autonomy, and simplifying the transfer system as best possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Can a service-delivery-born development NGO become a campaigning organisation? The short answer is "yes, but". In the past decade, ActionAid made bold steps, such as shifting its global strategy towards campaigning, developing an international network of campaigners, and using non-campaign functions such as programmes and fundraising to mobilise unusual activists. However, these happened in a context of charity sector restrictions and an organigram still heavily based on programmes. This study talks to the debates about the political relevance of development NGOs, suggesting that politicisation processes often happen through "tense opportunities" where hybrid apolitical and political dimensions coexist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares estimates of household food insecurity between men and women living within the same household (n = 866) to assess whether there is a gender bias in reporting. The main research question is, do household food insecurity scores and prevalence categories differ between male and female spouses within households in the sample? Findings indicate that men's household food insecurity estimates were lower on average at 3.49, than women's estimates at 5.06. There is also a statistically significant decrease in men's estimates when compared to women's. Overall, these findings question the reliability of household-level food insecurity measures that rely on heads of households' estimations by pointing to discrepancies found in this reporting between husbands and wives within the same household. Since this study sampled married women and men within the same household, gender differences found are also more directly attributable to gender than in most other studies that compare male and female-headed households' food insecurity reporting. Though further assessments across other cases are needed, more reliable measures of household food insecurity could include averaging estimates of multiple individuals within households. Qualitative research into the gendered dynamics could also improve sampling and the interpretation of findings from surveys on household-level measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the adoption of improved pigeon peas in female-headed households (FHHs) and male-headed households (MHHs) in semi-arid Kenya and its effect on yield as a proxy for household food security. Cross-sectional data were obtained from 450 households through a multi-stage sampling approach. We applied the endogenous switching regression model to establish the determinants of adoption decision and their effects on yield. Results showed that adoption increased crop yield. The adopting MHHs had significantly higher yield compared with the FHHs. The difference in yield was explained by both observed and unobserved characteristics in gender of the household head. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use a unique dataset from Malawi that matches tenants and their landlord counterparts to document the role played by absentee tenants, i.e. tenants who reside outside the area where the rented land is located. We found that non-local tenants made up 22% of the tenants in our sample. A significant subset of them had higher off-farm income and significantly more assets than did other tenants. Conversely, we found that 76% of landlords rented land because they needed cash. Our results highlight the fact that some rental transactions reinforce power imbalances and may exacerbate risks faced by poorer landlords. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Malawi Farm Input Subsidy Program (FISP) was praised for turning the country's food deficit into a surplus after inception in 2005. It is, however, not clear whether these food security gains spill over to equity in distribution of welfare. We examine the effects of the FISP on per-capita consumption convergence, on 2251 households interviewed in 2010–2013 Malawi Integrated Household Panel Survey. The analysis employs a Lewbel method of instrumental variables to account for non-random selection of beneficiaries into the programme. The results reveal that FISP helps relatively poor farmers increase household per-capita consumption towards converging to that of the relatively rich. This convergence is robust only among small but not large farmers. Past studies that evaluated the FISP while not paying attention to the welfare equity gains in household per-capita consumption, may have underestimated its benefits. Therefore, policy should support the programme with an additional objective of reducing inequality, beyond the primary aim of enhanced food security. Considering that the effects of FISP are limited to small farmers, alternative interventions such as inputs for credit should be made available to large farmers. This will allow FISP to induce widespread welfare gains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development brokerage has become a crucial and enduring phenomenon where local actors link their communities to the international development and aid system. Using the case of the World Bank-led Promoting Partnerships with Traditional Authorities Project (PPTAP) with the Asanteman Council in 2003, this study investigates the brokerage roles played by Traditional Authorities (TA) towards rural education. This study finds that the role of TAs was significant concerning improved time-bound projects, greater community participation and ownership, de-politicisation of projects, and accelerated land acquisition processes. However, issues of sustainability and gender remain critical concerns for the overall success of TAs as development brokers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful NGO development and academic partnerships have, at their core, effective intercultural and multilingual communication and translation practices and processes, including critical recognition of the role of "fixers", who act as the "interface" between local participants and academic NGO impact-assessment researchers. Examining what we call the "contrôleuse" in development research projects in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, we show the need, as in journalism, to critically interrogate this intermediary role. Identifying and incorporating the role into research funding and design can be a simple and practical contribution towards challenging inequalities, including contrôleuse perspectives and increasing participatory impact-assessment and development practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on a study that aimed to identify potential business constraints that hinder the economic development of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in Ethiopia. Results of multiple linear regression and principal component analyses of data collected using stratified random sampling of 181 enterprise operators/managers showed that the age, gender, family size, and working experience of the operators, human capital, and limited access to market and productive resources were influential variables of enterprise growth. The findings of the study provide useful information on policy implications for the Government of Ethiopia and other similar African countries to enhance the growth of MSEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research uptake is achieved when research findings are translated into meaningful change in capacity to understand development problems, policies and practice, and funding streams. While there is consensus among those working to prevent violence against women and girls that this is essential, relatively little guidance exists on how to achieve this. We reflect on RU approaches used by the What Works to Prevent Violence against Women and Girls Programme and the dilemmas encountered and navigated. We recommend a nimble and flexible approach, incrementally unfolded; guided by a theory of change, evolving key messages; underpinned by comprehensive communications and capacity development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This viewpoint discusses women's roles in relation to food security in Sierra Leone, one of the hungriest countries in Africa. While key to improving food security, women have often been underrepresented in relevant programmes and discussions at the community and national levels. The viewpoint offers recommendations for integrating women in Sierra Leone into food security discussions, policies, and action. Their voices and experiences must be included to ensure meaningful and substantive improvements in food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the challenge of balancing the social and economic benefits of community-based water supply due to the introduction of water meters. One hundred and fifty-four questionnaires were disproportionately administered to users and 20 in-depth interview discussions were conducted with water stakeholders. Resistance to and destruction of water meters coupled with irregular monthly contributions towards operation and maintenance of the water system was identified. The introduction of water meters is seen by some as a money-making venture contrary to community-driven development norms. Balancing the social and economic benefit of water supply will improve community wellbeing, build resilience and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing science and policy interest in multi-sectoral action, but bridging the gap between family planning and urban development is challenging. This paper analyses the experience of integrating these sectors in sub-Saharan Africa via building research capacity. Family-planning researchers were supported to link with urban-development actors, one goal being to generate lessons on the process of getting their research into the policy domain. The urban governance sector's dynamic and complex nature was a particular challenge for family-planning researchers; in future, structured familiarisation with a sector might facilitate multi-sectoral action and better enable researchers to link with the policy world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the experience of malt barley value-chain development through cooperative-based contract farming. The descriptive and qualitative analysis used primary data collected from the actors involved and secondary data. The results indicate that side selling is a major challenge, estimated at about 30%. Promoting the role of cooperatives and avoiding side selling by addressing both farmer- and system-level issues requires considering the dynamic nature of the malt barley market, involvement of all relevant stakeholders, capacitating cooperatives rather than providing handout-type support, and promoting market-based disincentives and incentives for the misconduct and conduct of actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes urban WASH interventions (hardware, hygiene promotion, and institutional support) implemented in the Small Towns WASH Programme (STWP) across 14 towns in Zimbabwe with the associated costing. Key lessons in terms of urban WASH rehabilitation include the need for flexible funding and programme approaches accommodate changes during implementation, and that strong programme governance, multi-stakeholder involvement, and integration of hardware and software are required to contribute to benefits beyond infrastructure rehabilitation alone. Critical recommendations for sustaining the rehabilitated infrastructure and institutional strengthening are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using qualitative methods, this article examines savings groups that have been in operation for five to ten years in Tanzania to understand internal and external factors influencing savings group longevity and explore member perception of how long-term participation affected the well-being of their households and children. Although groups did not consistently adhere to best practices, they viewed good leadership, trust, and love as the most important factors for sustainability. Poor loan repayment, low savings rates, and dependence on external support represented the greatest challenges to sustainability. Respondents perceived ongoing positive outcomes across several areas of well-being for their households and children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change disproportionately affects livelihoods of poor and vulnerable people. The Upper West Region of Ghana is a climate-affected area where agrarian livelihoods have become unsustainable, with migration to the Brong-Ahafo Region (BAR) becoming a key adaptation strategy. There is little research on postmigration experiences in BAR. Using qualitative methods, this article explores migrant farmers' premigration expectations and postmigration experiences. The findings reveal that BAR is also experiencing environmental degradation, which makes farming less profitable. The study highlights the benefits and disadvantages of agrarian migration as a response to climate change, and the need for proactive policy action regarding climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This viewpoint discusses the role of women in the fight against corruption in Ghana. It argues that although there is no evidence that women in Ghana by their nature are less corrupt than men, gender parity presents an opportunity for women to be change agents in creating, nurturing, implementing, and enforcing systems, institutions, and values that sanction as well as disdain corrupt behaviour, provided that gender parity is linked with the creation of systems that limit opportunity for and sanction corruption, as well as the creation and sustenance of societal values that abhor corrupt behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beekeeping is commonly adopted as an additional livelihood activity that can help smallholder farmers diversify and enhance their livelihoods. However, it is unclear whether it is resilient to environmental shocks and stresses. This article investigates beekeepers' experiences and perceptions about challenges to beekeeping in the Taita Hills Mountains, Kenya. Key findings demonstrated that beekeeping has the capacity to substantially increase household income, but there are several challenges which affect beekeeping's sustainability considering predictions around climate and land use change. Bee population decline due to pesticide use was seen as a major challenge across the altitudinal range. In the highland areas deforestation, land use conflicts and cold weather were key issues; whereas in the lowlands water availability and the associated impacts on floral availability were the primary concerns of beekeepers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article assesses the challenges facing both local and international NGOs in Mwenezi district of Zimbabwe in their efforts to ensure financial sustainability. Drawing from a qualitative approach that employs interviews and documents, the study revealed that reduced funding from the donor community, changing priorities of funders, poor resource allocation and lack of transparent structures to attract donor funding impact on the financial sustainability of NGOs. To ensure their financial sustainability, NGOs must do away with the donor dependency syndrome and embark on other entrepreneurial and strategic fundraising strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Savings groups are an economic strengthening intervention used to enhance the well-being of vulnerable groups. However, it is unclear how savings groups influence treatment outcomes for people living with HIV. This article reports on a study that conducted 48 in-depth interviews with HIV-positive savings group members in Ethiopia and used their narratives to qualitatively assess pathways linking savings group participation to adherence, retention, and general well-being. No single pathway was described, but almost the entire sample described improved adherence or retention through a combination of increased food security, economic and social well-being. The complexity of pathways supports the necessity for multisectoral approaches that address structural barriers to care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the effects of location and legal status on the performance of microfinance institutions (MFIs) within sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) using panel dataset of 138 MFIs in 31 SSA countries covering 2004 to 2014. The econometric results show that legal status and location significantly influence the capitalisation, portfolio quality, profitability, liquidity, and deposit mobilisation of MFIs. MFI credit growth and deposit growth are similar across locations, but significantly differ by legal status. Most importantly, we found new evidence that location has moderating effect on the legal status–performance nexus of MFIs within SSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, donors have engaged faith-based organisations (FBOs) in health system reforms and health programmes in many sub-Saharan African countries, including Cameroon. Little knowledge is available concerning the types of FBOs that exist in the health sector in Cameroon. This article describes the complex landscape of Christian FBOs operating in Cameroon's health sector and provides an explanation for that diversity. It reflects on the implications of the use of the "FBO" acronym in Cameroon and argues that the FBO typology discussion is still relevant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the search for solutions to global challenges, the way scientific research is carried out is rapidly changing. Interdisciplinary approaches through collaborative research projects are replacing traditional approaches. As complex operational details, including stakeholder perspectives, are oft overlooked in these projects, conflict and failure are more likely. Analysing the conflict experience of stakeholders and project members in a transdisciplinary research project, this paper examines the science-society nexus. Using an international, transdisciplinary project, conflict drivers and levels of conflict are identified. Continuous communication and monitoring throughout a project's lifetime with internal conflict prevention and management measures are proposed to facilitate collaborations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fair trade has come under a barrage of criticism in recent years. Often the two targets of this criticism have been the impact of fair trade and the asymmetry of power between the Global North and South that benefits the North. This article presents a case study from Madagascar which illustrates the positive aspects of fair trade, along with its capacity to involve Global South producers higher up the value chain (functional upgrading), thereby ensuring that these producers are better able to manage their production and the inherent risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qualitative research is not just the study of words and meaning: researchers should also provide a critical reflection on theoretical or practical problems in the research process. This practical note is a reflexive account of some the author's personal experiences learning about bureaucratic process in Ethiopia. From opening a bank account as an "authentic" way to access money in 2007, to describing how to get a single document authenticated for a work permit ten years later, the author explores how bureaucratic encounters can become a meaningful and joyful way to interact with people met along the way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper challenges the assumptions and practices of many externally-driven women's advocacy initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa. It examines much misunderstood concepts (advocacy, agency and empowerment) and highlights how their constructions are fundamentally flawed. It draws conclusions from advocacy training for women conducted by an international NGO in Nigeria and DRC. Illiteracy, poverty and unequal access to and control over resources all constitute barriers to advocacy. The study highlights the ineffectiveness of externally driven advocacy initiatives delivered through training events. It suggests that more nuanced and context-appropriate processes of change will more effectively identify and challenge structures of oppression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovating is vital to farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, to adapt to challenges and benefit from opportunities. Stakeholders' decisions to engage in innovation programmes are influenced by their perceptions. This article uses the Q-method application to investigate these perceptions along the swine value chain in Benin. Fifty-five statements were established with local stakeholders and then graded by 25 interviewees on an 11-grade scale. Three main discourses were identified: an optimistic discourse tied to an endogenous vision of innovation, and a pessimistic one to a top-down, exogenous vision. A third discourse highlighted more nuanced redistributive effects of innovation. Innovation platform projects, stimulating local innovation, should rest on and reinforce the first optimistic discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent shift towards agricultural innovation systems recognises that agricultural development is complex and must involve multiple actors. This makes innovation through a project framework inherently challenging. This article draws lessons from a project that fostered post-harvest innovations in Uganda. First, a two-stage design allowed scoping out business cases with partners to identify potential innovations. Second, stakeholders used the Participatory Market Chain Approach (PMCA) to flexibly develop the innovations. Third, flexible funding made it possible to seize new opportunities along the way. Fourth, the project was attentive to surprises in implementation and encouraged reflection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development and well-being of children are important to governments. In Ghana and elsewhere in Africa, policies directing children's welfare are mostly influenced by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Despite enormous energy devoted to generating policies and guidelines, little attention is given to the rejection of indigenous knowledge on childhood, and its effect on the sustainable implementation of child-focused interventions. This article uses an ethnographic approach to explore rural parents' attitudes to an NGO intervention on children's rights to basic schooling, and the illegality of child labour. Based on the study findings, the article discusses lessons for practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socio-cultural norms can potentially enhance the adaptive capacities of some groups while constraining the capacities of others. Using household surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews in four communities in the Nkoranza South municipality, Ghana, this article examines how socio-cultural norms influence the climate change adaptation of smallholder farmers. While socio-cultural norms fostered indigenes' access to farmlands and other communal resources resulting in on-farm diversification, migrants/settlers could not take advantage of climate-resistant cash crops such as cashew due to their limited access to and control of land. Additionally, cultural expectations and roles enhanced women's non-farm adaptive options compared to men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A critical component of community-level efforts to reduce intimate partner violence (IPV) is the meaningful engagement of opinion leaders. This paper assesses the successes, challenges, and processes of change that Indashyikirwa – an IPV prevention programme in Rwanda – encountered while engaging opinion leaders to combat IPV. The paper draws on three rounds of qualitative interviews with 13 opinion leaders, two rounds of interviews with 12 community activists, and two rounds of interviews with six staff members. Thematic analysis was conducted and the data triangulated. The paper offers lessons learnt regarding how to effectively engage opinion leaders for IPV prevention programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open defecation is one of the health-related development challenges in most developing nations. This study confirms that open defecation prevalence is on the decline in Tanzania and the decline has been pro-poor. Despite such progress, open defecation practices continue to concentrate in the north-eastern and lake zone regions of the country. Education, age, rurality and wealth remain important factors in explaining open defecation. However, the influence of wealth and rurality has evolved over time. Whereas wealth has had an increasing influence over time on whether one defecates in the open, the influence of rurality is on the decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Training videos are extension tools that help to compensate for the low ratio of extensionists to farmers in most developing countries. This article reports on a study that aimed to understand the effects of images and languages used in a video on farmers' learning. The research involved 135 rice farmers in Benin Republic, and found that videos in the local language significantly improved assimilation and understanding. Repeated screenings increase farmers' learning, regardless of the language used, as videos allow learning from images. Farmers' associations and peer groups ensure better appropriation and dissemination of the knowledge gained from the videos by providing frameworks for discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article determines the effect of transaction costs and socio-economic factors on smallholder natural rubber farmers' decisions to sell at the farm gate to itinerant traders or in the alternative markets in Liberia. Cross-sectional data were collected from 200 smallholder natural rubber farmers through multistage sampling. The results indicate that transaction costs and socio-economic variables significantly influenced the choice of selling outlets. The study recommends that policy could aim at establishing market support services in the form of market information systems and affordable means of transportation to enhance access to up-to-date market information on trading partners and prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RiceAdvice is a decision support tool with potential to improve rice productivity and profitability of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. A rapid appraisal of agricultural innovation systems approach was used to assess opportunities and constraints in scaling the tool. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews, multi-stakeholder workshop, and questionnaires distributed to 368 farmers in Kano State, northern Nigeria. Results show that scaling RiceAdvice requires: (i) improved access to financial and input supply services through partnerships; (ii) identifying and testing business models where RiceAdvice can be used; and (iii) a dissemination approach where female service providers reach female farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article assesses how the public–private partnership involving Intercity STC Coaches in Ghana has impacted on service delivery. An exploratory qualitative research approach was adopted for the study. The key findings indicate that the PPP has helped Intercity STC Coaches to increase the number of fleets, although these are still considered inadequate. Additionally, Intercity STC Coaches' clients are satisfied with the services rendered to them. The article, therefore, recommends that Intercity STC Coaches should look for more investors to procure additional buses so as to meet the growing demand from their clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although historically a contested concept, it has been argued that civil society has become a victim of its own ubiquity in development; its potential for radicalism and innovation blunted by donor-driven narratives and the unquestioning acceptance of those narratives by donor-dependent NGOs. Donor influence is charged with weakening civil society as an arena for political debate and citizen-driven change. This article presents findings from qualitative research undertaken with forest sector civil society organisations in the Central African Republic. It unearths and examines perceptions of the roles and values of civil society among practitioners themselves and the underlying drivers of consensual or contested understandings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]