Macro and Micro Perspectives of Growth and Poverty in Africa

Christiaensen, Luc ; Demery, Lionel ; Paternostro, Stefano

Washington, DC:World Bank

关键词: ACCESS TO INFRASTRUCTURE;    ACCESS TO MARKETS;    AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT;    ANNUAL CHANGE;    ANNUAL GROWTH;   

DOI  :  10.1093/wber/lhg025
RP-ID  :  77414

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

This article reviews trends in poverty,economic policies, and growth in a sample of Africancountries during the 1990s, drawing on the better householddata now available. Experiences have varied. Some countrieshave seen sharp drops in income poverty, whereas others havewitnessed marked increases. In some countries overalleconomic growth has been pro-poor and in others not. But theaggregate numbers hide systematic distributional effects.Taking both macro and micro perspectives of growth andpoverty in Africa, the article draws four key conclusions.First, economic policy reforms (improving macroeconomicbalances and liberalizing markets) appear conducive toreducing poverty. Second, market connectedness is crucial toenable participation in the gains from economic growth. Someregions and households by virtue of their remoteness wereleft behind when growth picked up. Third, education andaccess to land emerge as key private endowments to helphouseholds benefit from new economic opportunities. Finally,rainfall variations and ill health have profound effects onpoverty outcomes, underscoring the significance of socialrisk management in poverty reduction strategies in Africa.