Journal Article by Martin Prowse
This article examines smallholders' perceptions of climate variability in two districts in northe... more This article examines smallholders' perceptions of climate variability in two districts in northern Ethiopia, and the diversification options pursued within and outside agriculture. Meteorological records corroborate smallholders' belief that temperatures are increasing but do not support assertions that rainfall is decreasing. Farm-level adaptation mainly involves soil and water conservation measures learnt from state-led schemes as well as planting a broader crop mix. Diversification outside agriculture is mainly wage labour: international and national migration, construction work in local towns, participation in public works and piecework on nearby farms. The article concludes by arguing that policymakers could do more to support non-farm diversification strategies by recognising the importance of rural–urban connections in fostering adaptation.
Papers by Martin Prowse
... Place, F. and Hazel, P. (1993), 'Productivity effects of indig-enous land tenure systems... more ... Place, F. and Hazel, P. (1993), 'Productivity effects of indig-enous land tenure systems in sub-Saharan Africa' Ameri-can Journal of Agricultural Economics, 75 ... Martin Prowse is a Research Officer for the Rural Policy and Governance Group at the Overseas Development Institute ...
Europe S World the Only Europe Wide Policy Journal, 2010
The Journal of Development Studies, 2017
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 19439341003786729, Apr 19, 2010
The International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) works to improve the lives of people in ... more The International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) works to improve the lives of people in the developing world by supporting the production and use of evidence on what works, when, why and for how much. 3ie is a new initiative that responds to demands for better evidence, and will enhance development effectiveness by promoting better informed policies. 3ie finances high-quality impact evaluations and campaign to inform better program and policy design in developing countries.
Progress in Development Studies, 2013
The European Journal of Development Research, 2014
ABSTRACT As one of Kyoto’s three flexibility mechanisms for reducing the cost of compliance, the ... more ABSTRACT As one of Kyoto’s three flexibility mechanisms for reducing the cost of compliance, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) allows the issuance of Certified Emission Reduction (CER) credits from offset projects in non-Annex I countries. Whilst much attention has focused on the widespread use of the mechanism by China and India, the complex project cycle, and the lack of convincing baselines, little attention has been paid to the financing of CDM projects. In this paper we assess the extent to which CDM projects with public bodies should utilise debt swaps as a form of finance. The paper does this through analysing the use of a debt swap between Uruguay and Spain within a CDM wind farm project in Uruguay. The paper assesses this transaction according to a simple framework by which debt swaps can be evaluated: whether it delivers additional resources to the debtor country and/or debtor government budget; whether it delivers more resources for climate purposes; whether it has a sizeable effect on overall debt burdens (thereby creating ‘indirect’ benefits); and whether it adheres to the principles of alignment with government policy and systems (key elements within the new aid approach).
... Like all the residents of Plot Shumba, Angel lost her home in February 2003, as the army demo... more ... Like all the residents of Plot Shumba, Angel lost her home in February 2003, as the army demolished Plot Shumba in Operation ... Khayelitsha, Cape Town) and Mount Frere, Eastern Cape, South Africa, shows how social protection grants do not lead to reliance and apathy but ...
Development Policy Review, 2013
ABSTRACT Diversification has long been viewed as a risk minimization strategy in the face of incr... more ABSTRACT Diversification has long been viewed as a risk minimization strategy in the face of increasing climatic and economic risks in developing countries. This paper examines the determinants of non-farm income diversification in rural Ethiopia for a four-wave panel of 1240 households from the Ethiopian Rural Household Survey over the period 1994–2009. The paper makes a conceptual distinction between non-farm and off-farm income and uses fixed and random-effects models to control for unobserved characteristics. The results suggest that the variables that determine non-farm diversification—consumption per capita and livestock holdings—belong to pull factors and reflect a strategy by wealthier households. Coupled with instrumental variable estimations to ascertain the direction of causality, these findings lend support to the argument that the main motivation for increasing non-farm diversification is likely to be accumulation.
Development Policy Review, 2013
ABSTRACT Social-protection programmes like the Productive Safety-Net Programme (PSNP) in Ethiopia... more ABSTRACT Social-protection programmes like the Productive Safety-Net Programme (PSNP) in Ethiopia can play a positive role in promoting livelihoods and enhancing risk management. This article uses propensity score matching to estimate its effect on income diversification. The results suggest that receiving transfers from the PSNP, on average, did not increase farm or non-farm income but significantly increases natural-resource extraction (one component of off-farm income). While these results should be treated with caution, they suggest that the PSNP may not be helping smallholders diversify income sources in a positive manner for climate adaptation. The article concludes by arguing for the promotion of positive forms of income diversification and the further investigation of the PSNP's influence on autonomous adaptation strategies.
This article conducts a value chain analysis of smallholder burley tobacco production in Malawi f... more This article conducts a value chain analysis of smallholder burley tobacco production in Malawi for the 2003/04 and 2009/10 agricultural seasons. The comparison suggests in 2003/04 smallholder profits from growing burley were limited by two main factors: first, the practices of leaf merchant companies on the auction floors who operated as a cartel (and governed the burley supply thread); and
During the past century tobacco production and marketing in Nyasaland/Malawi has undergone period... more During the past century tobacco production and marketing in Nyasaland/Malawi has undergone periods of dynamism similar to changes since the early 1990s. This article highlights four recurrent patterns. First, estate owners have either fostered or constrained peasant/smallholder production dependent on complementarities or competition with their estates. Second, rapid expansion of peasant/smallholder production has led to three recurrent outcomes: a large
As one of Kyoto’s three flexibility mechanisms for reducing the cost of compliance, the Clean Dev... more As one of Kyoto’s three flexibility mechanisms for reducing the cost of compliance, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) allows the issuance of Certified Emission Reduction (CER) credits from offset projects in non-Annex I countries. Whilst much attention has focused on the widespread use of the mechanism by China and India, the complex project cycle, and the lack of convincing baselines,
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Journal Article by Martin Prowse
Papers by Martin Prowse