Employment-intensive growth for poverty reduction: What can labour-based technology in infrastructure contribute?

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Evidence presented in this paper indicates that a high rate of economic growth is a necessary precondition for a sustained reduction in poverty, but it is not enough. The degree of employment-intensity of the growth process is extremely important for achieving the goal of poverty alleviation. This is amply demonstrated by the contrasting experiences of the countries of South East and East Asia which succeeded in reducing poverty very substantially and those of South Asian countries where success in poverty reduction has been moderate. Limited data presented in this paper on selected African countries also points to the importance of employment. Indeed, employment-intensity of growth is seen to make a significant difference to the impact of economic growth on poverty reduction.