Development In sub-Saharan Africa Research Articles

Visions of sustainable development and the future of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa (and beyond)

Smallholder farmers are widely touted as essential to sustainable agricultural development in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. But what exactly is meant by sustainable development, and how are smallholder farmers expected to contribute to it? In this perspective, we describe and assess two competing visions of sustainable development, namely Capital Theory and the Capabilities approach, paying special attention to the major yet divergent repercussions each approach implies for the future of smallholder farmers and the activities of their representative organizations. We present the core concepts, tools and practices stemming from each sustainable development perspective, and from a critique of these motivate the superiority of a capabilities approach as more conducive to smallholder farmers wellbeing now and in the future. In doing so, we bring to the fore the pivotal role smallholder farmer organizations and rural social movements, as collective vehicles for smallholder political agency, play in strategically advocating for the conditions that support sustainable and just smallholder agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.

Critical Perspectives on the Adoption of Circular Design Strategies in the Built Environment for Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

Adopting circular design strategies (CDS) in building development presents a transformative approach toward sustainability by promoting resource efficiency and reducing environmental impacts. This paper examined the current landscape of CDS adoption, focusing on barriers, enablers, benefits, and critical success factors within the built environment (BE) in Sub-Saharan Africa. Drawing on a comprehensive review of global contexts literature, the study identifies and categorizes 185 factors, subsequently pruning them to 121 pertinent to the design stage. Barriers such as low awareness, regulatory gaps, and economic constraints are explored alongside enablers like leadership commitment, technological innovation, and supportive policies. The paper underscores the pivotal role of these factors in shaping sustainable building practices, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies to overcome local socio-cultural, economic, and technological challenges in the BE of Sub-Saharan Africa. This research contributes a nuanced understanding of how CDS can be effectively integrated into the BE, offering practical implications for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers striving to embrace sustainable practices.

Fostering Sustainable Female Participation in STEM Through Ecological Systems Theory: A Comparative Study in Three African Countries

This study explores factors influencing female engagement in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields in Mozambique, Nigeria, and Uganda through Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory. The research collected qualitative data from 81 women across these countries through open-ended surveys. Using content analysis, the results demonstrate the critical role of personal interests nurtured by family, showing how direct interactions with family influence STEM engagement at a microsystem level. The mesosystem level reveals the supportive influence of community and school interactions, emphasizing the importance of relationships between different microsystems, such as family–school collaborations, in fostering female participation in STEM. The exosystem level identifies the impact of positive media portrayals and role models, illustrating how external environments indirectly affect perceptions and aspirations in STEM through media and societal influences. The macrosystem level underscores the persistent cultural norms shaping gender roles, reflecting broader societal and cultural values that influence gender diversity in STEM fields, with 63% of respondents in Mozambique, 57% in Nigeria, and 67% in Uganda indicating that societal views on gender roles discouraged participation. Lastly, the chronosystem level captures the temporal changes and progress in gender diversity in STEM, highlighting the need for targeted interventions and policy reforms to address longstanding gender imbalances. Despite progress, significant gender imbalances remain, necessitating targeted interventions and policy reforms. The study proposes a sustainable, collaborative model to foster early interest and sustained participation of females in STEM, emphasizing the importance of seamless cooperation among families, educational institutions, communities, and government bodies. The findings aid in creating supportive environments for sustaining female STEM participation, promoting economic and social development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Seroprevalence of seven arboviruses of public health importance in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The arboviruses continue to be a threat to public health and socioeconomic development in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Seroprevalence surveys can be used as a population surveillance strategy for arboviruses in the absence of treatment and vaccines for most arboviruses, guiding the public health interventions. The objective of this study was to analyse the seroprevalence of arboviruses in SSA through a systematic review and meta-analysis. We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus and ScienceDirect databases for articles published between 2000 and 2022 reporting the seroprevalence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to seven arboviruses in various human populations residing in SSA. The included studies were assessed using the checklist for assessing the risk of bias in prevalence studies, and the data were extracted using a standard form. A random effects model was used to estimate pooled seroprevalences. The potential sources of heterogeneity were explored through subgroup analyses and meta-regression. The protocol had been previously registered on International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews with the identifier: CRD42022377946. A total of 165 studies from 27 countries, comprising 186 332 participants, were included. Of these, 141 were low-risk and 24 were moderate-risk. The pooled IgG seroprevalence was 23.7% (17.9-30.0%) for Chikungunya virus, 22.7% (17.5-28.4%) for dengue virus, 22.6% (14.1-32.5%) for West Nile virus, 16.4% (7.1-28.5%) for yellow fever virus, 13.1% (6.4-21.7%) for Zika virus, 9.2% (6.5-12.3%) for Rift Valley fever virus and 6.0% (3.1-9.7) for Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses showed that seroprevalence differed considerably between countries, study populations, specific age categories, sample sizes and laboratory methods. This SRMA provides information on the significant circulation of various arboviruses in SSA, which is essential for the adoption and planning of vaccines. These findings suggest the need to invest in surveillance and research activities on arbovirus in SSA countries to increase our understanding of their epidemiology to prevent and respond to future epidemics.

Educational Inequality and Its Political and Economic Consequences: A Case Study of Nigeria and Kenya

Two of the most populous and economically varied countries in Africa, Nigeria and Kenya, continue to face significant obstacles to their development: educational inequality. The article examines the various facets of educational inequality in different nations, emphasizing the effects on the political and economic spheres. Differences in educational accessibility and quality between rural and urban regions, as well as between the north and the south, have contributed to social discontent, political disenfranchisement, and economic stagnation in Nigeria. In a similar vein, while there has been improvement in Kenya regarding educational access, notable inequalities still exist, especially in disadvantaged areas, which fuels political polarization and increases the economic divide. This article highlights effective solutions meant to solve these issues while examining the effects of unequal educational resource distribution on political polarization, economic development, and national stability. This study offers important insights into the larger consequences of educational disparity for sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa by contrasting the educational systems of Nigeria and Kenya.

The potential of electric agriculture and mobility for the least-cost rural electrification strategy in Sub-Saharan Africa

Electrification is a crucial driver of rural development in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), yet progress is often impeded by low demand density, particularly for grid extension. Despite the promising potential of stand-alone and mini-grid systems, rural areas frequently lag behind due to their low economic viability in electrification. Simultaneously, the mechanization of agriculture and the motorization of transport offer the opportunity to increase economic activity. This publication explores the role of electric vehicles (EVs) and electric tractors (ETs) in rural electrification scenarios.We present a methodology to quantify the theoretical impact of EVs and ETs on SSA’s electrification strategies, applied specifically to Nigeria and Chad. Our simulations in Nigeria reveal that not only supply options with higher capacity are needed, but that EVs have the potential to lower the cost of electricity (LCOE) by an average of 54 %, and ETs have the potential to reduce LCOE by 49 %, depending on local mobility and mechanization demand. Rural areas with significant cropland particularly benefit from using ETs to achieve cheaper electricity access. In Chad, where grid infrastructure is minimal, our assessment shows that EVs and ETs can significantly influence least-cost electrification strategies. By 2030, mini-grids will become the least-cost supply option for 60% of the newly connected population, compared to just 13% when only residential demand is considered.Our methodology advances the widely used ONSSET electrification planning model to estimate the maximum joint potential of electrified agriculture, electric mobility and adapted rural electrification strategies. Our approach involves geospatially estimating energy demands using macroscopic available population, land cover, and infrastructure data. The findings underscore the importance of jointly implementing EVs and ETs and electrification strategies for technology leapfrogging, highlighting the economic viability and potential of EVs and ETs in rural scenarios. The results provide policymakers with quantitative indicators on the impact of the implementation for Nigeria and Chad.

A 10-year (2014-2023) review of complementary food development in sub-Saharan Africa and the impact on child health.

Complementary foods (CFs) commonly consumed by infants and young children (IYC) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are processed using either single or multi-grain ingredients through simple technologies such as fermentation, malting and roasting. Interestingly, CFs (e.g., ogi, kunu, and dabo) are prepared and fed to infants alongside breastmilk until they are completely weaned up to the infant's second birthday. The grains used for preparing CFs can be contaminated with bacterial and chemical contaminants as a result of poor harvesting, handling or storage practices. The stage at which IYC are introduced to CFs is of utmost importance as it aids in addressing malnutrition and improving their overall health and well-being. Complementary feeding practices across SSA are influenced by socio-economic, cultural and geographical factors such that improper introduction can result in dire health consequences including immune suppression, severe foodborne diseases, poor child growth and development, and sometimes death from malnutrition. Malnutrition often occurs from inadequacies of nutrient intakes and assimilation which affect the ability to maintain normal body functions such as growth, learning abilities, resistance to and recovery from diseases. In SSA, IYC malnutrition still poses an enormous concern, therefore indicating the need for intervention strategies such as the promotion of indigenous crops and elevating traditional knowledge and technologies for formulating CFs. This paper clearly highlights the diversity of CFs in SSA, ingredients utilized, processing techniques, contamination by bacteria and chemicals, and demonstrates the consequences of consuming contaminated CFs, and their influence on IYC health as well as approaches to ensuring safety and scaling up indigenous CFs.

Transforming Small-Scale Farm Entrepreneurship Through Innovation: the Case of Cross Link

The study focuses on the critical role of innovation, education, and technology in fostering agricultural entrepreneurship among youth, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. The research highlights the challenges and opportunities encountered in the intersection of traditional agricultural practices and modern technology. The purpose of the research is to bridge the gap in literature regarding young agricultural entrepreneurs in Ghana, providing a detailed case study that could serve as motivation for other aspiring small-scale farmers. The paper investigates the factors that contributed to the success of Cross Link Farms, including the educational background, networking, and mentorship received by the entrepreneur, as well as the practical application of innovative technologies such as smart incubators and hydroponic systems. This case-paper demonstrates the importance of entrepreneurial education that instilled a passion in a student to become the co-founder of a farm entrepreneurship startup. The paper applied a case study approach; data were collected through the usage of interview. The interview was recorded and transcribed. The data were analyzed interpretively. The main conclusions emphasize that innovation and technology, when coupled with a strong educational foundation and support system, are vital in transforming agriculture in Ghana and similar regions. Cross Link Farms serves as a model for how young entrepreneurs can leverage these elements to drive change, enhance food security, and contribute to rural development. The findings suggest that targeted policies and programs that foster entrepreneurial innovation in agriculture are essential for sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Based on the case-study findings, recommendations for future research include conducting empirical studies involving entrepreneurs in sub-Saharan countries to assess the role of curiosity, resilience and passion in their entrepreneurship journey.

Public finance and sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa: An economic analysis

Public finance and sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa: An economic analysis

Mobile money, stockouts and informal microenterprise performance: evidence from sub-Saharan Africa

PurposeThe extensive use of mobile money (MM) has been widely recognized as a digital engine of socioeconomic development in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This paper aims to focus on the effects of MM use and stockouts on informal microenterprise performance and investigate whether MM use mitigates the relationship between stockouts and firm performance.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilizes firm-level data from the latest World Bank Informal Sector Enterprise Surveys across six SSA countries. We employ instrumental variable-adjusted and propensity score-weighted regressions to investigate the buffering effect of MM use.FindingsWe find a significantly positive effect of MM use and a significantly negative impact of stockouts on informal microenterprise performance. Importantly, we establish that MM use attenuates the negative impact of stockouts on firm performance. We further document that the attenuating effect of MM use is more profound for firms using MM for transactions with supply chain partners, located in communities with high MM use rates, and operating in the retail industry.Practical implicationsOur research generates important managerial and policy implications. Future policies should capitalize on MM to foster an effective financial ecosystem in which informal microenterprises can survive and grow, thereby deepening their contributions to sustainable development.Originality/valueWhereas the business benefits of MM among small, medium and large firms are well-documented, the role of MM use on informal microenterprise performance is less understood. This study fills the research gap in the literature by focusing on the influence of MM use on the relationships between informal microenterprise operations and performance.

Natural Hazards and Financial Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Moderating Role of the Stage of Development

Natural Hazards and Financial Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Moderating Role of the Stage of Development

Digital Transformation for Educational Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

Digital transformation holds significant promise for revolutionizing education in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This paper examines the challenges of digital transformation in education in the SSA region. We observed that the challenges are multifaced, including infrastructure deficits, access and equity barriers, digital literacy gaps, financial constraints, policy challenges, and regulatory barriers. To overcome these challenges, the paper offers some recommendations that can help the SSA countries to unlock the transformative power of digital technologies to advance education, empower learners, and build a brighter future. Amongst other, the paper suggests that stakeholders must adopt an integrated approach to infrastructure development, promote equitable access and inclusion, invest in capacity building and skills development, localize educational content, mobilize financial resources, enact policy and regulatory reforms, and foster collaborative partnerships.

Labour market feminization and economic development in sub-Saharan Africa

PurposeWomen’s direct or subtle exclusion from the labour market is still evident, necessitating more rigorous inquiries into the subject matter. The study aims to assess the moderating factors that can boost the inclusion of women participation in the labour market by complementing and actualising the doctrine of the feminist U-shaped hypothesis.Design/methodology/approachThis study is situated within the feminist U-shaped hypothesis and employs the generalised method of moments (GMM) on 38 countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).FindingsThis study validates the U-shaped labour hypothesis and expands on the moderating effects of the U-shaped curve in 38 SSA countries.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the influences of human capital development and technological access that can significantly improve the workings of the feminist U- hypothesis in SSA countries.

Socio-economic impacts of climate change and sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa: A review

Socio-economic impacts of climate change and sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa: A review

Information and Communications Technology, Water and Sanitation Infrastructures and Economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

This study investigated the effect of information and communication technology and water sanitation infrastructures on economic growth and development in sub-Saharan Africa using panel data involving fifteen (15) sub-Saharan Africa nations. Secondary data were obtained from the statistical bulletins of the various countries and World Bank Indicators from 2000-2022. Data obtained were analyzed via descriptive, diagnostic and inferential statistics. The fixed and random effects regression results revealed that information communication technology and water and sanitation infrastructures jointly influence the level of economic growth and development in sub-Saharan Africa. Given the findings, it is recommended that there is the need for governments in sub-Saharan Africa to increase their contributions and supports to ICT infrastructure by way of improving the current state of ICT in sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, governments of sub-Saharan African countries should strive towards improving the water and sanitation infrastructure by periodically updating their public health conditions related to clean drinking water and treatment and disposal of human excreta and sewage. Keywords: Information Communication Technology Infrastructure, Water and Sanitation Infrastructure, Economic Growth, Critical Infrastructure, Sub-Saharan Africa

The nexus among digital financial inclusion, monetary policy transmission, and economic development in Sub-Saharan Africa

This paper aims to examine the complex relationship between digital financial inclusion, monetary policy transmission, and economic development in 18 Sub-Saharan African countries from 2004 to 2021. The study utilizes panel data and employs a digital financial inclusion index, broad money growth, and real gross domestic product per capita as proxies for digital financial inclusion, monetary policy transmission, and economic development, respectively. The panel autoregressive distributed lag model results uncover a bi-directional causality between economic development and digital financial inclusion, emphasizing the pivotal role of digital financial inclusion in fostering economic development. Additionally, another bi-directional causality between digital financial inclusion and monetary policy transmission highlights their interdependence. Unidirectional causality from monetary policy transmission to economic development is also established. This study emphasizes the crucial role of robust measures in enhancing digital financial inclusion to avert adverse consequences, offers nuanced insights into policy dynamics, particularly regarding inflation mitigation, and enhances monetary policy effectiveness. These findings underscore the importance of policy reform, legislation, and regulatory improvements to promote digital financial inclusion by Sub-Saharan African central banks. Strengthening rural financial infrastructure is crucial for driving digital financial inclusion, sustainable economic development, and reducing regional inequalities.

The Effect of Crime on Foreign Investment and Economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Panel Data Analysis

This study investigates the effect of crime on economic development in 22 sub-Saharan African countries between 2000 and 2020, using data from global sources. The study utilized a panel vector autoregression (VAR) approach to analyze the dynamic correlations between variables. This was achieved through the examination of impulse response functions and error variance decomposition. The study established a definitive cause-and-effect connection between the crime rate and growth indicators. The panel vector autoregression (VAR) technique resolves the issue of endogeneity by permitting endogenous interaction among the variables in the system. The findings indicate that the crime rate has a significant effect on economic growth in sub-Saharan countries, though with very low magnitude. The economic prosperity of most sub-Saharan African countries may be attributed to the abundant availability of natural resources in the region. The causality test findings indicate a diverse causal connection between the crime rate and growth indicators. While there is no direct causal relationship between economic growth and the crime rate, there is a one-way causality between economic growth and foreign investment. This means that economic growth can enhance foreign investment, suggesting that in sub-Saharan countries, economic growth plays a crucial role in improving foreign investment. However, as indicated by the findings, there exists a bidirectional causal relationship between foreign investment and crime rates. In summary, it is clear that the crime rate in sub-Saharan African nations has a significant impact. In the future, countries with higher crime rates are likely to see slow economic growth and less foreign investment.

Editorial: Community Based Tourism and Hospitality for Urban and Rural Development Successes, Potentials and Challenges in the Sub-Saharan African Region

Summary This collection of case studies examines the role, significance, and challenges of community-based tourism (CBT) development in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Highlighting practical instances of urban and rural communities engaged in communally owned tourism ventures, this special collection reflects on the tourism industry's impact on the socio-economic landscape of SSA. Information © CAB International 2024

The Global Adolescent Fertility Decline is Counteracted by Increasing Teen Births in Sub-Saharan Africa.

There is a lack of understanding of the persistence of elevated teen fertility rates in certain regions and countries, in contrast to the significant decline observed in other regions globally. This report considers fertility trends among 15- to 19-year olds in the period 1950-2020 and explores potential driving factors behind the significant shifts that occurred over this period. The countries where teen fertility remains high are those with fast-growing populations, primarily located in sub-Saharan Africa. Countries with higher teen fertility are typically characterized by limited use of modern contraception, lower education levels, and early marriage. Sub-Saharan Africa has emerged as the world region with the most teen births, increasing its proportion of global teen births from 12 percent in 1950 to 47 percent in 2020, a time during which this region's share of the global adolescent (15-19) population grew from 7.5 percent to 19 percent. By 2035, 67 percent of all teen births globally are projected to occur in this region. Consequently, the future number of births to teenage mothers will to a large extent depend on the development in sub-Saharan Africa over the coming decades.

From few large to many small investments: lessons for adaptive irrigation development in an uncertain world

Conventional approaches to irrigation development involve large lumpsum investments in big infrastructure that cannot adapt to changing climate and socio-economic conditions. There is an urgent need for alternative ways of investing in smallholder irrigation in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) that are adaptive and avoid capital lock-in. Adaptive Investment Pathways (AdIP), inspired by the Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways (DAPP) concept, proposes stepwise investments to support smallholder irrigation development. AdIP builds resilience to future shocks through dynamic and flexible investment plans instead of investing in single static solutions. To develop an empirical grounding for operationalizing AdIP, we draw lessons from three case studies representing different stages of irrigation development along shallow sand river aquifers in Kenya and Zimbabwe. We retrospectively analyse the nature of investments at farm and landscape scales, and the type of risks and opportunities that farmers respond to. We find that in face of risks, farmers diversify their livelihoods, make small investments incrementally especially in response to opportunities and risks created by external triggers, and pause or reorient activity when they reach saturation points, i.e., biophysical or socio-political limits to their development objective, here irrigation development. Governments and external agencies can support smallholder irrigation development in SSA through targeted landscape scale investments that address saturation points faced by smallholders. This requires a robust participatory monitoring framework to identify and respond to saturation points, and a re-thinking of financing mechanisms which do not measure progress against a fixed schedule of investments, but instead measure continuous progress towards the development objective.