National Strategic Development Plan Research Articles

Pro-gender policies and the empowerment of women in the DRC

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to show how pro-gender public policies in the agricultural sectors can contribute to the reduction of gender inequalities in the labour market and the diversification of the Congolese economy.Design/methodology/approachComputable general equilibrium model that has been adapted to the Congolese economy from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)'s SAM.FindingsThe results reveal that policies of increasing women's land allocation and government cash transfers to rural female households contribute to the reduction of inequalities in the labour market. However, only the policy of increasing women’s land allocation improves economic diversification.Research limitations/implicationsThe implementation of the policy of government cash transfers to rural women's households comes at a cost to the government. Future studies to look at the most effective mode of financing for this policy. Moreover, the policy of increasing women's land allocation is feasible in the DRC as there is a lot of unused arable land available.Social implicationsIn Pillar 1 of the National Strategic Development Plan (PNSD) on Economic Diversification and Transformation, the policy of increasing land allocation to women could be added to the objectives related to strengthening the contribution of agriculture to economic growth and employment creation. In Pillar 3 of the PNSD on Social Development and Human Resource Development, the policy of increasing land allocation to women as well as the policy of increasing government transfers to female rural households could be added to the objectives related to the promotion of employment of youth, women and vulnerable groups.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of its kind for the DRC, which highlights the impact of pro-gender policies on women's employment, particularly in the agricultural sectors and in the diversification of the Congolese economy. This study contributes to policy orientation in DRC. The two policies (increasing land allocation to women and cash transfers to rural women) analysed in this study were chosen in light of the DRC's National Strategic Plan, the first phase of which focuses on promoting employment for vulnerable groups and economic diversification through the development of agricultural sectors.

STEAM Education and Its Significance

In our contemporary world, the demand for new skills related to emerging technological innovations has increased, resulting in a global trend to encourage youth to pursue science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM)-related skills because they can help prepare them for the changing labor market in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (also known as Industry 4.0). According to the National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) 2019-2023, the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has invested in and considered capacity building and human resources development as the main priority (RGC, 2019). To become an upper middle-income country by 2030, RGC has been working to enhance the quality of education, science, technology, and technical skills (RGC, 2019). However, Cambodia has been in shortage of qualified and skilled human resources in STEAM-related fields to help nurture and prepare the next generation for the technological era (AsiaLife, 2016). Therefore, there is a need to discuss the importance of STEAM education.

An Exploration of Programmes Offered by Universities in Lesotho and how they Align with the National Strategic Development Plan NSDP, Agenda 2063 and Strategic Development Goals SDGs

IJTSRD, An Exploration of Programmes Offered by Universities in Lesotho and how they Align with the National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP), Agenda 2063 and Strategic Development Goals (SDGs), by Tawanda Mukurunge

Cambodia’s Economic Development Strategy Policy’s Problem: -Case of Road Network-

The upcoming Cambodia national election on July, 2018; the Sixth Legislature of the National Assembly will be officially born and also the next national development plan. At the present time, the five years development plan called National Strategic Development Plan 2014-2018 (NSDP 2014-2018) is being implementing. NSDP is one of the most important strategy, a five year economic plan, was established since 1996. NSDP roles as road map of government to implementing its policy, and identify the upcoming challenge and issue.
 The Road infrastructure rehabilitation is a priority agenda in NSDP. In NSDP 2014-18, Cambodia’s road network measured approximately 50,000 km, and 11,618 km was paved. However, Cambodia still lack of physical infrastructure, and the existing infrastructure is in poor state [1] For instate, the National road and Provincial road are paved with mostly DBST and concrete, but rural road mostly paved with literal and earth. Some national road can stand with bother raining and dry season, but rural road can be use only dry season. Most of National Road networks have been rehabilitated and are now in good condition. In contrast, rural road network of approximately 33,005 km is still paved by earth. Rural road connecting economic activities from rural area to urban through connecting with provincial road and national road. The bad health of rural road will reduce chance for rural people from gaining benefit from economic growth.
 
 [1] Sum, M. (2008), ‘Infrastructure Development in Cambodia’, in Kumar, N. (ed.), International Infrastructure Development in East Asia – Towards Balanced Regional Development and Integration, ERIA Research Project Report 2007-2, Chiba: IDE-JETRO, pp.32-84.
 

Strategic challenges in development planning for Denpasar City and the coastal urban agglomeration of Sarbagita

Urban agglomerations are becoming a vital geographic unit for nations to sustain economic growth and development. However, agglomerations also pose significant challenges for development planning. They are complex, dynamic and huge systems. Their interconnectivity blurs the boundaries between cities and peripheral regions, and makes traditional city boundaries, often imposed by administrative needs, essentially obsolete. Despite this, the importance of an integrated approach to development planning is particularly acute for coastal urban agglomerations that are threatened by a range of geological hazards, hydro-meteorological hazards and climate change impacts. This paper is an account of the first phase of a longer-term study into agglomeration development planning of Sarbagita Metropolitan in Bali Province, Indonesia, with a focus on the integration of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaption into the planning process. This phase of the study presents an initial analysis of the strategic issues for the development planning of Sarbagita Metropolitan, and a mapping of stakeholders involved in climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction within the region. Data was collected through interviews with key stakeholders and a policy analysis. The results address how urban agglomeration is addressed within national development planning, the nature of urban agglomeration in Bali Province, the management of development planning in the region, the stakeholders involved in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in Bali Province, and the strategic challenges for development planning within the region. Key issues identified through this initial analysis include the important role the agglomeration plays in the national strategic development plan as a centre for regional economic development based on the tourism industry, the importance of infrastructure sharing, interconnectivity, and water/food security among the cities and regencies, and the lack of integration or consideration of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in the agglomeration plan.

Empirical Analysis of Private Consumption in Lesotho: An ARDL Bound Test Approach

The study empirically analyzes private consumption in Lesotho over the period 1982-2015 by employing an Autoregressive Distributed Lag bound test approach to cointegration. The results show that private consumption is positively influenced by the level of national disposable income in the short run and long run. The Marginal Propensity to Consume is highly significant and is less than 1. This proves the Keynesian consumption theory in Lesotho. The research findings reveal that increased government expenditure crowds out private consumption in the short run and long run. A growth in the level of inflation has no effect on private consumption. An expansion in the rate on deposits positively affects private consumption in the short run. The policy recommendation given the results of the study is that the government of Lesotho should implement initiatives aimed at increasing employment as well as private sector development as espoused in the country’s National Strategic Development Plan.

캄보디아 성평등을 위한 개발협력 방안 연구 (Korea’s Development Cooperation for Gender Equality in Cambodia)

Korean Abstract: 본 연구는 캄보디아에 대한 성평등 개발협력 사업 분석을 통해 한국의 보다 실효성 있는 성평등ODA 사업 발굴 및 확대를 제안하기 위한 목적으로 수행되었다. 성평등 ODA 추진을 위해 이중전략이라는 국제사회 성평등 원조 담론과 현황에 기반하여 직업훈련, 농촌개발, 보건, 공공행정의네 분야를 선정해 성평등 ODA 사업을 분석하고, 향후 추진 방향을 제시하였다. 한국정부의 성평등 ODA 사업에 대한 정책적 시사점은 다음과 같다. 이중전략을 기반으로 장기적인 사업으로 수행될 필요가 있다는 점, 사업을 기획할 때부터 성평등을 고려할 수 있는 강제적 이행조치가 필요하다는 점, 고위급과 실무자들의 성평등 ODA에 대한 의지 및 인식 제고 향상이 필요하다는 점, 그리고 캄보디아 여성부를 활용할 것과, 사업의 방식에 있어서 프로그램 기반 접근방식으로 추진할 것을 제안하였다. English Abstract: The aim of this research is to suggest a more effective direction for Korea’s gender ODA projects through an analysis of gender-related development cooperation efforts in Cambodia. Based on the Korea- Cambodia Country Partnership Strategy and Cambodia's National Strategic Development Plan, we selected four areas (TVET, rural development, health and public administration) to analyze gender projects in related fields and suggest future directions.

Mainstreaming national adaptation programmes of action into national development plans in Lesotho

PurposeThe concept of National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) is advocated at international, regional and national levels. The concept is thought to foster sustainability of livelihoods against impacts of climate change. This paper analyses the mainstreaming of NAPA into national development plans in Lesotho as accentuated by policies and programmes.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis is broadly qualitative and reviews policies and projects on agriculture and food security, environment, forestry, water and irrigation aimed at sustaining rural livelihoods. Data from relevant government documents, commissioned studies’ reports, literature and key stakeholders are used.FindingsAlthough the mainstreaming entry point for NAPA is identified in the country’s Vision 2020 and National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) 2012/13-2016/17, financial, technical, human and other resources are inadequate to ensure its effective implementation. There is little evidence of NAPA mainstreaming into development plans by the line ministries of finance and economic development other than donor-funded projects. Absence of climate change policy influence means NAPA is not well-factored into the national development agenda, as mainstreaming is difficult without appropriate policies. Most projects with effect on climate change impact abatement originate from specific sectors and are disconnected from each other.Originality/valueBased on the findings, ways to leverage NAPA via mainstreaming are discussed. It is concluded that NAPA mainstreaming offers a promising avenue for initiating and promoting sustainable livelihoods in Lesotho. The study demonstrates the applicability of the presented sustainable livelihood framework.

Optimal International Reserves in Lesotho

Literature has addressed the issue of choosing reserves levels in the context of models based on traditional adequacy ratio. Above that, this study employs the model of Jeanne and Rancière (2006), which captured the unique characteristics of a country, and effects of a small and large external shocks portrayed that international reserves in Lesotho are kept at level higher than the optimum level. The results outlined that optimum level of reserves for Lesotho is on average 44 per cent of GDP for a small crisis and 47 per cent of GDP for a larger crisis. Subsequently, this leads to the conclusion that the amount of reserves exceeding the level of backing assets could be managed under a more return-oriented investment strategy in order to minimize the opportunity cost of reserves holding. Since there is evidence of excess funds, the authorities should strengthen the implementation capacity of the annual capital budgets by evolving a forceful and vigorous monitoring and evaluation framework in order to accomplish the National Vision 2020 goals. This will also create an opportunity to allocate resources to the National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) which provides overall national strategic thrust from 2012 to 2016.

Kingdom of Lesotho: Joint Staff Advisory Note on the National Strategic Development Plan

Kingdom of Lesotho: Joint Staff Advisory Note on the National Strategic Development Plan