Effective Poverty Alleviation Research Articles

Dissecting the provincial relative poverty dynamics in China: a new four-dimensional decomposition approach

PurposeThis study investigates relative poverty in China against its rapid economic growth and poverty reduction efforts, aiming to understand the impact of evolving poverty lines and rural-urban disparities.Design/methodology/approachUtilizing micro-survey data and a novel four-dimensional decomposition method, the research decomposes provincial relative poverty changes in China into poverty line and income distribution effects. The poverty line effect is further broken down into the extensive and intensive components, and the impact of income distribution into the growth and inequality effects, offering a detailed examination of their roles in urban and rural contexts.FindingsThe findings indicate that economic growth significantly mitigates the incidence, depth and severity of relative poverty across both settings, whereas income inequality exacerbates these aspects. Additionally, changes in the poverty line through the extensive and intensive effects markedly elevate relative poverty levels. Despite overall reductions, rural areas continue to face higher poverty rates than urban regions, emphasizing the necessity for targeted poverty alleviation policies.Originality/valueThis paper provides a novel perspective by dissecting China’s relative poverty dynamics through a four-dimensional analysis, highlighting the importance of considering economic growth, income inequality and the poverty line adjustments. It underlines the need for policies that specifically address the nuances of relative poverty, including the persistent rural-urban divide, contributing valuable insights for more effective poverty alleviation strategies.

Give a Fish or Teach to Fish? Poverty Alleviation Effect of Government Support Policies and Self-Help Commercial Activities

This study explores the interactive effect of self-help efforts, specifically through household decisions to engage in commercialisation, and external supports provided via government antipoverty policies, on poverty reduction among poor households in northern Vietnam. With observational data from 1383 surveyed households, we use an estimation strategy combining inverse probability weighting, regression adjustment, and two-stage least squares to address selection bias and omitted variable bias in two variables of interest. We find that while these two interventions are individually effective in alleviating poverty, their combination is not necessarily as effective. Our results show that commercialisation only reduces poverty among non-supported households, while government supports are more effective among non-commercial households. This substitution of effects comes from the nature of support targeting and commercialisation. Households receiving supports often have lower capacity, making commercialisation ineffective or even impossible. Furthermore, current support policies are insufficient to enhance the impact of commercialisation. These results suggest that there could be more effective ways to combine external interventions and self-help efforts to better alleviate poverty.

Effect of Energy Poverty Alleviation on High-Quality Economic Development: An Empirical Study Based on China

High-quality development (HQD) has been listed as the first and foremost task in building a modern socialist country in all respects and also an overarching issue of China’s economic and social development in the new era. To achieve economic HQD, a key approach lies in integrating energy development with poverty alleviation and fully leveraging the foundational role of energy infrastructure and supply services in reducing poverty. Using the provincial panel data from 2007 to 2017, this paper analyzes the impact of energy poverty alleviation on economic HQD from multiple dimensions in an empirical way and draws the following conclusions: first, energy poverty alleviation drives the economic growth of China’s eastern region and western region, but it cannot effectively promote the synchronous economic growth of the central region, thereby resulting in a greater imbalance in regional development; second, energy poverty alleviation has an effect on reducing the urban–rural income inequality, and such an effect is more significant in the western region; and finally, energy poverty alleviation has a significant effect on promoting economic HQD, and the effect is more significant in the central region and the western region. Furthermore, the transmission mechanism of energy poverty alleviation driving HQD is tested. It is found that energy poverty alleviation can drive HQD by promoting urbanization and technological progress.

ASSESSMENT OF POVERTY STATUS OF CASSAVA COOPERATIVE FARMERS IN SOUTH-SOUTH, NIGERIA

The study assessed the poverty status of cassava cooperative farmers in South-South Nigeria, utilizing a multi-stage sampling technique to select 300 members from Delta, Edo, and Akwa Ibom states. The majority of members fall within the 41-60 age range, which accounts for 66% of the total membership. This suggests that middle-aged and older individuals are more likely to participate in cassava cooperatives. There was also a higher representation of female members (58.33%) compared to male members (41.67%). However, majority (75.67%) of the cassava cooperative members were married while 2% were divorced, 10.33% were separated/divorced, and 12% were widowed. Furthermore, majority (51.67%) of the farmers had been in a cooperative for 1-5 years. The result shows that 46.33% of households consist of 1-4 members and most (82%) of the members identify cassava farming as their primary occupation. The relative poverty line was determined based on consumption expenditure, and the Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) index was employed to assess poverty status. The results indicated that over one-third of members lived below the relative poverty line of ₦882.29, although the depth (8.52%) and severity (3.13%) of poverty were relatively low. Based on these findings, the study recommends targeted poverty reduction programs, strengthening cooperative structures, enhancing access to finance, promoting value addition, investing in infrastructure, empowering women and youth, and further research to develop effective poverty alleviation strategies.

Geospatial determinants of urban poverty in Nigeria: an analysis of locally weighted factors

ABSTRACT Determining the factors that influence poverty has been seen as one of the ways of identifying appropriate poverty alleviation strategies in cities. This has been done, in most cases, through the application of ordinary least squares (OLS), which assumes homogeneous influence without considering the spatial heterogeneity that may occur in this influence. This study aims to determine the spatial heterogeneity in the influence of public infrastructure, economic, environmental, and social factors on poverty, by carrying out comparison analysis using OLS and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) in ArcGIS Pro 3.0.1, with a view of proffering poverty alleviation strategies for each section of an urban area. A questionnaire in Geographic Open Data Kit (GeoODK) was administered to 366 urban residents across the twenty wards in the selected city in Nigeria. The results reveal that factors that influence income poverty are spatially varying in direction and weight across a city. Spatial heterogeneity of poverty’s determinants should be considered in the formulation and implementation of effective poverty alleviation policies and programs.

MIXED GEOGRAPHICALLY WEIGHTED REGRESSION (MGWR) WITH ADAPTIVE WEIGHTING FUNCTION IN POVERTY MODELING IN NTT PROVINCE

Poverty modeling is a crucial economic and social development issue in various regions, including in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province. This research proposes using the Mixed Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR) model with an adaptive Bisquare weighting function to analyze variables influencing poverty levels in NTT Province. The MGWR model is an extension of the Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR), which allows some variables in the model to have local effects while others have global effects. The adaptive weighting function in the MGWR model enhances the analysis by providing different weights at each location according to its local characteristics, thus making the results more accurate and representative for each area. The data includes economic, social, and infrastructure variables from 22 districts/cities in NTT Province for 2023. The MGWR model with an adaptive weighting function is applied to model the relationship between these variables and poverty levels. The analysis integrates statistical software to manage and analyze spatial data. The study findings show that the MGWR model with an adaptive weighting function offers better estimates than the global regression and GWR models. The results revealed the smallest AIC value for the MGWR model at 104.1888, compared to the global regression model at 140.1427 and the GWR model at 117.6174. This model successfully identifies significant local and global variables and shows variations in influence at different locations in NTT Province. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners in designing and implementing more effective poverty alleviation strategies tailored to local conditions in NTT Province.

Digital financial inclusion and household energy poverty: Evidence from China

This paper examines the impact of digital financial inclusion (DFI) on household energy poverty. We develop a simple theoretical model to explain the energy poverty alleviation effect of DFI. Using multidimensional household energy consumption survey data, we find that DFI reduces the incidence of household energy poverty by about 33.5 % and the intensity of energy poverty by 24.6 %, driven mainly by improvements in energy efficiency and an increase in household off-farm work, resulting in a stronger role in rural and low-income groups. However, the threshold model demonstrates that the Internet and digital tools are a prerequisite for this pro-poor energy effect to be realized. Notably, DFI, while exhibiting spatial spillover effects, exacerbate energy poverty in neighboring areas due to the siphoning effect.

Universalism versus residualism: a micro-simulation of alternative income maintenance schemes in South Korea

This article examines the past, present and future of income maintenance schemes in Korea. Historically, income security schemes have been built on the idea of work-centred social insurance supplemented by social assistance. This approach was based on the premise of full employment. While current schemes have achieved institutional completeness and have contributed to alleviating poverty and inequality, they have exhibited limitations in responding to the qualitative shifts of capitalism, leading to welfare blind spots. Various alternatives have been proposed, such as universal basic income (UBI), which aims for equality, and residual Safety Income (SI), which aims for efficiency. The objective of this study is to validate the effects of basic income proposals and SI as alternative income maintenance schemes emerging in Korea. We simulated and compared the poverty alleviation and income redistribution effects of the two alternatives using data from the Survey of Household Finances and Living Conditions (2019~2021). The effects of poverty alleviation and income distribution were determined by analysing the hypothetical changes in absolute and relative poverty rates, as well as the Gini coefficient. The efficiency of benefits was assessed as the ratio of the amount used to reduce the poverty gap out of the total benefit amount. The study found that while SI appeared cost-effective in addressing absolute poverty, UBI was also effective in addressing relative poverty and income inequality.

Penerapan Geographically Weighted Panel Regression dan Data Envelopment Analysis dalam Pemodelan Kemiskinan di Kalimantan Timur

Indonesia currently still needs to focus on achieving sustainable development goals agreed by all countries in the world. Indonesia presently ranks 82nd out of 163 nations in terms of SDG accomplishment, indicating that there is still plenty of potential for improvement. One of the goals that hasn't been accomplished is ‘no poverty’. Regarding the poverty cases, among all province in Indonesia, East Kalimantan is important to be analyzed, because Penajam Paser Utara and Kutai Kartanegara in East Kalimantan are scheduled to become Indonesia's next capital, Nusantara. The goal of this research is to investigate the variables that influence poverty in East Kalimantan and determine the effectiveness of poverty alleviation in the regencies/cities in East Kalimantan. This research used indicator data of poverty from 2019-2021 retrieved from Statistics Indonesia. This research use spatial panel data analysis regression method or Geographically Weighted Panel Regression (GWPR) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). In GWPR model, this research compared adaptive gaussian, adaptive bisquare, adaptive exponential, fixed gaussian, fixed bisquare, and fixed exponential kernel. The findings of this investigation revealed that fixed exponential is the kernel that has lowest AIC and the highest adj-𝑅2. The variables that determine poverty of regencies/cities in East Kalimantan are expenditure per capita, life expectancy, and number of village with higher education facilities. Furthermore, according to DEA, only three cities were effective in addressing poverty: Mahakam Ulu, Paser, and Penajam Paser Utara.

The impact and effectiveness of China’s entrepreneurship policy for back-home migrant workers

This study aims to estimate the net effect of China’s entrepreneurship policy on back-home migrant workers since 2015. Using survey data from the provinces of; Zhejiang, Henan, and Guizhou with propensity score matching to control selection bias, the study indicates that the overall entrepreneurship policy has a significant positive impact on the probability of entrepreneurial entry. The poverty alleviation effect of the overall policy is greater than its industrial development effect, while the employment effect is not significant. The infrastructure policy’s effect on employment, industrial development, and poverty alleviation is greater than the other policies, and the financial policy’s effect on these three aspects is not significant. This study contributes to the existing literature by addressing a well-defined gap regarding the net effect of entrepreneurship policy on entrepreneurship entry and provides well-supported and plausible explanations for the inconsistencies among previous studies on policy effect indicators. As a practical contribution, this study provides China and other developing economies with compelling empirical evidence to support the design and amendment of entrepreneurship policy at the national level.

Geographical indication, agricultural development and the alleviation of rural relative poverty

AbstractSustainable development is the power source to promote rural economic and social prosperity and the necessary guarantee for rural revitalization, while rural relative poverty alleviation is the inherent requirement for promoting sustainable development and realizing rural revitalization. The pro‐agricultural attribute of geographical indication determines that it can be an important tool to alleviate rural relative poverty. This study analyzes the relationship between geographical indication and rural relative poverty alleviation, as well as the mediating role of agricultural industry agglomeration and the moderating role of agricultural scale operation. We use global Moran's I and spatial Durbin models to achieve these objectives, using panel data from 218 cities in China spanning from 2008 to 2019. The results show that: (1) During the study period, relative poverty in China exhibits a distinct pattern of contiguous distribution, and there has been a significant reduction in the number of areas with high levels. Notable progress has been made in alleviating relative poverty in the central, northeastern, and southern regions of China. (2) Geographical indication can alleviate rural relative poverty not only within its region but also in neighboring regions. (3) Geographical indication can alleviate rural relative poverty through agricultural industry agglomeration, and agricultural scale operation can strengthen the relative poverty alleviation effect of geographical indication. This paper enriches the study of relative poverty alleviation mechanisms and reveals how geographical indications can help. The results can provide useful insights for poverty alleviation in poor areas through geographical indication and a new practice path for rural revitalization.

Paired assistance and poverty alleviation: Experience and evidence from China.

This paper used the micro panel data from 2016 to 2019 of 2031 registered poor households in B Town, W County, Lu'an City of Anhui Province in China to analyze the diversified patterns and poverty alleviation effect of paired assistance based on the PSM-DID model. The empirical results show that paired assistance provided by social forces can significantly contribute to the poverty alleviation of poor households, promoting the poverty alleviation rate by 7.8%, which can be concluded through sample matching and control of relevant variables. Furthermore, based on the subsample of poor households with social assistance, we found that external social assistance subject to paired assistance can significantly improve the poverty alleviation rate of poor households by 14.26%, mainly hung on their economic base and strength of poverty alleviation.

Role of MGNREGA in Sustainable Development: Environmental and Social Perspectives

The article examines the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), focusing on its environmental and social impacts for sustainable development in rural India. It highlights the importance of eco-friendly practices and empowerment of marginalized communities, while also identifying challenges and offering policy recommendations to enhance MGNREGA's environmental and social sustainability. Strategies for integrating these considerations into MGNREGA planning and implementation are discussed to ensure effective poverty alleviation and inclusive, sustainable development in rural areas. Further research is recommended to evaluate these strategies and address emerging challenges.

When connecting ventures to international markets falls short: examining the root mechanisms of perceived inefficacy in market-driven poverty alleviation efforts

PropósitoEl objetivo de nosso estudo é integrar as percepções de três atores: os organismos internacionais, os empreendimentos em comunidades pobres e as próprias comunidades pobres, com o objetivo de mudar a discussão sobre a redução da pobreza para as percepções dos diferentes atores envolvidos nas relações de mercado, particularmente as das comunidades pobres. A redução da pobreza é um compromisso chave das nações unidas, e atualmente abordagens de mercado são promovidas como um meio para reduzir a pobreza, especialmente entre os organismos internacionais. Uma estratégia consiste em conectar empreendimentos em comunidades pobres com mercados internacionais. No entanto, pesquisas anteriores mostram que essas abordagens de mercado têm sucesso variado em algumas ocasiões e em outras não.MetodologiaRealizamos um estudo de casos comparativo de três empreendimentos em comunidades pobres urbanas e rurais que recebem apoio de um organismo internacional. Em seguida, analisamos nossos dados para determinar quais mecanismos levaram a discrepâncias nas percepções de cada ator envolvido em relação à redução da pobreza.ResultadosNosso estudo identifica três mecanismos que explicam as discrepâncias nas percepções dos atores envolvidos em relação às abordagens de mercado para a redução da pobreza: ‘desvinculação dos mercados da pobreza’, onde o apoio aos empreendimentos pode paradoxalmente separá-los das comunidades pobres; ‘estresse de sobrecarga’ que captura situações em que os empreendimentos não podem cumprir sua função de redução da pobreza por meio de suas atividades no mercado devido à expectativa de fazê-lo, mesmo que implicitamente, sobrecarregando o empreendimento; e ‘divergência de valores’ que mostra que os atores envolvidos frequentemente avaliam de maneira diferente o impacto das abordagens de mercado na pobreza.OriginalidadePropomos que um aspecto-chave da redução efetiva da pobreza por meio de abordagens de mercado que façam contribuições substanciais e a longo prazo é monitorar as relações e a eficácia percebida entre todos os atores envolvidos nessas abordagens, incluindo as próprias comunidades pobres.

THE IMPACT AND HETEROGENEITY OF DIGITAL INCLUSIVE FINANCE DEVELOPMENT ON POVERTY ALLEVIATION - BASED ON COUNTY-LEVEL PANEL DATA IN JING-JIN-JI REGION

Based on county-level panel data from 2014 to 2017 in Jing-Jin-Ji region, employing SDEM model to analyze the impact and heterogeneity of digital inclusive finance on poverty alleviation. The results show that, first, digital inclusive finance exerts significant poverty alleviation effect, and this effect focuses on local region, having no apparent spillover effects on neighborhood counties. Second, the poverty alleviation effects of digital inclusive finance are heterogeneous, the effects of index of Coverage and Usage, and basic, upgraded and supported digital finance service are different in Jing-Jin-Ji, Hebei and Poverty Area Samples. Third, digital inclusive finance exerts bigger poverty alleviation effect on the less developed region and poverty region, showing the effect of Corner Overtaking.

Study on the Employment Enhancement Path of Migrants Relocated for Poverty Alleviation

Relocation for poverty alleviation is an important initiative for precise poverty alleviation in China, with the main objective of resolving the contradiction between people and the environment, and endeavouring to realize the dual goals of poverty alleviation and ecological restoration. In recent years, Shanxi Province has planned, designed, and implemented a number of village relocation projects for poverty alleviation, relocating populations from areas where the natural ecology is unsuitable for human habitation, or where coal mining has led to land subsidence, to towns or suburban areas with better environments. Whether the relocated population out of poverty can obtain stable livelihood adaptation is of great practical significance for consolidating the effect of poverty alleviation and comprehensively building a modernized socialist country, so how to coordinate multiple resources to guarantee the employment of relocated immigrants has become a focus issue that needs to be urgently solved. In this paper, we analyze the employment profile of relocated immigrants in the centralized resettlement area of Changzhi City, Shanxi Province, and the dilemmas that exist, and explore the paths to enhance the employment level of relocated immigrants, stimulate the endogenous motivation for employment, and realize sustainable livelihoods from the perspective of upgrading the comprehensive quality of the relocated immigrants, promoting the development of related industries, and improving the employment service system.

How to Overcome Poverty with Zakat

This research paper explores the multifaceted role of Zakat in alleviating poverty within the Islamic economic framework. Emphasizing its significance in preserving wealth and promoting economic stability, the paper delves into various dimensions of Zakat, ranging from its impact on economic cycles to its flexible provisions that safeguard against inflation and recession. The study underscores Zakat's contribution to poverty eradication through the development of human capital, morally and materially, and its role in fostering goodwill and compassion in society. Additionally, the paper discusses Zakat as a tool for preserving wealth, demonstrating its ability to prevent economic crises and redirect money towards investments and economic revitalization. The research concludes by proposing strategies for enhancing Zakat institutions and establishing a global framework for more effective poverty alleviation.

Community-Driven Poverty Eradication Strategy: Lessons from Kasese District, Uganda – A Sub-County Level Analysis

Poverty eradication continues to pose a significant global challenge, impacting millions and hindering sustainable development. Effectively addressing poverty necessitates comprehensive strategies that extend beyond merely tackling economic disparities, emphasizing the need to empower communities for active participation in their development. In rural Uganda, poverty alleviation remains a critical issue. This study explored the effectiveness of the community empowerment approach in reducing poverty within the Bwera, Karusandara, and Karambi sub-counties of Kasese District in Uganda. Grounded in community development theory, the research employed a quantitative approach using both correlation and survey research designs. Researchers selected a sample size of 130 respondents from a target population of 192 through stratified random sampling and simple random sampling techniques. They gathered primary data using structured questionnaires and analyzed the data with descriptive and inferential statistics via SPSS version 26. Findings from simple linear regression and correlation analyses revealed a significant positive relationship between community empowerment and poverty alleviation (t=2.805; P=.006; r = 0.446; p < 0.01; p < 0.05). The study illustrates a substantial positive connection between community empowerment and poverty alleviation, demonstrating that enhancing community capacity leads to better poverty outcomes. Policymakers should prioritize community empowerment initiatives as a central strategy for poverty alleviation, promoting local participation and resource access to improve sustainable development outcomes. This study’s significance for policymakers lies in its evidence that community empowerment is essential for effective poverty alleviation, informing the development of targeted strategies that enhance local participation and resource access, ultimately fostering sustainable and impactful poverty reduction efforts.

Analysis of the Mediating Effect of Micro Business Growth on Productive Zakat Utilization, Information Technology, and Mustahiq’s Welfare

This study aims to analyze the impact of productive zakat and information technology on the welfare of Mustahiq through the growth of micro-businesses at BAZNAS DIY, LAZISMU DIY, and LAZISNU DIY. Quantitative analysis was employed in this study with a sample size of 39. The data analysis technique utilized was Structural Equation Modeling and Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS), facilitated by the Smart-PLS 3.0 application. The findings of this research indicate that both productive zakat and information technology exert a significant positive influence on the growth of micro-businesses. However, productive zakat alone does not significantly affect the welfare of Mustahiq. On the other hand, micro-business growth demonstrates a significant positive effect on Mustahiq’s welfare. Furthermore, productive zakat and information technology significantly contribute to the welfare of Mustahiq through the mediation of micro-business growth. Originality/Value: This study seeks to explore the relationships between productive zakat, micro-business growth, information technology, and mustahiq welfare. Additionally, it aims to assess the impact of productive zakat provision and information technology utilization on mustahiq welfare, contributing to the discourse on effective poverty alleviation strategies in Indonesia.

Investigating the impacts of poverty alleviation on carbon emissions and its mechanisms.

Exploring the relationship between poverty alleviation and carbon emissions can provide theoretical foundations for inclusive low-carbon development. This study empirically explores the impact of poverty alleviation on carbon emissions and its underlying mechanisms using panel data from Chinese provinces from 2007 to 2020. (1) The benchmark regression results indicate that poverty alleviation increases carbon emissions, and this result is robust. (2) Mechanism analysis reveals that promoting the transformation from the primary industry to the secondary industry and fostering consumption growth are important paths for poverty alleviation that promote carbon emissions. (3) Heterogeneity regression results show that effect of poverty alleviation on carbon emissions is more pronounced in impoverished provinces and resource-rich provinces. This study reveals the conflict between poverty alleviation and carbon emissions reduction in China, and reminds the government of the need to implement low-carbon poverty alleviation policies as well as guide people to low-carbon consumption.