Philanthropy Action

Category: Poverty Alleviation

There are 132 entries in this category.

Nov 05, 2007

Will more agriculture in Africa help Africans eat?

The importance of a well-fed population to growth and prosperity is obvious. What does not seem clear, however, is the direct link these reports – and the reporting done on them – seem to draw between agriculture as a sector and large-scale decreases in poverty.

Oct 30, 2007

Farm Bills and Food Stamps

Given all the reporting on the many problems with current farm policy that has been done in the past year by publications from across the political spectrum it is baffling how the new farm bill can get passed looking even worse than it did before.

Oct 10, 2007

Commodities and their Discontents

The American farm bill is perpetuating a deeply broken system that hurts everyone. There is some hope that the subsidies system will be curtailed as the Senate modifies the current version but we have a long way to go before the farm bill does what it is meant to: protect both farmers and those who consume their products. 

Jul 18, 2007

Celebrities, Influence, and Listening to Africans

The challenge for anyone looking to make a measurable difference is that the dynamics that help and harm in each country are so diverse. It is legitimately difficult to know who to listen to, because equally informed, stake-holding Africans have conflicting ideas about what will work in their respective countries or communities.

Jul 16, 2007

Simple Can Be Best

Much good can come from introducing new technologies into developing communities, but often the best of development comes when existing resources are put to mindful use.

Jul 06, 2007

In Global Health, Money Isn’t the Problem

A recent Economist article argues that there is more than enough money earmarked for world health initiatives, but that the available funds are not being dispersed.

Jun 25, 2007

Tolerance a Boon to Slavery

While poverty is certainly one of the main factors driving the persistence of slavery it is by no means the only one. In fact, while India and China have succeeded spectacularly at reducing poverty, slavery persists and is quite possibly growing. At root is a tolerance for slavery, whether from corrupt government officials, cultural apologists or passive business partners.

Jun 08, 2007

The Role of Cell Phones in Poverty Alleviation

The fishing industry in Northern Kerala in the south of India, as reported in The Economist, has become an example of how simple tools of information exchange can transform a local industry.

Jun 06, 2007

The Slum Opportunity

Despite their horrors, in slums there are jobs, access to markets, more developed roads and water systems and other civic infrastructure. And opportunity for the poor and donors alike. 

May 30, 2007

Cheap Instead of Free: Lessons in Effective Aid

In an attempt to curtail the phenomenon in aid circles in which materials distributed for free are thrown away or never used, some groups are experimenting with making the poor pay for certain interventions, such as bed nets. The goal is to determine whether payment will increase use.

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