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Is Poverty Underestimated Because Males and Females Report Food Security and Food Expenses Differently?
No full textDoes the gender of household survey respondents affect the accuracy of reported food consumption? Findings from a randomisation-based survey of beneficiary households in the Productive Safety Net Programme in Ethiopia suggest that it might – with implications for the targeting of such programmes. Females reported greater food insecurity and males reported higher food expenditures. Such striking gender differences raise the possibility that poor households may be classified as non-poor, or less poor than they actually are. Survey design and respondent selection should therefore aim to minimise bias to ensure the poorest and most food-insecure households benefit from assistance.</p
An Inclusive Lens on Aid for Trade
No full textIn a rapidly evolving global trade and development landscape, addressing trade-related challenges through aid for trade (AfT) remains highly relevant. The World Trade Organization–Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development AfT Global Reviews increasingly mention sustainable development priorities. However, the benefits and costs generated by trade on different sectors, locations, and groups (e.g. workers, producers, marginalised, and vulnerable) remain hard to identify and track. To establish how AfT can benefit the poor and disadvantaged, socioeconomic enablers and barriers that affect development impacts must be assessed. This Policy Briefing provides a framing for an inclusive lens on AfT to enable more inclusive policy and programming.</p
Labour Market Effects of India’s Termination from the United States’ GSP
No full textThis paper investigates the sudden 2019 termination by the United States Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) of trade with India as a quasi-natural experiment. Given the re-election of Donald Trump and global concerns about the future of global trade, understanding the distributional consequences from past trade shocks can inform strategies to balance trade preferences with social equity. The impact of the GSP termination is examined with a triple difference-in-differences specification that controls for both country- and product-level export changes to estimate the impact of the termination on India’s exports to the US deriving a shock index by sector. We then use the shock index as a treatment variable in a second model, utilising a difference-in-differences approach to measure the effect of the shock on monthly individual-level worker incomes and employment. Our findings suggest that the GSP termination had a considerable impact on Indian exports to the US: on average, exports of affected products dropped by 2 per cent in 2019, with exports of transportation manufacturing declining more than 20 per cent. These reduced trade flows from India to the US had knock-on economic implications for workers in India that we argue were likely driven by a strong countercyclical response from large firms that resorted to occupational restructuring, which saw companies prioritising professionals at the expense of day labourers. These findings have important implications for economic inequality as earners in the top income quintiles arguably capture the largest income gains and demonstrate the greatest employment resilience in the immediate aftermath of the termination.</p
Climate Extremes: Pathways for Preparedness and Anticipatory Action
No full textAs India celebrates 150th year of the founding of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) the latest edition of Southasiadisasters.net titled “Climate Extremes: Pathways for Preparedness and Anticipatory Action” delves into the escalating climate extremes in South Asia, examining their interconnected impacts and the innovative anticipatory actions needed to address them. This issue emphasizes the co-location of hazards such as floods, heatwaves, and cyclones, and their compounded effects on vulnerable communities, particularly women and marginalized groups.Articles highlight local experiences and institutional responses, calling for inclusive and context-sensitive preparedness strategies. As Mihir R. Bhatt, notes, “In such an emerging landscape of extreme heat risk, we must ask: what key anticipatory actions are needed, and how do we co-create solutions that serve both the sciences and the people at the frontline?” From community-led preparedness efforts in Gujarat to reflections on the role of water in climate adaptation, the edition brings together diverse voices and interdisciplinary insights. It also critiques gaps in resource access, forecasting, and institutional support, urging a shift toward equitable and locally driven responses. By synthesizing field data, research findings, and policy recommendations, this publication reaffirms the need for proactive, inclusive, and knowledge-driven strategies to address the region’s mounting climate challenges in its mitigation India has a lead role to play.</p
Notes on Contributors: Environmental Change, Development Challenges – Revisited
No full textThis is the Notes on Contributors for IDS Bulletin 56.1A: 'Environmental Change, Development Challenges – Revisited'.</p
The Political Economy of Taxation in Somalia: Historical Legacies, Informal Institutions, and Political Settlements
No full textThis paper investigates the political economy of weak taxation in Somalia, tracing the historical, institutional, and political factors that underpin the country’s low tax-to-GDP ratio of approximately 2 per cent. Challenging conventional narratives that attribute Somalia’s weak tax capacity solely to state collapse and conflict, the study situates contemporary challenges within a broader historical context of pre- and post-colonial governance structures, reliance on trade taxes, and institutionalised informality. Drawing on qualitative data from the federal government and states and comparative insights from Somaliland, the paper examines how fragmented tax authority, elite bargains, and informal tax negotiations hinder centralised tax systems. It highlights the role of political settlements in shaping the state’s limited capacity and willingness to tax, with elites enjoying limited enforcement of tax laws in exchange for their role in maintaining political stability and support. The analysis argues that technocratic tax reforms often fail in conflict-affected states due to their inability to address underlying power dynamics and informal institutions. Instead, it advocates for politically-aligned reforms that account for entrenched elite interests and historical legacies. By contextualising Somalia’s taxation challenges within a political settlement framework, the study contributes to broader debates on state-building, revenue mobilisation, and governance in fragile states.</p
Contributions of International Partnerships in Science & Technology to Economic Growth
No full textThis rapid review synthesises the current evidence, highlights the main pathways through which academic partnerships contribute to growth, and identifies factors that determine their success. International Science & Technology (S&T) partnerships are increasingly recognised as powerful enablers of economic development. These partnerships span collaborations between universities, research institutions, industries, and governments, with goals such as knowledge exchange, joint research, technology transfer, and human capital development. While direct macroeconomic studies isolating their effect are very limited in providing hard evidence, substantial theoretical and empirical evidence shows that such international partnerships indeed can enhance innovation, productivity, trade competitiveness, and skills formation— all key drivers of sustainable economic growth.</p
K4DD Humanitarian Evidence and Discourse Summary November 2025
No full textThis monthly Humanitarian Evidence and Discourse Summary aims to signpost FCDO and others to the latest relevant evidence and discourse on humanitarian action. It is structured around FCDO humanitarian framework themes:Protect: Protect civilians, IDPs, refugees, marginalised groups including women and girls, and humanitarian access.Prioritise: Prioritise effective humanitarian assistance to people in greatest need.Prevent: Prevent and anticipate future shocks and rebuild resilience in protracted and recurring crises.This summary covers November 2025.</p
From Extraction to Value Addition: How Capabilities and Power Shape Local Supplier Development
No full textThis working paper examines how countries can add value to their natural resources by developing domestic, knowledge-intensive suppliers. Using cases from Argentina and Chile, it shows how backward linkages in natural resource (NR) sectors actually emerge, consolidate, or stall. We trace the barriers firms face across three stages, entry, survival and expansion, and the opportunity spaces they exploit, including proximity to producers, adaptation to local NR conditions, and frontier innovation.Our findings show that while technological capabilities are essential, they are not sufficient. Many barriers are relational and institutional, requiring negotiation and political capabilities to build credibility, navigate asymmetric relationships, and shape emerging markets.The paper also synthesises debates on the resource curse, linkages and diversification, offering a grounded account of how NR-based upgrading occurs in practice. These insights are crucial for current debates on ‘moving beyond extraction’, providing guidance for designing policies that go beyond generic restrictions such as export bans or standard local-content requirements.</p
Digital-ID in Senegal: Country Report
No full textThis report examines Senegal’s digital identification (digital-ID) landscape, evaluating its legal framework through rule of law, rights-based, and risk-based tests. Digital-ID is increasingly critical for public administration and service delivery in Senegal, where the biometric Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC) is mandatory for citizens aged 15 and above.The report addresses the question: what is the current state of Senegal’s digital-ID landscape, including its legal framework, assessed using rule of law, rights-based, and risk-based tests? It concludes with key risks, findings, and policy recommendations to support a more inclusive and rights-respecting digital-ID system.</p