ZEF Discussion Papers on Development Policy
ZEF – Discussion Papers on Development Policy are intended to stimulate discussion among researchers, practitioners and policy makers on current and emerging development issues. The Editorial Committee of the ZEF – DISCUSSION PAPERS ON DEVELOPMENT POLICY includes Matin Qaim (Chair), Christian Borgemeister, and Eva Youkhana. Hannah Ameye is the Managing Editor of the series.
Recent Submissions
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Impact of Super Apps on the Nutrition Transition in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Evidence from Indonesia
Elmira, Elza Samantha; Suryahadi, Asep (2025-01-13)Many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are experiencing a nutrition transition from traditional diets to high-energy, processed foods, increasing non-communicable disease risks. Digitalization of food systems plays ... -
An inquiry into labor conditions across key rural sectors in Africa
Nzira, Jackson Elias; Parlasca, Martin C.; Qaim, Matin (2025-01-06)While agriculture remains a key source of livelihoods in rural Africa, employment in other economic sectors is gaining in importance. However, details of the labor conditions are under-researched. Here, we examine labor ... -
Aspirations and Livelihood Diversification in Rural Africa
Guthoff, Jonas; Mutsami, Chrispinus; Parlasca, Martin C.; Heckelei, Thomas; Qaim, Matin (2024-12-27)Many people in rural Africa still rely on smallholder agriculture as their main source of livelihood. Yet pursuing other economic activities beyond farming to diversify incomes becomes increasingly important. In this paper, ... -
Links between rural electrification and gendered off-farm employment in sub-Saharan Africa
Ezebuihe, Jessy Amarachi; Parlasca, Martin C.; Qaim, Matin (2024-12-09)We analyze the relationship between household electricity access and off-farm employment of women and men in rural Africa, using primary survey data from Kenya, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zambia. Estimating regression models, ... -
Destination choices during internal temporary migration: Evidence from northern Bangladesh
Rana, Sohel; Faye, Amy (2024-12-03)Whilst migration to urban areas is often understood through higher wage opportunities, it is not well understood why many rural poor often prefer rural destinations, particularly during temporary migration. This preference ... -
Rice-aquaculture systems and dietary quality in Bangladesh
Farjana, Fariha; Nguyen, Thanh Tung; Qaim, Matin (2024-11-28)Rice-aquaculture is promoted in many countries as a system that could simultaneously improve land and water productivity and household diets and nutrition. However, studies evaluating the effects of rice-aquaculture ... -
Small-Scale Irrigation in the Sahel: Adoption Trends, Profitability, and Challenges
Faye, Amy; von Braun, Joachim (2024-11-26)This paper analyzes the current uptake of small-scale irrigation (SSI1), its profitability, and the constraints to its broader adoption in the Sahel using literature and survey data from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and ... -
Altruistic giving and risk taking in human affairs
Stark, Oded; Balbus, Lukasz (2024-11-14)The purpose of this paper is to provide a general proposition of the relationship between altruism and risk taking. As explained in the body of the paper, we diverge from a result reported in Stark et al. (2022) and provide ... -
Social gains or losses?: Evidence from dairy systems under alternative herd health management practices in Kenya
Maina, Kevin W.; Parlasca, Martin C.; Rao, Elizaphan J.O. (2024-11-13)Strategies for sustainable intensification of livestock are becoming increasingly important in designing interventions to develop the sector. In dairying systems, herd health management is among such strategies. While ... -
A theory of migration as a response to occupational stigma
Stark, Oded; Fan, C. Simon (2009-11)Drawing on the literature of occupational status and social distance, a theory is developed of labor migration that is prompted by a desire to avoid “social humiliation.” A closed-economy general equilibrium model that ... -
Crop biotechnology in developing countries: A conceptual framework for ex ante economic analyses
Qaim, Matin; von Braun, Joachim (1998-11)It is now widely acknowledged that biotechnology will have significant implications for development. While biotechnology’s potential for low income economies is still the subject of controversy, this paper argues that it ... -
Water insecurity and the poor: Issues and research needs
Webb, Patrick; Iskandarani, Maria (1998-10)Household water insecurity is a pressing problem in developing countries. Unsustainable water withdrawal is increasing due to population growth, industrialization, urbanization, and increasing agricultural production which ... -
Child labor and the international policy debate: The education/child labor trade-off and the consequences of trade sanctions
Grote, Ulrike; Basu, Arnab; Weinhold, Diana (1998-09)This paper provides an overview of the current academic and public debate on child labor. There is growing impetus to impose international minimum labor standards banning child labor. However, this paper argues that while ... -
Strengthening social security systems in rural areas of developing countries
Jütting, Johannes (1999-06)It is now generally accepted that the approach of enlarging state-based social security systems in developing countries in order to achieve universal coverage has failed. It is the poor and rural population in particular ... -
Village pay phones and poverty reduction: Insights from a grameen bank initiative in Bangladesh
Bayes, Abdul; von Braun, Joachim; Akhter, Rasheda (1999-06)The intent of the present study is to evaluate the role of telecommunications within the contexts of rural development in general and of poverty reduction in particular. Bangladesh has been selected as a case study due to ... -
The role of information and communication technologies in economic development: A partial survey
Bedi, Arjun S. (1999-05)The diffusion of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and their potential as a development tool have generated a wide array of views. The variety of views suggests that the role and impact of these technologies ... -
Lebensmittelhandel und Konsumtrends in China
Sheng, Mingzhi (1999-05)Das Ziel dieser Studie besteht darin, durch Beschreibung der Strukturen und Trends im Lebensmitteleinzelhandel Chinas potentiellen Investoren und Exporteuren praktische Informationen bereitzustellen. Diese beschreibende ... -
Governance and economic performance: A survey
Dethier, Jean-Jacques (1999-04)This paper presents a framework for analyzing the determinants and effects of public governance and a survey of recent theoretical and empirical studies pertaining to developing and transition countries. It explains how ... -
Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien in Entwicklungsländern: Trends und Potentiale
Seibel, Sabine; Müller-Falcke, Dietrich; Bertolini, Romeo (1999-01)Since the mid 80s information and communication technologies (ICT) played an ever increasing role within the developed world. Industrialised and newly industrialising economies make big financial and organisational efforts ... -
Towards enhancing the role of microfinance for safety nets of the poor
Zeller, Manfred (1999-10)Many of the poor borrow, more save, and most of them demand insurance products or related substitutes. However, most of these financial products, especially those catering towards the need for consumption stabilization are ...