Logan Cochrane
Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Public Policy, Faculty Member
This open access book provides a topical overview of the key sustainability issues in Qatar, focusing on environmental sustainability from a socio-political perspective. The transition to a sustainable Qatar requires engagement with... more
This open access book provides a topical overview of the key sustainability issues in Qatar, focusing on environmental sustainability from a socio-political perspective. The transition to a sustainable Qatar requires engagement with diverse areas of social-political, human, and environmental development. On the environmental aspects, the contributors address climate change, food security, water reuse and desalination, energy, and biodiversity. The socio-political section examines state strategy and regulation, the place of environmental law and geopolitics and sustainability innovators and catalysts. The human section considers economics, sustainability education, the knowledge economy, and waste management. In doing so, the book demarcates the ways in which the country encounters and grapples with significant challenges and delves into the range of options for future pathways to sustainability in Qatar. Relevant to policymakers and scholars in energy and environment, urban and developmental studies, as well as the arenas of politics, climate change and policy, this book is a landmark collection on environmental policy in the Gulf and beyond.
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Ethiopia has made significant progress preventing famine. However, food insecurity remains a significant challenge for the country. As recent as 2016, one in five Ethiopians relied on emergency assistance. Ethiopia and Food Security... more
Ethiopia has made significant progress preventing famine. However, food insecurity remains a significant challenge for the country. As recent as 2016, one in five Ethiopians relied on emergency assistance. Ethiopia and Food Security analyzes what makes people vulnerable to food insecurity, by analyzing individual households as well as the broader systems, policies, and services that people interact with. This exploration assesses what we know about food security in Ethiopia, and employs a new methodology to expand the types of questions being asked. The results highlight the role of issues not often associated with food security research, such as migration and debt. This participatory approach identifies that research often makes invisible the purposeful and insightful choices farmers make. When surveyed, farmers are asked to provide generalizations about input use, crop choice and planting practices, when in reality each crop, input and practice varies. Similarly, some commonly used measures of vulnerability can also be expressions of security; aggregated averages obfuscate localized inequality. In analyzing how the evidence about food security is shaped, Ethiopia and Food Security highlights avenues for re-envisioning research methods, particularly as policy and practice encounter politics. Importantly, this book synthesizes what we know about food security in Ethiopia and presents options and opportunities available for strengthening it.
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There have been significant social, economic and political changes in Ethiopia in recent decades. Healthcare coverage has rapidly expanded but much progress is still needed; access to education has improved but there are questions of... more
There have been significant social, economic and political changes in Ethiopia in recent decades. Healthcare coverage has rapidly expanded but much progress is still needed; access to education has improved but there are questions of quality and employment; macro-economic growth has been amongst the highest in the world for over a decade but there are questions of rising inequality; infrastructure has expanded throughout the nation, often at the expense of some; the second largest safety net in Africa has received acclaim and criticism; foreign direct investment has been relatively strong, but the quality of employment opportunities is questionable; recent political transitions have changed a negative narrative more positive, but many questions about democracy and inclusion remain. Since the political changes of 2018, Ethiopia has been undergoing what may be its most rapid and drastic change in modern history. This edited volume presents diverse experiences, perspectives, geographies, and sectors in the social and political realms – specifically in the thematic areas of governance, health, gender and land. It highlights successes as well as challenges on a wide range of issues. The collection of research shows the complexity of the changes and challenges, and the diverse ways in which change is experienced. Chapter 1. Freedom of Mobility in an Ethnic-Based Federal Structure: The Ethiopian Quandary (Abdissa Zerai, Department of Communication and Journalism, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, US) Chapter 2. Language Use in Multilingual Ethiopia: The Case of Southern Nations Nationalities and People's Regional State (Fekede Menuta, Department of Language and Literature, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia) Chapter 3. Challenges of Institutional Capacity for Implementing the Formal Social Protection in Ethiopia (Melisew Dejene and Logan Cochrane, Institute for Policy and Development Research, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia) Chapter 4. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD): An Evolving Dynamic of Nile Politics (Derrick K. Hudson and Steven C. Roach, Teaching Associate Professor, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, US, and others) Chapter 5. Equity in Maternal, Newborn and Child Health: Expanding Health Services onto Rural Ethiopia (Nicole Bergen, Ronald Labonté, Shifera Asfaw and Abebe Mamo, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and others) Chapter 6. Health Extension Workers in Ethiopia: Potential for Improving Complementary Feeding Practices and Health of Rural Children (Getenesh Berhanu Teshome, Susan J. Whiting and Carol J. Henry, School of Nutrition, Food Science and Technology, Hawassa University, Ethiopia, and others) Chapter 7. Rethinking Indigenous Communication for HIV/AIDS Prevention Campaigns in Ethiopia: The Case of Tigray Region (Hagos Nigussie, PhD, Deptartment of Journalism of Communication, Mekelle University, Ethiopia) Chapter 8. Ethiopian Women in Agriculture (Kristie Drucza, CIMMYT, Mulunesh Tsegaye, CIMMYT and Maria del Carmen Rodriguez, Consultant) Chapter 9. The Invisible Presence? The Politics of Female Enrolment Numbers in the Higher Education System in Ethiopia (Rose C. Amazan, School of Education, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia) Chapter 10. State of Cropland Availability in Rainfed Farming Systems in Ethiopia: Alternative Pathways to Address Landlessness and Food Insecurity (Tibebu Kassawmar, Gete Zeleke, Amare Bantider, Gizaw Desta Gessesse, Abebe Shiferaw, Lemlem Abraha and Matebu Tadesse, Department of Integrative Geography, University of Bern, Switzerland, and others) Chapter 11. Land Deals, Rural Unrest and the Crisis of State in Ethiopia (Dessalegn Rahmato, Forum for Social Studies, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)
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In the past two decades, Zimbabwe has been confronted with a concerning increase in the number of out-of-school children and youth (OOSC). Emerging evidence suggests that nearly a million children fall into this category, representing... more
In the past two decades, Zimbabwe has been confronted with a concerning increase in the number of out-of-school children and youth (OOSC). Emerging evidence suggests that nearly a million children fall into this category, representing approximately half of the country's adolescent population. This phenomenon has significantly impacted on Zimbabwe's educational landscape and socioeconomic fabric. Despite its gravity, research on OOSC remains limited. To address this gap, our study triangulates data from various sources to explore OOSC prevalence, examining geographical disparities and underlying causes. In addition, we investigate the nexus between OOSC and the prevailing socioeconomic crises in the country. Our analysis reveals that, despite Zimbabwe's robust education policies and legislative framework, OOSC prevalence rates remain high. Implementation gaps persist, hindering effective solutions. The challenge of OOSC is seen being intertwined with the multifaceted crises and socioeconomic dynamics affecting the nation. Geographical, wealth-based, social, religious, cultural, and economic disparities all contribute to the persistence of OOSC. To combat this challenge, we propose several recommendations rooted in the political economy-oriented concept of transformative social policy. These are crystallised around the need to develop a social contract prioritising the fulfilment of rights, social justice, human capacity, and agency. Emphasis is on the importance of a holistic approach, aligning economic policies with social goals to foster an environment conducive to education. By transforming social institutions and structures, we argue that the scourge of OOSC can be addressed and pave way for a more equitable and inclusive education system.
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Access to water has improved globally; however, nearly 800 million people continue to lack access, particularly in resource constrained contexts. Current efforts are not on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals aim of safe and... more
Access to water has improved globally; however, nearly 800 million people continue to lack access, particularly in resource constrained contexts. Current efforts are not on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals aim of safe and affordable drinking water for all. Innovative and contextualized solutions are required. This article describes a university-government collaboration in Ethiopia that addressed key data limitations, without which equity-based decision-making was not possible. These efficient and cost-effective ways for obtaining and managing data support improved decisionmaking, and also identified avenues for improving water system governance through policy shifts and citizen participation.
Research Interests: Social Policy, Development Studies, Water, Ethiopian Studies, Sustainable Development, and 11 moreWater resources, Africa, Governance, Rural Development, Sustainable Water Resources Management, Water Resources engineering, Public Policy Analysis, Water governance, Public Policy, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and UN Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)
Qatar has rapidly expanded its education system, but outcomes are lower than comparable countries. This article explores factors outside of formal education that influence learning, namely parental educational attainment and household... more
Qatar has rapidly expanded its education system, but outcomes are lower than comparable countries. This article explores factors outside of formal education that influence learning, namely parental educational attainment and household libraries. Evidence shows associations of these traits with positive reading habits, yet limited research is available for Qatar. We analyze data from a case study of a sub-population participating in a home reading program. Findings align with the literature on the positive role of educational attainment on reading habits of adults and children. We also show that effective interventions can reduce this influence, thereby reducing the gap between households with different levels of educational attainment. Home libraries were associated with higher educational attainment (and hence reading habits), but this association was not sustained after the intervention. We recommend scaling initiatives to include broader participant populations and diversifying tertiary educational programs to raise educational attainment over the longer term.
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The 2023 expansion of BRICS (hereafter BRICS+) has resulted in a flurry of journalistic and political narratives. These narratives span a spectrum, between perspectives that emphasize the continuity of the existing global order on the one... more
The 2023 expansion of BRICS (hereafter BRICS+) has resulted in a flurry of journalistic and political narratives. These narratives span a spectrum, between perspectives that emphasize the continuity of the existing global order on the one end and those that note the dawn of a new era and the end of a unipolar world on the other. These discussions have often been based on a limited set of data points, and commonly have not listed the source or limitations of the data used. This paper analyzes the BRICS + and the G7 groups of countries, using long-term empirical data, to assess economic, trade and military metrics. For each domain, multiple metrics are analyzed to validate the extent of change (or lack thereof). The results are compared and contrasted with available narratives. The data shows a notable shift in the global macro-economy, marked by the rise of BRICS + and a relative decline of G7 countries. However, a closer examination of specific economic measures and expected outcomes reveals a more nuanced picture. For trade, BRICS + has a significant share of crucial resources such as oil, gas, and critical minerals, but the G7 continues to maintain a disproportionate share of global goods and services trade, despite experiencing a gradual decline relative to the BRICS + over time. In the realm of military capacities, the G7 countries remain the dominant investor, resulting in technological superiority and military advantage, while the BRICS + have manifold significantly larger military personnel. It is evident that the world is changing, but in more complex and nuanced ways than what is often portrayed, challenging the oversimplified narratives.
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Citizenship and residency laws in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries developed during a similar time period, with similar influences, and as a result had common characteristics. In recent years, this has begun to change, with new... more
Citizenship and residency laws in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries developed during a similar time period, with similar influences, and as a result had common characteristics. In recent years, this has begun to change, with new pathways to permanent residency and citizenship developing in the region. This paper takes a comparative case study approach to analyzing the policy changes in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and then explores the implications thereof. Broadening the pathways for permanent residency and citizenship offers opportunities (e.g., reversing financial outflows, increasing domestic investment and savings, attracting foreign direct investment and skilled talent) while it also presents risks (e.g., contesting traditional forms of belonging and entitlement, reducing social cohesion, and creating new forms of inequalities). While new pathways have indeed emerged, these pathways are designed for specific types of people, defined by the criteria or requirements of them. The unique policies of the three countries imply unique directions for the economies, demographic transitions, and socio-political cultures of the region.
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The Arabian Gulf region has witnessed tremendous social, political and economic change in recent decades. The State of Qatar's ambitious global visions mean that it is a significant player in both creating and riding these... more
The Arabian Gulf region has witnessed tremendous social, political and economic change in recent decades. The State of Qatar's ambitious global visions mean that it is a significant player in both creating and riding these transformational waves. Yet with a minority citizen population of only 12%, protecting the language, culture and values of the nation in the midst of rapid development and modernization presents unique challenges that most governments do not have to grapple with. This has led to strategic and legal stances and policies as well initiatives by governmental and non-governmental organizations to maintain and develop national identity and Qatari culture. Through a systematic literature review, this paper synthesizes available evidence regarding national identity for Qatari citizens. It explores dominant themes that emerged in the literature related to identity in Qatar, namely: architecture, education and language policy, gender, media and social media, museums, politics and governance, and sports. Each are synthesized, from which we offer reflections on what is (not) known regarding national identity, identifying a number of areas in need of research related to better understanding the complexity and diversity within the citizen population.
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The impacts of climate change vary by location and severity, will be experienced over a range of timescales, and governments are not equally able to respond to risks and hazards in the same way. Yet, despite the rapid expansion of... more
The impacts of climate change vary by location and severity, will be experienced over a range of timescales, and governments are not equally able to respond to risks and hazards in the same way. Yet, despite the rapid expansion of climate-related evidence, few studies categorize risks and hazards to support better-informed decision-making regarding the prioritization of action and investment. This paper develops a risk categorization tool and decision support heuristic, applied to the specific challenges faced in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, and specifically in the State of Qatar. Drawing on expert assessment, the results of this study allow decision-makers to compare risks and hazards when making decisions about resource allocation and policy interventions. The results represent a localized categorization of climate risks and a comparative assessment based on three criteria. Standardized global assessments were used to validate the results. While the application of this study is specific to one country, the methodology and assessment approach could be applied in other contexts to enable more evidence-informed decision-making.
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Governments around the world are working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the transportation system is focal to the transition toward more renewable energy sources. The State of Qatar has transitioned buses in its public... more
Governments around the world are working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the transportation system is focal to the transition toward more renewable energy sources. The State of Qatar has transitioned buses in its public transportation system to be fully electric and has set a 2030 target for 10% of all new sales of vehicles to be electric vehicles (EVs). Although constrained by data limitations, this paper synthesizes and assesses the evidence and makes recommendations to support the transportation transition. OBJECTIVE: This paper assesses the available evidence on EV transitions in Qatar, identifying enablers and barriers through the use of a systematic literature review and data obtained from government sources within Qatar. METHODS: The systematic literature review was conducted in March of 2023 using two academic databases (Scopus and Web of Science). Only English language peer-reviewed articles, books, and conference proceedings pertaining to Qatar and EVs or EV charging stations were included. No resources were identified on an Arabic language database. RESULTS: The systematic review process identified 26 relevant publications, which is synthesized and critically assessed into the following thematic clusters: (a) assessments related to the electrical grid and diversifying the energy mix, (b) the planning and distribution of charging stations, and (c) knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors as it relates to the socio-cultural dimensions of EV adoption. DISCUSSION: The authors conclude that to meet the 2030 target, the State of Qatar must improve data collection for monitoring, rapidly expand charging station infrastructure, enable private sector engagement, and raise awareness regarding EVs to change consumer perception and choices. They explore the specific policy interventions that these domains require for the country to meet its transportation transition objectives.
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In the past two decades, foreign direct investment (FDI) in emerging economies has witnessed substantial growth in the agricultural sector. Globally, more than a quarter of these investments have failed. Beyond case studies, the factors... more
In the past two decades, foreign direct investment (FDI) in emerging economies has witnessed substantial growth in the agricultural sector. Globally, more than a quarter of these investments have failed. Beyond case studies, the factors that contribute to these failures have been subject to limited research. To address this research gap, this article draws on a unique data set of 106 investments in Ethiopia, from which failures were identified and detailed case studies analysed to identify the causes of failure. Drawing on the literature on institutional voids, our analysis shows that the high rates of failure in the agricultural sector are often caused by insufficient planning at the proposal stage, assumptions about the availability of expertise, socio-political and environmental risks, insufficient financing and/or a changing investment landscape and underestimation and/or misunderstanding regarding the limits of extractive approaches. These lessons suggest that while FDI in the agricultural sector has potential, the working approaches require significant transformation. We offer a set of strategic recommendations to mitigate the risk of investment failure in agricultural investment.
Research Interests: African Studies, Economics, Development Economics, Political Economy, Ethiopian Studies, and 7 moreAfrica, Agricultural Economics, Agriculture, Ethiopia, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in the Transition Countries and Economic Growth, and Foreign Direct Investment ( FDI )
Qatar is caught in the struggle between reformation of its educational system to create a dynamic, local workforce and prepare their citizens for the competitive global market for higher education and jobs, whilst preserving the country’s... more
Qatar is caught in the struggle between reformation of its educational system to create a dynamic, local workforce and prepare their citizens for the competitive global market for higher education and jobs, whilst preserving the country’s values, tradition and language. This paper examines the recent policy shifts, hitherto under-explored, analysing the intended and unexpected impacts that influenced subsequent policy reform. It begins with a background on neoliberal educational policies followed by a historical account of the education system, with a focus on post-2011 where the government introduced a voucher system to further privatization. Using quantitative longitudinal analyses based on tabulating detailed government educational reports from 2010 onwards, it aims to investigate the impact of these post-2011 policies on the number of schools, students, gender and demographic composition in the government and private schooling sector. The data illustrates how a simple, linear trend of privatization has not occurred and that significant demographic changes have begun to surface between government and private schools. If these trends continue at the same rate across the next decade, this will likely result in transformative social changes and divisions in relation to identity, language, gender, cultural values, socio-economic status, higher education choices and job opportunities.
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International and national actors are increasingly calling for a double or triple nexus approach to humanitarian, development, and peace activities to improve the flexibility of programming, particularly in complex crises. The double or... more
International and national actors are increasingly calling for a double or triple nexus approach to humanitarian, development, and peace activities to improve the flexibility of programming, particularly in complex crises. The double or triple nexus approach can, however, also replicate or create new challenges. To avoid this, the double and triple nexus requires more nuance. We explore how the double and triple nexus raises concerns about (1) control and decision-making, (2) the potential to cause harm, and (3) impositions that create inefficiencies, aspects of the double and triple nexus that are rarely considered. As actors seek to integrate and align activities via double and triple nexus approaches, they must proactively set in place policies to avoid negative consequences through localization to avoid replicating unequal control and decision-making. To ensure 'do no harm' is upheld, actors must consider the pace and scale of double and triple nexus implementation. As actors tend to have specific capacities, double or triple nexus impositions may create inefficiencies in operationalization which coordination and collaboration can reduce with significant investment.
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This article critically analyses the history of the Ethiopian sugar industry, with emphasis on drivers, decision-making and processes of incorporation and exclusion aiming to transform lowlands. We argue that the government has used a... more
This article critically analyses the history of the Ethiopian sugar industry, with emphasis on drivers, decision-making and processes of incorporation and exclusion aiming to transform lowlands. We argue that the government has used a state-led modernization and expansion of the sugar industry to consolidate the power of central governments. Through the creation of sugar-based agribusinesses, the changing regimes have sought to extend their control over natural resources, increase the movement of labour, and stimulate economic growth. This has led to deepened state structures and considerable transformation of power relations, causing marginalization of the affected communities. In Ethiopia’s post-2018 political and economic transition, this modernist and expansionist programme found itself in a set of deep economic and financial crises, leading to government initiatives to privatize the sugar industry. In response to the privatization initiatives, local elites articulate and contest the historical process of marginalization and compete in demanding redress for the adverse incorporation of the communities. They do so to expand the community space for agency and enforce their interests in gaining from, and perhaps dominating a privatization process through takeover strategies. The past modernist development approach that caused marginalization is likely to affect a new stage of lowland transformation.
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The large-scale acquisition of land by investors intensified following the 2007/2008 triple crises of food, energy, and finance. In the years that followed, tens of millions of hectares of land were leased or sold for agricultural... more
The large-scale acquisition of land by investors intensified following the 2007/2008 triple crises of food, energy, and finance. In the years that followed, tens of millions of hectares of land were leased or sold for agricultural investment. This phenomenon has resulted in a growing body of scholarship that seeks to explain trends, institutional regimes, impacts, and the variety of actors involved, among other subtopics, such as impacts on food security and livelihoods. Focusing on the case study of Ghana, this paper presents a review that uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to critically assess the state of large-scale land acquisitions for agricultural development in Ghana. Our objective in this review is to provide an overview of what we know about such acquisitions in Ghana while pointing to gaps and directions for future research. Contrary to the perception of large-scale land acquisitions being undertaken by foreign investors, the review shows there is a significant role of Ghanaian investors. Additionally, we found the negative impact of these acquisitions, specifically biofuel projects, which featured predominantly in the literature captured in this study. In addition, the role of traditional authorities (chiefs) was a central focus of studies dedicated to land acquisitions in Ghana. Areas that are either understudied or missing from the literature include conflicts, climate change, biodiversity, corporate social responsibility, gendered social differentiation, ethnicity, and the role of diaspora. These gaps call for future research that examines the land question from a multidimensional and multidisciplinary perspective.
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For decades, as evidenced in programming and research, the humanitarian community has recognised gender equality and equity as integral to effective programming and response. Drawing upon ninety-nine publications indexed on the Web of... more
For decades, as evidenced in programming and research, the humanitarian community has recognised gender equality and equity as integral to effective programming and response. Drawing upon ninety-nine publications indexed on the Web of Science and Google Scholar, this paper explores available evidence on gender and crisis settings in Africa to synthesise and critically analyse what is being learned. We found that limited research and programming have explicitly aimed to have gender transformative impacts, and those that do fail to adequately declare or reflect on the biases and intricacies of aiming to transform social norms in complex sociocultural contexts. Additionally, this review examines the trend of the body of research, highlighting the affiliation of authors and the geographical areas of focus. Evidence shows that research in this area is dominated by scholars affiliated with institutions in the Global North, raising questions relating to knowledge production and epistemic injustice in Africa.
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Top tier academic journals claim to publish the most rigorous, peer reviewed research. This evidence based found therein is utilized to support decision making for sustainable development. In parallel, many journals that are published in... more
Top tier academic journals claim to publish the most rigorous, peer reviewed research. This evidence based found therein is utilized to support decision making for sustainable development. In parallel, many journals that are published in the Global South are accused of written about Ethiopia and published in a top tier academic journal. The narratives and evidence from that top tier journal are contrasted with research published in Ethiopian journals. This case study shows that Ethiopian scholars have produced important research and contributed evidence, but have largely been ignored, or silenced, perpetuating foreign fictions. This is important because policy and law seeking to enable development are informed and influenced by the research produced in top tier journals. Based upon this, this journals, and further about the continued colonial power imbalances that exist within knowledge production systems. This has implications for universities and scholars, which continue to privilege a particular set of journals that are largely based in the Global North and wherein contributing authors are also largely based in the Global North. The reproduction of colonial relationships within global knowledge production systems calls for much broader critical reflection about whose voices are privileged as authentic conveyors of knowledge and how these privileges are institutionalized.
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Billions of tons of waste are generated annually, with the amount of waste rapidly increasing and its management expected to worsen. Qatar is a small and wealthy country in the Arabian Peninsula that is undergoing enormous economic and... more
Billions of tons of waste are generated annually, with the amount of waste rapidly increasing and its management expected to worsen. Qatar is a small and wealthy country in the Arabian Peninsula that is undergoing enormous economic and urban development. This study presents the results of a systematic literature review on waste management in Qatar and offers recommendations for system strengthening based on an analysis of the available evidence. The PRISMA guidelines were followed to review literature from the ProQuest and SCOPUS platforms, from which 82 unique publications were analyzed according to ten themes. The results draw upon diverse disciplinary and research focus areas related to waste management, ranging from the generation of value-added products from wastes to the role of religion in waste management awareness. The main recommendations emerging from the available evidence include the need for a holistic approach to address increasing waste generation, which must include diverse stakeholders such as government entities, researchers, and broad community representation for decision making as well as raising awareness for behavior change. Additionally, the main waste types, including construction, food, plastic, and electronic wastes, require specific attention since the cause of generation and type of management varies accordingly. The rise of interest in improving waste management, in particular to work toward meeting the targets of the Qatar National Vision and the National Development Strategy should bring about positive outcomes for strengthening waste management systems.
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Significant agricultural investment has taken place across Africa over the most recent two decades. An expanding set of literature analyzes these investments, often using case study and comparative approaches. While this is important, not... more
Significant agricultural investment has taken place across Africa over the most recent two decades. An expanding set of literature analyzes these investments, often using case study and comparative approaches. While this is important, not all agricultural investments are equal, yet they are often described as being such. Few studies utilize large data sets to conduct quantitative, comparative research. This paper examines investments in Ethiopia, using quantitative data of 102 investments that took place in one region between 1998 and 2018. Using this unique dataset, we conduct a comparative assessment of investments, analyzing traits such as crop choice, job creation, job type, implementation status, and investor type (Ethiopian, foreign, diaspora). We find that Ethiopian investors are granted larger average leases of land, though are fewer in number in comparison to foreign and diaspora investors. The same category of investors (Ethiopians) have higher implementation status but have created the least per hectare permanent and seasonal jobs. The regression analysis, however, shows that there is no statistically significant difference among the three types of investors in terms of per hectare job creation. From the investment types, horticulture/flowers created the most employment per hectare, followed by vegetables and fruits production. This evidence contests common narratives about agricultural investment and provides a basis for decision makers to better enable positive outcomes, such as greater job creation.
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شهدت قطر نمواً اقتصادياً سريعاً في العقود الأخيرة، ووجهت استثمارات هائلة نحو قطاع التعليم بهدف تحسين النتائج التعليمية. وتطمح رؤية قطر الوطنية 2030 لتشجيع التعلم مدى الحياة؛ ومن العوامل المساعدة على ذلك تعزيز ثقافة القراءة. وتهدف الدراسة... more
شهدت قطر نمواً اقتصادياً سريعاً في العقود الأخيرة، ووجهت استثمارات هائلة نحو قطاع التعليم بهدف
تحسين النتائج التعليمية. وتطمح رؤية قطر الوطنية 2030 لتشجيع التعلم مدى الحياة؛ ومن العوامل
المساعدة على ذلك تعزيز ثقافة القراءة. وتهدف الدراسة التي بين أيدينا إلى تقييم أحد البرامج التي سعت نحو
تمكين هذا التغيير والوسائل المستخدمة في هذا الصدد، لتقدم بهذا شاهداً ودليلاً من دولة لم تحظَ بالدراسة
الكافية في ظل ما تشهده من تحول سريع. ويظهر من هذا الدليل وجود تحسّن كبير لدى غالبية الأطفال
المشاركين في البرنامج في موقفهم من القراءة وسلوكياتهم في هذا الشأن دون ملاحظة أي فوارق على
أساس الجنس. كما تُظهر النتائج بالنظر إلى ما كان عليه الحال قبل المشاركة في البرنامج أن غالبية الأطفال
المشاركين يقضون وقتاً أطول في القراءة، وأن غالبية الآباء يقضون كذلك وقتاً أكبر في القراءة لأطفالهم.
ومع ذلك فإن هذه التغييرات الإيجابية لا نجدها بالضرورة لدى كل الأطفال أو الآباء. كذلك وجدنا مجموعة من
العقبات الرئيسية التي تقف حائلاً دون التغيير، منها ما يتعلق بقيود زمنية أو تحديات تتصل بالتكنولوجيا،
فضلاً عن بعض الصعوبات الفردية. وبناءً على تقييم دراسة الحالة هذه، نقدّم عدداً من التوصيات لتحسين
أنشطة البرنامج، خاصة فيما يتعلق بالعقبات وبهدف التوسع في نطاق البرنامج ومستوى شموله.
تحسين النتائج التعليمية. وتطمح رؤية قطر الوطنية 2030 لتشجيع التعلم مدى الحياة؛ ومن العوامل
المساعدة على ذلك تعزيز ثقافة القراءة. وتهدف الدراسة التي بين أيدينا إلى تقييم أحد البرامج التي سعت نحو
تمكين هذا التغيير والوسائل المستخدمة في هذا الصدد، لتقدم بهذا شاهداً ودليلاً من دولة لم تحظَ بالدراسة
الكافية في ظل ما تشهده من تحول سريع. ويظهر من هذا الدليل وجود تحسّن كبير لدى غالبية الأطفال
المشاركين في البرنامج في موقفهم من القراءة وسلوكياتهم في هذا الشأن دون ملاحظة أي فوارق على
أساس الجنس. كما تُظهر النتائج بالنظر إلى ما كان عليه الحال قبل المشاركة في البرنامج أن غالبية الأطفال
المشاركين يقضون وقتاً أطول في القراءة، وأن غالبية الآباء يقضون كذلك وقتاً أكبر في القراءة لأطفالهم.
ومع ذلك فإن هذه التغييرات الإيجابية لا نجدها بالضرورة لدى كل الأطفال أو الآباء. كذلك وجدنا مجموعة من
العقبات الرئيسية التي تقف حائلاً دون التغيير، منها ما يتعلق بقيود زمنية أو تحديات تتصل بالتكنولوجيا،
فضلاً عن بعض الصعوبات الفردية. وبناءً على تقييم دراسة الحالة هذه، نقدّم عدداً من التوصيات لتحسين
أنشطة البرنامج، خاصة فيما يتعلق بالعقبات وبهدف التوسع في نطاق البرنامج ومستوى شموله.
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Recurrent and concurrent crises call for new development paradigms, as dominant theories of economic development are not fostering equity or sustainability. We argue that part of the reason is that the conceptualization of development,... more
Recurrent and concurrent crises call for new development paradigms, as dominant theories of economic development are not fostering equity or sustainability. We argue that part of the reason is that the conceptualization of development, and the resulting metrics driving decision-making, are narrow. Building on work that proposes adding values/ethics as a fourth pillar to development, along with economic, environmental, and social pillars, this article presents an Islamic perspective of how values-based development would differ from the dominant, contemporary forms. While rooted in a specific perspective and worldview, it has great relevance as approximately a quarter of humanity adheres to the faith. We offer a holistic, values-based approach to development, drawing on classical foundations and contemporary lessons, rooted in a different epistemic and ideological orientation. On this basis, we highlight five values that could be the foundation for reorienting development: vicegerency, justice, excellence, tranquility, and freedom. Integrating these values in a fourth, values-based pillar of development alters the conceptualization and the metrics of development, resulting in processes driven by different objectives for individuals and societies.
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Based on an ethnographic case study of Bodi and Mursi pastoralist responses to sugar industries in South Omo, Ethiopia, this study aimed to comprehend the approach of a modernist land development-induced villagisation programme and its... more
Based on an ethnographic case study of Bodi and Mursi pastoralist responses to sugar industries in South Omo, Ethiopia, this study aimed to comprehend the approach of a modernist land development-induced villagisation programme and its effect on the socioeconomic rights of pastoralists. The article probes how and why land development activities and the related villagisation programme in the pastoral lowlands created structural challenges and marginalised people's socioeconomic rights. The findings establish grounded insights into the modernist nature of land development-induced villagisation and the villagecentred approach of the government in the reconstruction of socioeconomic rights of the pastoralists. Integral to the state's approach are 'state-centred' narratives, guiding principles, actor participation, and outcomes of the villagisation programme. This modernist and state-dominated programme is shown conflicting goals; flawed assumptions; poor design; disregard for the complex social and environmental factors of the South Omo lowlands; and disruptive social mobilisation and implementation methods. It obstructs effective consideration of the agency, livelihood, traditions and knowledge of the pastoralists, thus leading to outcomes that deconstruct the socioeconomic rights of the pastoralists.
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Within bilateral and multilateral funding circles, there has been a strong and growing emphasis on the importance of understanding and responding to gender inequalities in humanitarian settings. However, given the often-short funding... more
Within bilateral and multilateral funding circles, there has been a strong and growing emphasis on the importance of understanding and responding to gender inequalities in humanitarian settings. However, given the often-short funding cycles, among other operational challenges, there is limited scope to incorporate interventions that address the root causes and social norms underpinning gender inequalities, or other gender transformative interventions. In the context of the decade-long crisis in the Lake Chad Basin, fuelled by incursions from nonstate armed groups (NSAGs), including Boko Haram, and the resultant protracted and chronic humanitarian crisis, this article examines Save the Children's child nutrition programmes in northeast Nigeria. Taking an ethnographic approach focused on volunteer-driven peer support groups (mother-to-mother and father-to-father) that aim to increase knowledge on best practices for infant and child nutrition, we investigate whether these activities are transforming societal gender norms. While evidence shows an improved understanding and awareness of gender-positive roles by both men and women, restrictive gender norms remain prevalent, including among lead volunteers. We suggest the possibility of longer term shifts in power dynamics in the home and society at large as well as suggest how humanitarian response can better integrate gender transformative programming.
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Qatar has experienced rapid economic development in recent decades and has made large investments in the education sector to improve learning outcomes. The Qatar National Vision of 2030 also aspires to encourage lifelong learning, one... more
Qatar has experienced rapid economic development in recent decades and has made large investments in the education sector to improve learning outcomes. The Qatar National Vision of 2030 also aspires to encourage lifelong learning, one enabler of which is fostering a reading culture. This paper assesses one program that has aimed to enable this change and the modalities it employs, thereby contributing evidence regarding this under-studied country within rapid transition. The evidence suggests that the majority of children who participate in the program significantly improve their attitude toward reading without any gendered differences. The findings also show that compared to before joining the program, the majority of participating children spend more time reading, and the majority of parents spend more time reading with/to their children. However, these positive behavioral changes are not experienced by all children or parents. We also explore key barriers to change, relating to time limitations, challenges related to technology, and individual difficulties. Based on this case study assessment, recommendations are offered to enhance the activities of the program, particularly regarding barriers as well as for expanding the coverage of the program and broadening inclusion.
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During the era of the EPRDF in Ethiopia (1991-2019) social protection developed in specific ways, in design and implementation. This article reflects on this period to explore how these manifestations occurred, within the context of... more
During the era of the EPRDF in Ethiopia (1991-2019) social protection developed in specific ways, in design and implementation. This article reflects on this period to explore how these manifestations occurred, within the context of broader state building efforts. While rapidly increasing in type and coverage, social protection benefited some and excluded others, consistently across different social protection interventions. The expansion of social protection served different purposes, with scaling services supporting political settlement and while implementation entrenched local power structures. We reflect on why these expressions took place by critically analyzing the problematization narratives in policies and strategies as well as implementation (funding, design and experience). We evaluate social protection during this era in three periods: responsive (1991-2004), donor-driven (2005-2013) and reorientation (2014-2019). The re-visiting of the history, practice and research of social protection enables us to explore how little the expansion of social protection has altered the expected role of the government and the rights of citizens, and instead how these initiatives acted as a tool that entrenched political power and disenfranchised any form of dissent or difference.
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McGovern, M. 2017: A Socialist Peace? Explaining the Absence of War in an African Country. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. 249 pp. $30.00 (Paperback). ISBN: 9780226453606.
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Following the triple crisis of 2007/08 (food, fuel, finance) there was a spike in foreign investor contracts acquiring land across the world, but particularly in Africa. The long durée of land rush reminds us that this is not new. Rather,... more
Following the triple crisis of 2007/08 (food, fuel, finance) there was a spike in foreign investor contracts acquiring land across the world, but particularly in Africa. The long durée of land rush reminds us that this is not new. Rather, it is one of several waves each of which leaves legacies. The Transnational Land Rush in Africa collection highlights that lands grabbed during the colonial period are still held in private, largely foreign, hands. Country case studies in the book also highlight how the structural adjustment programs imposed on the continent spurred another rush. The Land Matrix documents that tens of millions of hectares of lands have been involved in contracts and failures, with indications that this represents only a portion of the deals made, primarily the larger, foreign ones. The newest Land Matrix report reaffirms the findings presented in the country case studies in the book: in the aggregate, the land rush has exploited people and the environments they live in. Where we differ is that while the Land Matrix report seeks to make these deals 'better', we find that voluntary guidelines enable a lack of accountability, and conversely that many international and intergovernmental actors have facilitated and protected these investments. The last decade of evidence shows us that playing our hopes on positive 'spillovers' and requests for greater smallholder inclusion
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As United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, noted at the 2021 Africa Regional Food Systems Summit Dialogue, food insecurity is rising in many African countries (see 13 July 2021 address). The global pandemic has not only... more
As United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, noted at the 2021 Africa Regional Food Systems Summit Dialogue, food insecurity is rising in many African countries (see 13 July 2021 address). The global pandemic has not only put global health inequality on display; it has also done the same for food security: nearly one out of five Africans experienced hunger in 2020 – more than double the proportion of any other region. This policy brief highlights the current situation, noting countries with a high prevalence of food insecurity as well as countries where large numbers of people experience hunger. We note the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security as well as the negative consequences of food insecurity from a nutritional perspective. Before looking forward,
this policy brief examines the historical context of social policies and safety nets, using a selection of contemporary case studies. It concludes with recommendations for protecting the right to food for all people at all times (e.g., investing in better data, best fit design, expanding coverage, moving beyond quantity to quality, nutritional diversity and food safety) as well as enabling food system change (e.g., enhancing resilience, transforming systems).
this policy brief examines the historical context of social policies and safety nets, using a selection of contemporary case studies. It concludes with recommendations for protecting the right to food for all people at all times (e.g., investing in better data, best fit design, expanding coverage, moving beyond quantity to quality, nutritional diversity and food safety) as well as enabling food system change (e.g., enhancing resilience, transforming systems).
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Critical decolonial assessments of International Political Economy (IPE) curricula have found a continued dominance of Euro-Western perspectives. However, these critical assessments have often been of specific programs or courses. In this... more
Critical decolonial assessments of International Political Economy (IPE) curricula have found a continued dominance of Euro-Western perspectives. However, these critical assessments have often been of specific programs or courses. In this article, we open the canvas wider in our quantitative assessment of privilege and marginalization, by conducting an analysis of IPE curricula from universities from around the world as well as of one of the most widely used introductory textbooks in the field. We find that scholars based outside of the Euro-West are marginal, while those based in the Euro-West continue to be dominant-in all the assessed course offerings. We also find that female voices are marginal, in all locations. Knowledge production systems privilege Euro-Western male voices and perspectives, furthering a process of systemic cognitive and epistemic injustices. Building upon our analysis of teaching and learning content, this article critically reflects on the implications of when IPE meets policy, and offers avenues for the policy engagement to avoid the same processes of privileging and marginalizing, and thereby better situating policy making to avoid repeating failures resulting from the identified entrenched biases.
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Social protection programs need to be suited to the specific context within which they are implemented. To minimize barriers and constraints in implementation, program design needs to integrate and respond to the views of client... more
Social protection programs need to be suited to the specific context within which they are implemented. To minimize barriers and constraints in implementation, program design needs to integrate and respond to the views of client households and potential beneficiaries, ideally with
on-going feedback mechanisms to better respond both to constrainers and to enablers. In order to provide evidence regarding constrainers and enablers in Ethiopia’s safety net program, we conducted a household survey to assess policy-backed efforts for social protection service delivery. This paper outlines client households’ perceived enablers and constrainers regarding the implementing of the Productive Safety Net Program, Africa’s second largest safety net. The findings suggest that client households have identified enablers and constrainers from their lived experience that could be used as a feedback mechanism and as input for future program design. The findings could foster better outcomes in program implementation.
Keywords: social protection; Ethiopia; program implementation; enablers; constrainers; client households
on-going feedback mechanisms to better respond both to constrainers and to enablers. In order to provide evidence regarding constrainers and enablers in Ethiopia’s safety net program, we conducted a household survey to assess policy-backed efforts for social protection service delivery. This paper outlines client households’ perceived enablers and constrainers regarding the implementing of the Productive Safety Net Program, Africa’s second largest safety net. The findings suggest that client households have identified enablers and constrainers from their lived experience that could be used as a feedback mechanism and as input for future program design. The findings could foster better outcomes in program implementation.
Keywords: social protection; Ethiopia; program implementation; enablers; constrainers; client households
Agriculture is the predominant livelihood in rural Ethiopia, where chronic food insecurity is prevalent. In 2005, Ethiopia launched the Productive Safety Net Program, aiming to improve rural livelihoods and food security. This study... more
Agriculture is the predominant livelihood in rural Ethiopia, where chronic food insecurity is prevalent. In 2005, Ethiopia launched the Productive Safety Net Program, aiming to improve rural livelihoods and food security. This study focuses on the primarily modality of the programme: food and/or cash in exchange for labour. We analyse how the supports have contributed to the stated objectives, assessing food security status using two measurement tools (Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, Coping Strategies Index). We find that the programme has not reached its potential due to unpredictable and delayed payments, exposing households to unconventional debt arrangements, often exacerbating vulnerability.
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For the past decade, the land rush discourse has analyzed foreign investment in land and agriculture around the world, with Africa being a continent of particular focus due to the scale of acquisitions that have taken place. Gabon, a... more
For the past decade, the land rush discourse has analyzed foreign investment in land and agriculture around the world, with Africa being a continent of particular focus due to the scale of acquisitions that have taken place. Gabon, a largely forested state in Central Africa, has been neglected in the land rush conversations, despite having over half of its land allocated to forestry, agriculture, and mining concessions. This paper draws on existing evidence and contributes new empirical data through expert interviews to fill this critical knowledge gap. We situate Gabon's historic relationship with land, establishing the intrinsic relationship between colonial land tenure systems and present-day land rights. Our findings analyze the macro context of investors and investments , as well as the impacts related to rural-urban linkages and infrastructure development into the forests, civil society, human-environment relationships, and certification programs. While challenges continue to be experienced, the promise of Gabon's first national land use plan-the use of sustainable concessions and mandatory forestry certification-offers a unique opportunity for Ga-bon to transition towards a future that better benefits its population while also protecting its natural resources.
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As the global population continues to urbanize, increasing pressure is put upon urban centers and the carrying capacity of the already built-up areas. One way to meet these demands is horizontal expansion, which requires new lands to... more
As the global population continues to urbanize, increasing pressure is put upon urban centers and the carrying capacity of the already built-up areas. One way to meet these demands is horizontal expansion, which requires new lands to become incorporated into urban centers. In most cases, this demand is met by converting peri-urban land into urban land as the urban center expands. These processes of expansion into the peri-urban, however, create tension regarding land use and land rights, and may foster tenure insecurity if not well managed. As in many countries, Ethiopia is experiencing extensive urban population growth and the peri-urban areas at the edge of urban centers are under pressure. This study investigates land rights issues and tenure security conditions of peri-urban farmers in the case study sites of Addis Ababa and Hawassa. The findings reveal that urban expansion into the peripheral agricultural lands and the resulting tenure system change has caused intense perceived tenure insecurity among peri-urban farmers. The range of land rights exercised differs in these two sites, as measured by the property rights analytical framework. Peri-urban farmers in Hawassa hold weak owner positions, enabling them to exercise thicker rights. However, peri-urban farmers in Addis Ababa hold weak claimant positions, which is slightly above the operational level right of an authorized user. This analysis suggests that the urban development and expansion strategies adopted by the respective city administrations are impacting land rights of the peri-urban farmers and their tenure security, albeit in unique ways, from which lessons can be drawn about how urban expansion policies can be more appropriately designed and implemented.
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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become a leading contributor of foreign aid, in terms of percentage of gross national income as well as in total amount. Historically, Emirati aid was opaque, and little was known about the foreign aid... more
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become a leading contributor of foreign aid, in terms of percentage of gross national income as well as in total amount. Historically, Emirati aid was opaque, and little was known about the foreign aid portfolio. This changed after 2009 when the UAE began to submit detailed, project-level data to the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD. Based on a decade of aid transparency, this article carries out an examination of the political economy of aid provided by the UAE, comparing its portfolio to other donor countries. Particular attention is paid to analyzing three primary recipients of its aid (Egypt, Serbia and Yemen) and the implicit motivations driving those decisions. The majority of Emirati aid to these three countries was granted as general budgetary support, often in tandem with efforts to achieve political, economic and/or military aims. Based on the findings, an evaluation is made regarding Emirati narratives of South-South cooperation and its seeking of mutual benefit as well as critiques put forward within the literature countering this. In addition to critically assessing the details of an under-researched aid portfolio, this paper highlights areas for further study to deepen our understanding of the UAE’s foreign aid.
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After years of widespread protest, Ethiopia experienced a historic change of leadership in 2018. In addition to the positive changes that took place, the political reforms also brought forth uncertainty and, in some places, resulted in... more
After years of widespread protest, Ethiopia experienced a historic change of leadership in 2018. In addition to the positive changes that took place, the political reforms also brought forth uncertainty and, in some places, resulted in greater insecurity. This At-Issue article focuses upon one issue, the illegal weapons trade, which has expanded in scale and geography in the months and years that followed the historic change. Drawing upon interviews with people who purchased weapons during this time period in rural areas of one region, we present insight regarding the motivations driving the demand for weapons. We critically examine the proposed reasons for the expansion of the weapons trade in Ethiopia and reflect on what the trends in 2020 may imply for the future of insecurity and conflict in the country. While some reforms have taken place to regulate and control the illegal weapons trade, these initiatives have been limited in scope. Given the rise of uncertain and insecurity, and the potential for even more deadly violence with more people purchasing weapons, transformative federal and regional leadership is required to address the illegal weapons trade.
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Using Malawi as a case study, this commentary takes a retrospective view of the HIV/AIDS epidemic to draw lessons about the spread of, and government response to, Covid-19 in Southern Africa. With the legacy of colonial-ism and the... more
Using Malawi as a case study, this commentary takes a retrospective view of the HIV/AIDS epidemic to draw lessons about the spread of, and government response to, Covid-19 in Southern Africa. With the legacy of colonial-ism and the distortions wrought in by structural adjustment programs still alive, we argue that the same factors that propelled the spread of HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa continue to shape vulnerability and response to Covid-19 in decisive ways. Understanding the geography and political ecology of HIV/ AIDS is key to discerning the social and political determinants of Covid-19, which provides direction regarding appropriate social policy responses. ARTICLE HISTORY
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Ethiopia has made a strong commitment to strengthen its social protection system. However, resource constraints pose significant challenges in seeking to meet the basic needs of all people. We employ a qualitative research design to... more
Ethiopia has made a strong commitment to strengthen its social protection system. However, resource constraints pose significant challenges in seeking to meet the basic needs of all people. We employ a qualitative research design to identify issues of policy incoherence, within the social protection policy and in relation to other sectoral policies. Policy incoherence has high costs. Strengthening policy coherence is necessary to improve the utilization of limited resources and set a pathway through which the government can ensure no one is left behind. We also present examples of implementation coherence, which provide insight into viable means through which improved policy coherence might be pursued.
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South Sudan is one the largest recipients of official development assistance. Given the complexity of the operational environment, there is a need to learn from the lessons gained to-date. This article seeks to enable better-informed... more
South Sudan is one the largest recipients of official development assistance. Given the complexity of the operational environment, there is a need to learn from the lessons gained to-date. This article seeks to enable better-informed decision making based on a synthesis from humanitarian and development evaluation reports, which offer insight for engagement in other fragile and conflict-affected states. Experimental methods were utilised to identify evaluation reports. The synthesis finds that projects would be better designed if they allocated time and resources to obtain additional information, integrated systems thinking to account for the broader context, and engaged with the gendered nature of activities and impacts. Implementation can be strengthened if seasonality is taken into account, if modalities are more flexible, and if a greater degree of communication and collaboration between partners develops. Sustainability and long-term impact require that there is a higher degree of alignment with the government, longer-term commitments in programming, a recognition of trade-offs, and a clear vision and strategy for transitioning capacities and responsibilities to national actors. While actors in South Sudan have been slow to act on lessons learned to-date, the lessons drawn from evaluation reports in South Sudan offer direction for new ways forward, many of which have been concurrently learned by a diverse set of donors and organisations.
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This issue of NokokoPod presents a discussion on decolonizing higher education and curricula. The annotated PDF is available on the Nokoko journal website. This conversation took place on August 4th, with Logan Cochrane in Ottawa and Ali... more
This issue of NokokoPod presents a discussion on decolonizing higher education and curricula. The annotated PDF is available on the Nokoko journal website. This conversation took place on August 4th, with Logan Cochrane in Ottawa and Ali A. Abdi Vancouver. This version of the PDF has been reviewed by Logan Cochrane and Ali A. Abdi. In addition to the conversation, a set of annotations have been added as footnotes so as to strengthen the value of these publications and enable them to act as a resource for listeners and readers who want to have additional context and/or find additional resources on the topics discussed.
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Ethiopia has implemented one of the world's most cost-effective systems to document land holdings, the land certification system. After more than 15 years since its launch, questions have been raised regarding its functionality.... more
Ethiopia has implemented one of the world's most cost-effective systems to document land holdings, the land certification system. After more than 15 years since its launch, questions have been raised regarding its functionality. Specifically, there are concerns about the process of updating land certificates, thus ensuring the certificates and the registry are up-to-date. This exploratory evaluation seeks to provide formative evidence regarding this question, and, if warranted, give direction as to where additional research is needed. We find that in some areas, the mechanisms for updating land certificates are functional and in other areas not. Based upon these findings, we suggest four areas for future research, namely: (1) assessing the extent of non-functionality on a broader scale, (2) investigating the causes of non-functionality and viable options for addressing the cases thereof, (3) how policy can best address uninheritable land due to its small size, and (4) evaluating the viability of the future of rural livelihoods and what services ought to be put in place to enable a transition that provides decent livelihood alternatives.
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With recent growth in funding and research on "resilience building", interest in climate services has risen dramatically. Included in this trend is an increased emphasis on the use of climate and weather information for a range of... more
With recent growth in funding and research on "resilience building", interest in climate services has risen dramatically. Included in this trend is an increased emphasis on the use of climate and weather information for a range of purposes across multiple scales. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other non-state actors across Africa have responded accordingly, and are increasingly acting as brokers, and sometimes producers, of climate services as part of their activities. Drawing on research from Burkina Faso and Ethiopia as part of the Building Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Extremes and Disasters (BRACED) programme, this paper critically examines the evolving climate services landscape and raises questions about what the future holds for climate services in sub-Saharan Africa. We ask two questions: How have national climate services in these countries evolved since the early 2000s when they first came to prominence? And how have NGO contributions to these services evolved over time? Our findings highlight a considerable evolution in the aims and capacities of climate service systems over this period. NGOs have contributed to this progress on multiple fronts, but we note that important opportunities for innovation remain. We also raise concerns about how the current financing and governance models may influence priority setting and the sustainability of "projectised" services. Accordingly, we call for a better understanding how power and politics shape the development and deployment of climate services. This paper provides insight on the evolving landscape of climate services, actors involved in its provision and implications for the future. Climatic Change
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There are common narratives about economic growth in Ethiopia. We analyze four common narratives, namely, that (1) the economy is transforming from agriculture to industry, (2) that national economic growth has been rapid and sustained,... more
There are common narratives about economic growth in Ethiopia. We analyze four common narratives, namely, that (1) the economy is transforming from agriculture to industry, (2) that national economic growth has been rapid and sustained, (3) that Ethiopia's economy is largely agricultural, and (4) that there is a looming debt crisis, largely due to lending from China. In many instances, the justification for these narratives is based upon single years or specific data points. We examine these narratives over the long term, to assess if they are supported by available macroeconomic data. In doing so, we encountered significant issues with data quality and consistency. This article presents the available datasets from 1999 to 2017 and concludes that the commonly made claims about the Ethiopian economy are sometimes accurate, sometimes incomplete, and other times inaccurate. We call for greater attention to primary data, and primary datasets, as opposed to relying upon secondary summaries, single years, or specific data points to make generalized claims.
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This issue of NokokoPod presents a discussion of the informal institutions in Somaliland. The annotated PDF is available on the Nokoko journal website. This conversation took place between June 30th and September 1st, with Logan Cochrane... more
This issue of NokokoPod presents a discussion of the informal institutions in Somaliland. The annotated PDF is available on the Nokoko journal website. This conversation took place between June 30th and September 1st, with Logan Cochrane in Ottawa and Ahmed M. Musa in Hargeisa. This version of the PDF has been reviewed by Logan Cochrane and Ahmed M. Musa. In addition to the conversation, a set of annotations have been added as footnotes so as to strengthen the value of these publications and enable them to act as a resource for listeners and readers who want to have additional context and/or find additional resources on the topics discussed.
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A significant amount of research has been conducted on food security in Ethiopia, yet few reviews and syntheses are available. This paper reviews the research indexed on the Web of Science platform from 2005 until 2016 on food security in... more
A significant amount of research has been conducted on food security in Ethiopia, yet few reviews and syntheses are available. This paper reviews the research indexed on the Web of Science platform from 2005 until 2016 on food security in Ethiopia. It presents a summary of research, analyzes trends and outlines knowledge gaps as well as potential areas for future research. For improved readability, the review categorized and synthesized research into eight thematic research areas: (1) climate change and rainfall, (2) food science and technical agricultural studies, (3) inequalities, (4) individual-level studies, (5) large-scale land acquisitions and land grabs, (6) natural resource management and water, (7) social services and policy, and (8) vulnerability assessments and methods. The results suggest that while important research is being done, there is a greater need to expand our research on inequalities, to engage with new manifestations of food insecurity, to critically reflect on our measures and metrics of food security, and to engage in interdisciplinary approaches. Regular reviews and syntheses of the literature are required to better enable researchers to build upon existing knowledge and to identify key knowledge gaps and new research directions.
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Multi-partner consortia have emerged as an important modality for knowledge generation to address complex sustainability challenges. Establishing effective multi-partner consortia involves significant investment. This article shares... more
Multi-partner consortia have emerged as an important modality for knowledge generation to address complex sustainability challenges. Establishing effective multi-partner consortia involves significant investment. This article shares lessons from the Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA), which aims to support policy and practice for climate change adaptation through a consortium model. Key lessons include the need to facilitate collaborative spaces to build trust and identify common interests, while accepting that this is not a guarantee of success; the importance of programmatic leadership to achieve synthesis; and the value of strategic planning in supporting motivation and alignment between partners.
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This article presents the stages of food security methodology, an adaptation of stages of progress developed by Dr. Krishna. Studies of food security are primarily survey based, applying a common set of generalist indicators across a... more
This article presents the stages of food security methodology, an adaptation of stages of progress developed by Dr. Krishna. Studies of food security are primarily survey based, applying a common set of generalist indicators across a range of agroecological areas and for a diverse array of people; these findings have provided a wealth of information and insight into the trends, challenges and the extent of food security on national, regional and global scales. Ethnographic and qualitative approaches have provided detailed, contextualized findings about the interrelated and complex nature of food security at the micro level. This co-produced, mixed methods approach brings together participatory qualitative approaches and co-produces quantitative data collection tools, which provide generalizable data geared towards supporting the development or refinement of policies and programmes to strengthen food security. Based upon a pilot implementation of the methodology in Ethiopia, advantages and limitations are discussed, as well as reflections on why co-production as a participatory approach was adopted, in contrast to other participatory processes. The findings demonstrate the ways in which co-produced approaches can offer unique insight, complementing and enhancing existing knowledge about complex challenges.
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More than a decade has passed since the triple crises of food, energy and finance in the period 2007-2008. Those events turned global investor interest to agriculture and its commodities and thereafter the leasing of tens of millions of... more
More than a decade has passed since the triple crises of food, energy and finance in the period 2007-2008. Those events turned global investor interest to agriculture and its commodities and thereafter the leasing of tens of millions of hectares of land. This article reviews and synthesizes the available evidence regarding the agricultural investments that have taken place in Ethiopia since that time. We use a systematic review approach to identify literature from the Web of Science and complement that with additional literature found via Google Scholar. Qualitative and quantitative methods are used to analyze the available literature. In so doing, we raise questions of data quality, by analyzing the evidence base used by many studies (the Land Matrix database) and compare it with data we obtained from the Government of Ethiopia. We find that while the Land Matrix is the largest available database, it appears to present only a fraction of the reality. In critically assessing the literature, we identify areas that have been under-researched or are missing from the literature, namely assessments of gendered impacts, the role of diaspora and domestic investors, interdisciplinary approaches (e.g., integrating climate change, biodiversity, and water), and studies that move beyond technical assessment, such as looking at the impacts on traditional knowledge and socio-cultural systems.
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Social protection programs need to be suited to the specific context within which they are implemented. To minimize barriers and constraints in implementation, program design needs to integrate and respond to the views of client... more
Social protection programs need to be suited to the specific context within which they are implemented. To minimize barriers and constraints in implementation, program design needs to integrate and respond to the views of client households and potential beneficiaries, ideally with ongoing feedback mechanisms to better respond both to constrainers and to enablers. In order to provide evidence regarding constrainers and enablers in Ethiopia's safety net program, we conducted a household survey to assess policy-backed efforts for social protection service delivery. This paper outlines client households' perceived enablers and constrainers regarding the implementing of the Productive Safety Net Program, Africa's second largest safety net. The findings suggest that client households have identified enablers and constrainers from their lived experience that could be used as a feedback mechanism and as input for future program design. The findings could foster better outcomes in program implementation.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Participatory and community mapping has emerged as a key tool for identifying and communicating development needs and been further recognized as a means to support social change. Drawing upon a broad assessment of the literature, more... more
Participatory and community mapping has emerged as a key tool for identifying and communicating development needs and been further recognized as a means to support social change. Drawing upon a broad assessment of the literature, more than two decades of experience with mapping initiatives from three continents, and covering a diverse array of applications and issues, this chapter explores both the application of participatory and community mapping and the range of impacts experienced. In so doing, the chapter explores the potential effectiveness for participatory and community mapping to effect positive change. At the same time, we will critically review the assumptions about social change and empowerment, highlighting challenges and limitations to their meaningful usage. This chapter provides practitioners and academics with an overview of participatory and community mapping uses, processes, and impacts and their role as a tool of communication for development and social change.
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Maps were historically used as tools of the elite to maintain and expand power and control. The development of participatory mapmaking and the geoweb have opened new avenues for broader citizen engagement and therefore challenge... more
Maps were historically used as tools of the elite to maintain and expand power and control. The development of participatory mapmaking and the geoweb have opened new avenues for broader citizen engagement and therefore challenge traditional power dynamics. This chapter analyzes three examples and presents experiential learning around participatory processes and VGI contributions. Specifically we explore who is contributing their information, what are their motivations and incentives, in what ways do users interact with available technologies, and how is this contributing to change? We conclude by discussing the roles of motivations, the type of contribution, organizational capacity and leadership, and objectives. In comparing and contrasting these case studies we examine the individual and organizational dynamics of engagement, and how this can better inform the discourse about VGI.
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Agriculture accounts for more than 40% of the Ethiopian economy, 85% of all employment, and is driven primarily by rural smallholders. Those living in rural areas face a range of short-term, seasonal, annual, and long-term... more
Agriculture accounts for more than 40% of the Ethiopian economy, 85% of all employment, and is driven primarily by rural smallholders. Those living in rural areas face a range of short-term, seasonal, annual, and long-term vulnerabilities. This chapter analyzes the range of dynamic, and sometimes unpredictable, challenges in Wolaita Zone, southern Ethiopia. We explore how individuals proactively manage vulnerabilities and seek means to enhance their adaptive capacity. The findings demonstrate that smallholders are engaging in change, highlighting the important role of their agency in understanding vulnerability and resilience.
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The application of force to coerce individuals to illegally give up their land or the otherwise illegal dispossession of land, a process known as “land grabbing,” is a violation of human rights – the arbitrary deprivation of property... more
The application of force to coerce individuals to illegally give up their land or the otherwise illegal dispossession of land, a process known as “land grabbing,” is a violation of human rights – the arbitrary deprivation of property outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 17). Land grabbing is the most legally and ethically problematic form of large-scale land acquisitions. However, if direct or indirect force is not applied in the process of large-scale land acquisitions nor any laws broken, and the individuals involved receive sufficient benefit in exchange for their land, are the exchanges necessarily ethical? Based upon a human rights-based perspective, this chapter argues that human rights cannot be analyzed in isolation, but must be evaluated in totality in order to contextualize the vulnerability and duress experienced by those transferring their land. In doing so, it expands our conceptualization of what is considered “land grabbing” and what is not. Over the last decade, the majority of large-scale land acquisitions have taken place in countries where human rights are violated. In order for large-scale land acquisitions to be ethical, human rights must be met and protected to ensure that choices are truly free and fair. This is not a practical argument, made to improve the process, but an ethical argument based upon protecting the lives and livelihoods of smallholder farmers and pastoralists, ensuring their choices are truly free and fair, not simply the product of a lack of options made from a position of vulnerability.
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The role of religion in development is often neglected, whether this refers tothe faith of intended beneficiaries, provides staff and volunteers with a motivation for involvement in development practice or influences the design and... more
The role of religion in development is often neglected, whether this refers tothe faith of intended beneficiaries, provides staff and volunteers with a motivation for involvement in development practice or influences the design and implementation of projects. This paper examines how Islam provides guidance for development practice, with a focus on addressing HIV/AIDS,using a South African case study. The case study highlights important principles on which two Muslim organisations (Islamic Careline and the Muslim AIDS Programme) base their operational methodologies. It shows how Islamic beliefs have influenced their approach to addressing issues related to HIV/AIDS in the South African context, where prevalence rates remain very high, the impact of the epidemic is widely felt and Islam is a minority faith.
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This report examines over a decade of IDRC experience in supporting action to address the impacts of climate change in developing countries, with the purpose of contributing to the IDRC Climate Change Program’s strategy development for... more
This report examines over a decade of IDRC experience in supporting action to address the impacts of climate change in developing countries, with the purpose of contributing to the IDRC Climate Change Program’s strategy development for the period 2020-2030. This analysis has been informed by both documentation review and 42 semi-structured interviews with IDRC program staff, project grantees, and global experts in the field of climate change. Reflecting on lessons learned from past and ongoing climate change projects, as well as wider trends in climate change research and policy, this report helps to identify strategic opportunities and potential future directions for the Centre. We highlight directions that have a high potential for impact, within the context of the size and type of investments made by IDRC. The paper is divided into four main sections. The first provides a historical background of IDRC’s programming, as well as an overview of the evolution of climate change programming in developing countries. The second section provides a detailed thematic analysis of past projects, presenting lessons learned from six themes of IDRC’s climate work: climate change & cities; climate finance; climate change hotspots; climate science & services; leadership & capacity development; and gender & climate. It also summarizes cross-cutting lessons from across the portfolio. This is supported with the third section, which situates IDRC’s work in the global context and suggests areas that represent a potential ‘niche’ for the Climate Change Program. The fourth and final section of the report outlines a range of opportunities that the Program might explore for its 2020-2030 strategic period.
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South Sudan is a complex working environment, presenting unique challenges for development programming. This comparative study aimed to assess what lessons could be learned from the recently closed portfolio of projects seeking to... more
South Sudan is a complex working environment, presenting unique challenges for development programming. This comparative study aimed to assess what lessons could be learned from the recently closed portfolio of projects seeking to strengthen resilience, with a focus on agriculture, food security and livelihoods. This report highlights learning in two categories: modalities of working and activities. A qualitative data collection process was undertaken in April of 2018, from which recommendations are made for future investment. While important lessons have been identified, data was only collected from the relatively stable (former) states of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Western Bahr el Ghazal and Warrap, and thus cannot be generalized for the entire country.
Many entry-points for building resilience in areas of stability were successfully identified by the implementing partners and have had significant positive impacts. High-impact activities that are recommended to be scaled-up include the packaged support for dry season agriculture, expansion of traction plowing, and improved access to and management of fruit trees and hybrid poultry. These activities have increased agricultural production and income, enabling households to better withstand and overcome shocks. Dry season vegetable production in particular has reduced the ‘hunger gap’ (and in the long term may lessen the need for emergency assistance), introduced new sources of nutrition (and in the long term may reduce child malnutrition), and provided new assets and income for women that have also acted as a means to change gender norms. The farmer field school, input trade fair, and focus on women were ways of working that were effective and supported by communities.
There are important areas where programming and activities can be better. A set of recommendations are made to enhance the existing set of activities, including lessons regarding beneficiary selection, technology selection (best fit over best practice), liaising and aligning with government systems, coordination, flexibility in programming, timing, and pest management. In addition to improving what is done and how it is implemented, there are activities that are recommended to be introduced for all projects. These include: ensuring ‘do no harm’ programming reaches the community level, the use of theories of change to enable learning, introducing downward accountability mechanisms, involving men and boys in areas where their involvement is required (e.g. land, cattle, gender norms), taking a systems approach to ensure gaps are identified, and having a vision for transition / exit planning.
The Feminist International Assistance Policy was introduced during the funding cycle. Many of the lessons learned will be addressed by mandatory requirements of the new policy (e.g. assessment at baseline, sufficient expertise, on-going consultation, identify challenges and barriers as well as strategies to address them, involve women and girls in monitoring and evaluation). Many of the recommendations provide mechanisms to meet these new requirements. In addition to these changes, this comparative study provides reflections on the complexity of gendered work burdens, insight on the use of gender-based quotas in beneficiary selection, and the strategic involvement of men and boys.
Many entry-points for building resilience in areas of stability were successfully identified by the implementing partners and have had significant positive impacts. High-impact activities that are recommended to be scaled-up include the packaged support for dry season agriculture, expansion of traction plowing, and improved access to and management of fruit trees and hybrid poultry. These activities have increased agricultural production and income, enabling households to better withstand and overcome shocks. Dry season vegetable production in particular has reduced the ‘hunger gap’ (and in the long term may lessen the need for emergency assistance), introduced new sources of nutrition (and in the long term may reduce child malnutrition), and provided new assets and income for women that have also acted as a means to change gender norms. The farmer field school, input trade fair, and focus on women were ways of working that were effective and supported by communities.
There are important areas where programming and activities can be better. A set of recommendations are made to enhance the existing set of activities, including lessons regarding beneficiary selection, technology selection (best fit over best practice), liaising and aligning with government systems, coordination, flexibility in programming, timing, and pest management. In addition to improving what is done and how it is implemented, there are activities that are recommended to be introduced for all projects. These include: ensuring ‘do no harm’ programming reaches the community level, the use of theories of change to enable learning, introducing downward accountability mechanisms, involving men and boys in areas where their involvement is required (e.g. land, cattle, gender norms), taking a systems approach to ensure gaps are identified, and having a vision for transition / exit planning.
The Feminist International Assistance Policy was introduced during the funding cycle. Many of the lessons learned will be addressed by mandatory requirements of the new policy (e.g. assessment at baseline, sufficient expertise, on-going consultation, identify challenges and barriers as well as strategies to address them, involve women and girls in monitoring and evaluation). Many of the recommendations provide mechanisms to meet these new requirements. In addition to these changes, this comparative study provides reflections on the complexity of gendered work burdens, insight on the use of gender-based quotas in beneficiary selection, and the strategic involvement of men and boys.
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Ethiopia has a research ethics review system, yet few international researchers obtain approval outside of health studies that involve biological samples or medical testing. This case study outlines three types of ethics approvals in... more
Ethiopia has a research ethics review system, yet few international researchers obtain approval outside of health studies that involve biological samples or medical testing. This case study outlines three types of ethics approvals in Ethiopia, and which research projects are suitable to them. In outlining these processes, I also reflect upon my own experience of obtaining ethics approval. The questions raised in this case study include concerns about accountability for international researchers as well as areas where universities and ethics bodies could improve their facilitation and support to ensure that the research conducted is approved by national authorities. I critically reflect on the role of social capital and relationships, which in my own case enabled access to information about where ethics approval could be obtained and provided significant support throughout the process. For this case study, I dawn upon my experience of applying for ethics approval in 2014, having that approval granted in 2015 and conducting research until 2016.
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The current and expected impacts of climate change are influencing government policies and services as well as donor and NGO activities. The shifts have been influenced by the ‘resilience agenda’ whereby actors seek to reduce... more
The current and expected impacts of climate change are influencing government policies and services as well as donor and NGO activities. The shifts have been influenced by the ‘resilience agenda’ whereby actors seek to reduce vulnerability and strengthen resilience as a means to mitigate climatic challenges. A focus on resilience has required a much more diverse engagement, as the interrelationships between climate, health, poverty and wellbeing are increasingly recognized. This has made programming more complex. Within these changes, climate information services have received greater emphasis. Forecasting has supported the strengthening of emergency response programming, and early warning data is used to adjust safety net implementation. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) across Africa and Asia have responded accordingly, and diversified their partnerships and activities within climate information services.
To enrich our understanding of these trends, this study traces the emergence of climate services as a core element of resilience programming and explores how development NGOs are contributing to the climate information services system in Ethiopia. It examines when, and how, the emergence of resilience programming has affected programme partnerships and activities in the country, tracing the high-level changes that have occurred since 2002. The study approaches climate information services as a value chain, looking systemically at the range of entry points where NGO engagement has had an impact.
To enrich our understanding of these trends, this study traces the emergence of climate services as a core element of resilience programming and explores how development NGOs are contributing to the climate information services system in Ethiopia. It examines when, and how, the emergence of resilience programming has affected programme partnerships and activities in the country, tracing the high-level changes that have occurred since 2002. The study approaches climate information services as a value chain, looking systemically at the range of entry points where NGO engagement has had an impact.
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The Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA) aims to build the resilience of vulnerable populations in climate change hotspots by building new knowledge and capacities to support better informed policy and... more
The Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA) aims to build the resilience of vulnerable populations in climate change hotspots by building new knowledge and capacities to support better informed policy and practice. The program connects more than 450 researchers and practitioners from over 40 organizations. Why do we care about synthesis in CARIAA? Generating syntheses that highlight new frontiers at the climate-policy nexus are cornerstone to CARIAA's focus on climate change hotspots. Synthesis can be a means through which the complex challenges at play in these climate change hotspots can be approached in transdisciplinary and collaborative ways. New audiences can be reached with synthesis products, including contributing to international decision making (e.g. the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties) and agendas (e.g. Sustainable Development Goals). Syntheses can also be a means of validation, triangulation and amplification of research results. Through these activities and products, syntheses help strengthen the impact of the research, specifically by supporting better-informed policy and practice.
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The Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA) aims to build the resilience of vulnerable populations in climate change hotspots by building new knowledge and capacities to support better informed policy and... more
The Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA) aims to build the resilience of vulnerable populations in climate change hotspots by building new knowledge and capacities to support better informed policy and practice. The program connects more than 450 researchers and practitioners from over 40 organizations. These CARIAA networks are organized into four consortia, whose members collaborate around their own common program of work. Beyond each of these four consortia, CARIAA creates spaces, processes, and opportunities for collaboration and synthesis between and across the four consortia. When the goals of a research program encapsulate transdisciplinary and collaborative synthesis on a scale as large as CARIAA’s, there is only one way to treat the unfolding process: to learn by experimentation. At this midpoint in the program, we share what we have learned so far about creating conditions for collaboration and synthesis activities to grow.
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Climate change poses significant global challenges. Solutions require new ways of working, thinking and acting. Knowledge co-production is often cited as one of the innovations needed for navigating the complexity of climate change... more
Climate change poses significant global challenges. Solutions require new ways of working, thinking and acting. Knowledge co-production is often cited as one of the innovations needed for navigating the complexity of climate change challenges, yet how to best approach co-production processes remains unclear. In this working paper we explore the ways in which climate and development researchers are approaching the co-production of knowledge and grapple with the extent to which the modalities used are reaching their stated potential. Using a diverse array of case studies, we outline a range of approaches to co-production, from technical to transformative. Drawing on literature on co-production, we propose a heuristic that maps out a spectrum of approaches to co-production and offers an assessment of the relationship between processes and outcomes of co-production in order to enable more informed planning and decision-making. In so doing this paper provides lessons and insights that CARIAA and similar adaptation research initiatives can apply in determining the potential of knowledge co-production as a means to influence policy, practice and behaviour.
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Community-based and participatory mapping is diverse, has a wide range of goals and objectives and occurs within different socio-cultural and political contexts. As a result, the impact of this activity is varied and impact assessment... more
Community-based and participatory mapping is diverse, has a wide range of goals and objectives and occurs within different socio-cultural and political contexts. As a result, the impact of this activity is varied and impact assessment must be done on a case-by-case basis. The exploration of literature on community-based and participatory mapping explored in this study seeks to better understand the processes involved, the factors that contribute to success and stated impact. These components will be respectively analyzed in three mapping stages: pre-process, in- process and post-process.
In reviewing several hundred published works, from academia and ‘grey’ literature, as well as having spoken with a diverse group of mappers it has become clear that impact is not often assessed in a systematic fashion. Many studies make assertions of change or use a limited set of testimonials to prove change has taken place. Very few cases demonstrate on-going monitoring processes took place, in each of the three stages, and therefore impact if often anecdotal. Although community-based and participatory mapping sometimes takes place for the empowerment of those involved, assessment of that is often limited in scope and duration. Following this review, therefore, a framework was developed. The framework does not aim to prescribe how impact ought to be assessed, but it supports those engaging in community-based and participatory mapping to think about questions and processes that will better enable the assessment and communication of impact.
In reviewing several hundred published works, from academia and ‘grey’ literature, as well as having spoken with a diverse group of mappers it has become clear that impact is not often assessed in a systematic fashion. Many studies make assertions of change or use a limited set of testimonials to prove change has taken place. Very few cases demonstrate on-going monitoring processes took place, in each of the three stages, and therefore impact if often anecdotal. Although community-based and participatory mapping sometimes takes place for the empowerment of those involved, assessment of that is often limited in scope and duration. Following this review, therefore, a framework was developed. The framework does not aim to prescribe how impact ought to be assessed, but it supports those engaging in community-based and participatory mapping to think about questions and processes that will better enable the assessment and communication of impact.
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The Supply Chain Management System (SCMS) program has worked in Ethiopia since 2006 to strengthen the public health supply chain. Increasing the performance and retention of personnel within the organization, and its governmental... more
The Supply Chain Management System (SCMS) program has worked in Ethiopia since 2006 to strengthen the public health supply chain. Increasing the performance and retention of personnel within the organization, and its governmental partners, has been, and continues to be, a priority. Five building blocks that are crucial for achieving these objectives, namely: engaging stakeholders, optimizing policies and plans, developing the workforce, increasing performance and professionalizing supply chain management, will be explored with practice-based case studies.
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Social justice seeks to support fairness through fostering relationships that enhance and strengthen responsibility for one another. It is built upon the principle of equality of opportunity. In the context of government and governance it... more
Social justice seeks to support fairness through fostering relationships that enhance and strengthen responsibility for one another. It is built upon the principle of equality of opportunity. In the context of government and governance it is often linked to specific policies or programs that seek to ensure the fair (re)distribution of services and benefits. Information communication technologies (ICTs) have opened new opportunities and challenges for enacting social justice. We have identified eight groups who are often excluded from full access and participation in the digital realm: low-socioeconomic status individuals, remote and inner-city groups, indigenous groups, recent migrants, the homeless, people with disabilities, people with mental illnesses, and senior citizens. In order to better understand the relationship and tensions between and within these populations, and digital inequalities and social justice, we have developed an interactive website that uses crowdsourcing to facilitate the sharing of examples where organizations and governments have directly engaged with excluded groups using ICTs and more specifically, sites using ICTs with open data. Recognizing the existence of these efforts to address and overcome these inequalities, we provide a platform for the discovery and sharing of good practices. We anticipate that this platform will bring together activists, academics and government personnel in order to collectively learn as well as contribute to how ICTs and open data can act as a means to enhance social justice.
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Food (in)security is not a new or isolated concern. This poster presents the history of the Ethiopian experience of food (in)security, contextualizes the current situation and explores the direction of food security beyond 2015.
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Example of Successful Doctoral SSHRC and Vanier "Program of Study"
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Successful Example of Banting Postdoctoral Proposal for SSHRC
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This technical report summarizes the SCMS training in warehouse operations management, conducted in 2011 and 2012 in South Africa, and its impact on warehouse improvement in Ethiopia. Although some of the lessons learned in South Africa... more
This technical report summarizes the SCMS training in warehouse operations management, conducted in 2011 and 2012 in South Africa, and its impact on warehouse improvement in Ethiopia. Although some of the lessons learned in South Africa are not yet applicable to Ethiopia, the impact the training has had on staff and warehouse operations to date is significant.
Feedback from staff indicates that knowledge has increased in a number of key areas, resulting in the development of site-specific action plans. Through hands-on training and site visits, the training enabled trainees to gain practical skills and see how operations work as a whole. These experiences have not only built skills, but facilitated a new vision of warehouse operations and management. At the same time, during the last two years of training, staff retention, long perceived as a problem in developing countries, has remained high, at 87 and 86 percent for PFSA and SCMS trainees, respectively.
Qualitative assessment, which looked at 58 warehouse improvement indicators, shows that significant improvements were realized at all sites after the training. The data should be understood as progress made as a result of the training; however, some sites do not have the ability to implement all the changes as outlined in the checklist. For example, eight indicators refer to a cold chain, which is not available at all sites. The indicators should be viewed, then, as improvements to the operations and processes.
From this perspective, each site has made significant improvements. Based on the lessons learned by the Ethiopian delegation, sites made improvements in 17 to 32 different areas, as outlined in this report. These improvements have enabled enhancements to a wide variety of operational procedures, which have in turn improved the operations of each hub and the system as a whole.
Feedback from staff indicates that knowledge has increased in a number of key areas, resulting in the development of site-specific action plans. Through hands-on training and site visits, the training enabled trainees to gain practical skills and see how operations work as a whole. These experiences have not only built skills, but facilitated a new vision of warehouse operations and management. At the same time, during the last two years of training, staff retention, long perceived as a problem in developing countries, has remained high, at 87 and 86 percent for PFSA and SCMS trainees, respectively.
Qualitative assessment, which looked at 58 warehouse improvement indicators, shows that significant improvements were realized at all sites after the training. The data should be understood as progress made as a result of the training; however, some sites do not have the ability to implement all the changes as outlined in the checklist. For example, eight indicators refer to a cold chain, which is not available at all sites. The indicators should be viewed, then, as improvements to the operations and processes.
From this perspective, each site has made significant improvements. Based on the lessons learned by the Ethiopian delegation, sites made improvements in 17 to 32 different areas, as outlined in this report. These improvements have enabled enhancements to a wide variety of operational procedures, which have in turn improved the operations of each hub and the system as a whole.
Research Interests:
በከፍተኛ ሁኔታ ተጋሊጭ የሆኑ የማሕበረስብ ክፍልችን ሕይወት ሇመሇወጥ ሕግ-ተኮር የሆነውን ከባቢ ማስተካከሌ አይነተኛ ሚና ይጫወታሌ፡፡ ነገር ግን የሕግ ተሟጋችነት እና መሰሌ ጉዲዮች በመንግሥት ዘንዴ ተቀባይነት በማያገኙበት አውዴ ውስጥ ይህንን ግብ ከስኬት ማዴረስ ስሇሚቻሌባቸው መንገድች ብዙም አይታወቅም፡፡ ይህ ጽሁፍ የኢትዮጲያ ሕግ ባሇሙያ ሴቶች ማሕበር (ኢ.ሕ.ባ.ሴ.ማ.)... more
በከፍተኛ ሁኔታ ተጋሊጭ የሆኑ የማሕበረስብ ክፍልችን ሕይወት ሇመሇወጥ ሕግ-ተኮር የሆነውን ከባቢ ማስተካከሌ አይነተኛ ሚና ይጫወታሌ፡፡ ነገር ግን የሕግ ተሟጋችነት እና መሰሌ ጉዲዮች በመንግሥት ዘንዴ ተቀባይነት በማያገኙበት አውዴ ውስጥ ይህንን ግብ ከስኬት ማዴረስ ስሇሚቻሌባቸው መንገድች ብዙም አይታወቅም፡፡ ይህ ጽሁፍ የኢትዮጲያ ሕግ ባሇሙያ ሴቶች ማሕበር (ኢ.ሕ.ባ.ሴ.ማ.) የቤተሰብ ሕጉ እንዱቀየር ያዯረጋቸውን እንቅስቃሴዎችና የተጫወተውን ወሳኝ ሚና የሚዘረዝር ሲሆን በዚህም ምክንያት ሴቶች ሊይ መዴሌዎ የሚያዯርሱ የሕጉ ክፍልች እንዱቀየሩ ከማዴረግ አንጻር መሰረታዊ መሻሻልች ታይተዋሌ፡፡ ማሕበሩ የተከተሊቸውን ሇውጥ አምጪ ‘ጎዲናዎች’ እንመሇከታሇን፤ በዚህም ሂዯት ውስጥ ማሕበሩ አገሌግልት ከማቅረብ በመነሳት ወዯ መረጃን መሰረት ያዯረገ፣ መዯበኛ እንዱሁም ኢ-መዯበኛ የተሟጋችነት አካሄዴ የተሻገረ ሲሆን በሕጉ ሊይ ሇውጥ እንዱመጣም ወሳኝ እዴልችን ተጠቅሟሌ፡፡ በተጨማሪም ይህ ጽሁፍ የምቹ ከባቢን ትሌቅ ሚናም ይመሇከተሌ፤ ይኽውም በሕግ ተሟጋችነት ምክንያት የተገኙ ብዙ ስኬቶች ቢኖሩም የመንቀሳቀሻውን ምሕዲር መንግሥት በመዝጋቱ በዚህ አቅጣጫ ሉኖሩ የሚችለ እንቅስቃሴዎችን እንዱሁም የሕግ ተሟጋችነት አዲዱስ ገጽታዎች እንዲያቆጠቁጡ አዲክሟሌ፡፡ ይህ ጽሁፍ የሕግ ተሟጋችነት የመንግሥትን መዋቅሮች ከመሞገት አንጻር ያሇውን ስኬት ይመሇከተሌ፤ በተጨማሪም የውጪ ግብረ-ኃይልች ያሊቸውን ጉዲትና የሚፈጥሩትን እዴሌም ይቃኛሌ፡፡
Research Interests:
በኢትዮጲያ ስሊሇው የኢኮኖሚ እዴገት የተሇመደ ትርክቶች አለ፡፡ አራት የተሇመደ ትርክቶችን እንፈትሻሇን፤ እነርሱም፡- (1) ኢኮኖሚው ከግብርና ወዯ ኢንደስትሪ ሽግግር እያዯረገ ነው፣ (2) ሀገራዊ የኢኮኖሚ እዴገቱ ፈጣንና ዘሊቂ እየሆነ ነው፣ (3) የኢትዮጲያ ኢኮኖሚ በአብሊጫው ግብርና ሊይ የተመሰረተ ነው፣ እና (4) በተሇይም ከቻይና ጋር ባሇው የብዴር ሁኔታ ምክንያት... more
በኢትዮጲያ ስሊሇው የኢኮኖሚ እዴገት የተሇመደ ትርክቶች አለ፡፡ አራት የተሇመደ ትርክቶችን እንፈትሻሇን፤ እነርሱም፡- (1) ኢኮኖሚው ከግብርና ወዯ ኢንደስትሪ ሽግግር እያዯረገ ነው፣ (2) ሀገራዊ የኢኮኖሚ እዴገቱ ፈጣንና ዘሊቂ እየሆነ ነው፣ (3) የኢትዮጲያ ኢኮኖሚ በአብሊጫው ግብርና ሊይ የተመሰረተ ነው፣ እና (4) በተሇይም ከቻይና ጋር ባሇው የብዴር ሁኔታ ምክንያት በሀገሪቱ ሊይ ያጠሊ አስጊ የብዴር ችግር አሇ፡፡ የእነዚህን ትርክቶች እውነተኛነት ሇማሳማን የሚቀርቡት አብዛኛዎቹ ማስረጃዎች የአንዴ ዓመት ወይም ውሱን የሆኑ የመረጃ ነጥቦች ናቸው፡፡ እነዚህ ትርክቶች በረጅም ጊዜ ውስጥ ያሊቸውን ሁኔታ እንመረምራሇን፤ ባለት የማክሮ ኢኮኖሚ መረጃዎች መሰረትም ያሊቸውን ዴጋፍ እንመሇከታሇን፡፡ በዚህ ሂዯት ውስጥ ከፍተኛ የሆነ የመረጃ ጥራት እና ወጥነት ችግር አጋጥሞናሌ፡፡ ይህ ጽሁፍ በ 1999 እና 2017 መካከሌ ማግኘት የተቻሇውን መረጃ በመመሌከት በኢትዮጲያ ኢኮኖሚ ሊይ በተሇምድ የሚሰጡ አስተያየቶች አንዲንዴ ጊዜ ትክክሌ እንዯሆኑ፣ አንዲንዴ ጊዜ ጉዴሇት እንዲሇባቸውና በላሊ ጊዜ ዯግሞ ትክክሌ እንዲሌሆኑ ይዯመዴማሌ፡፡ በሁሇተኛ ዯረጃ የሚገኙ ጠቅሊሊ፣ የአንዴ ዓመት፣ እና ውሱን መረጃዎችን ተጠቅሞ አጠቃሊይ አስተያየቶችን ከመስጠት ይሌቅ በመጀመሪያ ዯረጃ መረጃዎችና የመረጃ ስብስቦች ሊይ መሰረት መዯረግ እንዲሇበት አጥብቀን እናሳስባሇን፡፡
Research Interests:
በኢትዮጲያ ውስጥ ከምግብ ዋስትና ጋር በተገናኘ በርካታ ነጠሊ የጥናት ሥራዎች ቢዯረጉም እነዙህን በማዋሃዴ የተሰሩ ዲሰሳዎች ማግኘት ግን አዲጋች ነው፡፡ ይህም ጽሁፍ ከ 2005 እስከ 2016 ዴረስ በWeb of Science ሊይ የተመገቡትንና በኢትዮጲያ ውስጥ ስሊሇው የምግብ ዋስትና ጉዲይ ሊይ ትኩረት የሚያዯርጉትን ጥናቶች ይዲስሳሌ፤ የጥናቶቹን ፍሬ ሏሳብ ያቀርባሌ፣ በጊዛ... more
በኢትዮጲያ ውስጥ ከምግብ ዋስትና ጋር በተገናኘ በርካታ ነጠሊ የጥናት ሥራዎች ቢዯረጉም እነዙህን በማዋሃዴ የተሰሩ ዲሰሳዎች ማግኘት ግን አዲጋች ነው፡፡ ይህም ጽሁፍ ከ 2005 እስከ 2016 ዴረስ በWeb of Science ሊይ የተመገቡትንና በኢትዮጲያ ውስጥ ስሊሇው የምግብ ዋስትና ጉዲይ ሊይ ትኩረት የሚያዯርጉትን ጥናቶች ይዲስሳሌ፤ የጥናቶቹን ፍሬ ሏሳብ ያቀርባሌ፣ በጊዛ ሂዯት ውስጥ ያሇውን የጥናቶቹን የትኩረት አቅጣጫ ይመረምራሌ፣ የጥናቶቹን ጉዴሇቶች፣ እና የወዯፊት የጥናት አቅጣጫዎችንም ይረዜራሌ፡፡ ሇንባብ አመቺ እንዱሆን ዲሰሳው ጥናቶቹን በስምንት ርፎች ከፍሎቸዋሌ፤ እነዙህም፡- (1) የአየር ንብረት ሇውጥ እና ዜናብ፣ (2) የምግብ ሳይንስ እና ቴክኒካዊ የግብርና ምርምር፣ (3) አሇ-እኩሌነት፣ (4) ግሇሰብ-ተኮር ጥናቶች፣ (5) መጠነ ሰፊ መሬት መሰብሰብ እና የመሬት ቅሚያ፣ (6) የተፈጥሮ ሏብት አስተዲዯር እና ውሃ፣ (7) ማሕበራዊ አገሌግልቶችና ፖሉሲ፣ (8) የተጋሊጭነት ምርመራዎችና ስሌቶች ናቸው፡፡ በአጠቃሊይ ርፉ ወሳኝ የሆኑ ጥናቶች እንዯተዯረጉ ቢሆንም በአሇእኩሌነት ሊይ መጠነ ሰፊ የሆነ የጥናት ፍሊጎቶች አለ፣ አዲዱስ የሆኑ የምግብ ዋስትና አሇመረጋገጥ መገሇጫዎችን መፈተሸ ያስፈሌጋሌ፣ የምግብ ዋስትና መሇኪየዎችና ስላቶች ሊይ ጥሌቅ ግምገማዎች ማዴረግ ያስፈሌጋሌ፣ እንዱሁም ርፈ-ብዘ አካሄድችንም መጠቀም ያስፈሌጋሌ፡፡ ተመራማሪዎች በርፉ ያሇውን እውቀት እንዱያዲብሩ፣ ቁሌፍ የእውቀት ጉዯሇቶችን ሇመሇየትና አዲዱስ የጥናት አቅጣጫዎችን ሇመጠቆም በየጊዛው የሚዯረጉ ዲሰሳዎችና የውህዴ ጥናቶችም አስፈሊጊ ናቸው፡፡
Research Interests:
ኢትዮጲያ ባስመዘገበችው የኢኮኖሚ እዴገት እንዱሁም በሰብዓዊ ሌማት አመሌካቾች ባሳየችው ሇውጥ ሙገሳን እየተቸረች ነው፡፡ አንዲንድች የነዚህን ሇውጦች መሰረት መንግሥት የሚያራምዯው የሌማታዊ መንግሥት ርዕዮት እንዯሆነ ያምናለ፤ ላልች ዯግሞ የዚህ የሌማታዊ መንግሥት ርዕዮት እና በኢትዮጲያ ያሇው ትግበራ ሇየቅሌ ይሆንባቸዋሌ፡፡ እስከ 2018 ዴረስ መንግሥትንና አካሄደን የሚሞግቱ... more
ኢትዮጲያ ባስመዘገበችው የኢኮኖሚ እዴገት እንዱሁም በሰብዓዊ ሌማት አመሌካቾች ባሳየችው ሇውጥ ሙገሳን እየተቸረች ነው፡፡ አንዲንድች የነዚህን ሇውጦች መሰረት መንግሥት የሚያራምዯው የሌማታዊ መንግሥት ርዕዮት እንዯሆነ ያምናለ፤ ላልች ዯግሞ የዚህ የሌማታዊ መንግሥት ርዕዮት እና በኢትዮጲያ ያሇው ትግበራ ሇየቅሌ ይሆንባቸዋሌ፡፡ እስከ 2018 ዴረስ መንግሥትንና አካሄደን የሚሞግቱ ሏሳቦች ተቀባይነት አሌነበራቸውም፤
አማራጭ እይታዎችንም የሚያስተጋቡ ፖሇቲከኞች፣ ምሁራንና ጋዜጠኞች ሇእስር ተዲርገዋሌ፡፡ ነገር ግን ከቅርብ ጊዜ ወዱህ ይህ የመንግሥት አካሄዴ ሇውጥ እያሳየ ይመስሊሌ፤ ምክትሌ ጠቅሊይ ሚኒስትሩም በሌማታዊ መንግሥት ርዕዮት ሊይ ሙግት እንዱዯረግበት ጥሪ አቅርቧሌ፡፡ ይህም ጽሁፍ የኢትዮጲያን ሌማታዊ መንግሥት ርዕዮት በመረጋጋት ግንባታ ማዕቀፍ መሰረት ይፈትሻሌ፡፡ በዚህም መሰረት ርእዮቱ ሚዛናዊ የሥሌጣን መዋቅሮች የመፍጠር አቅሙን፣ ሁለን አቀፍ የኢኮኖሚ ሌማት ማምጣቱን፣ ግጭቶችን በሰሊማዊ መንገዴ ሇመፍታት የሚያስችለ መንገድች መዘርጋቱን፣ ስኬታማና ሕጋዊ ተቋማት መፍጠሩን፣ እና የፌዳራሌ መንግሥቱን ዯጋፊ የሆኑ ተባባሪ የቀጠና ከባቢ መኖራቸውን ይመረምራሌ፡፡ የሌማታዊ መንግሥት ሞዳሌ ስኬታማ የሆነባቸው አውድች ያለ ቢሆንም እንዯ መንግሥታዊ አስተዲዯር አቅጣጫ ሇኢትዮጲያ ከዚህ በሊይ ጥቅም የማስገኘቱ አቅም አሌቋሌ፡፡ ከሌማታዊ መንግሥት ወዯ ሌማታዊ ዳሞክራሲ የሚዯረግ ሽግግር በሥራ ሊይ ያሇ ይመስሊሌ፡፡ መንግሥታዊ ውሳኔዎችና የኢኮኖሚ ፖሉሲዎች ከዚህ ሇውጥ ጋር መሳ ሇመሳ መሄዴ ይኖርባቸዋሌ፡፡
አማራጭ እይታዎችንም የሚያስተጋቡ ፖሇቲከኞች፣ ምሁራንና ጋዜጠኞች ሇእስር ተዲርገዋሌ፡፡ ነገር ግን ከቅርብ ጊዜ ወዱህ ይህ የመንግሥት አካሄዴ ሇውጥ እያሳየ ይመስሊሌ፤ ምክትሌ ጠቅሊይ ሚኒስትሩም በሌማታዊ መንግሥት ርዕዮት ሊይ ሙግት እንዱዯረግበት ጥሪ አቅርቧሌ፡፡ ይህም ጽሁፍ የኢትዮጲያን ሌማታዊ መንግሥት ርዕዮት በመረጋጋት ግንባታ ማዕቀፍ መሰረት ይፈትሻሌ፡፡ በዚህም መሰረት ርእዮቱ ሚዛናዊ የሥሌጣን መዋቅሮች የመፍጠር አቅሙን፣ ሁለን አቀፍ የኢኮኖሚ ሌማት ማምጣቱን፣ ግጭቶችን በሰሊማዊ መንገዴ ሇመፍታት የሚያስችለ መንገድች መዘርጋቱን፣ ስኬታማና ሕጋዊ ተቋማት መፍጠሩን፣ እና የፌዳራሌ መንግሥቱን ዯጋፊ የሆኑ ተባባሪ የቀጠና ከባቢ መኖራቸውን ይመረምራሌ፡፡ የሌማታዊ መንግሥት ሞዳሌ ስኬታማ የሆነባቸው አውድች ያለ ቢሆንም እንዯ መንግሥታዊ አስተዲዯር አቅጣጫ ሇኢትዮጲያ ከዚህ በሊይ ጥቅም የማስገኘቱ አቅም አሌቋሌ፡፡ ከሌማታዊ መንግሥት ወዯ ሌማታዊ ዳሞክራሲ የሚዯረግ ሽግግር በሥራ ሊይ ያሇ ይመስሊሌ፡፡ መንግሥታዊ ውሳኔዎችና የኢኮኖሚ ፖሉሲዎች ከዚህ ሇውጥ ጋር መሳ ሇመሳ መሄዴ ይኖርባቸዋሌ፡፡
Research Interests:
የምዕተ-ዓመት የልማት ግቦች በቅነሳ ላይ አተኩረው የነበር ሲሆን፣ የዘላቂ ልማት ግቦች ላይ ግን በጉልህ ማንንም ወደ ኋላ ያለ መተውን የሚያመላክቱ አዲስ ግቦችን አካትቷል፡፡ ይህ ማብራሪያ በልማት ጥናት ምርምር ውስጥ ያለውን መልከዓ ምድራዊ ቀዳሚነት እና አለመካተት እንዲሁም መንስዔዎቹን ይዳስሳል፡፡ አንድም ሰው ወደ ኋላ እንዳይተው በምርምር፣ እንዲሁም በተመራማሪ ማኅበረሰብ... more
የምዕተ-ዓመት የልማት ግቦች በቅነሳ ላይ አተኩረው የነበር ሲሆን፣ የዘላቂ ልማት ግቦች ላይ ግን በጉልህ ማንንም ወደ ኋላ ያለ መተውን የሚያመላክቱ አዲስ ግቦችን አካትቷል፡፡ ይህ ማብራሪያ በልማት ጥናት ምርምር ውስጥ ያለውን መልከዓ ምድራዊ ቀዳሚነት እና አለመካተት እንዲሁም መንስዔዎቹን ይዳስሳል፡፡ አንድም ሰው ወደ ኋላ እንዳይተው በምርምር፣ እንዲሁም በተመራማሪ ማኅበረሰብ ላይ ልዕለ-ለውጥ ሊከናወን ያስፈልጋል፡፡ ተደራሽ እና ሁሉን አቀፍ የሆነ የውሳኔ አሰጣጥ ሂደትን ለመደገፍ የሚያስችል ማስረጃን ማቅረብ፣ ተመራማሪው ማኅበረሰብ ክፍተቶችን በሚሞላ መንገድ በተሻለ አካታች የሆነውን የዘላቂ ልማት ግብ ለመደገፍ እንዲቻላቸው የሚረዳ አፍላቂነት እና የፈጠራ ችሎታ በተሞላበት መልኩ ያለውን ነባራዊ ያለማጠቃለል ሁኔታ ማስላት አስፈላጊ ነው፡፡ እንደ ተመራማሪ ማኅበረሰብ ይህንን ጥሪ በቁም ነገር የምንወስደው ከሆነ፣ የአስተሳሰብ አመራር እና ማስረጃ ምርምራችንንም ልምዳችንንም ወደ ልዕለ-ለውጥ የሚያደርሱ መነሻዎች ይሆኑልናል፡፡
Research Interests:
የጽሑፉ ዓላማ • “እንደ ስነ-ሰብኣት ተመራማሪ መመልከት” በዓለም-አቀፋዊ የጥናት ተቋማት ውስጥ ተግባራዊ ከሆነው የአካባቢያዊ ባህሎች ምልከታ የሚለይባቸውን መንገዶች ነጥሎ ማሳየት • “ጎጂ ባህላዊና ልማዳዊ ድርጊቶች” በልማት ተቋማት ዘንድ ለምን ቀዳሚ ትኩረት የሚሰጣቸው ጉዳዮች እንደ ሆኑ መግለጽ እና በእነዚህ ልማዳዊ ድርጊቶች ላይ የሚንጸባረቅ አሉታዊ አቋም እንዴት... more
የጽሑፉ ዓላማ
• “እንደ ስነ-ሰብኣት ተመራማሪ መመልከት” በዓለም-አቀፋዊ የጥናት ተቋማት ውስጥ ተግባራዊ ከሆነው የአካባቢያዊ ባህሎች ምልከታ የሚለይባቸውን መንገዶች ነጥሎ ማሳየት
• “ጎጂ ባህላዊና ልማዳዊ ድርጊቶች” በልማት ተቋማት ዘንድ ለምን ቀዳሚ ትኩረት የሚሰጣቸው ጉዳዮች እንደ ሆኑ መግለጽ እና በእነዚህ ልማዳዊ ድርጊቶች ላይ የሚንጸባረቅ አሉታዊ አቋም እንዴት “ለእነርሱ መጥፎ ነው፣ ለእኛ ግን ተስማምቶናል” የሚል ምሳሌዎች መሆን እንደሚችል ማብራራት
• ስነ-ሰብኣታዊ ምልከታዎች እና ቴክኒኮች በዓለም-አቀፍ የልማት ፕሮጀክቶች ንድፍ እና ግብ ላይ ለምን የተገደበ ተጽዕኖ እንደሚኖራቸው መፈተሽ
• “እንደ ስነ-ሰብኣት ተመራማሪ መመልከት” በዓለም-አቀፋዊ የጥናት ተቋማት ውስጥ ተግባራዊ ከሆነው የአካባቢያዊ ባህሎች ምልከታ የሚለይባቸውን መንገዶች ነጥሎ ማሳየት
• “ጎጂ ባህላዊና ልማዳዊ ድርጊቶች” በልማት ተቋማት ዘንድ ለምን ቀዳሚ ትኩረት የሚሰጣቸው ጉዳዮች እንደ ሆኑ መግለጽ እና በእነዚህ ልማዳዊ ድርጊቶች ላይ የሚንጸባረቅ አሉታዊ አቋም እንዴት “ለእነርሱ መጥፎ ነው፣ ለእኛ ግን ተስማምቶናል” የሚል ምሳሌዎች መሆን እንደሚችል ማብራራት
• ስነ-ሰብኣታዊ ምልከታዎች እና ቴክኒኮች በዓለም-አቀፍ የልማት ፕሮጀክቶች ንድፍ እና ግብ ላይ ለምን የተገደበ ተጽዕኖ እንደሚኖራቸው መፈተሽ
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
የጫት ምርት በኢትዮጵያ ባለፉት ሁለት አስርት ዓመታት ውስጥ በከፍተኛ ሁኔታ በመስፋፋቱ፣ ሀገሪቱን በጫት አምራችነት ከዓለም ፊተኛ አድርጓታል፡፡ ጫት በአሁኑ ወቅት በሰፊ የመሬት ይዞታ ላይ በብዛት ከሚተከሉ ተክሎች መካከል አንዱ ሲሆን፣ ሀገሪቱ ለውጪ ገበያ ከምትልካቸው ምርቶች መካከል ሁለተኛውን ደረጃ ሲይዝ፣ በሚሊዮኖች ለሚቆጠሩ ኢትዮጵያውያን ገበሬዎች እጅግ ጠቃሚ የገቢ... more
የጫት ምርት በኢትዮጵያ ባለፉት ሁለት አስርት ዓመታት ውስጥ በከፍተኛ ሁኔታ በመስፋፋቱ፣ ሀገሪቱን በጫት አምራችነት ከዓለም ፊተኛ አድርጓታል፡፡ ጫት በአሁኑ ወቅት በሰፊ የመሬት ይዞታ ላይ በብዛት ከሚተከሉ ተክሎች መካከል አንዱ ሲሆን፣ ሀገሪቱ ለውጪ ገበያ ከምትልካቸው ምርቶች መካከል ሁለተኛውን ደረጃ ሲይዝ፣ በሚሊዮኖች ለሚቆጠሩ ኢትዮጵያውያን ገበሬዎች እጅግ ጠቃሚ የገቢ ምንጭ ነው፡፡ የጫት ተጠቃሚነትም በተለምዶ ጫት ይቃምባቸው ከነበሩ ደቡባዊ እና ምስራቃዊ የኢትዮጵያ ክልሎች ወደ አብዛኛዎቹ ዋና ከተማዎች ተዛምቷል፡፡ ይህ የአምራችነት እና የተጠቃሚነት ቀጣይ እድገት የታየው የመንግስት ድጋፍ ወይም ደንብ እዚህ ግባ በማይባልበት ሁኔታ ውስጥ ነው፡፡ ሁኔታው በእንዲህ እንዳለ፣ ሲታኘክ አነቃቂ ንጥረ ነገርን የሚያመነጨው ጫት፣ ቁጥራቸው እየጨመረ በሚገኝ ሀገራት ውስጥ የተከለከለ አደንዛዥ ዕጽ እየሆነ ይገኛል፡፡ በጫት ምርት፣ ንግድ እና የጫት ምርት በመንግሥት አካላት ቁጥጥር ስር በሚውልበት ጊዜ መንግስት መዝግቦ የሚያስቀምጠውን መረጃ፣ እንዲሁም በፖለቲካው፣ ማህበራዊ፣ ምጣኔ-ሀብታዊ እንዲሁም የተከለከሉ አደንዛዥ ዕጽ ተክሎች ላይ የተመሠረተ ኢንደስትሪ የሚያስከትለው የእድገት አይነት ላይ በተሠሩ ጥናት እና ምርምሮች ላይ በመመስረት፣ ይህ ማብራሪያ ሀገሪቱ በማደግ ላይ ያለውን የጫት አምራችነት፣ የሀገር ውስጥ ፍጆታ እንዲሁም በውጪ ሀገር በወንጀል ማስከሰሱን አስመልክቶ ኢትዮጵያ ልታገናዝባቸው የሚያስፈልጉ ጉዳዮች እና ሁኔታዎችን ለይቶ አስቀምጧል፡፡ በማኅበራዊ እና ባህላዊ ልምምዶች ውስጥ ጠልቆ የዘለቀ፣ እንዲሁም የመንግሥት እና የግብርና ዐብይ ገንዘብ ማስገኛ እንደ መሆኑ፣ የኢትዮጵያ ፖሊሲ አውጪዎች ያላቸው አማራጭ ጥቂት ብቻ ነው፡፡ በውጪ ሀገራት ጫት በወንጀል የሚያስከስስ መሆኑ፣ በጫት እና ተሸጋጋሪ ወንጀል እንዲሁም በሕገ-ወጥ ዝውውር ትስስሮች መካከል ቀድሞ ያልነበረ መተሳሰር ሊፈጠር የሚችልበት እድል አናሳ ቢሆንም፣ የሚናቅ ሁኔታ አይደለም፡፡ በተመሳሳይ ሁኔታ በኢትዮጵያ ጫት ላይ እጅግ የጠበቀ አዋጅ ቢወጣ፣ ቀድሞ ከነበሩ የፖለቲካ ክፍተቶች እና ጸረ-መንግስት ስሜቶች ጋር ተያይዞ አነስተኛ የአስከፊነት መጠን ያላቸው የእርስ በርስ ግጭቶችን ሊያስከትል ይችላል፡፡
Research Interests:
ይህ ጥናት ሁለቱንም ኳሊታቲቭ እና ኳንቲታቲቭ የምርምር ዘዴዎችን በመጠቀም በደቡብ ኢትዮጵያ በመበደር እና ዕዳ ሂደት ውስጥያለውን የገጠር የፋይናንስ ስርዓት እና ድግግሞሽ ውስብስብነት አነስተኛ የመሬት ይዞታ ባላቸው ገበሬዎች መካከል የተደረገ የዳሰሳ ጥናት ነው፡፡ በአንድ ግብረ አካባቢያዊ ጥናት መቼት ውስጥ አካባቢያዊ መገኛን ለመሠረተ-ልማት፣ ገበያ እና አገልግሎቶች ካለ... more
ይህ ጥናት ሁለቱንም ኳሊታቲቭ እና ኳንቲታቲቭ የምርምር ዘዴዎችን በመጠቀም በደቡብ ኢትዮጵያ በመበደር እና ዕዳ ሂደት ውስጥያለውን የገጠር የፋይናንስ ስርዓት እና ድግግሞሽ ውስብስብነት አነስተኛ የመሬት ይዞታ ባላቸው ገበሬዎች መካከል የተደረገ የዳሰሳ ጥናት ነው፡፡ በአንድ ግብረ አካባቢያዊ ጥናት መቼት ውስጥ አካባቢያዊ መገኛን ለመሠረተ-ልማት፣ ገበያ እና አገልግሎቶች ካለ ቅርበት ጋር በማነጻጸር እነዚህ ግብዓቶች የተበዳሪነት ድግግሞሽ፣ ምንጭ፣ መጠን እና የሚወሰነውን ወለድ መጠን፣ የመልሶ ክፍያ ቀነ ገደብ እና የተበዳሪነት እንዲሁም የዕዳ መጠን ላይ የሚያሳድሩትን ተጽዕኖ እንፈትሻለን፡፡ ጥናት በተካሄደባቸው ማኀበረሰቦች መካ ል ፣ የተበዳሪነት አካባቢያዊ ሁኔታ እና የዕዳን እንዲሁም አነስተኛ የመሬት ይዞታ ያላቸው ገበሬዎች የተበዳሪነት እና እዳ ዑደቱን አሸንፈው ንብረት እንዲያበጁ የሚያስችሉ ፖሊሲዎች እና ፕሮግራሞችን መቅረጽ ወይም ማስተካከልን ለማገዝ የሚያስችሉ ገደቦችን እና ዕድሎችን ጠቀሜታ የሚያመላክት ልዩነት አግኝተናል፡፡
Research Interests:
ان استخدام القوة لاجبار الافراد علي التنازل عن اراضيهم بشكل غير قانوني او التجريد الغير قانوني للاراضي , العملية التي تعرف بانها " انتزاع الاراضي " ,يعتبر انتهاكا لحقوق الانسان- الحرمان التعسفي من الممتلكات الموضح في البيان العالمي لحقوق... more
ان استخدام القوة لاجبار الافراد علي التنازل عن اراضيهم بشكل غير قانوني او التجريد الغير قانوني للاراضي , العملية التي تعرف بانها " انتزاع الاراضي " ,يعتبر انتهاكا لحقوق الانسان- الحرمان التعسفي من الممتلكات الموضح في البيان العالمي لحقوق الانسان . يعتبر انتزاع الاراضي هو اكثر الاشكال الجدلية القانونية و الاخلاقية لامتلاك الاراضي الواسعة النطاق. اذا لم يتم استخدام القوة بشكل مباشر او غير مباشر في عملية امتلاك الاراضي الواسعة النطاق و لم يتم خرق اي قوانين و حصل الافراد علي الارباح الكافية في مقابل ابدال اراضيهم, هل في هذه الحالة تعتبر التبادلات اخلاقية بالضرورة ؟ وفقا لحقوق الانسان المعتمدة علي هذا المنظور, فان هذا البند يناقش ان حقوق الانسان لا يمكن تحليلها بشكل متفرق , لكن يجب ان يتم تقييمها بشكل مجمل بهدف وضع سياق التعرض للانتهاك و الخطر الذي يحدث لمن يقومون بنقل اراضيهم. و بفعل ذلك, فانه يقوم بتوسيع مفهومنا حول ما يتم اعتباره " انتزاع الاراضي" و ما لا يتم اعتباره انتزاعا لها. عبر العقود السابقة , حدثت اغلبية امتلاك الاراضي الواسعة النطاق في الدول التي يتم فيها انتهاك لحقوق الانسان. و ليتم امتلاك الاراضي الواسعة النطاق بشكل اخلاقي , فيجب علي حقوق الانسان ان تحمي و تضمن ان تكون تلك الخيارات حرة و عادلة بشكل فعلي . تلك ليست مناقشة جدلية , تمت بهدف اصلاح العملية, لكنها مناقشة اخلاقية تعتمد علي حماية الارواح و ارزاق المزارعين الصغار و الرعاة , لضمان ان تكون اختياراتهم حرة و عادلة , و ليست نتاج نقص الاختيارات بسبب التعرض للخطر.
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بينما كانت اهداف التنمية الالفية تبحث عن التقلص , وضعت اهداف التنمية المستدامة الجديد من الاهداف بدون ان تترك اي شئ. هذا التعليق يكشف الاولويات الجغرافية المستمرة و الاستثناءات التي تظهر في بحث دراسات التنمية و بعض المسببات .يمثل الوضع... more
بينما كانت اهداف التنمية الالفية تبحث عن التقلص , وضعت اهداف التنمية المستدامة الجديد من الاهداف بدون ان تترك اي شئ. هذا التعليق يكشف الاولويات الجغرافية المستمرة و الاستثناءات التي تظهر في بحث دراسات التنمية و بعض المسببات .يمثل الوضع الراهن استثناءا تحصينيا . حيث يعمل التحول البحثي , و المجموعة البحثية علي ضمان عدم ترك اي شئ . و تقديم الدليل لدعم عملية صنع القرار العادلة و الشاملة يتطلب حدوث انعكاس بارز للاستثناءات المتواجدة بالفعل, بالتماشي مع الابتكار و الابداع في كيفية توجيه المجتمع البحثي للتحدث عن الفجوات و دعم برنامج اهداف التنمية المستدامة الشامل . القيادة النظرية و الدليل سيكونان الاساس الذي سيحول و يبدل بحثنا و ادارتنا – اذا التفتنا للامر , كمجموعة باحثين.
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هذه المقالة توضح مراحل منهجية الامن الغذائي , و تأهيل مراحل التقدم التي طورها الدكتور كريشنا. تعتمد الدراسات التي تناولت الامن الغذائي بشكل رئيسي علي فحص و تطبيق مجموعة عامة من المؤشرات العامة الغير تخصصية خلال نطاق معين من المناطق... more
هذه المقالة توضح مراحل منهجية الامن الغذائي , و تأهيل مراحل التقدم التي طورها الدكتور كريشنا. تعتمد الدراسات التي تناولت الامن الغذائي بشكل رئيسي علي فحص و تطبيق مجموعة عامة من المؤشرات العامة الغير تخصصية خلال نطاق معين من المناطق الجغرافية و علي مجموعة متنوعه من الاشخاص, تلك الاستنتاجات قدمت ثروة من المعلومات و نظرة متعمقة علي توجهات و تحديات و نطاق الامن الغذائي علي المستوي القومي و الاقليمي و العالمي . و لقد قدمت بحوث الاجناس البشرية و الاساليب النوعية استنتاجات و معلومات تفصيلية و سياقية حول طبيعة الامن الغذائي المتداخلة و المعقدة علي المستوي الجزئي . هذا القسم الخاص بالطرق المختلفة و المشتركة الانتاج ينتج عنه كل من الاقسام النوعية التشاركية و ادوات تجميع البيانات الكمية المشتركة الانتاج , و التي تقدم بيانات شمولية عامة حول دعم تطوير او تحسين السياسات و البرامج بهدف تقوية الامن الغذائي . اعتمادا علي التنفيذ المنساق للمنهجية في اثيوبيا , تمت مناقشة المميزات و القيود , و ايضا انعكاسات حول اسباب اتخاذ الانتاجية المشتركة كقسم مشترك , بالتعارض مع العمليات المشتركة الاخري. ان الاستنتاجات تبين الطرق التي يمكن لاقسام الانتاج المشترك بها ان تقدم معلومات متعمقة, و تنفذ بها و تحفز المعرفة المتواجدة حول التحديات المعقدة.
Research Interests:
What is the right thing to do? How ought we live? This course will explore global issues (development, justice, war, migration, peace, climate change, consumerism) from the perspective of Global Ethics. We will analyze theories and... more
What is the right thing to do? How ought we live? This course will explore global issues (development, justice, war, migration, peace, climate change, consumerism) from the perspective of Global Ethics. We will analyze theories and theorists that have attempted to provide guidance regarding how we might answer these ethical challenges. This course will prepare you to navigate difficult global challenges while being able to critically assess diverse positions and articulate your own.
Research Interests:
Billions of dollars are spent on development projects and programs every year. How do we know what works? For who? In what ways? And, why? This course is for those who want to understand what approaches exist to answer those questions and... more
Billions of dollars are spent on development projects and programs every year. How do we know what works? For who? In what ways? And, why? This course is for those who want to understand what approaches exist to answer those questions and to gain practical experience in applying different evaluations tools and approaches. Evaluation tools and approaches covered in this class will include log-frames, theory of change, random control trials, case studies, outlier sampling, complexity mapping, problem-driven iterative adaptation, amongst others. While the focus of this course is upon development activities in the Global South, these same tools and approaches are used around the world by intergovernmental agencies, government ministries, non-governmental organizations, corporations and civil society groups. While learning about the tools, this course will also critically analyze the underlying concepts, theories, practices and methodological implications of the use of such tools. Throughout this course, we will reflect on questions of bias, positionality, power and ethics.
Research Interests:
As scholars grapple with the changing scope and scale of global human interaction and the speed and sites of connection, amongst the most challenging developments have been how to make sense of global interconnections. This course... more
As scholars grapple with the changing scope and scale of global human interaction and the speed and sites of connection, amongst the most challenging developments have been how to make sense of global interconnections. This course examines the intersection of globalization processes with social and cultural complexities explored through the study of new global formations and how one studies them using ethnography. In addition to learning about globalization and ethnography, the structure of this course is inspired by ethnography. As a class, we will gain an in-depth understanding of one country and a set of issues within it. The goal is to understand the various dimensions of social change with the added goal of grounding students in theories of social change and various forms of circulation. We will explore globalization as a unique form of social change through issues related to modernity, transnational formations, democracy, growing economic linkages as well as various forms of economic inequality, the role of technologies, and issues pertaining to citizenship and migration within specific historical and contemporary contexts.
Research Interests:
What is the right thing to do? How ought we live? This course will explore global issues (development, justice, war, migration, peace, climate change, consumerism) from the perspective of Global Ethics. We will analyze theories and... more
What is the right thing to do? How ought we live? This course will explore global issues (development, justice, war, migration, peace, climate change, consumerism) from the perspective of Global Ethics. We will analyze theories and theorists that have attempted to provide guidance regarding how we might answer these ethical challenges. This course will prepare you to navigate difficult global challenges while being able to critically assess diverse positions and articulate your own.
Research Interests:
This is a course for those interested in understanding the causes of poverty and inequality. Intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, corporations, civil society groups, communities and individuals make claims... more
This is a course for those interested in understanding the causes of poverty and inequality. Intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, corporations, civil society groups, communities and individuals make claims about the causes of poverty and inequality, and what ought to be done regarding it. We will analyze poverty and inequality at multiple scales, starting from the individual, to the household, community, nation and world. We will critically evaluate claims about poverty and assess different measures used to support them. This will allow us to understand the diverse manifestations of poverty and inequality as well as their diverse causes and consequences. We will draw upon different fields of study in seeking to better understand poverty and inequality; drawing on anthropology, history, political science, economics and beyond. Throughout the course, we will critically analyze how the explanations of poverty and inequality shape initiatives aimed to address them. The course will primarily focus on poverty and inequality in the Global South.