A recent paper on the effects of WalMart on small farmers’ welfare in Nicaragua Despite more than a decade of NGO and government activities promoting developing world farmer participation in high-value agricultural markets, evidence regarding the household welfare effects of such initiatives is limited. This article analyzes the geographic placement of supermarket supply … [Read more...] about Walmart and farmers’ welfare
Latin America
Monitoring and evaluation systems work…only if they are used
In the last few years, demand for public program evaluations has increased in Latin America and the Caribbean. This has been accompanied by the design and implementation of reliable and timely monitoring systems, that serve as data source for keeping track of public program implementation and results. A good monitoring and evaluation system is not enough, even if it is … [Read more...] about Monitoring and evaluation systems work…only if they are used
Do we know how to improve the quality of education?
Improving the quality of education is a challenging task. Even though achieving this goal is a priority on the agenda of every country in Latin America, we do not know too much on how to get there. Rigorous evidence is scarce, and results are mixed on what works. And when effects are found, they are usually small and contingent on a number of conditions dictated by the … [Read more...] about Do we know how to improve the quality of education?
Policy, politics and evidence: why does it matter?
At the Mind the Gap conference in Cuernavaca, Mexico, the main theme was how to affect policy with hard evidence. Some would argue that this is the essence of why we evaluate programs. We want to know what works and why so we can improve upon what we have, replicate what works or move away from what does not. Although it seems reasonable, policy-making is about politics … [Read more...] about Policy, politics and evidence: why does it matter?
AL CAPONE meets to learn how to reduce crime
AL CAPONE is the America Latina Crime and Policy Network, founded by a group of economists interested in understanding the causes and determinants of crime, and also of measuring the impact of alternative policies to reduce crime. On June 23rd and 24th 2011 AL CAPONE met in Rio de Janeiro to talk about crime. Although young, crime economics has grown in quantity and quality in … [Read more...] about AL CAPONE meets to learn how to reduce crime