Research findings for development policymakers and practitioners

Each link below takes you to a collection of research highlights on the featured topic, recently added to the id21 website.

Are NTFPs a way out of poverty?
id21 insights 77, May 2009
Over the last 30 years, policymakers and conservation non-government organisations have focused on the sustainable production and commercialisation of non-timber forest products (NFTPs). Is this a way forward in tropical forested areas for successful conservation and rural development?

id21 viewpoints: GM crops ten years on
A decade ago there was much hope and hype about the potentials of genetically-modified (GM) crops. Ian Scoones, from the STEPS Centre, asks: What have we learnt over the last 10 years? How do we get beyond the stalemate of the pro versus the anti fundamentalisms of the GM debate? What are the realistic prospects of a pro-poor gene revolution? Download a PDF version

Health, poverty, and equity
Clear and strong links exist between poverty and human health. For many poor people, the health-damaging effects of economic poverty are compounded by inequality. At the same time, ill-health can lead to , exacerbate and perpetuate poverty. A commitment to health requires a commitment to poverty reduction. Strategies must focus on the determinants as well as the mainfestations of health disparities.

Financing urban development
Urban areas are expand rapidly. A prevailing problem is how to finance the services and infrastructure to acompany this growth, particularly for poor urban residents. A mix of government, non-government, community and private efforts are necessary, as well as policies to ensure that contracts for providing these facilities are transparent.

Deprivation, discrimination and poverty
Poverty can be caused by individual circumstances but certain group characteristics can also have a bearing. In particular, characteristics that cause people to be discriminated against - such as a physical disability or belonging to a particular people group - can mean they are denied opportunities. The relationships between discrimination and poverty need to be understood and addressed.

Listen to the teachers: education in rural Africa
Teaching and learning in rural areas presents unique challenges. What is the best way to provide support to trainee teachers in isolated areas? Will improving rural education and training help increase the productivity of rural households? Local context matters, whether initiatives are national government or donor-funded, and without listening to the teachers, initiatives will fail.

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