International Relations

Meet the Men Who Invest in Women Entrepreneurs

http://thestoryexchange.org/meet-men-invest-women-entrepreneurs

Riva Richmond

The Story Exchange

10 August 2017

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Women tend to invest in female-owned and run companies, but men disproportionately invest in male run companies, which means female companies lose out on a huge market. Some male investors, such as Adam Quinton, see the female-run businesses as a better investment because of the lack of competition and that these firms tend to outperform the male-owned companies, this finding is shifting where people invest.

Madagascar skirted famine – barely. Now, it's boosting resilience before drought returns.

https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2017/0725/Madagascar-skirted-famine-barely.-Now-it-s-boosting-resilience-before-drought-returns

Peter Ford

The Christian Science Monitor

25 July 2017

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Drought in Madagascar grows worse each year as its minimal public infrastructure and extensive poverty slow efforts by the UN and various NGOs for food and water distribution. But in recognizing the severity of the cyclical water shortages, organizations are piloting new approaches. These include solar pumps from portable groundwater sources; distribution and cultivation of drought- and rot-resistant seed strains for staple crops; cash-stipends for "productive goods," delivered by phone to bypass the problem of damaged roads -- which are building newfound resilience among residents.

In Ethiopia, model drought defenses are put to the test

https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2017/0724/In-Ethiopia-model-drought-defenses-are-put-to-the-test

Ryan Lenora Brown

The Christian Science Monitor

24 July 2017

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Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s cosmopolitan capital, has long been considered a whole world apart from surrounding rural communities, all of which suffer endlessly from reoccurring droughts and civil war. But now, thanks to international aid and government intervention, things are looking up for the whole of Ethiopia, dubbed as one of the world’s fastest growing economies. Success is particularly linked to a government program designed to predict natural disasters before they occur, and an innovative economic development program, which employs Ethiopia’s poorest in exchange for labor on public works projects. So far, these measures have helped dramatically reduce drought-induced damage, and alleviate poverty alleviated by up to 2 percent.

A Cheap Fix for Climate Change? Pay People Not to Chop Down Trees

http://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/20/climate/a-cheap-fix-for-climate-change-pay-people-not-to-chop-down-trees-uganda.html?ref=todayspaper

Brad Plumer

The New York Times

20 July 2017

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In a randomized experiment in western Uganda, scientists demonstrated the effectiveness of paying rural farmers not to chop down trees (responsible for annual CO2 emissions worldwide). They studied for two years the declines in forest cover between a control group (no payment) and the participant group (paid). Building on a United Nations project in which wealthy nations pay poorer ones in an attempt to equalize the costs of responding to climate change, the outcome of the project proves the existence of a low-cost environmental policy solution to stemming rising global temperatures.

AI Is a Game-Changer in the Fight Against Hunger and Poverty. Here's Why

https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/tech/ai-game-changer-fight-against-hunger-poverty-here-s-why-ncna774696

Joseph Bennington-Castro

NBC MACH

21 June 2017

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Beyond its common application as a predictor of consumer purchasing behavior, AI can now be utilized to tackle poverty issues, improve agricultural efficiency, and increase access to information for otherwise disconnected populations. Especially valuable for nations without updated survey and census data —particularly those in Africa and South Asia—, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are inputting global satellite photographs into a complex AI algorithm that can use the data to gauge each area’s level of economic activity. Through this expedited information-gathering process, one that would otherwise take years and dollars to gather, policymakers can make data-backed decisions about which regions are most in-need of resources, and which antipoverty programs are working most effectively

Making Microcredit Charities Better

http://www.barrons.com/articles/making-microcredit-charities-better-1497660679

Dyan Machan

Barron's

17 June 2017

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Microfinance was widely lauded for decades as a surefire and promising way to break the cycle of poverty and uplift the economies of the developing world, especially when targeted for women. But hard data has shown that, on its own, micro-loans don't serve to create sustainable change without a comprehensive approach, and that there are many other factors - such as education and healthcare - to consider when leveraging these tools.