Abstract

An appropriate rural investment climate (RIC) is essential for rural businesses to be successful and generate employment and income in their communities. Improving the investment climate could facilitate income-generation activities in both farm and nonfarm sectors, thus reducing rural poverty. Nonfarm sector focused growth, combined with agricultural growth, and has been shown by Delgado et al. (1998) to have a significant impact on the local economy through the generation of employment and income. This study is the first to focus on both farm and nonfarm enterprises in its 2010 surveys of RIC in Yemen, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Mozambique unlike six previous RIC assessment (RICA) pilot projects that focused only on nonfarm enterprises. This report assesses the weaknesses and strengths of all RIC components in farm and nonfarm enterprises of the four countries surveyed, and recommends measures to address the weaknesses. The report identifies similar business obstacles for farm and nonfarm enterprises and four critical areas of the RIC to be improved. The results of the RICA are based on analyses of obstacles perceived by rural entrepreneurs and on assessments by RIC indicators, enterprise entry and exit, and enterprise performance. To have maximum synergy effects, farm and nonfarm enterprises should be promoted together. Document type: Book

Abstract

Cities are vulnerable to many types of shocks and stresses, including natural hazards like storms and sea level rise, but also man-made ones like economic transformation and rapid urbanization. These shocks and stresses have the potential to bring cities to a halt and reverse years of socio-economic development gains. Cities that are to grow and thrive in the future must take steps to address these shocks and stresses. Simply put, a resilient city is one that can adapt to these types of changing conditions and withstand shocks while still providing essential services to its residents. A resilient city can keep moving toward its long-term goals despite the challenges it meets along the way. In February 2015, a team of specialists from the World Bank Group worked with government officials, experts and stakeholders in Addis Ababa to identify the priority actions and investments that will enhance the city’s resilience to these current and future challenges. They explored options to transform planned or aspirational projects into initiatives that will also enhance the city’s resilience. As the largest city in Ethiopia and one of the fastest growing cities in Africa, Addis Ababa plays an important role in promoting the well-being of the country and economic prosperity in the region. For Addis Ababa, efforts to promote greater resilience must be closely aligned with the city’s vision to be a safe and livable city, ensure the national goal of becoming a middle-income country by 2025, and become Africa’s diplomatic capital.

Abstract

This report argues that urbanization brings significant opportunities for both rural and urban areas and that Burundi needs to prioritize issues of economic growth and job creation. Based on a diagnostic evaluation of the current urbanization and spatial growth, GDP, and job potential, the report highlights the importance of prioritizing policies and investments to address deficiencies in Burundi urbanization. These remedial actions will help prepare Burundi for coming urban growth and help leverage agglomeration effects, minimize negative externalities associated with rapid urbanization, and potentially reap the demographic dividend of this transition. Getting urbanization right will need to be associated with targeted implementation strategies for growth in the agribusiness and tourism sectors. A rapid move to cities is a central element of Burundi development strategy, including an increase in the urbanization rate from 11 percent to 40 percent by 2025. Burundi vision 2025 aims to aims to promote urbanization via rural-urban migration, freeing arable land, providing nonagricultural urban employment opportunities, and in turn, reducing the risks for social conflict and economic fragility. This report shows that while the Vision 2025 target of rate 40 percent is unrealistic, Burundi urbanization rate may already be higher than expected due to limitations in the current urban classification and the agglomeration of households along major transport corridors. This uncertainty further underlines the need for government to address the key issues that will affect whether Burundi will achieve effective urbanization or not.