Latin America and the Caribbean

Why do indigenous municipalities in Mexico have worse piped water coverage?

Access to piped water is highly unequal in Mexico, and indigenous municipalities are particularly disadvantaged. The present article identifies the different factors that contribute to the unequal access to piped water across Mexican municipalities for the period 2000–2005, using regression analyses. The findings show that indigenous populations experience lower piped water coverage than non-indigenous populations, even when one accounts for population density (the main explanation that the government provides for indigenous populations' lack of progress) and other relevant factors.

Author: 
González Rivasa, Marcela
Page: 
31

Editorial (22.1)

The world is standing at a major point in its history as I write, with European politicians still deliberating as to how a deepening of the international economic crisis will be averted or at least mitigated. The longer term implications for developing and emerging economies cannot yet be known. At one level we may see a major change in the emphasis of development aid, as well as priorities within developing countries as the demand-led consumer boom falters, but new opportunities arise in those countries still maintaining their economic growth.

Author: 
Pratt, Brian
Page: 
1

Social Network Analysis to evaluate organisational networks on sexual health and rights

There are many challenges in evaluating international networks. The use of conventional tools can be difficult and often provides less than useful information. Social Network Analysis offers benefits for network evaluators by allowing for documentation and analysis of inter-relationships between individuals and organisations. This paper describes the use of this approach in the evaluation of a major international project entitled the Global Dialogues on Sexual Health and Well-being.

Author: 
Drew, Roger
Author: 
Aggleton, Peter
Author: 
Boyce, Paul
Author: 
Chalmers, Helen
Author: 
Maxwell, Clare
Author: 
Pachauri, Saroj
Author: 
Thomas, Felicity
Author: 
Warwick, Ian
Author: 
Wood, Kate
Page: 
62

Editorial (21.8)

As we come to an end of 2011, will the year mark a historical turning point for international development as we know it, or will this corner not be reached for a couple of years yet? The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) international summit was held at the end of 2010, yet in reviewing this summit it is not clear that much has really changed. Many donors are still keen to support the MDGs through to target point of 2015, but most are following plans already laid out in their existing budgets.

Author: 
Pratt, Brian
Page: 
35

Editorial (21.7)

At whatever level we are working, or researching, it is probably a truism that development is a slow business. Recently a UN official said to me that there is no appetite for longer term solutions to the socio-political structural issues which maintain poverty; and that people have been coming to the same conclusion for at least 30 years. Similarly we are often poor at researching longer term trends, not least because the current trend is for short-term ‘results’ from development aid, and evidence to back it up.

Author: 
Pratt, Brian
Page: 
911

Digital technology uses for sustainable management of natural resources in multicultural contexts

This article questions the notion that the use of digital technologies guarantees better policy development for the sustainable management of natural resources, particularly in multicultural contexts. It is argued that input of digital technologies could positively or negatively affect the geopolitical projects and development strategies pursued by indigenous peoples.

 

Author: 
Forero, Oscar A.
Page: 
822

A comparative analysis of microfinance and conditional cash transfers in Latin America

This paper addresses the question of whether microfinance and conditional cash transfers can be effective in alleviating poverty in the Latin American region, and provides a comprehensive assessment of each of these programmes using data and evaluation reports from 19 countries in the Latin American region, analysed in the context of six operational and impact criteria. The research shows that microfinance may be better suited for those living on US$2 per day or higher, while conditional cash transfers may be more beneficial for those living in extreme poverty.

Author: 
Pantelić, Ana
Page: 
790

Food crisis, small-scale farmers, and markets in the Andes

In the Andean region, national policy responses to the 2007–08 food-price crisis emphasised reducing pressures on consumers, and particularly on urban populations. In Bolivia, the prices of all domestic and imported food tubers and grains rose dramatically in major markets. Unexpectedly, evidence from focus groups and field research demonstrates that even in remote regions where farmers trade infrequently, smallholder farm families experienced food-price increases. Seeking to identify ‘average’ effects in such situations could also be misleading.

Author: 
Perez, Carlos A.
Author: 
Nicklin, Claire
Author: 
Paz, Sarela
Page: 
566

The Mexican tortilla crisis of 2007: the impacts of grain-price increases on food-production chains

This article examines the case of the Mexican ‘tortilla crisis’ of 2007. Drawing on reviews of literature and the media, key-informant interviews, and secondary databases, the authors explore the response of the Mexican maize–tortilla chain to a price shock. Price increases should theoretically be passed on to the consumer as a progressively less significant percentage of the overall price of value-added food products. However, in Mexico, price increases were magnified along the maize–tortilla production chain.

Author: 
Keleman, Alder
Author: 
García Rañó, Hugo
Page: 
550

Gender mainstreaming in organisational culture and agricultural research processes

Despite increased attention to gender issues in the international development arena since the rise of feminism in the 1970s, few agricultural research organisations have integrated gender in their problem diagnosis and technology development. Gender mainstreaming can significantly enhance the impact of research and technology development. Entrenching gender mainstreaming in organisations and their research agendas remains a challenge. To overcome it requires political will, accountability, a change in organisational culture, and technical capacity within an organisation.

Author: 
Njenga, Mary
Page: 
379
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