What We’re Reading: Growth can’t hide poverty

May 10th, 2011 10:04 AM UTC
By Robyn Mitchell

Infant Deaths Drop After Midwives Undergo Inexpensive Training – Giving midwives simple training has already been shown to save newborns’ lives, and a new study in Zambia has found that it can be remarkably cost-effective as well. Midwives from 18 Zambian clinics were taught a basic course in newborn care and encouraged to teach their colleagues as well. In comparing results, researchers found that first-week death rates among babies dropped by almost half following the trainings. (Donald McNeil Jr., NYT)

Africa’s stunning growth can’t hide pervasive poverty – Following the release of a new report by the African Development Bank, showing the rising consumer power of the African middle class, the Africa Progress Panel is warning that “too much of Africa’s economic expansion is ‘low quality’ growth.” The gap between the rich and poor is still massive, according to the African Development Bank, which found that the percentage of Africans living on less than $2 a day has only declined 8 percent in the past two decades. (Geoffrey York, Globe & Mail)

Doing More Than Praying for Rain – In an effort to provide farmers in Kenya with more insurance against unexpected weather conditions, one company – Kilimo Salama – is using technology to provide a safety net to farmers, while still remaining cost effective. The company uses weather stations around the country as well as cell phone technology to help farmers keep track of purchases and sales and determine payouts depending on whether insufficient rainfall levels affected crop yields. (Tina Rosenberg, NYT)

1st runner-up’s party challenges results of Nigerian presidential election – Nigeria’s main opposition party has asked a federal court to overturn results from the presidential election, calling the vote flawed, despite international observers calling it the cleanest in the fledging democracy’s history. The party of runner-up, Muhammadu Buhari, filed its lawsuit over the weekend, alleging that widespread fraud had allowed Jonathan’s ruling party to cling to power. (AP)

In New Challenge, Bill Gates to Show Small Farmers’ Role in Poverty, Hunger Reduction – In a bid to boost support for small farmers in developing countries, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is inviting people to submit videos, photos, infographics and tweets that highlight the role of agricultural development to global efforts against poverty and hunger. The Foundation’s challenge aims to show how “small farmers are growing more, earning more, using better seeds…and gaining access to new market opportunities,” and how the world can help them further improve their lives. (Ivy Mungcal, Devex)

TAGS: What We're Reading