nep-cwa New Economics Papers
on Central and Western Asia
Issue of 2012‒12‒15
twelve papers chosen by
Cherry Ann Santos
University of Melbourne
  1. 2012 Global hunger index: the challenge of hunger: Ensuring sustainable food security under land, water, and energy stresses By von Grebmer, Klaus; Ringler, Claudia; Rosegrant, Mark W.; Olofinbiyi, Tolulope; Wiesmann, Doris; Fritschel, Heidi; Badiane, Ousmane; Torero, Maximo; Yohannes, Yisehac; Thompson, Jennifer; von Oppeln, Constanze; Rahall, Joseph
  2. 2011 Global food policy report By International Food Policy Research Institute
  3. Labor-tying and poverty in a rural economy:evidence from bangladesh By Selim Gulesci
  4. Supply and demand for cereals in Pakistan, 2010-2030: By Nazli, Hina; Haider, Syed Hamza; Tariq, Asjad
  5. Review of input and output policies for cereals production in Pakistan: By Salam, Abdul
  6. Foreign aid allocation, governance, and economic growth By Akramov, Kamiljon T.
  7. The Impact of Private Participation in Infrastructure in Developing Countries: Taking Stock of about 20 Years of Experience By Antonio Estache; Caroline Philippe
  8. What determines public expenditure allocations?: A review of theories, and implications for agricultural public investments By Mogues, Tewodaj
  9. The Euro Plus Pact: Competitiveness and external capital flows in the EU countries By Hubert Gabrisch; Karsten Staehr
  10. Development of the Banking Sector in Russia in 2011 By Mikhail Khromov; Alexey Vedev
  11. The past, present and future of central banking By David Cobham
  12. The Gorbachev Anti-Alcohol Campaign and Russia's Mortality Crisis By Jay Bhattacharya; Christina Gathmann; Grant Miller
  1. By: von Grebmer, Klaus; Ringler, Claudia; Rosegrant, Mark W.; Olofinbiyi, Tolulope; Wiesmann, Doris; Fritschel, Heidi; Badiane, Ousmane; Torero, Maximo; Yohannes, Yisehac; Thompson, Jennifer; von Oppeln, Constanze; Rahall, Joseph
    Keywords: Children, Data, Developing countries, Energy, Food availability, food crises, food crisis, food security, Global Hunger Index (GHI), Gross income, Hunger, indicators, Land, Malnutrition, Mortality, Natural resources, OECD countries, Policies, Poverty, property rights, smallholders, Sustainable development, sustainable livelihoods, transition economies, Undernutrition, Underweight, Water, Nutrition,
    Date: 2012
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:resrep:2012ghienglish&r=cwa
  2. By: International Food Policy Research Institute
    Abstract: The year 2011 highlighted ongoing challenges to global food security, from food price volatility, extreme weather shocks, and famine to unrest and conflicts. On the policy front, major devel­opments at the global and national levels both offered grounds for encouragement and pointed to areas where further action is needed.
    Keywords: Food prices, Climate change, Biofuels, Land degradation, food security, Famine, Nutrition, health, Food policy, Local governance, Rio20,
    Date: 2012
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:resrep:2011globalfoodpolicyreport&r=cwa
  3. By: Selim Gulesci
    Abstract: I show that labor-tying (being in a labor contract where the employer also acts as an insurance-provider) is an important channel through which the poor in rural Bangladesh insure themselves against risks. Using a theoretical framework adapted from Bardhan (1983), I analyze the effects of an exogenous increase in the outside options of poor women (through an improvement in their self-employment opportunities) on their and their spouses' participation in tied labor, as well as the general equilibrium effects of the treatment on the terms of the labor contracts in the village. I find that treated women and their spouses are less likely to be in tied-labor contracts. Their wages increase through two channels: (a) due to the switch from tied to casual labor contracts (b) through the general equilibrium effects in the village labor market. Furthermore, I find that the treated households form reciprocal transfer links with wealthier households in the village. These findings imply that poor households may be involved in second-best labor contracts to insure themselves against risks. When their self-employment opportunities improve, they break these ties and move to greater reliance on reciprocal transfer arrangements. Keywords: tied labor, poverty, rural labor market. JEL Classification: J43; O12; I32.
    Date: 2012
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:igi:igierp:460&r=cwa
  4. By: Nazli, Hina; Haider, Syed Hamza; Tariq, Asjad
    Abstract: This paper presents the projections of future demand and supply for these two main cereals for 2010, 2015, 2020, 2025, and 2030. For projecting household demand, the Almost Ideal Demand System (LA-AIDS) is estimated for eight food items using the data of nationally representative household survey. The results are used to project the household demand under three different scenarios. These scenarios are: a business-as-usual situation (per capita income is assumed to grow at a rate of 3 percent per year), an optimistic situation (assumed growth rate of per capita income 4 percent per year), and a pessimistic situation (per capita income is assumed to grow by 2 percent per year). Cereal supply is projected using a short-run production function approach (with such variables as area and share irrigated fixed exogenously at observed levels). This projection is then used to estimate the levels of wheat and rice produced for 2009–2030, with the projections of the exogenous determinants of production based on linear time trend models. The results show that the demand for wheat and rice will more than double by 2030. The projections of supply show an increase in the output of wheat and rice by 2030. From 2008 to 2030, the demand for wheat will increase from 19 million tons to 30 million tons. Projection estimates of wheat supply based on the production function technique show that by 2030, wheat output will reach 28 million tons, and rice output will be 11 million tons. The demand for wheat is expected to be greater than its supply whereas production of rice will be higher than consumption.
    Keywords: Cereal crops, cereal demand, cereal supply, cereal production, Wheat, rice, household consumption, Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA),
    Date: 2012
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:1222&r=cwa
  5. By: Salam, Abdul
    Abstract: The marketing of farm inputs and outputs has become a major problem for farmers in Pakistan. Farm input supplies are irregular, characterized by shortages and high prices at critical times. This report reviews the input and output policies for cereals implemented in Pakistan during the period 1996–2010. Pakistan has a long and varied history of intervening in farm input and output markets, going back decades before the period under review. Most significantly, in the wake of economic reforms launched during the 1980s, it has withdrawn from most of the commodity markets except wheat. In other commodity markets, intervention is by and large notional and without much practical involvement. The rolling back of the public sector from markets has certainly saved public funds, but the savings have come at a cost. Some of the cost, in terms of higher prices and variability stemming from the uncertain economic environment and supply, is borne by consumers, and some, in terms of lower producer prices at harvest, is borne by farmers, especially small and medium farmers, whose farms account for more than 50 percent of the area under cereals.
    Keywords: Cereal crops, cereal production, Agriculture, food security, Markets, price policies, Research and development, Price support, Agricultural research, research system, distortion, Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA),
    Date: 2012
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:1223&r=cwa
  6. By: Akramov, Kamiljon T.
    Keywords: Economic assistance, Economic development, Economic indicators,
    Date: 2012
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:resrep:kamiljonakramov&r=cwa
  7. By: Antonio Estache; Caroline Philippe
    Date: 2012–11
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eca:wpaper:2013/133537&r=cwa
  8. By: Mogues, Tewodaj
    Abstract: This paper addresses the determinants of public expenditure policies, by reviewing theories and empirical investigations of what features explain the budget process and how the various attributes of actors—including politicians, bureaucrats, interest groups, and donors—and of institutions and political and economic governance environments affect the prioritization of public investments. It draws conclusions with regard to the determinants of agricultural public investments.
    Keywords: Political economy, Agricultural Investment, Public investment, Governance, budget process,
    Date: 2012
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:1216&r=cwa
  9. By: Hubert Gabrisch; Karsten Staehr
    Keywords: European integration , policy coordination , unit labor costs , current account imbalances, economic crises
    JEL: E61 F36 F41
    Date: 2012–12–10
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eea:boewps:wp2012-5&r=cwa
  10. By: Mikhail Khromov (Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy); Alexey Vedev (Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy)
    Abstract: The financial sphere of Russia was the first sector of the national economy which was affected by the global economic crisis of 2008. Financial markets were hit first and then the banking sector experienced the liquidity problem to be followed by a full-scale economic crisis in Russia. Early in 2011, all the factors pointed to the fact that the banking sector overcame the crisis, and it seemed the upward development began. The banking sector had at its disposal huge available resources for expansion of lending to the non-financial sector.
    Keywords: Banking sector, Russian economy
    JEL: E43 E44 E51 E58 G15 G21 G24
    Date: 2012
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gai:ppaper:122&r=cwa
  11. By: David Cobham
    Abstract: The financial crisis, on the one hand, and the recourse to ‘unconventional’ monetary policy, on the other, have given a sharp jolt to perceptions of the role and status of central banks. In this paper we start with a brief ‘contrarian’ history of central banks since the second world war, which presents the Great Moderation and the restricted focus on inflation targeting as a temporary aberration from the norm. We then discuss how recent developments in fiscal and monetary policy have affected the role and status of central banks, notably their relationships with governments, before considering the environment central banks will face in the near and middle future and how they will have to change to address it.
    Date: 2012
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hwe:hwuedp:1205&r=cwa
  12. By: Jay Bhattacharya; Christina Gathmann; Grant Miller
    Abstract: Political and economic transition is often blamed for Russia’s 40% surge in deaths between 1990 and 1994. Highlighting that increases in mortality occurred primarily among alcohol-related causes and among working-age men (the heaviest drinkers), this paper investigates an alternative explanation: the demise of the 1985-1988 Gorbachev Anti-Alcohol Campaign. Using archival sources to build a new oblast-year data set spanning 1978-2000, we find a variety of evidence suggesting that the campaign’s end explains a large share of the mortality crisis – implying that Russia’s transition to capitalism and democracy was not as lethal as commonly suggested.
    JEL: I12 I18 N34
    Date: 2012–12
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:18589&r=cwa
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