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Objectives:

The goal of the CPRC is more effective policy prescriptions for the reduction of chronic poverty . The purpose is two-fold: (i) to raise the profile of the chronically poor amongst researchers and policy-makers and (ii) policy to be better informed by evidence-based research.

CPRC's research outputs are extensive and of high quality. They provide a credible body of evidence which has been disseminated widely to contribute to evidence-based policymaking. There is also clear evidence that awareness has been raised, both nationally in partner countries and in key international fora and policy engagement is also evident in several partner countries

Background:

The central aim of CPRC is to create knowledge that contributes to both the speed and quality of poverty reduction, with a focus on assisting those who are trapped in poverty, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. To this end, the Centre has three primary objectives, structured around three distinct streams that will be carefully sequenced and closely integrated:

- The objective of THEMATIC RESEARCH is to deepen the understanding of poverty dynamics and particularly of the nature, causes and remedies of chronic poverty, including what the chronically poor already do to try to escape poverty, through analysis and development of appropriate combinations of research methodologies.

- The objective of POLICY ANALYSIS is to assess key policy issues and aspects of the policy environments which have a bearing on chronic poverty, and to identify effective and sustainable policies to support the chronically poor in their efforts to improve their lives in varied policy contexts.

- The objective of POLICY ENGAGEMENT is to contribute to a significant shift in policy through challenging governments, policy-makers and the public about the specific needs as well as the capabilities of chronically poor people, the neglect of their rights, and the policies and implementation strategies that can promote escape from and prevent entry into chronic poverty. The Centre also seeks to support the efforts of 'agencies of the poor' by developing with them a stronger evidence base on the policies which make a difference to the chronically poor.

As a means to achieve these objectives CPRC will seek to raise the capacity of researchers, policy analysts and advocates in the 'north' and 'south' to produce and disseminate knowledge that makes poverty reduction policy more effective.

Contact: Professor David Hulme, Director, Institute of Development Policy Management, University of Manchester

Intended Outputs:

Deeper understanding among researchers, policy analysts and policy-makers of poverty dynamics and particularly the nature and causes of chronic poverty.

Effective and sustainable policy prescriptions identified through assessment of policy environments and key policy issues.

Governments, policy-makers and the public are aware of the specific needs of chronically poor people and of the neglect of their rights.

Active international partnerships for research and policy engagement consolidated and expanded.

The CPRC will be marking 10 years of poverty research in September 2010 with an international conference entitled Ten years of 'war against poverty: what have we learned since 2000 and what should we do 2010-2020?.

Progress and Impact:

There has been a very broad range of work produced. Key Research Findings summarised in the Chronic Poverty Report in 2008 include:

• Achievement of MDG1 would still leave 800 million people in extreme poverty.
• Chronic poverty is not simply about having a very low income it is about multi dimensional deprivation.
• Chronically poor are not a distinct group.
• Five key traps that affect the chronically poor: insecurity, limited citizenship, spatial disadvantage, social discrimination and poor work opportunities.
• Key policy responses are social protection, public services for the hard to reach, anti discrimination and gender empowerment, building individual and collective assets, strategic urbanisation and migration.
• The chronically poor need societies that will help them achieve their rights and voice their issues under a new social compact.
• There is a need for longer term assistance in developing political linkages to promote social and political institutions that give the chronically poor voice.
• Countries which respond most effectively to chronic poverty have less than open political systems suggesting that where there is an 'elite project' focused mainly on nation building which recognises the need for a social compact between citizens and state chronic poverty is more likely to be places seriously on the policy agenda.
• Chronically poor people are largely excluded from the benefits of growth but three policy areas could address this: increasing the role of agriculture through better infrastructure, strategic urbanisation and social protection.

There is now repeated reference to chronic poverty in the Indian 11th Five Year Plan, the Uganda National Development Plan and Bangladesh PRSP statements. The Second Chronic Poverty Report launched in 2008 is being cited in influential publications. Through the activities of the Chronic Poverty Engagement Partnership (CPEP), the profile of chronic poverty has been raised in Britain, the EU, the UN and in various African policy fora. In Uganda there is now demand for disaggregated data to capture the experiences of the chronically poor.

Most recently:

CPRC co-hosted a major conference in Uganda on social protection for the poorest in Uganda in September 2008.
This was significant, both for the CPRC and more importantly for influencing the policy debate in Uganda and elsewhere. The conference brought together an international audience and focused on learning from experience. The day with policy makers culminated in a statement from the Government of Uganda affirming its support for social protection for the poorest in Uganda. Quite a significant step forward.

CPRC Second Chronic Poverty Report framed the conference on 'Escaping Poverty Traps in Washington in February 2009.
This marked a big step forward for the CPRC in its engagement with North American audiences. CPRC were invited to co-host the conference at an important moment, to help influence thinking within USAID under the new administration. There was a strong focus on agriculture, and how we move from humanitarian to development aid. There was clearly a diversity of thinking and the CPRC was able to give a very strong presentation of its research. Key findings included acknowledgement that: an enabling environment for savings and asset accumulation is critical both in preventing impoverishment and to enable sustained exits from poverty; livestock can play a critical role in exiting poverty in many contexts; there is a need to link work on value chains with that on adverse incorporation; how to link social protection with production is a hot topic; and there is a need for stronger and wider measures to interrupt inter-generational transmission of poverty. The conference was a significant opportunity for the CPRC to present and promote its research to a new audience and had some influence in encouraging USAID to develop their chronic vulnerability agenda. The dialogue continues and future work with USAID, through CPRC partners BASIS at the University of Wisconsin, is planned.

In general:

A very large number of working papers, articles, research summaries and policy briefs have been published and are in preparation. Citations to CPRC research now run into the hundreds, in academic journals and other publications. Of particular note are references in the Indian 11th Five Year Plan, the Uganda National Development Plan, and Bangladesh PRSP Statements. The MTR published in May 2008 considered that, collectively, these citations did add up to CPRC research contributing to deeper understanding of chronic poverty both academically and in policy circles.

In terms of policy prescriptions, progress is good. Highlights include: Kenyan HDR 2006 devoted to chronic poverty, Indian 11th Five Year Plan, numerous Uganda policy documents, chapter on Poverty Dynamics in Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences. The Second Chronic Poverty Report was published on schedule: it has been widely cited (including by Sachs in Scientific American), and has been used as a teaching resource on several postgraduate courses. CPRC has close engagement with the World Bank, including through a joint CPRC/USAID conference held in February 2009. 22 Policy Briefs have now been produced, some of which are demand-led.

In terms of raising awareness of the needs of the chronically poor, there is evidence of many and varied media citations, including at least 28 print media reports, numerous web-based media reports, national radio and TV interviews (many in Uganda and Bangladesh, but also some Indian and South African coverage). Other citations include BBC World Service, and UK Independent Magazine. There have been numerous invitations to speak and/or participate with policymakers at national and international levels- at research conferences, policy presentations and briefings, policy-making workshops, government committees, donor organisations, etc. While there are some indications that disaggregation is beginning to be discussed (in Uganda, India and Bangladesh), there is, as yet, no clear evidence for actual disaggregation of policy goals, targets, or monitoring, and most of the citations refer more generally to chronic poverty.

There has been good participation by formal partners and others in a number of events, including important CPRC-organised workshops and coordination group meetings. In Phase 2, CPRC's network includes a number of collaborators who are not formal partners. The CPRC West Africa Network is now operating, and appears to offer good prospects for the future.

General Notes:

See also:
Development Research Centre on Chronic Poverty and Development Policy - Inception Phase
CPRC Planning Workshop - Kenya

Read the id21 Research Highlights:
Making agriculture work for poor people
Does education reduce poverty in rural Bangladesh?
Helping the families of home-based workers break the cycle of poverty.

Publications:

Major publications include the Second Chronic Poverty Report , 'Chronic Poverty in India', 'Social Protection for the Poor and Poorest: Concept, Policies and Politics', and 'Poverty Dynamics: an Interdisciplinary Perspective', as well as special editions of 'Margin', 'Development And Africa', and 'Journal of Development Studies'.