Journal of African Economies Advance Access originally published online on December 4, 2006
Journal of African Economies 2007 16(3):406-438; doi:10.1093/jae/ejl041
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Locally Adapted Poverty Indicators Derived from Participatory Wealth Rankings: A Case of Four Villages in Rural Tanzania
Institute of Development Policy and Management (IOB), University of Antwerp, Belgium
1 Correspondence should be addressed to Bjorn F.H. Van Campenhout, Institute of Department Policy and Management (IOB), Universiteit Antwerpen, Venusstraat 35, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium. Tel: +32 3 220 4648; Fax: +32 3 220 4965; E-mail: bjorn.vancampenhout{at}ua.ac.be
Poverty indicators are generally identified on the basis of household consumption expenditure data drawn from nationally representative household budget surveys. In this study, we explore the potential role for more qualitative methods in generating poverty indicators and profiles that incorporate local perspectives on poverty. More specifically, on the basis of participatory wealth rankings, we identify covariates that could serve as poverty indicators. Furthermore, we check the performance of these indicators when using a more conventional indicator or well-being. To do so, we conducted participatory wealth rankings in four villages in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. Then, we administered a small questionnaire-based survey to the ranked households to probe for possible poverty indicators that can broadly be classified under four categories, namely household characteristics, human capital, housing and durables, productive assets. We find that most of the routinely used poverty indicators remain valid, but for some, we also find interesting differences.
JEL classification: O12, I32, O55
2 The fieldwork to gather the data on which this article is based was financed by Trias NGO. I am grateful for granting me permission to use the data for this study. I am indebted to the staff of Incomet, Tanzania, more in particular to our team leader, Charles Kyando. I also would like to thank Kathleen Beegle, Stefan Dercon, Jo Seldeslachts, Els Lecoutere, Haroon Akram-Lodhi, Nathalie Holvoet, participants at the IDPM-University of Antwerp seminar on Poverty Reduction (October 2004, Antwerp) and the ISS Rural Development, Environment and Population Studies Group seminar (November 2005, The Hague) and a journal referee for comments on earlier versions of this paper.