The Government of Papua New Guinea aims to increase the size and economic contribution of the domestic private sector consisting mainly of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), with a focus on generating employment.
... Подробнее + Despite large external investments in Papua New Guineas resource sector, private sector activity in the formal economy is low. In particular, women and young people remain dependent on small-scale, informal businesses for their livelihoods. There are currently significant constraints to SME growth and investment, chief among which is the difficulty in accessing credits by SMEs, despite sufficient liquidity in the banking sector. This occurs for two main reasons. Firstly, SMEs often lack the collateral, information or guarantees needed to meet commercial banks requirements for lending. Secondly, banks perceive high levels of risk in lending to SMEs. Addressing these impediments should enable local SMEs to more actively engage in economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction across Papua New Guinea.
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The World Bank Group (WBG) commends the independent evaluation group's (IEG) evaluation of the Group's support to public-private partnerships (PPP).
... Подробнее + Under its new strategy, the WBG intends to work with the public and private sectors to end extreme poverty and promote shared prosperity and seeks to increase synergies across the Bank Group. Client countries are increasingly interested in PPP arrangements to provide badly needed public services, and PPPs are, by their nature, a prime area for close WBG collaboration. Management believes that IEG has presented a balanced account of WBG support to its client countries during the period of FY2002-12. Management is in general agreement with the report's recommendations. The management action record presents managements response to individual recommendations.
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Previous studies have established a negative relationship between total government spending and entrepreneurship activity. However, the relationship between the composition of government spending and entrepreneurial activity has been woefully under-researched.
... Подробнее + This paper fills this gap in the literature by empirically exploring the relationship between government spending on social and public goods and entrepreneurial activity under the assumption of credit market imperfections. By combining macroeconomic government spending data with individual-level entrepreneurship data, the analysis finds a positive relationship between increasing the share of social and public goods at the cost of private subsidies and entrepreneurship while confirming a negative relationship between total government consumption and entrepreneurial activity. The implication may be that expansion of total government spending includes huge increases in private subsidies, at the cost of social and public goods, and is detrimental for entrepreneurship.
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Рабочий документ в рамках исследования вопросов политики WPS7163 JAN 01, 2015
Coping with Floods, Strengthening Growth, from the South East Europe Regular Economic Report explains that South East Europes (SEE6)s economy is estimated to have stagnated in 2014 on the back of flood-induced contraction in Serbia and a sharp slowdown in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro.
... Подробнее + The regional economy grew 0.2 percent in 2014, insufficient to improve living standards or to make a dent in the regions high unemployment rate. External demand for SEE6 exports was a key positive contributor to economic growth in 2014 as the regions exports gained market share, despite the weak Eurozone performance and disappointing global recovery. Domestic demand remained subdued because of delayed or reduced public and private investments and weak consumption. Devastating floods in large parts of the region further weighed on the SEE6 economic activity in 2014. The weak regional economic performance masks notable differences among the SEE6 countries. In 2014, the Serbian economy is estimated to have contracted by 2 percent for a third time since the global crisis and Bosnia and Herzegovina is stagnating. Economic growth rates in Kosovo and Montenegro are estimated to have moderated in 2014. Only Albania and FYR Macedonia showed signs of a more sustained recovery on the back of increasing exports, particularly in the second half of the year. The floods were the main culprit behind the weak domestic demand and the overall sluggish economic performance in SEE6. Robust exports only partially offset the SEE6s weak domestic demand, leaving external imbalances in vulnerability. The average fiscal deficit in SEE6 is estimated to have increased by 0.4 percent of GDP to 4.2 percent in 2014 due to faster growth in expenditures than revenues. The SEE6 region as a whole is projected to grow 1.3 percent in 2015, supported by a slowly recovering external demand, especially in Europe, and stabilization of international energy prices at around current levels.
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Рабочие документы (нумерованная серия) 93611 JAN 01, 2015
Although resilience has become a popular concept in studies of poverty and vulnerability, it has been difficult to obtain a credible measure of resilience.
... Подробнее + This difficulty is because the data required to measure resilience, which involves observing household outcomes over time after every exposure to a shock, are usually unavailable in many contexts. This paper proposes a new method for measuring household resilience using readily available cross section data. Intuitively, a household is considered resilient if there is very little difference between the pre- and post-shock welfare. By obtaining counterfactual welfare for households before and after a shock, households are classified as chronically poor, non-resilient, and resilient. This method is applied to four countries in the Sahel. It is found that Niger, Burkina Faso, and Northern Nigeria have high percentages of chronically poor: respectively, 48, 34, and 27 percent. In Senegal, only 4 percent of the population is chronically poor. The middle group, the non-resilient, accounts for about 70 percent of the households in Senegal, while in the other countries it ranges between 34 and 38 percent. Resilient households account for about 33 percent in all countries except Niger, where the share is around 18 percent.
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Рабочий документ в рамках исследования вопросов политики WPS7170 JAN 01, 2015
This report is part of a broader effort by the World Bank Group to understand the motives and challenges of small entrepreneurs in fragile and conflict-affected situations (FCS).
... Подробнее + The report's key finding is that, compared to entrepreneurs elsewhere, entrepreneurs in FCS have different characteristics, face significantly different challenges, and thus may be subject to different incentives and have different motives. Therefore, it is recommended that both the current analytical approach and the operational strategy of the World Bank be informed by the findings that follow. The report summarizes findings of recent World Bank Enterprise Surveys (ES) conducted across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), Asia, and the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ECA) Region as well as Doing Business indicators and additional World Bank Group studies and field observations. The report finds that the majority of entrepreneurs in FCS countries are small, informal, and concentrated in the trade/services sectors. According to the ES, and after controlling for the level of development (that is, GDP per capita): 1) the average FCS firm in SSA and the ECA Region produces less output than non-FCS firms; 2) the average FCS firm in ECA is by 20 percent less likely to innovate (that is, to introduce/upgrade new products and services) than its non-FCS counterpart; and 3) FCS firms start smaller and grow significantly more slowly, or even shrink (in the number of employees) over time, compared to non-FCS firms in the Regions analyzed. The report also highlights the differences in sector and business environment characteristics between FCS and non-FCS business environments.
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The development objective of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Growth Innovation and Inclusive Finance Project for India is to improve access to finance of MSMEs in manufacturing and service sectors from early to growth stage, including through innovative financial products.
... Подробнее + Some of the negative impacts and mitigation measures include: (1) controlling methods like appropriate ventilation and wet dust suppression for dust; (2) in distillery, generally anaerobic digestion (biomethanation) is widely used for wastewater treatment for production of bio methane which is used as fuel in boilers; (3) preventing formation of moulds on edible materials by controlling and monitoring air humidity; and (4) collecting waste products for use in by-products such as animal feed, where feasible without exceeding cattle-feed quality limits.
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Оценка состояния окружающей среды E4718 DEC 31, 2014
The Second Agricultural Technology Project for Nicaragua received a satisfactory outcome with a moderate risk to development outcome. Both the Banks and the Borrowers performances were satisfactory.
... Подробнее + There were four restructurings that took place and include the following changes: (R1) (i) Reallocation of proceeds, and (ii) extension of the closing date of the Credit agreement. (R2) Change in the implementing agency for Component 1.C (b): The provision of sub credits to finance the carrying out of Cooperative Development Plans of the additional financing, from the Rural Credit Fund (FCR) to the newly created Banco Produzcamos (BP). (R3) Include two additional activities under the TF: (i) carry out two post census studies; and (ii) produce and publish dissemination materials on the Census. The changes were financed with the cost savings. (R4) (i) Reallocation of proceeds of the Credit No. 4127-NI, and (ii) Reallocation of proceeds and first extension of the closing date of the IDA Grant. Several lesson were learned from this project and are as follows: (1) A sector wide platform to coordinate donors and public sector institutions can promote efficient sector investment and long-term strategic planning, but brings coordination challenges. (2) On-farm diversification contributes to boosting incomes. (3) When designing a program for certified seeds to increase production, target markets, storage facilities and marketing skills for increased production need to be considered. (4) Well-aligned incentives for rural extension agents are needed to ensure proper delivery of technical assistance. (5) Seed cooperatives selected for credit should have proven ability in both capacity and infrastructure to ensure the most effective use of credit lines.
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Отчет о завершении и результатах проекта ICR3261 DEC 30, 2014
Ratings for the Emergency Crisis Recovery Project for Yemen, Republic of were as follows: outcomes were satisfactory, the risk to development outcome was substantial, the Bank performance was satisfactory, and the Borrower performance was also satisfactory.
... Подробнее + Some lessons learned included: Yemens geographical conditions are treacherous and unique in the region. While the project benefitted from lessons of experience and ongoing ISP support, the operational trade-offs and administrative procedures should have been capable of responding to the local conditions. Inadequate attention was given to the delays in payments, lack of alternative payment distribution mechanisms in remote locations, and readiness of local organizations (or payment agents). The project suffered throughout, especially in the first 6 months, due to delayed funds transfer from Ministry of Finance, or MOF. The project team was highly concerned with regard to the lack of funds from MOF upfront before the project negotiation. The Government expressed concern of the fact that the cash benefits may not be utilized for the intended purposes and may not be making much development impact on the beneficiaries. The Bank team did not push hard for beneficiary assessment or designing the impact study, thus it is hard to reconcile beyond the objective of distributing cash. With another upcoming unconditional cash-transfer project, it is critical to consult with the Government and ensure that funds are allocated for an impact study and efforts are made early to prepare for it.
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Отчет о завершении и результатах проекта ICR3148 DEC 29, 2014
The Port-City of Limon Integrated Infrastructure Project for Costa Rica received overall assessments in its implementation and outcomes that left much to be desired.
... Подробнее + The multi-sectoral and multi-facted design of the project was overly complex for the Costa Rican context. Given the poor performance of the project, options for full or partial cancellation were considered during the last three years of implementation. The monitoring and evaluation design was considered dismal and inadequate. While the project complied with the Bank's policy and procedural requirements, the overall procurement arrangements were moderately unsatisfactory. The next phase of the project will involve authorities undertaking efforts to consolidate arrangements for operational maintenance of the assets created under the project. The overall outcome rating given was 'Highly Unsatisfactory.' The assessment of risk to development outcome was rated 'High'; the overall bank performance an 'Unsatisfactory'; and overall borrower performance an 'Unsatisfactory.' The lessons learned from this project confirm that the success of failure of a project reaching its development objectives is determined by the quality of the project's conceptual design, its organizational arrangements, and the institutional coordination adopted. Multi-sector projects require a strong and effective interagency coordination backed by top level Government endorsement and accountability.
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Отчет о завершении и результатах проекта ICR3233 DEC 24, 2014
Ratings for the Eco-Farming Project for China were as follows: outcomes were satisfactory, risk to development outcome was moderate, Bank performance was satisfactory, and Borrower performance was satisfactory.
... Подробнее + Some lessons learned included: favorable national regulatory frameworks and policy instruments for biogas development and livestock pollution control provided legal ground and financial incentives for a successful project implementation. Stakeholders' commitment, dedication, and capabilities are critical to ensure project success, sustainability, and ownership. Despite attractive financial returns and positive social and environmental benefits of the project investment, up-front significant subsidies as financial incentives are required to share the initial capital cost of the project facilities to help mobilize household participation. One of the key reasons for the smooth operation of the clean development mechanism (CDM) pilot program was the integration of the CDM operations into the Bank loan investment project.
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Отчет о завершении и результатах проекта ICR2511 DEC 23, 2014
The Accelerated Food Security Project for Tanzania contributed to higher food production and productivity in targeted areas by improving farmers' access to critical agricultural inputs.
... Подробнее + The outcome of the project was rated moderately satisfactory with the Bank performing moderately satisfactory and the Borrower performing moderately unsatisfactory. The overall risk to development was rated substantial. The project had several monitering and evaluation shortcomings. Therefore, data quality is poor. Although only one indicator (maize yield achieved by farmers with subsidized seed and fertilizer) out of the six project developmetn objective level indicators was fully achieved, the project made significant progress on most of its targets. Four key lessons were learned from the implementation of this project. Firstly, successful implementation of emergency operations significantly benefits from careful advance planning, especially procurement. Secondly, mainstreaming projects in line ministries works best when complemented by pragmatic solutions to implementation issues as they arise. Thirdly, agricultural input voucher programs can significantly increase productivity, but remain difficult to administer. Lastly, a final lesson learned is that inclusion of major civil works (e.g., the irrigation infrastructure) without expedited procurement arrangements, while well meaning, may not be best suited for these type of emergency operations. Such longer gestation investments could divert focus and contribute to implementation delays.
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Отчет о завершении и результатах проекта ICR3242 DEC 23, 2014
Ratings for the Emergency Peace Support Project for Nepal were as follows: outcomes were moderately satisfactory, the risk to development outcome was low or negligible, the Bank performance was moderately satisfactory, and the Borrower performance was also moderately satisfactory.
... Подробнее + Some lessons learned included: teams preparing emergency operations should be encouraged to be more conservative with planned outputs than they would for a standard investment project, especially in a low-capacity setting and with new processes. The videotape revelation precipitated a restructuring of the project to avoid misuse of funds and adverse reputational consequences. The risk of this occurring was acknowledged at preparation and mitigated through the use of BPOG. A reliable process was put in place to identify genuine beneficiaries, minimizing grievances and the risk of leakage, while close supervision and a timely response from the Bank team averted any reputational impact from the videotape revelation. A high level of risk is likely in emergency operations, and this should not be a deterrent to such projects. Rather, task teams should manage this risk by strengthening borrower capacity for oversight and fiduciary control, ensuring transparency of processes, and maintaining close supervision during implementation. Projects often encounter delays that hamper progress against the project development objective, or PDO, and this was the case both in the early stages of ESES and immediately following restructuring. While some of these delays are unavoidable, such as the need to develop operations manuals before commencing the work, others (such as the delay in commencing phase two of ESES) might have been identified and mitigated earlier with closer supervision and more proactive planning.
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Отчет о завершении и результатах проекта ICR3161 DEC 22, 2014
The outcome rating for the Agribusiness Access to Finance Project for Cambodia was not applicable and thus, the risk to development outcome was also not applicable.
... Подробнее + The performances by the Bank, IFC, and the Borrower were all moderately satisfactory while the Participating Financial Intermediarys (PFI) performance was moderately unsatisfactory. The project did not materialize as expected due to the rapidly changing market conditions which were beyond its control. The team responded to these dynamics by restructuring the project, but it was not enough to maintain the financial viability of the facility. However, the agribusiness sector has seen significant expansion of credit and declining interest rates since 2010 driven by general improvement of financial sector and enabling environment. Both Bank and IFC have been supporting broader financial sector reforms through Financial Sector Assessment Program and various advisory services. For example, IFC contributed to the establishment of Cambodia Credit Agency which allowed the banks to better assess the credit worthiness of the potential borrowers. In this regard, the original goal of the program to increase PFI financing to agribusinesses was indeed achieved, although it was not attributed to the project which did not materialize. The data provided by Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited showed that the value of loans it made to agribusinesses exceeded the planned landing targets under the Risk Sharing Facility.
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Ratings for the Jiangxi Shihutang Navigation and Hydropower Complex Project for China were as follows: outcomes were moderately satisfactory, the risk to development outcome was low or negligible, the Bank performance was moderately satisfactory, and the Borrower performance was satisfactory.
... Подробнее + Some lessons learned included: preparation of a RAP acceptable to the Bank is an important, but not sufficient condition for successful project implementation. Project design should be flexible to allow for unanticipated land acquisition and resettlement issues, as was the case with the difficulties in land acquisition for the Donggang diversion canal. Power generation investments can be significantly impacted by slow progress of civil works and equipment installation. Therefore, a more flexible power generation schedule should be prepared. In addition, estimates of power generation should allow for a phased build up to full capacity. The combination of a hydropower station with ship lock development makes the project financially viable. As Jiangxi Province does not charge ships for use of the ship lock, revenue from power generation provides financial support for the operations and maintenance of the ship lock and the dam and servicing the debt. Free use of the ship lock is expected to attract more low value commodities to IWT from other transport modes.
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Отчет о завершении и результатах проекта ICR3338 DEC 18, 2014