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This paper sketches prevailing development paradigms, i.e. the definition of modalities to achieve development, based on either a codified set of activities and/or based on a vision regarding the functioning and evolution of a socio-economic system.  The exercise intends to contribute to the interpretation of recent past and ongoing development processes and policies and to support the exploration of alternative development paradigms to address emerging and future development issues. This paper is part of the FAO Policy series: EASYPol-Resources for policy making (in agriculture, rural development and food security). To find other EASYPol series' resources, go to the Policy Support and Governance [...]

This issue paper aims at introducing selected analytical approaches for quantitative analysis of the socio-economic impacts of policies. In the first part of the document, after considering a set of basic questions that a quantitative policy impact analysis has usually to address in order to be useful for informing decision-making processes; some definitions and insights on policy-relevant elements such as policy objectives, policy instruments and impact models are provided. The document then briefly describes the use of counterfactual analysis for socio-economic policy impact analysis. The second part of the work focuses on the review of selected quantitative analytical approaches frequently applied [...]

This analytical tool addresses the most popular inequality index, the Gini index. It discusses its characteristics and the link with another popular graphical tool of representing inequality, the Lorenz Curve. Extended version of the Gini Index with different weighting schemes are also discussed. The use of the Gini Index and of its generalised versions is explained through a step-by-step procedure and numerical examples. For further information, see also: Charting Income Inequality. The Lorenz Curve. EASYPol Series 000 Impacts of Policies on Poverty. Basic Poverty Measures. EASYPol Series 007 Policy Impacts on Inequality: Inequality and Axioms for its Measurement. EASYPol Series 054 Policy Impacts on Inequality: [...]

This module documents calculation and use of Lorenz curves for inequality analysis. Specifically, it illustrates how Generalised Lorenz (GL) Curves can be used to identify the best income distribution on social welfare grounds within a set of alternative income distributions generated by different policy options where ordinary Lorenz curves fail to work. It is developed for capacity developent and operational purposes.

This module illustrates how Generalised Lorenz (GL) Curves can be used to identify the best income distribution on social welfare grounds, within a set of alternative income distributions generated by different policy options, in many of the cases where ordinary Lorenz curves fail to work. After illustrating some pitfalls of ordinary Lorenz Curves, a cursory presentation of the step-by-step procedure to check for Generalised Lorenz dominance and to infer welfare judgements is provided and demonstrated with some simple numerical examples. This module also points out the limitations of the GL approach whenever GL curves cross each other. In addition, it illustrates [...]

This analytical tool illustrates how some simple poverty measures may be linked with dominance conditions between particular types of curves. This strongly resembles the dominance conditions already set out in the case of Lorenz curves1. In particular, dominance conditions will be derived for the headcount ratio and for the Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) measures showing that, under certain conditions, the poverty line specification is not necessary. This module also introduces the concept of the Three I’s of Poverty (TIP) curve. As a way to analyse poverty, this module is based on a different approach to poverty measurement. Nor does it recourse to [...]

This conceptual and technical paper illustrates how poverty can be defined in the context of policy impact analysis. After reporting and discussing the definition of poverty as “the lack of, or the inability to achieve, a socially acceptable standard of living”, it discusses the mono-dimensional and multi-dimensional approaches to the definition of poverty. Furthermore, the module focuses on the absolute and the relative concept of poverty, also drawing some analogies and differences with the concept of food security. A step-by-step procedure, illustrated by real case examples, is then provided to guide the reader through the process of poverty definition for [...]