A Counterfactual Analysis of the Poverty Impact of Economic Growth in Cameroon

The Government of Cameroon has declared poverty reduction through strong and sustainable economic growth the central objective of its socioeconomic policy. This paper uses available household survey data to assess the performance of the economy wit...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Essama-Nssah, B., Bassole, Leandre
Format: Policy Research Working Paper
Language:English
Published: 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20100325082829
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3736
id okr-10986-3736
recordtype oai_dc
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Foreign Institution
institution Digital Repositories
building World Bank Open Knowledge Repository
collection World Bank
language English
topic ABSOLUTE REDUCTION
ABSOLUTE SENSE
ABSOLUTE TERMS
ABSOLUTE VALUE
ADVERSE EFFECTS
AGGREGATE POVERTY
AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
ANNUAL GROWTH
ANNUAL GROWTH RATE
AVERAGE ANNUAL
AVERAGE GROWTH
AVERAGE GROWTH RATE
AVERAGE RATE
BETWEEN-GROUP INEQUALITY
CHANGES IN POVERTY
CHILD MORTALITY
COMMUNITY ASSETS
COUNTERFACTUAL
CUMULATIVE DISTRIBUTION
CUMULATIVE DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION
CUMULATIVE POPULATION
CURRENT POVERTY
DATA ISSUES
DEBT RELIEF
DECOMPOSABLE POVERTY
DECOMPOSABLE POVERTY MEASURES
DECOMPOSITION ANALYSIS
DECREASING FUNCTION
DENSITY FUNCTION
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
DETERMINANTS OF POVERTY
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS
DEVELOPMENT GOALS
DEVELOPMENT POLICY
DEVELOPMENT REPORT
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION
DISTRIBUTIONAL CHANGES
DISTRIBUTIONAL IMPLICATIONS
ECONOMIC ACTIVITY
ECONOMIC GROWTH
ECONOMIC INEQUALITY
ECONOMIC POLICY
EMPIRICAL RESULTS
EMPLOYMENT IN AGRICULTURE
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
EXCHANGE RATE
EXPORT MARKETS
EXPORT PRICE INDEX
EXTREME POVERTY
FOOD COMPONENTS
FOOD CROPS
FOOD EXPENDITURE
GENDER EQUITY
GENERAL EQUILIBRIUM MODEL
GINI COEFFICIENT
GINI INDEX
GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP
GROUP MEANS
GROWTH COMPONENT
GROWTH EFFECT
GROWTH ELASTICITY
GROWTH EPISODE
GROWTH PATTERN
GROWTH PRO-POOR
GROWTH PROCESS
GROWTH PROSPECTS
HEADCOUNT POVERTY
HEADCOUNT RATIO
HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION
HOUSEHOLD HEAD
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
HOUSEHOLD INCOMES
HOUSEHOLD LEVEL DATA
HOUSEHOLD SURVEY
HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS
HOUSEHOLD WELFARE
HUMAN CAPITAL
INCIDENCE OF POVERTY
INCOME
INCOME DISTRIBUTION
INCOME DISTRIBUTIONS
INCOME EFFECT
INCOME ELASTICITY
INCOME INEQUALITY
INCOME SHARE
INCREASING INEQUALITY
INEQUALITY
INEQUALITY AVERSION
INEQUALITY COMPONENT
INEQUALITY EFFECT
JOB CREATION
LABOR FORCE
LAND OWNERSHIP
LINEAR RELATIONSHIP
LIVING STANDARDS
MACROECONOMIC STABILITY
MARGINAL EFFECT
MATERNAL HEALTH
MEAN INCOME
MEAN LOG DEVIATION
NATIONAL POVERTY
NEGATIVE EFFECT
NEGATIVE IMPACT
NEGATIVE SIGN
OBSERVED CHANGE
OBSERVED CHANGES
PATH DEPENDENCE
PER CAPITA EXPENDITURE
PER CAPITA INCOME
POLICY ENVIRONMENT
POLICY REFORMS
POLICY RESEARCH
POLITICAL ECONOMY
POLITICAL STABILITY
POOR
POOR COUNTRIES
POOR ECONOMIC GROWTH
POOR HOUSEHOLDS
POOR INFRASTRUCTURE
POPULATION SHARE
POSITIVE EFFECT
POSITIVE GROWTH
POSITIVE IMPACT
POVERTY ANALYSIS
POVERTY CHANGES
POVERTY GAP
POVERTY IMPACT
POVERTY INCIDENCE
POVERTY INDEX
POVERTY INDICES
POVERTY LEVELS
POVERTY LINE
POVERTY MEASURE
POVERTY MEASURES
POVERTY OUTCOMES
POVERTY RATES
POVERTY REDUCTION
POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY
POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY PAPER
POVERTY-REDUCING GROWTH
PRIMARY EDUCATION
PRIVATE SECTOR
PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYMENT
PRO-POOR
PRO-POOR GROWTH
PUBLIC INVESTMENT
PUBLIC SECTOR
PUBLIC SPENDING
PURE GROWTH
PURE GROWTH EFFECT
QUANTILE REGRESSIONS
RAPID GROWTH
REAL GROWTH
REAL INCOME
REDUCTION IN POVERTY
REGIONAL DIFFERENCES
REGIONAL DISPARITY
REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION
REGIONAL DISTRIBUTIONS
REGIONAL INEQUALITY
REGIONAL LEVEL
REGIONAL POVERTY
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
REGRESSION RESULTS
RELATIVE CONTRIBUTION
RELATIVE INEQUALITY
RELATIVE POVERTY
RURAL
RURAL AREA
RURAL AREAS
RURAL COUNTERPARTS
RURAL DIFFERENCES
RURAL GAP
RURAL INEQUALITY
RURAL POVERTY
RURAL SECTOR
SCHOOLING
SECTOR EMPLOYMENT
SHARP REDUCTION
SIGNIFICANT EFFECT
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
SMALLHOLDER AGRICULTURE
SQUARED POVERTY GAP
STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT
TRADE SHOCKS
URBAN AREAS
URBAN POVERTY
WELFARE INDICATOR
spellingShingle ABSOLUTE REDUCTION
ABSOLUTE SENSE
ABSOLUTE TERMS
ABSOLUTE VALUE
ADVERSE EFFECTS
AGGREGATE POVERTY
AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
ANNUAL GROWTH
ANNUAL GROWTH RATE
AVERAGE ANNUAL
AVERAGE GROWTH
AVERAGE GROWTH RATE
AVERAGE RATE
BETWEEN-GROUP INEQUALITY
CHANGES IN POVERTY
CHILD MORTALITY
COMMUNITY ASSETS
COUNTERFACTUAL
CUMULATIVE DISTRIBUTION
CUMULATIVE DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION
CUMULATIVE POPULATION
CURRENT POVERTY
DATA ISSUES
DEBT RELIEF
DECOMPOSABLE POVERTY
DECOMPOSABLE POVERTY MEASURES
DECOMPOSITION ANALYSIS
DECREASING FUNCTION
DENSITY FUNCTION
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
DETERMINANTS OF POVERTY
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS
DEVELOPMENT GOALS
DEVELOPMENT POLICY
DEVELOPMENT REPORT
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION
DISTRIBUTIONAL CHANGES
DISTRIBUTIONAL IMPLICATIONS
ECONOMIC ACTIVITY
ECONOMIC GROWTH
ECONOMIC INEQUALITY
ECONOMIC POLICY
EMPIRICAL RESULTS
EMPLOYMENT IN AGRICULTURE
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
EXCHANGE RATE
EXPORT MARKETS
EXPORT PRICE INDEX
EXTREME POVERTY
FOOD COMPONENTS
FOOD CROPS
FOOD EXPENDITURE
GENDER EQUITY
GENERAL EQUILIBRIUM MODEL
GINI COEFFICIENT
GINI INDEX
GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP
GROUP MEANS
GROWTH COMPONENT
GROWTH EFFECT
GROWTH ELASTICITY
GROWTH EPISODE
GROWTH PATTERN
GROWTH PRO-POOR
GROWTH PROCESS
GROWTH PROSPECTS
HEADCOUNT POVERTY
HEADCOUNT RATIO
HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION
HOUSEHOLD HEAD
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
HOUSEHOLD INCOMES
HOUSEHOLD LEVEL DATA
HOUSEHOLD SURVEY
HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS
HOUSEHOLD WELFARE
HUMAN CAPITAL
INCIDENCE OF POVERTY
INCOME
INCOME DISTRIBUTION
INCOME DISTRIBUTIONS
INCOME EFFECT
INCOME ELASTICITY
INCOME INEQUALITY
INCOME SHARE
INCREASING INEQUALITY
INEQUALITY
INEQUALITY AVERSION
INEQUALITY COMPONENT
INEQUALITY EFFECT
JOB CREATION
LABOR FORCE
LAND OWNERSHIP
LINEAR RELATIONSHIP
LIVING STANDARDS
MACROECONOMIC STABILITY
MARGINAL EFFECT
MATERNAL HEALTH
MEAN INCOME
MEAN LOG DEVIATION
NATIONAL POVERTY
NEGATIVE EFFECT
NEGATIVE IMPACT
NEGATIVE SIGN
OBSERVED CHANGE
OBSERVED CHANGES
PATH DEPENDENCE
PER CAPITA EXPENDITURE
PER CAPITA INCOME
POLICY ENVIRONMENT
POLICY REFORMS
POLICY RESEARCH
POLITICAL ECONOMY
POLITICAL STABILITY
POOR
POOR COUNTRIES
POOR ECONOMIC GROWTH
POOR HOUSEHOLDS
POOR INFRASTRUCTURE
POPULATION SHARE
POSITIVE EFFECT
POSITIVE GROWTH
POSITIVE IMPACT
POVERTY ANALYSIS
POVERTY CHANGES
POVERTY GAP
POVERTY IMPACT
POVERTY INCIDENCE
POVERTY INDEX
POVERTY INDICES
POVERTY LEVELS
POVERTY LINE
POVERTY MEASURE
POVERTY MEASURES
POVERTY OUTCOMES
POVERTY RATES
POVERTY REDUCTION
POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY
POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY PAPER
POVERTY-REDUCING GROWTH
PRIMARY EDUCATION
PRIVATE SECTOR
PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYMENT
PRO-POOR
PRO-POOR GROWTH
PUBLIC INVESTMENT
PUBLIC SECTOR
PUBLIC SPENDING
PURE GROWTH
PURE GROWTH EFFECT
QUANTILE REGRESSIONS
RAPID GROWTH
REAL GROWTH
REAL INCOME
REDUCTION IN POVERTY
REGIONAL DIFFERENCES
REGIONAL DISPARITY
REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION
REGIONAL DISTRIBUTIONS
REGIONAL INEQUALITY
REGIONAL LEVEL
REGIONAL POVERTY
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
REGRESSION RESULTS
RELATIVE CONTRIBUTION
RELATIVE INEQUALITY
RELATIVE POVERTY
RURAL
RURAL AREA
RURAL AREAS
RURAL COUNTERPARTS
RURAL DIFFERENCES
RURAL GAP
RURAL INEQUALITY
RURAL POVERTY
RURAL SECTOR
SCHOOLING
SECTOR EMPLOYMENT
SHARP REDUCTION
SIGNIFICANT EFFECT
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
SMALLHOLDER AGRICULTURE
SQUARED POVERTY GAP
STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT
TRADE SHOCKS
URBAN AREAS
URBAN POVERTY
WELFARE INDICATOR
Essama-Nssah, B.
Bassole, Leandre
A Counterfactual Analysis of the Poverty Impact of Economic Growth in Cameroon
geographic_facet Africa
Africa
West Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Cameroon
relation Policy Research working paper ; no. WPS 5249
description The Government of Cameroon has declared poverty reduction through strong and sustainable economic growth the central objective of its socioeconomic policy. This paper uses available household survey data to assess the performance of the economy with respect to this objective over the period 1996-2007. The authors use counterfactual decompositions based on both the Shapley method and the generalized Oaxaca-Blinder framework to identify proximate factors that might explain differences in observed outcomes over time, across regions and households. The concept of pro-poorness provides a basis for a normative evaluation of these outcomes. The analysis of changes in the size distribution of economic welfare reveals that formal sector employment, access to credit, education, and urban residence are characteristics that bring significantly high returns to households. Employment in smallholder agriculture has a negative impact on welfare across quantiles. Economic growth was accompanied by significant poverty reduction between 1996 and 2001. But poverty barely decreased between 2001 and 2007 due to very weak growth. Over the same period, household investment in human capital took a serious hit. Given the additional finding that the pattern of growth is characterized by urban bias and regional disparity, the overall assessment is that economic growth has been weakly pro-poor in Cameroon. There is therefore a need to re-examine and possibly reform the mechanisms governing the allocation of public resources designed to support individuals' efforts to improve their standard of living.
format Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper
author Essama-Nssah, B.
Bassole, Leandre
author_facet Essama-Nssah, B.
Bassole, Leandre
author_sort Essama-Nssah, B.
title A Counterfactual Analysis of the Poverty Impact of Economic Growth in Cameroon
title_short A Counterfactual Analysis of the Poverty Impact of Economic Growth in Cameroon
title_full A Counterfactual Analysis of the Poverty Impact of Economic Growth in Cameroon
title_fullStr A Counterfactual Analysis of the Poverty Impact of Economic Growth in Cameroon
title_full_unstemmed A Counterfactual Analysis of the Poverty Impact of Economic Growth in Cameroon
title_sort counterfactual analysis of the poverty impact of economic growth in cameroon
publishDate 2012
url http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20100325082829
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3736
_version_ 1764388066854699008
spelling okr-10986-37362021-04-23T14:02:12Z A Counterfactual Analysis of the Poverty Impact of Economic Growth in Cameroon Essama-Nssah, B. Bassole, Leandre ABSOLUTE REDUCTION ABSOLUTE SENSE ABSOLUTE TERMS ABSOLUTE VALUE ADVERSE EFFECTS AGGREGATE POVERTY AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS AGRICULTURAL SECTOR ANNUAL GROWTH ANNUAL GROWTH RATE AVERAGE ANNUAL AVERAGE GROWTH AVERAGE GROWTH RATE AVERAGE RATE BETWEEN-GROUP INEQUALITY CHANGES IN POVERTY CHILD MORTALITY COMMUNITY ASSETS COUNTERFACTUAL CUMULATIVE DISTRIBUTION CUMULATIVE DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION CUMULATIVE POPULATION CURRENT POVERTY DATA ISSUES DEBT RELIEF DECOMPOSABLE POVERTY DECOMPOSABLE POVERTY MEASURES DECOMPOSITION ANALYSIS DECREASING FUNCTION DENSITY FUNCTION DEPENDENT VARIABLE DETERMINANTS OF POVERTY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS DEVELOPMENT GOALS DEVELOPMENT POLICY DEVELOPMENT REPORT DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION DISTRIBUTIONAL CHANGES DISTRIBUTIONAL IMPLICATIONS ECONOMIC ACTIVITY ECONOMIC GROWTH ECONOMIC INEQUALITY ECONOMIC POLICY EMPIRICAL RESULTS EMPLOYMENT IN AGRICULTURE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY EXCHANGE RATE EXPORT MARKETS EXPORT PRICE INDEX EXTREME POVERTY FOOD COMPONENTS FOOD CROPS FOOD EXPENDITURE GENDER EQUITY GENERAL EQUILIBRIUM MODEL GINI COEFFICIENT GINI INDEX GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP GROUP MEANS GROWTH COMPONENT GROWTH EFFECT GROWTH ELASTICITY GROWTH EPISODE GROWTH PATTERN GROWTH PRO-POOR GROWTH PROCESS GROWTH PROSPECTS HEADCOUNT POVERTY HEADCOUNT RATIO HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION HOUSEHOLD HEAD HOUSEHOLD INCOME HOUSEHOLD INCOMES HOUSEHOLD LEVEL DATA HOUSEHOLD SURVEY HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS HOUSEHOLD WELFARE HUMAN CAPITAL INCIDENCE OF POVERTY INCOME INCOME DISTRIBUTION INCOME DISTRIBUTIONS INCOME EFFECT INCOME ELASTICITY INCOME INEQUALITY INCOME SHARE INCREASING INEQUALITY INEQUALITY INEQUALITY AVERSION INEQUALITY COMPONENT INEQUALITY EFFECT JOB CREATION LABOR FORCE LAND OWNERSHIP LINEAR RELATIONSHIP LIVING STANDARDS MACROECONOMIC STABILITY MARGINAL EFFECT MATERNAL HEALTH MEAN INCOME MEAN LOG DEVIATION NATIONAL POVERTY NEGATIVE EFFECT NEGATIVE IMPACT NEGATIVE SIGN OBSERVED CHANGE OBSERVED CHANGES PATH DEPENDENCE PER CAPITA EXPENDITURE PER CAPITA INCOME POLICY ENVIRONMENT POLICY REFORMS POLICY RESEARCH POLITICAL ECONOMY POLITICAL STABILITY POOR POOR COUNTRIES POOR ECONOMIC GROWTH POOR HOUSEHOLDS POOR INFRASTRUCTURE POPULATION SHARE POSITIVE EFFECT POSITIVE GROWTH POSITIVE IMPACT POVERTY ANALYSIS POVERTY CHANGES POVERTY GAP POVERTY IMPACT POVERTY INCIDENCE POVERTY INDEX POVERTY INDICES POVERTY LEVELS POVERTY LINE POVERTY MEASURE POVERTY MEASURES POVERTY OUTCOMES POVERTY RATES POVERTY REDUCTION POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY PAPER POVERTY-REDUCING GROWTH PRIMARY EDUCATION PRIVATE SECTOR PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYMENT PRO-POOR PRO-POOR GROWTH PUBLIC INVESTMENT PUBLIC SECTOR PUBLIC SPENDING PURE GROWTH PURE GROWTH EFFECT QUANTILE REGRESSIONS RAPID GROWTH REAL GROWTH REAL INCOME REDUCTION IN POVERTY REGIONAL DIFFERENCES REGIONAL DISPARITY REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION REGIONAL DISTRIBUTIONS REGIONAL INEQUALITY REGIONAL LEVEL REGIONAL POVERTY REGRESSION ANALYSIS REGRESSION RESULTS RELATIVE CONTRIBUTION RELATIVE INEQUALITY RELATIVE POVERTY RURAL RURAL AREA RURAL AREAS RURAL COUNTERPARTS RURAL DIFFERENCES RURAL GAP RURAL INEQUALITY RURAL POVERTY RURAL SECTOR SCHOOLING SECTOR EMPLOYMENT SHARP REDUCTION SIGNIFICANT EFFECT SIGNIFICANT IMPACT SMALLHOLDER AGRICULTURE SQUARED POVERTY GAP STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT TRADE SHOCKS URBAN AREAS URBAN POVERTY WELFARE INDICATOR The Government of Cameroon has declared poverty reduction through strong and sustainable economic growth the central objective of its socioeconomic policy. This paper uses available household survey data to assess the performance of the economy with respect to this objective over the period 1996-2007. The authors use counterfactual decompositions based on both the Shapley method and the generalized Oaxaca-Blinder framework to identify proximate factors that might explain differences in observed outcomes over time, across regions and households. The concept of pro-poorness provides a basis for a normative evaluation of these outcomes. The analysis of changes in the size distribution of economic welfare reveals that formal sector employment, access to credit, education, and urban residence are characteristics that bring significantly high returns to households. Employment in smallholder agriculture has a negative impact on welfare across quantiles. Economic growth was accompanied by significant poverty reduction between 1996 and 2001. But poverty barely decreased between 2001 and 2007 due to very weak growth. Over the same period, household investment in human capital took a serious hit. Given the additional finding that the pattern of growth is characterized by urban bias and regional disparity, the overall assessment is that economic growth has been weakly pro-poor in Cameroon. There is therefore a need to re-examine and possibly reform the mechanisms governing the allocation of public resources designed to support individuals' efforts to improve their standard of living. 2012-03-19T18:38:53Z 2012-03-19T18:38:53Z 2010-03-01 http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20100325082829 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3736 English Policy Research working paper ; no. WPS 5249 CC BY 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/ World Bank Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper Africa Africa West Africa Sub-Saharan Africa Cameroon