Climate instability is slowly but consistently making life in the Sahel harder for herders, whose livelihoods depend on rainfall, pasture and mobility. Rising temperatures, erratic rains and longer dry seasons are shrinking grazing land, drying water points and forcing pastoralists to move farther and more often in search of survival.
A Fragile Way of Life
For centuries, pastoralism has been a strategy for adapting to the dry environment of the Sahel region. Herders move livestock across wide areas so animals can find new pasture and the land can recover. However, that system only works when mobility remains possible and water is not scarce.
Changing climatic conditions in the Sahel are disrupting both. Rainy seasons are less predictable, droughts are becoming more severe and springs and streams that once sustained herds are disappearing. These changes do not just reduce income; they threaten an entire social and economic system.
In the Sudano-Sahel region, more than 20 million people depend on pastoralism for survival and livestock is often the main source of food, cash and status. When grass fails or water holes dry up, families lose animals, nutrition worsens and their ability to recover from shocks weakens. These difficulties affect not only people who live off livestock but also farmers who grow crops for the animals.
Drought and Loss
The human and economic costs of drought can be devastating. One major drought in Niger in 2010 killed more than 4.8 million cattle, roughly a quarter of the country’s herd, causing losses of more than $700 million. For herding families, such losses are not abstract statistics.
They translate into lower school fees, less milk for children and the collapse of savings built up over years, if not generations, through entire flocks. Pastoralism in the Sahel region is also harmed by diseases and herd weakness caused by climate stress. As animals are concentrated into smaller areas with less fodder, they become more vulnerable to illness and malnutrition.
At the same time, governments may impose tighter controls on animal movement due to concerns about livestock disease, making it even harder for herders to follow the rains and preserve their herds. Additionally, longer transhumances may expose animals to stress, disease vectors (such as ticks and flies) and consequential zoonotic diseases. This is not only an issue for animal health but also for humans, increasing the transmission of infectious diseases such as brucellosis and tuberculosis.
Tensions Over Land
As pasture disappears, herders are increasingly pushed into zones where farming is expanding, especially in the southern Sahel. This creates competition over land and water between farmers and herders, a pressure that can turn local disputes into small armed conflicts when land-use rules are weak or unenforced. Climate emergency does not cause every conflict in the Sahel, but it intensifies competition over scarce resources and makes peaceful coexistence more difficult.
Mobility, once a strength of pastoral systems, is becoming harder to sustain. Fragmented landscapes, insecurity and armed groups on transhumance routes can trap herders in unsafe or overused areas. This is further worsened by the growing availability of weapons and by political entities in the region exploiting these issues.
When families can no longer move freely, they face more grazing pressure, more conflict and fewer ways to adapt.
The PRAPS-2 Strategy
Sahelian governments and regional stakeholders are already collaborating to address shared environmental and economic challenges that endanger pastoralism in the Sahel. In addition to flagship efforts like the Great Green Wall, smaller-scale initiatives such as the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the Lake Victoria Basin Commission aim to improve the management and restoration of transboundary natural resources.
The most important of these initiatives, specifically designed to address pastoral needs, is the PRAPS-2 project. It is based on strengthening national responses while reinforcing regional coordination. Its objective is twofold. First, it seeks to enhance regional coherence in natural resource governance, support the implementation of national regulations and facilitate cross-border trade.
Second, it aims to generate and disseminate scientific and technical knowledge that supports sustainable pastoral practices and informs both national and regional strategies, recognizing their economic, social and environmental significance. Regionally, the program is implemented by the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS). The CILSS oversees coordination under the political leadership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU).
At the national level, implementation is led by the relevant ministries responsible for livestock or rural development across the six participating countries. PRAPS-2 is structured around five core components:
- Improving animal health and veterinary drug control
- Promoting sustainable landscape management and governance
- Strengthening livestock value chains
- Enhancing social and economic inclusion, particularly for women and youth
- Supporting project coordination, institutional capacity and crisis prevention and response
Progress is being made, but this crisis highlights how rising temperatures can deepen insecurity and instability in already fragile regions, making the protection of pastoral livelihoods essential for sustaining resilience, dignity and peace.
– Riccardo Chiaraluce
Riccardo is based in London, UK and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Pexels
How Agricultural Innovation Aids Poverty Reduction in Laos
The most significant driver of Laos’s economic growth remains within the agricultural sector in accordance with the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Laos workforce encompasses roughly 60% of agricultural development. In comparison to its neighbors, Laos has focused on strengthening its agricultural base while integrating environmentally conscious practices. This approach has supported the growth of green jobs, an innovative approach to ending poverty in a developing country. These contribute not only to economic stability but also to environmental preservation. As a pioneer, Laos has established an increasingly critical priority in global agricultural development.
Foreign Aid and Poverty Reduction
The Laotian government has also partnered with international institutions, such as the World Bank, to advance poverty-reduction initiatives. These partnerships have supported national agendas to improve infrastructure and expand access to essential services. In turn, these partnerships will continue to foster long-term economic resilience. Foreign aid continues to play a pivotal role in Laos’s development trajectory. Programs funded through international assistance have provided opportunities to empower local communities, thereby, further promoting economic sustainability and environmental growth.
One notable initiative is the Poverty Reduction Fund, which emphasizes a bottom-up approach by prioritizing community-driven development projects. Established in 2003, the Poverty Reduction Fund (PRF) contributes to growing development in the most disenfranchised and remote communities in Laos. The PRF has accomplished many things, one notable achievement was the training of 68,000 community members for the expansion project. Thus far, the Poverty Reduction Fund has and continues to reduce poverty rates within the country.
Alongside the Poverty Reduction Fund, Laos’s bottom-up model highlights poverty at its source and addresses the root cause of it by increasing the effectiveness and sustainability of poverty alleviation efforts within local communities. Due to its effective efforts to alleviate poverty, poverty reduction in Laos is seen as a compelling case study in the intersection of climate policy and poverty reduction.
Unlike most developed nations, which prioritize large-scale corporate investment, Laos has demonstrated the value of investing in communities and natural resources. The country’s progress suggests that foreign aid, when strategically implemented, can provide meaningful and lasting results. As stated in End Poverty – Build A More Resilient Economy in Lao PDR, poverty is a global problem that affects nations across the globe. However, Laos has established a higher standard to resolve poverty within its borders. These standards utilize foreign aid proactively for local communities and the growth of sustainable agricultural development.
The 3 Pillars Towards Progress
The Poverty Reduction Fund has contributed much to development in Laos, such as the partnership with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. Moreover, Laos has forged new development in establishing innovative programs, such as the Road Maintenance Groups, a program designed to provide support to the impoverished women of Laos. Established in 2017, the Road Maintenance Group holds a dual mission in the reduction of poverty in Laos. The program provides impoverished women with reliable employment within maintenance work that does not require the operation of heavy machinery, while simultaneously improving the conditions of roads in 85 rural villages. Ultimately, the program held many shortcomings in executing its mission to women in extreme poverty. The program within itself was a step towards more innovative development towards establishing aid and reducing poverty, both for women and rural communities.
Despite advancements in poverty reduction in Laos, poverty remains a global challenge affecting nations at all income levels. Laos’s strategy offers a framework for addressing both economic inequality and the importance of environmental growth simultaneously. This approach is built on three core pillars, which consist of strengthening national institutions to improve revenue. Investing in human capital through education and healthcare, and lastly, fostering environmental resilience. As the global community continues to confront interconnected challenges of poverty and changing weather patterns. Laos experience in poverty reduction underscores the potential of sustainable, community-focused development as a pathway toward long-term progress.
– Rayonna Sanders
Photo: Flickr
The Economic Crisis In Zimbabwe
About Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in southern Africa, bordered by Zambia, Mozambique and Botswana. When the country gained its independence in 1980, Zimbabwe encountered several economic challenges that prevented it from achieving broader social advancement. Fast-track reforms, controversial land redistribution cases and the misuse of governmental funds severely impacted agricultural production, hindering future economic development. These decisions led to public protest and the suspension of international economic aid. The withholding of financial support, combined with the public’s increasing distrust of the government, worsened the crisis in the years that followed.
Due to these events, the economic crisis has taken a significant toll on civilians, with many struggling to afford basic necessities as a result of rising inflation. The problem has been recognized by several parties both inside and outside the country, and multiple short and long-term solutions have been proposed with varying degrees of success.
Solutions
A significant development involves Zimbabwe’s engagement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Founded in 1944, the IMF is a global organization with the goal of ensuring economic cooperation and reducing global poverty. In early 2026, the IMF met with Zimbabwean officials to form strategies for economic recovery. One outcome was the Staff Monitored Program (SMP), which aims to strengthen credibility around new policies by positively adjusting monetary and fiscal frameworks and advancing governmental reforms. According to the IMF, Zimbabwe’s economic growth is projected to increase to around 4.6% to 5% as of early 2026.
Looking Ahead
While the economic crisis in Zimbabwe has been acknowledged and efforts are underway to stabilize it, permanent long-term results remain to be seen. Lasting recovery will depend on cooperation from all parties to rebuild both the national currency and the trust between policymakers and the public.
– William Mancuso
Photo: Flickr
Child Poverty in Panama Through One Woman’s Story
She remembered how her childhood was shaped by church, school and carnival traditions, as well as by financial difficulties and limited opportunities. Her story is an example of a broader problem across this Central American country. A report from the World Bank and UNICEF in 2026 stated that 34.5% of children and teens in Panama live in monetary poverty, with 16% living in extreme poverty.
Employment Shaped Daily Life
The interviewee reminisced that, while daily life in Colón felt close-knit and joyful growing up, finding steady work was difficult. She discussed living in an economy where jobs paid very little. She remembered that many families depended on better wages from employment in the Canal Zone.
In her account, unemployment affected every aspect of people’s lives. Current research supports this view. According to the World Bank and UNICEF, households with children living in poverty are more likely to be led by adults with limited education and participation in the labor market, making it harder for these families to move toward financial stability.
When Poverty Interrupts Education
The woman said her family struggled to keep paying for private school and she eventually moved to a lower-cost government school. This shift shows that financial hardship can narrow a child’s opportunities early in life. Reflecting on that reality, she told The Borgen Project, “If you don’t pay, you can’t go to school.”
UNICEF says preschool and secondary education services in Panama remain hard to access in rural, peri-urban and Indigenous communities and around 30% of children still lack access to preschool education. UNICEF also reports that girls in Indigenous areas face a greater risk of educational exclusion than children in other parts of the country. When a family’s income is unstable, school becomes one more cost that is difficult to sustain.
The Burden Falls Unevenly Across Panama
Although the interview centers on life in Colón, a city with a significant Afro-descendant population, today’s data shows that child poverty in Panama is especially severe in rural and Indigenous territories. The World Bank-UNICEF report says 83% of children in Indigenous comarcas (regions) live in poverty, while 55% live in extreme poverty. In the Ngäbe-Buglé comarca, child poverty exceeds 90%.
UNESCO likewise reports that children and youth in both remote rural and Indigenous areas face lower participation rates and weaker learning outcomes compared to other students in Panama. These extreme disparities show that child poverty in Panama does not affect everyone evenly across the country. It is highly concentrated in places where families have less access to services, infrastructure and formal employment.
Cash Transfers Offer One Active Response
One existing response is Red de Oportunidades (Opportunities Network), Panama’s conditional cash transfer program. The United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) describes it as a national program that supports households living in extreme poverty. The program places special attention on those living in rural and Indigenous areas.
It is designed to help impoverished mothers with children obtain sufficient schooling and health follow-ups. Programs like this are important because they ease immediate pressure on families while helping children stay connected to education and basic services. For households facing precarious financial situations, this support prevents temporary hardship from becoming further exclusion.
Early Childhood Support Could Make a Long-Term Difference
Panama is also placing more attention on early childhood. A 2024 report from the Panama Ministry of Social Development (MIDES) states that three in 10 children in Panama live in multidimensional poverty. That figure rises to nine in 10 in the comarcas. The same report notes that most early childhood centers are concentrated in urban areas and estimates that only 3% of children under 3 have access to them.
In response, MIDES says the Contigo Creciendo model is being tested in 13 pilot communities in Panamá Oeste and the Emberá-Wounaan comarca, with UNICEF’s support. MIDES, UNICEF and the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) also presented three caregiving guides in 2024 for children from birth to 47 months, designed for low-cost use in vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities. These are the kinds of interventions that can help families before poverty causes even greater damage to children’s development.
The interviewee said that access to better employment and housing would have made a significant difference for families like hers. As she put it, “Without money, you can’t do anything.” Her story shows how survival often depended on persistence, family sacrifice and adaptation, not on actual security.
Current data suggests that many Panamanian children still face those same structural barriers today, especially in more impoverished rural and Indigenous areas. However, Panama has effective tools to reduce child poverty, including cash transfer programs, early childhood initiatives and more targeted support for socially isolated communities. If these efforts continue to expand where the need is greatest, the next generation may face fewer of the limits that shaped her childhood.
– Ashirah Newton
Photo: Flickr
School Meals and Refugee Education in Chad
That matters in a country where issues such as conflict spillover, climate shocks and poverty continue to disrupt education. School meals and refugee education in Chad are essential because food support and classroom access can work together during emergencies.
The Crisis in Eastern Chad
The pressure has only intensified since war broke out in neighboring Sudan in April 2023. The World Food Programme (WFP) says the Central African country now hosts 1.5 million refugees. They include 900,000 people who immigrated from Sudan, putting greater strain on communities that were already experiencing immense poverty and food insecurity.
In eastern Chad, UNICEF reported in April 2026 that 900,000 children were not registered in an educational institution. The same report said nearly 300,000 refugee children in the east were not receiving any schooling.
Why School Meals Matter
School meals are one of the clearest tools helping children stay in class. WFP says its emergency response to this problem included providing school meals for more than 125,000 children in refugee-hosting areas in 2025. It also supports home-grown school feeding programs that connect schools with local farmers so children can consume locally sourced meals while rural producers gain a market for their crops.
According to WFP, this approach has already improved nutrition and school attendance outcomes for more than 110,000 children. In a crisis setting, a meal at school helps improve learning and household food security.
Education Support Beyond Food
Education support is also expanding beyond meals. Education Cannot Wait says more than 40% of the 66,600 children targeted through its new grant will be refugees. The program will also train more than 1,500 teachers in pedagogy, psychosocial support and risk reduction.
This broader work strengthens school meals and refugee education by combining food assistance with improved classroom support. This is important, since Chad not only needs more students attending school, but it also requires schools that can handle displacement and overcrowding. UNICEF says eastern Chad still needs about 5,000 temporary learning spaces and 10,000 latrines to meet minimum standards.
A Positive Path Forward
These efforts are particularly important for girls. In its 2024–2028 Chad country strategic plan, WFP said that increasing home-grown school feeding can help improve nutrition and health while also keeping girls in school. UNICEF’s report on eastern Chad states that without enough education support, 70,000 children, including refugees, returnees and those from host communities, could miss school days or drop out.
This raises the risk of child labor and child marriage. In this situation, school meals do more than tackle hunger. They help safeguard children’s futures.
Closing Remarks
School meals and refugee education in Chad are deeply connected. Food support helps children show up in class and stay enrolled, while new education funding helps schools respond to crises more effectively. Despite this, Chad still faces a major gap.
However, active programs from WFP, UNICEF and Education Cannot Wait show that investments can keep more children in school. If those efforts continue to expand, they could strengthen educational access and long-term resilience for families across the country.
– Ashirah Newton
Photo: Flickr
Everything You Need to Know About Poverty in Mexico
Who Poverty in Mexico Affects Most
National figures only tell part of the story and might suggest that quality of life is improving nationally, however, poverty in Mexico continues to fall unevenly, with rural and Indigenous communities carrying a far heavier burden than the country as a whole. In rural areas, the poverty rate stood at an alarming 45.8% in 2024, compared with 25% in urban areas. This divide reflects more than geography alone. It indicates long-standing gaps in infrastructure, formal employment and access to support systems.
The disparity is even sharper for Indigenous communities. In 2024, 60.8% of Mexico’s Indigenous population was living in poverty. Although that figure represents an improvement from previous years, it does so at a less than the national rate, illuminating how deeply inequality remains embedded in communities that have had less access to opportunity and public investment.
Why Poverty Persists in Mexico
Part of the reason poverty in Mexico remains so difficult to overcome is that it is not just about wages. Mexico measures poverty through a multidimensional system, taking into account access to essentials such as education, health care and social protections. For many families, economic vulnerability persists because single setbacks such as illness, job losses or rising cost of living can quickly push them into poverty.
This is especially true where social protections remain weak. In 2024, nearly half of Mexico’s population did not have formal employment-based protections such as pensions, health coverage or other long-term support. This helps explain why national progress can coexist with persistent hardship, especially in the country’s most vulnerable regions.
Reducing Poverty in Mexico
What is helping, however, is easier to see in the latest data. Recent reporting suggests that social welfare programs and other support measures helped reduce hardships for many families. While that kind of support does not solve the deeper causes of poverty, it can make an immediate difference for households under financial pressure and help prevent even deeper forms of deprivation.
National programs have also tried to address poverty through employment schemes and rural development. Jóvenes Construyendo el Futuro, for example, has supported millions of young people who are not in work or education with training and financial support, while Sembrando Vida is aimed at strengthening rural livelihoods by supporting farmers and local production. While these efforts are not enough to eliminate every structural cause of disproportionate poverty in Mexico, they show that targeted investment can expand opportunity and reduce vulnerability for many families, making a palpable difference to many lives.
Looking Forward
Poverty in Mexico remains a major issue, particularly for rural and Indigenous communities that continue to face the highest levels of hardship. Even so, the latest figures offer a measure of hope. Poverty has declined in recent years, and national support programs appear to be helping prevent even deeper deprivation. With sustained investment and continued attention to the communities most affected, Mexico has a real opportunity to build on that progress in the years ahead.
– Elliott J. Carter
Photo: Unsplash
How Are Smartphones Driving Financial Inclusion in South Asia?
The Rise of the “Portable Bank Branch”
In South Asia, women in rural areas often face challenges in accessing physical banks. Women are compelled to rely on cash, which increases the risk of theft and prevents them from building a credit history. This lack of formal financial access traps women in a cycle of poverty. Women cannot access the capital required to grow a small business or save for investments.
In countries like India and Pakistan, the smartphone has transitioned from a communication device to a portable bank. The rise of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has become essential for women entrepreneurs as it processes more than 20 billion transactions per month. In Bangladesh, women manage their earnings using digital wallets such as PhonePe or bKash, without needing to visit a bank in person. Visiting a bank was a significant hurdle for women in remote areas where social norms or distance often restricts mobility.
This shift helped the rise of the micro- entrepreneur. In Pakistan, initiatives like Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) have successfully migrated to digital wallets such as JazzCash to ensure that the aid and business earnings reach women directly. This digital advancement enables women to maintain control over their financial assets, often using their savings for critical life improvement areas such as their children’s education or their own growth.
Financial Inclusion and the Poverty Gap
Poverty disproportionately affects women in South Asia. In Pakistan, the poverty rate among women is often higher because of a lack of property ownership and formal employment. Women are restricted to the household and often face hurdles to achieving financial freedom. Women with no control over income and finances are more likely to have less influence over household spending.
Cultural, economic and systemic barriers often constrain women’s autonomy in South Asia. In many rural areas, women require permission to leave home, and in some regions, women are restricted from stepping out of their homes. Women in rural areas are often dependent on male relatives for basic needs. People in those areas often see financial independence as rebellion.
Lack of access to technology does not limit digital inclusion; it is more about autonomy, according to the GSMA Mobile Gender Gap Report. The research findings indicate that while the overall gender gap in South Asia remains wide, the frequency of use among connected women is rapidly increasing. Women in this region are increasingly tech savvy, as they are not using these devices for just entertainment but to increase their awareness, access property rights information and health services. Utilization of mobile internet for e-learning is also becoming very popular.
Organizations are further working to improve women’s experience by creating safe, digital-first spaces where women can learn to invest and save. Organizations like India’s LXME, founded in 2018, further accelerate this trend. LXME created a women-only digital community. Women can learn about mutual funds, insurance, saving in a jargon-free environment and in local languages. Since its establishment, LXME has empowered more than 1000,000 women to decide their financial future. Making financial literacy accessible in local languages and easy-to-manage interfaces is bridging the gap between having a phone and having financial power.
Closing the Final Gap
While this silent transition is improving, challenges persist. Significant efforts are required to improve the situation, as 60% of the world’s unconnected women live in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Millions of women risk being left behind in a rapidly digitalizing global economy, and aggressive investment in digital literacy and affordable information and communication can mitigate the risk.
As access to mobile internet is increasing, South Asian women’s situation is moving from helplessness to innovation. Financial inclusion in South Asia has improved as millions of women can make transactions via QR codes and manage business from their palms. A smartphone is not just a gadget; it is a new factor contributing to an equitable economy.
– Noor Ul Ain Ameer
Photo: Pexels
How Climate Instability Affects Pastoralism in the Sahel Region
A Fragile Way of Life
For centuries, pastoralism has been a strategy for adapting to the dry environment of the Sahel region. Herders move livestock across wide areas so animals can find new pasture and the land can recover. However, that system only works when mobility remains possible and water is not scarce.
Changing climatic conditions in the Sahel are disrupting both. Rainy seasons are less predictable, droughts are becoming more severe and springs and streams that once sustained herds are disappearing. These changes do not just reduce income; they threaten an entire social and economic system.
In the Sudano-Sahel region, more than 20 million people depend on pastoralism for survival and livestock is often the main source of food, cash and status. When grass fails or water holes dry up, families lose animals, nutrition worsens and their ability to recover from shocks weakens. These difficulties affect not only people who live off livestock but also farmers who grow crops for the animals.
Drought and Loss
The human and economic costs of drought can be devastating. One major drought in Niger in 2010 killed more than 4.8 million cattle, roughly a quarter of the country’s herd, causing losses of more than $700 million. For herding families, such losses are not abstract statistics.
They translate into lower school fees, less milk for children and the collapse of savings built up over years, if not generations, through entire flocks. Pastoralism in the Sahel region is also harmed by diseases and herd weakness caused by climate stress. As animals are concentrated into smaller areas with less fodder, they become more vulnerable to illness and malnutrition.
At the same time, governments may impose tighter controls on animal movement due to concerns about livestock disease, making it even harder for herders to follow the rains and preserve their herds. Additionally, longer transhumances may expose animals to stress, disease vectors (such as ticks and flies) and consequential zoonotic diseases. This is not only an issue for animal health but also for humans, increasing the transmission of infectious diseases such as brucellosis and tuberculosis.
Tensions Over Land
As pasture disappears, herders are increasingly pushed into zones where farming is expanding, especially in the southern Sahel. This creates competition over land and water between farmers and herders, a pressure that can turn local disputes into small armed conflicts when land-use rules are weak or unenforced. Climate emergency does not cause every conflict in the Sahel, but it intensifies competition over scarce resources and makes peaceful coexistence more difficult.
Mobility, once a strength of pastoral systems, is becoming harder to sustain. Fragmented landscapes, insecurity and armed groups on transhumance routes can trap herders in unsafe or overused areas. This is further worsened by the growing availability of weapons and by political entities in the region exploiting these issues.
When families can no longer move freely, they face more grazing pressure, more conflict and fewer ways to adapt.
The PRAPS-2 Strategy
Sahelian governments and regional stakeholders are already collaborating to address shared environmental and economic challenges that endanger pastoralism in the Sahel. In addition to flagship efforts like the Great Green Wall, smaller-scale initiatives such as the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the Lake Victoria Basin Commission aim to improve the management and restoration of transboundary natural resources.
The most important of these initiatives, specifically designed to address pastoral needs, is the PRAPS-2 project. It is based on strengthening national responses while reinforcing regional coordination. Its objective is twofold. First, it seeks to enhance regional coherence in natural resource governance, support the implementation of national regulations and facilitate cross-border trade.
Second, it aims to generate and disseminate scientific and technical knowledge that supports sustainable pastoral practices and informs both national and regional strategies, recognizing their economic, social and environmental significance. Regionally, the program is implemented by the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS). The CILSS oversees coordination under the political leadership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU).
At the national level, implementation is led by the relevant ministries responsible for livestock or rural development across the six participating countries. PRAPS-2 is structured around five core components:
Progress is being made, but this crisis highlights how rising temperatures can deepen insecurity and instability in already fragile regions, making the protection of pastoral livelihoods essential for sustaining resilience, dignity and peace.
– Riccardo Chiaraluce
Photo: Pexels
Facts About Elderly Poverty in San Marino
This statistic will continue to grow as San Marino projects low birth rates and high life expectancy. As a result, the government has taken steps to ensure that quality of life is obtainable by setting out to reform and expand its laws to alleviate elderly poverty in San Marino.
Elderly Poverty in San Marino
In San Marino, elderly poverty is not recorded as San Marino’s poverty rate is low enough to not make a distinction. However, the country has a high cost of living and income inequality that directly translates over to the elderly, who now face the lack of social support services provided.
Due to San Marino’s landlocked position and size, it is heavily reliant on Italy for support and resources. Additionally, with a rising prevalence in chronic disease, San Marino’s healthcare system has experienced strain. In local hospitals, where certain treatments and capabilities are unavailable, many patients are referred to hospitals in Italy, and while not ideal for immediate care, speaks to their strong diplomatic relationship.
San Marino’s social security program, updated in 2018, is detailed and has a set of conditions for each coverage. Depending on the coverage of the insured, the type of provisions according to their pensions are different, causing a disparity in accessibility.
However, despite these limitations, San Marino boasts a universal health care system, making it not only accessible but free for its citizens and residents and greatly benefiting the elderly population, who are no longer in the workforce and at a higher risk for health issues.
San Marino’s Pension System
With San Marino having their population growth decreasing, there will be difficulties in sustaining and maintaining a workforce. As a result, San Marino sought to reform their pension system through Law no. 157 on November 29, 2022, ensuring that the retirement age for the elderly is at 66 years, introducing incentives and disincentives for those considering early or late retirement.
With this reform, it ensures citizens aged 60 or higher are entitled to a seniority pension, regardless of the requirements outlined in Law no. 158, which San Marino’s government passed in October 2011. This is one way of ensuring that the government minimizes and controls elderly poverty in San Marino. This is one way to ensuring that the government minimizes and controls elderly poverty in San Marino.
However, like many of its laws, this reform is strict and is subject to pension reductions depending on the age of the insured. This can prove to be a problem for older citizens who have severe health issues that cause early retirement. While it is not perfect, San Marino is able to ensure that more of its residents are able to live comfortably post-retirement.
The Società Unione Mutuo Soccorso (SUMS-Maschile), which directly translates into The Mutual Aid Union Society, founded in 1876, provides mutual aid to workers in the event of accidents, illnesses, old age or disability, to make up for lack of a welfare state. SUMS continues to provide aid to Sammarinese citizens, becoming a branch of support when government policies are not enough.
Looking Ahead
San Marino is ready to take the next step in continuing to alleviate elderly poverty in San Marino by improving living conditions not only for its older residents, but also for their younger ones as well. While its mortality rates and decline in birth rates are issues of their own, they have highlighted San Marino’s efforts in supporting its elderly population and how they have acted accordingly to shifts in their demographics. Through a continuation of reforming laws, help from SUMS-Maschile, and close attention to its changing demographics, San Marino is heading towards a society where its citizens are able to live in equal measures.
– Kianna Phosouvanh-Sythong
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The Strengths and Limitations of Coconut Farming in Indonesia
The Strengths of the Indonesian Coconut Industry
Roughly 6.6 million Indonesian farmers rely on the coconut industry as their main source of income. In a country where infrastructure development is severely constrained by its island chain geography, coconut farming in Indonesia is a lifeline for the eastern region in particular. In this region, communities are spread across thousands of scattered islands.
Due to geographic isolation and limited infrastructure, 80% of livelihoods in certain areas of Eastern Indonesia rely on subsistence farming. Coconut farming in Indonesia remains accessible to rural communities, as the country’s climate supports year-round growth. Additionally, coconut crops require less fertilizer than many other crops, allowing lower-income households to cultivate small plots and harvest multiple times throughout the year.
This sector not only supports farming households but also entire rural communities. Beyond smallholder farmers, the industry sustains a wide network of livelihoods, including transport workers, market sellers and processing workers, all of whom rely on coconut production for income. As global demand for healthy alternatives and plant-based options surges, the Indonesian coconut industry is projected to grow at a faster rate in the coming years.
This growth could create new opportunities for exports, value-added production and increased income potential for smallholder farmers in Indonesia.
The Limits of the Coconut Industry
Despite its scale, coconut farming in Indonesia faces limitations that prevent many farmers from earning higher incomes. One of the most significant issues is low productivity. Coconut yields in Indonesia average around 1.1 tons per hectare, although higher-performing varieties can yield more than 2.8 tons per hectare. This is due to the use of older trees, less efficient farming methods and the continued use of lower-yield crops.
Additionally, pests, disease and land conversion make it difficult for farmers to maintain strong production, ultimately reducing their potential income. Replanting efforts also remain limited, as new coconut trees can take six to 10 years to reach full productivity. This makes it difficult for smallholder farmers to replace aging crops without facing short-term income losses.
As a result, many farmers continue relying on older trees with declining yields, reinforcing cycles of low productivity and low income. When coconut farming in Indonesia is stable, farmers often remain at the lowest level of the value chain. Most smallholders sell raw coconuts or copra rather than value-added products such as coconut oil or packaged goods.
Low Returns
A significant portion of profits is captured later in the supply chain by processors and exporters. This leaves farmers with relatively low returns. In Indonesia’s eastern archipelago, communities are spread across remote, dispersed islands. This geography limits infrastructure development, making it difficult to transport goods. Farmers in these areas often face higher transportation costs and reduced access to larger markets, forcing them to sell locally at lower prices.
Coconut farming in Indonesia is also vulnerable to price fluctuations in global markets. Coconut prices are influenced by broader vegetable oil markets, including competition with palm oil, which is often cheaper and more widely used. As the world’s largest producer of palm oil, Indonesia has historically directed more investment and policy support toward that sector, leaving coconut farming comparatively underdeveloped.
Strengthening Indonesia’s Coconut Sector
While coconut farming continues to support millions of livelihoods, these structural challenges highlight its limits. For many rural communities, the industry provides stability and income, but often at a level that sustains households rather than significantly improving long-term economic mobility. However, efforts to strengthen Indonesia’s coconut sector are already underway.
Government programs and international organizations are focusing on replanting aging trees, improving farming techniques and expanding access to value-added production. These initiatives aim to help farmers move beyond raw coconut sales and capture a larger share of the industry’s profits. At the same time, investments in rural infrastructure and market access could make it easier for farmers in eastern regions to connect with larger supply chains.
While coconut farming in Indonesia alone may not be enough to lift communities out of poverty, targeted support and modernization efforts show that the industry still holds significant potential to improve livelihoods across the country.
– Kale Overton
Photo: Unsplash
How the Agricultural Economy is Reducing Poverty in Côte d’Ivoire
How War is Affecting Côte d’Ivoire
The conflict has already pushed fuel prices higher across Africa. Many countries rely heavily on imported energy, making them vulnerable to global disruptions. Governments across the continent have raised petrol and diesel prices, increasing inflation and putting pressure on low-income households. These increase the risk of deepening poverty as transport and food costs rise.
The war has also disrupted fertilizer exports. Shipping constraints through the Strait of Hormuz have reduced access to key agricultural inputs. Experts warn this will raise production costs and reduce yields, especially in developing countries. For farmers in West Africa, including those in Côte d’Ivoire, fertilizer shortages could significantly affect cocoa production and household incomes.
These pressures are particularly concerning because agriculture underpins livelihoods in Côte d’Ivoire. The country produces a large share of the world’s cocoa and relies on the crop for export revenue and rural employment. Many households depend on cocoa farming for income, making them vulnerable to price shocks and rising costs.
The Iran war is also expected to worsen global food insecurity. Disruptions to energy and fertilizer supply chains could push millions more people into hunger, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Rising input costs reduce crop yields, which in turn increases food prices and threatens household purchasing power.
How Ivorians Are Fighting Back Against Economic Pressures
Despite these challenges, Côte d’Ivoire is implementing measures to protect farmers and reduce poverty. The government has intervened to stabilize cocoa markets and ensure farmers continue to receive income. It has pledged to purchase surplus cocoa stocks at guaranteed prices to support producers facing falling demand and volatile global markets. These interventions help prevent economic shocks from pushing farmers into deeper poverty.
Stabilizing cocoa earnings also supports local economies, as agricultural income circulates through rural communities. However, long-term poverty alleviation requires more than emergency support. Rising fertilizer costs highlight the need for improved productivity and resilience. Investments in sustainable farming practices, diversified income sources and infrastructure can help farmers withstand global shocks.
Increasing yields and improving market access would strengthen household incomes and reduce vulnerability. Côte d’Ivoire also continues broader economic efforts to reduce poverty. Government initiatives and infrastructure investment have supported growth and improved access to services. While poverty remains widespread, targeted policies seek to support vulnerable households and strengthen rural livelihoods.
Final Remarks
The Iran war demonstrates how global conflicts can threaten poverty reduction efforts far beyond the battlefield. For cocoa-dependent economies like Côte d’Ivoire, rising input costs and supply disruptions pose serious risks. Yet proactive government intervention and agricultural investment can help protect livelihoods.
By stabilizing cocoa incomes, supporting farmers and investing in resilience, Côte d’Ivoire is working to limit the impact of global shocks. These efforts show that even amid international crises, targeted policies can help safeguard communities and advance poverty alleviation.
– Demetra Mykoniatis
Photo: Flickr