July 2020

IDRC awards funding to PEP for inclusive COVID-19 crisis recovery research initiative

Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) has awarded funding to PEP for a new research initiative to inform inclusive adaptation and recovery policies responding to the COVID-19 crisis in 11 developing countries. Read more

2020 PEP Policy Conference
October 16, 2020

This year's PEP Policy Conference will move online for a public event bringing together development researchers, practitioners, leading experts and policy stakeholders from around the world to discuss the "Coproduction of development research: Experience from PEP-supported projects". Presented as part of the 2020 PEP Annual Conference.

PEP researchers are informing policy, engaging decision-makers, and promoting local expertise

Find out more about the research, policy and career impacts of recent PEP projects in more than 20 developing countries. Published as part of the 2019 PEP Annual Report

PEP Call for Proposals

PEP invites mixed government-research teams in sub-Saharan Africa to submit project proposals on Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa: The impacts and responses for women and girls

Submit by August 25, 2020

Trust in local ambassadors helps encourage mobile banking in rural Peru

In 2015, the Peruvian government introduced measures to address the low levels of financial inclusion in the country by encouraging electronic money platforms. In 2016 the “financially excluded” were targeted for an electronic wallet system but fewer than 1% of household heads in rural and peri-urban communities had activated an account by 2018. A team of local PEP researchers found that actively involving local community members in disseminating information on new technologies is an effective (and cost-effective) way to reach a broad audience and encourage uptake.

Find out more in the PEP working paper 2020-04 and policy brief 199

A fertilizer subsidy program can boost economic growth and employment in Ghana

Ghana’s agricultural sector has performed sluggishly in recent years, raising serious concerns about sustainability. In 2017, the Government of Ghana introduced the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) program to encourage farmers to adopt new technologies. Over half the PFJ budget provides a 50% price subsidy for fertilizer, despite there not being a consensus on the impact of such schemes. A team of local PEP researchers found that the fertilizer subsidy program helps increase crop productivity, annual production, GDP, exports and household welfare in Ghana. It is also linked to reduced unemployment and enables food industry production to meet domestic demand. However, a mechanism is needed to wean beneficiaries off the program to allow new beneficiaries to enrol.


Find out more in the PEP working paper 2020-05 and policy brief 205