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Poverty Reduction in Cameroon, 1996-2001: The Role of Growth and Income Redistribution

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  • Epo, Boniface Ngah
  • Baye, Francis Menjo

Abstract

This paper appeals to the Shapley Value decomposition rule to account for the retreat in the FGT class of poverty measures in Cameroon between 1996 and 2001. In particular, the paper examines the evolution of poverty in Cameroon, simulates budgetary outlays necessary to eradicate poverty assuming perfect targeting, and decomposes changes in poverty into growth and redistribution components. The ECAM I and ECAM II household consumption surveys collected by the Governments Statistics Office together with the software DAD4.4 were used to generate the results. The incidence, depth and severity of poverty retreated significantly the period under study. The growth component contributed significantly more in explaining the fall in levels of poverty than the redistribution component in both rural and urban areas. The overall situation however clouds regional tendencies, which attribute varying importance to the two factors. The indication, however, clearly portrays the important role to be attributed to growth if long term poverty reduction is valued high in the policy menu as articulated in Cameroon’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. The government needs to allocate more budgetary outlays in rural areas to fill the income gap relative to the poverty line. In spite of the importance of growth in eradicating poverty, it will be much more effective if it benefits the poor disproportionately.

Suggested Citation

  • Epo, Boniface Ngah & Baye, Francis Menjo, 2007. "Poverty Reduction in Cameroon, 1996-2001: The Role of Growth and Income Redistribution," MPRA Paper 10124, University Library of Munich, Germany.
  • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:10124
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bigsten, Arne & Kebede, Bereket & Shimeles, Abebe & Taddesse, Mekonnen, 2003. "Growth and Poverty Reduction in Ethiopia: Evidence from Household Panel Surveys," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 87-106, January.
    2. repec:pri:rpdevs:deaton_measuringpoverty_204 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Foster, James & Greer, Joel & Thorbecke, Erik, 1984. "A Class of Decomposable Poverty Measures," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 52(3), pages 761-766, May.
    4. Andrew Mckay, 1997. "Poverty Reduction Through Economic Growth: Some Issues," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 9(4), pages 665-673.
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    Cited by:

    1. Balgah Roland, Azibo & Emmanuel Yenshu, Vubo & Innocent Ndoh, Mbue & Jude Ndzifon, Kimengsi, 2015. "Rural development NGOs and service delivery to the very poor: An empirical analysis of a training center in rural Cameroon," Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development, Asian Economic and Social Society (AESS), vol. 5(04), pages 1-13, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Poverty decomposition; Shapley Value; Household Surveys; Cameroon;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C71 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Cooperative Games
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty

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