Core Insights - Accurate and comprehensive household livelihood measurement is crucial for monitoring poverty reduction progress and targeting social assistance programs [4] - Traditional data collection methods are costly, making comprehensive measurement a challenge [4] - The study evaluates four alternative satellite-based deep learning methods for detailed household census data extraction in four African countries, demonstrating the potential for localized and dynamic poverty measurement in data-scarce environments [4] Summary by Sections Introduction - The paper emphasizes the importance of precise and up-to-date economic well-being measurements for monitoring and achieving international poverty reduction goals, including the UN Sustainable Development Goal 1 [8] Data Scarcity and Measurement Challenges - Official poverty measurements in low- and middle-income countries have long relied on household surveys, which are time-consuming and often not completed in many regions, leading to a lack of comprehensive and timely data [9] - There is a pressing need for cost-effective and scalable alternatives to measure livelihood conditions to supplement existing household survey efforts [9] Advances in Remote Sensing and Machine Learning - The availability of remote sensing data and advancements in machine learning are transforming livelihood measurement, moving from traditional census and household surveys to integrating satellite and sensor data [10] - The study utilizes a large-scale, multi-resolution, and multi-temporal poverty dataset covering over 1.2 million households across four African countries, uniquely including precise geographic references and repeated measurements over time [11] Methodology - The research tests a new deep learning model, specifically Vision Transformers, against earlier convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures and simpler models like XGBoost [12] - The study highlights the importance of using accurate, high-resolution census data for model training and evaluation, allowing for a better understanding of prediction errors [13] Results - The transformer model outperformed CNN and XGBoost models in predicting asset wealth indices (AWI) across the four countries, with R² values indicating strong predictive performance [14] - The study identifies a critical threshold of 10% training data, below which estimation accuracy declines sharply [14] - The model demonstrated the ability to accurately predict wealth changes over time, utilizing repeated census data from Malawi and Mozambique [15] Urban-Level Wealth Prediction - The study showcases the potential for high-resolution wealth mapping in urban areas, with the transformer model achieving significant accuracy in predicting wealth distribution in cities like Lilongwe and Blantyre [26] - The results indicate that while high-resolution satellite imagery is beneficial, integrating lower-resolution geographic features can sometimes reduce model performance due to spatial errors [27] Conclusion - The findings underscore the potential value of using transformer models for predicting wealth and household welfare changes, emphasizing the need for robust training data and the exploration of methods to enhance performance in data-scarce environments [32][30]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry. Core Insights - Ghana's economic growth has been significantly impacted by debt accumulation, making it vulnerable to global shocks [28] - The need for stronger domestic revenue mobilization is emphasized to create fiscal space [51] - Public expenditure has been growing rapidly, burdened by high interest payments on debt, leading to inefficiencies in spending [64] - The report highlights the importance of improving public financial management (PFM) to enhance fiscal policy effectiveness [77] Summary by Sections Overview - Ghana's GDP growth has been strong but unsustainable, driven by oil production and expansionary fiscal policies, leading to increased debt levels [29][36] - The country has faced setbacks in poverty reduction due to recent global crises, necessitating a focus on macroeconomic stability and public investment [28] Domestic Revenue Mobilization - Ghana's revenue performance has declined, with tax collection falling from 15.7% of GDP in 2017 to 13% in 2021, significantly below its estimated tax capacity [51] - The report discusses the need for reforms in personal income taxes and VAT to improve revenue collection [51][56] Public Expenditure - Government spending has nearly doubled from 2010 to 2022, with a significant portion allocated to public sector wages and interest payments, limiting fiscal flexibility [64] - High interest payments have crowded out capital expenditures, leading to insufficient public investment in infrastructure [68] Public Financial Management - Despite some progress in PFM reforms, challenges remain, including delays in budget preparation and ineffective expenditure controls [77] - The report identifies weaknesses in cash management and commitment controls, contributing to significant arrears accumulation [84]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the irrigation and drainage industry Core Insights - Innovation and modernization (I&M) in irrigation and drainage (I&D) are essential for enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability in response to increasing global food demand and environmental challenges [46][47][50] - The report emphasizes the need for reliable, flexible, and equitable water service delivery to farmers, which is critical for optimizing crop production and improving farmer incomes [92][93][101] Summary by Sections Introduction - The guide outlines the importance of I&D for crop development, highlighting the roles of irrigation in supplying moisture and drainage in maintaining soil health [32][34] - It discusses the dynamic nature of I&D systems, which require interaction with farmers and adaptability to changing conditions [42][43] Chapter One: Defining the Nature and Purpose of I&M in I&D - I&M is described as a systematic, solutions-driven process that incorporates technological and management improvements tailored to local contexts [85] - The objectives of I&M include increasing water use efficiency, optimizing crop production, and ensuring sustainable agricultural practices [90][92] Chapter Two: The 'Why' of I&M in I&D - The chapter identifies key problems in current I&D systems, such as inequitable and unreliable water delivery, which negatively impact agricultural productivity [98][99] - It outlines the goals of I&M, including improving water service delivery, increasing yields, conserving resources, and enhancing livelihoods [101][103] Chapter Three: The 'What' of I&M in I&D - This section provides an overview of various I&M solutions available to improve irrigation systems, emphasizing the need for tailored approaches based on specific contexts [77] - It highlights the importance of integrating technical interventions with agronomic practices to achieve better outcomes [105] Chapter Four: The 'How' of I&M in I&D - The chapter discusses practical steps for implementing I&M at different stakeholder levels, including farmers, irrigation managers, and policymakers [78][79] - It emphasizes the need for a supportive enabling environment and the role of government in facilitating farmer-led innovations [68][79]

BUILDING CODE CHECKLIST FOR UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Nothing herein shall constitute or be construed or considered to be a limitation upon or waiver of the privileges and immunities of The World Bank, all of which are specifically reserved. Rights and Permissions. This work is subject to copyright. Because The World Bank encourages dissemination of its knowledge, this work may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for noncom ...

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - The report assesses technologies to expedite the measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) process for jurisdictional scale REDD+ programs, focusing on improving efficiency, accuracy, scalability, and timing [22][21] - Current MRV processes are lengthy and complex, leading to delays and uncertainties in verification of emission reductions and access to climate finance [21][23] - Suggested technological solutions include data management tools, LiDAR, SAR, and high-resolution satellite imagery to enhance consistency and accuracy [26][31] Summary by Sections I. Context - The MRV cycle under the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) and BioCarbon Fund Initiative for Sustainable Forest Landscapes (ISFL) is prolonged, often taking years to become functional [30][31] - Key challenges include lack of methodological consistency, high costs, and over-reliance on optical satellite imagery [31][32] II. Implementation - The report explores the use of high-quality in situ data and innovative technologies to improve biomass estimation and data integration [55][61] - Collaboration with organizations like the European Space Agency and California Polytechnic University was leveraged to assess the viability of technologies [52][11] III. Digital Architecture Solutions - A centralized cloud service combined with a decentralized "data lake" is proposed to address data integration challenges [27][42] - The report emphasizes the need for a data lake to store large volumes of raw data and facilitate data processing and analysis [74][78] Recommendations - Incorporation of technologies to expedite MRV processes is recommended, with careful consideration of existing systems and country-specific needs [28][29] - Development of a policy framework informed by the Global Forest Observations Initiative's CALM framework is suggested for assessing and incorporating technology [29][30]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry under study. Core Insights - The presence of tax authority officers did not significantly impact overall tax compliance and morale among SMEs in Tanzania, although there were short-term increases in compliance in Dar es Salaam and sustained increases in tax morale elsewhere [5][16][66] - The study highlights the challenges of enforcing tax compliance among SMEs, particularly in a context where many businesses remain informal and tax contributions are minimal [10][12][26] - The findings suggest that increased visibility of tax officials may enhance perceived credibility of enforcement rather than trust in the tax system itself [17][18] Summary by Sections Introduction - The report discusses the challenges of taxing SMEs in Tanzania, emphasizing the limited fiscal gains and high enforcement costs associated with compliance [10][12] - It outlines a field experiment conducted to assess the impact of increased local presence of tax officials on SME tax compliance and morale [10][11] Context - Tanzania's economy is heavily reliant on agriculture, with a significant portion of the workforce engaged in informal sectors, leading to low tax revenue [25][26] - The tax-to-GDP ratio in Tanzania is relatively low at 11.4%, indicating structural challenges in tax collection, particularly among small businesses [26][30] Study Design - The study involved a sample of 1,210 SMEs across various sectors, with a randomized controlled trial design to assess the impact of tax officials' presence during surveys [32][35] - The data collection included both survey responses and administrative tax records to evaluate compliance behavior [39][50] Results - The presence of tax officials led to an increase in tax morale, particularly outside Dar es Salaam, but did not significantly affect compliance rates overall [16][66] - In the Eastern zone, there was a notable increase in both the likelihood of payment and the amount paid immediately following the intervention, while the Southern zone showed a decrease in compliance in subsequent quarters [66][67] - The study indicates that while tax morale improved, the actual compliance behavior did not show consistent positive changes across all regions [62][66] Conclusion - The report concludes that while the intervention provided insights into taxpayer behavior and attitudes, the overall impact on compliance was mixed, suggesting the need for further research to understand the dynamics of tax morale and compliance in the SME sector [18][71]

Public Disclosure Authorized Issue #2 | February 2025 Summary: The Red Sea crisis has emerged as a critical flashpoint of the conflict in the Middle East, upending global trade and maritime transport, port activity in the MENA region, and ecological balance of the Red Sea. By end-2024, about a year after the onset of the crisis, vessel traffic through the strategic Suez Canal and Bab El-Mandeb Strait—which used to carry 30 percent of world container traffic—had plummeted by three-fourths, forcing ships to d ...

Approach Paper Indonesia Country Program Evaluation January 15, 2025 1. Evaluation Purpose and Audience 1.1 This Country Program Evaluation (CPE) will assess the performance of the World Bank Group's support to Indonesia between FY 2013 and FY23. The evaluation will focus on the Bank Group's contribution to help Indonesia tackle key long-term development challenges and position the country toward its goal of reaching high- income status by 2045. The evaluation period spans three country strategies—the FY13– ...

Approach Paper An Evaluation of the World Bank Group Strategy for Fragility, Conflict, and Violence 2020–25 January 14, 2025 1. Background and Context 1.1 Fragility, conflicts, and displacement have increased over the past decade. Geopolitical tensions and risks are at their highest in decades. Within this complex and rapidly changing context, the global fragility landscape has worsened significantly. The world has been experiencing a record number of violent conflicts since 1946 (figure 1.1), and conflicts ...

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - The study investigates the impact of corporate tax incentives, specifically focusing on the phasing out of a significant income tax exemption for export-oriented firms in Tunisia, revealing that the reform led to a 20% decline in the entry of new offshore firms without affecting employment, revenue, or wage bills of existing firms [4][15][19] - The findings challenge the conventional belief that tax incentives are crucial for attracting investments, suggesting that other factors may play a more significant role in economic activity [4][20][24] Summary by Sections Introduction - Tax incentives are widely used to attract investment, with 87% of surveyed developing economies having at least one type of corporate income tax exemption [9] - In 2021, tax relief schemes accounted for 1.4% of global GDP and 7.8% of global tax revenues [9] Institutional Context and Policy Background - Tunisia's offshore regime provided significant tax benefits, costing up to 6.8% of GDP in foregone tax revenues in 2013 [27][28] - The 2014 corporate tax reform aimed to harmonize tax treatment between offshore and onshore firms, raising the CIT rate for offshore firms from 0% to 10% [29][33] Data and Descriptive Statistics - The analysis uses administrative records from Tunisian registered firms, focusing on approximately 198,000 firms, with 22,660 classified as offshore [40][42] - Offshore firms represent about 20% of total firms but account for a disproportionate share of economic activity, particularly in manufacturing [52] Empirical Strategy - A differences-in-differences approach is employed to assess the impact of the CIT reform, comparing outcomes of offshore and onshore firms before and after the reform [58][59] Effects of the 2014 Offshore Tax Reform - The number of offshore firms grew at a slower rate post-reform, with a significant drop in new entrants, while the onshore sector continued to expand [66][68] - Despite the decline in the number of offshore firms, there was no significant decrease in aggregate economic activity, as existing firms maintained their performance [70]