Junior Researcher

Dr. Donald Makoka
 
 
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Risk, Risk Management and Vulnerability to Poverty in Rural Malawi

Vulnerability to poverty in Malawi is highly associated with risk. Households face multiple shocks, most of which threaten their livelihoods and impact negatively on their welfare. The main objective of this investigation is to undertake an operational risk and vulnerability assessment at household level.
Specifically, the study has the following objectives:
1. To identify the determinants of household vulnerability in rural Malawi;
2. To test for the existence of household consumption smoothing as an insurance mechanism against idiosyncratic shocks;
3. To analyze households' coping mechanisms for different shocks and identify the determinants of these mechanisms.

Despite the lack of panel data in Malawi for an ideal vulnerability assessment, the methodology of Christiaensen and Subbarao (2004) will be explored using a two-period panel data coupled with data on shocks. The first set of data will be drawn from the Malawi Second Integrated Household Survey (IHS2) while the second set will be primary data collected through a follow-up of the same households.

This work is expected to come up with a better understanding of the role of risk in influencing vulnerability to poverty among rural households in Malawi.
Department ZEF B: Department of Economic and Technological Change
Research areas - Growth, Inequality and Poverty
- Institutions and Strategic Groups
- Natural Resources, Conflict and Vulnerability
Research countries - Malawi
Research topic Risk, Risk Management and Vulnerability to Poverty at Household Level in Malawi
Contacts The World Bank,
Poverty Reduction and Economic Management,
AFTP1,
1818H Street NW,
Washington, DC 20433,
USA
Degrees PhD (Economics), 2008, University of Hannover, GERMANY

Master of Arts (Economics), 2003, University of Malawi, MALAWI

Bachelor of Social Science (Economics), 2000, University of Malawi, MALAWI
Professional experience 1. Consultant (Economist), World Bank, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management AFTP1, Washington, DC. USA (current)

2. Research Fellow, Centre for Agricultural Research and Development, University of Malawi; (2004-present)

3. Lecturer in Economics, Bunda College of Agriculture, University of Malawi; (2004-present)

4. Research Economist, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT-Malawi) (2003-2004)
Financially supported by BMZ via DAAD & GTZ
Publications

Makoka, D. 2008. Risk, Risk Management and Vulnerbility to Poverty in Rural Malawi. Cuvillier Verlang, Göttingen, 2003.

Makoka, D., B. Kaluwa and P. Kambewa. 2007. The Demand for Private Health Insurance in Malawi. University of Malawi, Department of economics, Working Paper, 2007/02:
Download [PDF | 252 KB]

Makoka, D., P. Kambewa and B. Kambewa. 2007. Demand for Private Health Insurance where Public Health Services are Free: The Case of Malawi. Journal of Applied Science 7(21): 3268-3273, 2007,
Download [PDF | 407 KB]

Makoka, D. 2005. The Emergence of Supermarkets in Malawi: Implications for Agrifood Markets and the Small Farmer. In: Takane, T. (eds.): Agricultural and Rural Development in Malawi: Macro and Micro Perspectives, A.R. Series No.11/2005.
Download [PDF | 145 KB]

 
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