Poverty Maps: Uses and Poverty Maps: Uses and CaveatsCaveats

Tara VishwanathTara Vishwanath

Lead EconomistLead Economist

World Bank World Bank

Uses of Poverty MapsUses of Poverty Maps

• A visual illustration of estimated poverty A visual illustration of estimated poverty indices at DS division level or below indices at DS division level or below (currently excluding N-E region due to lack (currently excluding N-E region due to lack of data) of data)

• Further benefits from overlaying poverty Further benefits from overlaying poverty maps with other GIS infomaps with other GIS info

• Making a case for reform initiativesMaking a case for reform initiatives• Identifying Identifying broadbroad policy priorities for policy priorities for

reducing poverty and inequalityreducing poverty and inequality• CaveatsCaveats

Poverty maps and GIS Poverty maps and GIS information in Sri Lankainformation in Sri Lanka• Poverty mapsPoverty maps

– Headcount ratios at DS division level and below - Headcount ratios at DS division level and below - starkly identifies the pockets of povertystarkly identifies the pockets of poverty•Pockets of severe poverty in the least poor district - Pockets of severe poverty in the least poor district -

ColomboColombo•Headcount ratio versus population of the poor: Headcount ratio versus population of the poor:

important for designing poverty programs. important for designing poverty programs. – Overlaying other GIS information with poverty map Overlaying other GIS information with poverty map

can be very instructivecan be very instructive•Remoteness and Poverty MapRemoteness and Poverty Map•Road Network and Poverty MapRoad Network and Poverty Map•Droughts and Poverty MapDroughts and Poverty Map•Food insecurity and Poverty MapFood insecurity and Poverty Map• Impacts of Tsunami and pre-tsunami PovertyImpacts of Tsunami and pre-tsunami Poverty

Poverty Map (Headcount Ratio) Accessibility Index

Uses of poverty maps in poverty Uses of poverty maps in poverty alleviation programs: International alleviation programs: International ExperienceExperience

– Many countries have experimented with different Many countries have experimented with different policy applications policy applications • NicaraguaNicaragua: Used poverty map to guide expansion of health : Used poverty map to guide expansion of health

services in especially poor areasservices in especially poor areas• South Africa: South Africa: Combined poverty map with GIS on safe water Combined poverty map with GIS on safe water

and a map of cholera outbreak (2001) to identify high risk areas and a map of cholera outbreak (2001) to identify high risk areas and devise protection mechanismsand devise protection mechanisms

• BrazilBrazil: The most comprehensive use of poverty map combined : The most comprehensive use of poverty map combined with GIS to inform poverty reduction initiatives (educational with GIS to inform poverty reduction initiatives (educational programs, providing safe water and sanitation for schools, programs, providing safe water and sanitation for schools, establishing health care teams, etc.)establishing health care teams, etc.)

• Guatemala and Panama: Guatemala and Panama: Combined poverty map with GIS of Combined poverty map with GIS of road network to devise a road strategy and identifying need for road network to devise a road strategy and identifying need for roads in poorest districtsroads in poorest districts

• CambodiaCambodia: Used the map to guide food aid (World Food Program : Used the map to guide food aid (World Food Program food aid (2001-02)) to alleviate food insecurity food aid (2001-02)) to alleviate food insecurity

Caveats Caveats

• Poverty maps indicate poverty correlates Poverty maps indicate poverty correlates (such as remoteness/droughts).(such as remoteness/droughts).– However, poverty maps do not identify causes However, poverty maps do not identify causes

of poverty of poverty – Therefore can help policy prioritization but not Therefore can help policy prioritization but not

actual policy designactual policy design• Poverty maps indicate geographic mis-Poverty maps indicate geographic mis-

targeting in poverty programs targeting in poverty programs – Useful for “motivating” the need for reform but Useful for “motivating” the need for reform but

not how to design the actual reformnot how to design the actual reform• For both, need further careful analyses with For both, need further careful analyses with

well-focused surveyswell-focused surveys

Example in Geographic Example in Geographic TargetingTargeting• Targeting transfers to poor areas (geographic Targeting transfers to poor areas (geographic

targeting) is a well known poverty alleviation targeting) is a well known poverty alleviation policypolicy

– Administratively simple but politically challenging Administratively simple but politically challenging • Poverty maps are considered to be very useful for Poverty maps are considered to be very useful for

aiding geographic targeting aiding geographic targeting – Higher resolution maps locate poorer areas betterHigher resolution maps locate poorer areas better– May even help build political consensus for May even help build political consensus for

geographic targeting (e.g., Panama) geographic targeting (e.g., Panama) • But:But: Maps Maps need to be combined with other need to be combined with other

informationinformation to determine criteria for eligibility and to determine criteria for eligibility and resource allocationresource allocation

Broader Issues in Geographic Broader Issues in Geographic TargetingTargeting

• Desirability of geographic targeting is still Desirability of geographic targeting is still an open questionan open question

• Resources to poor areas do not guarantee Resources to poor areas do not guarantee that benefits reach allthat benefits reach all

• Cost–benefit analysis of whether Cost–benefit analysis of whether geographic/individual or a combination of geographic/individual or a combination of both needs further investigation. both needs further investigation.

• Room to explore this question in the context Room to explore this question in the context of Welfare Reform in Sri Lankaof Welfare Reform in Sri Lanka

Other Applications for Sri Other Applications for Sri Lanka Lanka • Explore scope for using poverty maps to Explore scope for using poverty maps to

plan infrastructure investments-i.e., roadsplan infrastructure investments-i.e., roads• Overlaying poverty map with nutrition and Overlaying poverty map with nutrition and

health facility map could help to identify health facility map could help to identify policy levers for addressing malnutritionpolicy levers for addressing malnutrition

• Overlaying satellite images of service Overlaying satellite images of service facilities in focused areas like estates could facilities in focused areas like estates could be quite informativebe quite informative

• Scope for expanding and improving HIES for Scope for expanding and improving HIES for higher resolution maps. higher resolution maps.