UGBS and CEGA host Development Policy Evaluation and African Political Economy Conference.
The University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) and the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) at the University of California, Berkeley, hosted a conference on Development Policy Evaluation and African Political Economy on 20th March 2024. The conference was under the theme, “Methods Session on Impact Evaluation for Graduate Students”. Prof. Chris Udry, a Professor of Development Economics at the University of Northwestern, USA, was the keynote speaker and UGBS Senior Lecturer from the Department of Finance, Dr. Edward Asiedu, served as the facilitator.
Prof. Udry’s delivery focused on income effects in development economics. He discussed the negative impact of transfers on labour supply and the links between income, nutrition, and productivity. The discussion delved into the Multidimensional Graduation Programme (GUP) and its impact on income and labour dynamics. Prof. Udry also presented key findings indicating that GUP beneficiaries experienced higher incomes without sacrificing leisure time or reducing labour supply.
A significant aspect highlighted was the gender-targeted nature of the GUP which highlighted how socioeconomic gaps can be filled to empower marginalised communities. The knowledge exchange conference ended with an engaging question-and-answer segment.