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Economic Opportunities for a Better Future

8 November 2016

DEGRP / AERC conference, Nairobi 2016 image

In October, Professor Maureen Mackintosh was invited to Nairobi to speak at the DEGRP / AERC conference Economic Opportunities for a Better Future: Leveraging Agriculture, Innovation and Financial Inclusion.

Although economies in sub-Saharan Africa continue to grow, employment remains dominated by agriculture with insufficient jobs being generated to address the coming youth bulge. The panel in which Maureen took part, Transforming Economies for Employment Generation: The Role of Industrial Policy, thus presented and discussed specific examples of how industrial policy can be used to transform economies while at the same time creating jobs.

Maureen’s presentation was based on Industrial Productivity, Health Sector Performance and Policy Synergies for Inclusive Growth: A Study in Tanzania and Kenya, a DEGRP research project that she led working with Tanzanian and Kenyan colleagues. Arguing that there are innovative synergies to be exploited between health and industrial policies in both countries, the project explored the nature of these win-win opportunities and identified policies that can help contribute to faster and more inclusive growth.

Professor Samuel Wangwe (previous Director of REPOA), who led the industrial side of the project in Tanzania, also attended the conference to speak on the panel Innovation and Productivity at the Micro Level. The unmet need for essential medicines and supplies in both countries represents a huge unexploited opportunity for local manufacturers. For this to be seized, however, industrial policies need to support a step-change in local capabilities. Policies recommended include revising tax and duties to make local production more attractive; working with donors to support step-up in technological capabilities; pricing policies that – given infrastructure weaknesses and dumping episodes – ensure scope for profitable local supply of basic items; and public investments in technical training and support.

On the health sector side, innovative procurement policies would reduce reliance on Asian suppliers and lower the barriers to entry for local firms with the aim of expanding local sourcing, strengthening supply chains and increasing access to reliable, good quality medicines and medical supplies for all.

You can download Maureen's PP presentation, watch a podcast of Transforming Economies for Employment Generation: The Role of Industrial Policy – the panel in which she took part – or view her interview about the win-win situation of improving health care and industrial growth at the same time. A full playlist of conference highlights is also available on YouTube.

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