core sector communique

 

Updated Poverty Maps key to well targeted resource allocation at local level

Updated Poverty Maps launched at Rajshahi Division

 

BAGURA, October 08, 2008: The updated Poverty Maps are useful for prioritization and programming of policy interventions and resource allocations at the local level through estimating the incidence of poverty at Zilas and Upazilas.

The speakers today at the regional launching workshop stressed the need for regular updating of the poverty maps to reflect the gains and inequalities created by rapid economic growth or external shocks from natural disasters. The World Bank, World Food Programme (WFP) and the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) jointly organized the workshop.

After a successful dissemination of the new Poverty Maps in Dhaka in April 2009, it was felt that the updated maps needed to be introduced at local level as an input for development planning and resource allocation. The local level dissemination started at Rajshahi division today and will continue to other divisions, particularly in Barisal and Khulna in the coming months.

The World Bank in collaboration with WFP and BBS updated the Poverty Maps for Bangladesh, which were first released at Dhaka on 2nd April 2009. Since then the Government, development partners, UN agencies, NGOs and other national and international development agencies are using the updated poverty maps to target and allocate resources to programmes aimed at reducing poverty and food insecurity.

“The poverty maps can be very useful tools in resource allocation and area prioritization at local level, hence improving our development programmes and maximizing their impacts” said Md. Hafizur Rahman Bhuiyan, the Commissioner of Rajshahi Division while opening the workshop.

Representatives from BBS, WFP, World Bank, Deputy Commissioners, UNOs, local level government officials, upazila chairmen, local NGOs and journalists attended the workshop.

“World Bank is particularly happy to produce and disseminate the updated poverty maps in collaboration with Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and World Food Programme (WFP)” said Sanjay Kathuria, Lead Country Economist, World Bank “The updated poverty maps are capable of identifying pockets of severe poverty that might otherwise get overlooked. These data will be very helpful to plan and better target resources for poverty reduction.”

The first session of the workshop discussed how the poverty maps were produced and their practical uses followed by a discussion on spatial pattern and causes of poverty in Rajshahi division. In the technical session, the participants explored how the poverty maps using other information such as educational attainments and natural hazards can be used for programming of local resources for poverty alleviation.