POVERTY PROFILE OF THE GAMBIA

Expert Group Meeting on Enhancing National Capacities of OIC Member

Countries in Poverty Statistics on 07-08 August 2014 in Ankara, Turkey

BY LAMIN L DIBBA

GAMBIA BUREAU OF STATISTICS

- Poverty Studies / Assessments

- Poverty Levels / Trends

- Poverty and active population

- Challenges

- Way Forward

OUTLINE

Four main such studies/assessments

1998 Food Poverty Study

2003 Integrated Household Survey

2008 Poverty Assessment

2010 Integrated Household Survey

Poverty studies/assessments

From the 1998 Food Poverty study, 69% of the population were registered to be poor.

Food poverty fell by 11 percentage points to 58% in 2003 (IHS 2003).

Overall poverty was 55.5% in 2008 (Poverty Assessment 2008).

In the IHS 2010, two thresholds were used:<$1.00 per person per day , incidence of poverty

was 36.7% and <$1.25 per person per day , incidence of poverty

was 48.4%

Poverty Levels/Trend

Depth of poverty increased for both thresholds between 2003 and 2010 (the two IHSs).

For the <$1.00 threshold, depth of poverty increased from 20.8% in 2003 to 21.8% in 2010

The corresponding figures for the upper poverty line are 25.1 per cent and 27.9

Poverty Levels/Trend

According to the 2010 IHS, the incidence and depth of poverty is lower for female headed households.

38% of female headed households live under less than 1.25 dollar per day compared to 50.9% of male headed households

For <$1.00 threshold, the corresponding figures are 28.2% and 38.8% respectively

Poverty Levels/Trend

Proportion of the active population living below the $1.25 poverty line

  Male Female Total

Age group

15 - 2425 - 2930 - 3435 - 3940 - 4445 - 4950 - 5455 - 5960 - 64

493532313434354144

484337414538454044

494035363936394044

Total 37 42 40

Poverty and the active population

Key challenges of poverty measurement are:

Data problem (Quality)

Finance

Human capacity

CHALLENGES

Data availability Data collection issuesCoverage issuesContent issues Responses about income are inaccurate Data management issues

Data Problem

No set budget for conducting poverty studies Done only when requested, usually within work

programs of UNDP Expansion of the scope and coverage of future poverty

studies i.e Increase sample size. Lack of funds for specialized training of local persons in

poverty studies and analysis. Improve incentive for sustenance of highly trained and

qualified persons.

Financial issues

There is no capacity within the system for poverty analysis

The previous studies/assessments were done by outside experts

No proper transfer of knowledge

Attrition of the few with some sort of skills

Human capacity issues

Internal efforts are required for: Improving the data quality Improving data availability Improving the understanding level of respondents on

the need for accurate data External efforts are required for:Short term capacity improvement in poverty analysisLong term training of personnel in poverty

measurement and analysisAssisting in maintaining the capacity: retention

Way forward