Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) have gained prominence in the pursuit of sustainable development. These standards are believed to help achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goals. However, assessing the true impact of these standards on smallholder coffee farmers remains a challenge. 

An IGC study conducted in Ethiopia's Sidama region sheds light on the economic implications of VSS certification for smallholder coffee producers. In this podcast, we discuss the study's findings and their significance in promoting sustainable farming practices and improving smallholder farmers’ livelihoods.

Sustaining Ethiopian Coffee Through VSS

Simplifying and digitalising tax systems

This seminar delves into new research examining Rules of Origin (ROO) and their impact on African trade. The researcher investigates how ROO affect domestic and regional value-added in African exports. Using disaggregated trade data, the study estimates optimal ROO restrictiveness levels for maximizing value-added in African preferential exports. Findings show significant variations across countries, from 26% domestic content for Uganda and Kenya to 78% for South Africa.

Value-Added in African Exports and Rules of Origin

Air pollution is one of the most serious threats to health and economies of our time but in Bangladesh, where air pollution is high, the demand for air purifiers is low.  

In 2024, the International Growth Centre's Bangladesh Country Team launched a research project to understand why and to promote the adoption of air purifiers as a way to tackle indoor air pollution in Dhaka through policy change. 

Following the presentation of this research to an inter-ministerial meeting on air pollution in Bangladesh, action has been taken. The Minister of Environment has committed to working with IGC to reduce taxes on air purifiers. The National Board of Revenue has publicly announced that they have decided to reduce some taxes and provide exemptions on taxes applied to air purifiers - news that reduces the overall tax burden on air purifier imports from 59% to 32% and gained national media interest. 

Listen to this podcast to find out more about how changes such as these could make air purifiers more affordable and more accessible to the public. 


combating-air-pollution-in-dhaka

GMT20250507-130021_Recording

500 to 600m away from the sea. Between 500-600m away from the sea before I build the house. But the sea approached steadily, steadily. Starting about five years back, everything got swept.

You see the ground here, you see that ground, can you see further? They were protecting the sea from Keta side. That wall, and when the previous government came, they refused to continue, that was the last point of the ground. And it destroyed all these places. It’s going to Togo. They are also Ewe. You know of history of the area. 

I don’t have a house anymore.

Chief Fisherman in Salakope, Ghana I (short)

Chief Fisherman in Salakope, Ghana (full)

This is a story about unlocking the power of data in Zambia.

High-quality data is crucial to effective policymaking. With it, you have a clearer picture of a community's needs and a better basis for decision-making. Without it, you risk negative and unforeseen consequences. 

Since 2023, the International Growth Centre, or IGC, and government of Zambia, have been exploring a new way to help shift Zambia's public sector towards more sustained, informed decision-making with data. 

This started with a research project to map the government of Zambia's data landscape. IGC Zambia interviewed and conducted surveys with over 10 government ministries. They used the findings to demonstrate how structured data management could support policymaking, and created the concept of the Zambia Evidence Lab.  

Then, the Ministry of Finance and National Planning announced that they would establish the Lab - an outcome of the data mapping study. And following support from the Presidential Delivery Unit, and the Secretary to the Treasury, the Ministry of Finance formally launched the Lab at the 2024 Zambia Economic Growth Forum. 

By November, the Zambia Evidence Lab was up and running as a collaboration between the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, Zambia Statistics Agency, and the IGC. 

Today, the Lab is embedded within the Ministry, with staff producing data dashboards, policy evaluations, and more - drawing on the IGC's global academic network.  

The Lab's ongoing work marks an important step in the democratisation of data and realising its potential for positive change in Zambia.

Unlocking the Power of Data in Zambia

The Economic Growth Forum, or EGF,  was founded on the idea that transformational change requires bridging the gap between Uganda’s researchers and the policymakers shaping national decisions. Facing ongoing economic challenges, the government sought to make economic planning more evidence-based and effective. To help bridge this gap, the International Growth Centre (or IGC) partnered with the Ugandan finance ministry to launch the Forum in 2017.

Since then, the Forum, supported by the IGC, has become Uganda’s leading platform for bringing together government, researchers, civil society, international partners, and the private sector. It provides a space to share evidence, reflect on growth trends, and co-create practical solutions to Uganda’s most pressing economic challenges.

Over nine editions, the Forum has hosted more than 70 distinguished academics and policymakers, with over 110 presentations on key growth topics. The EGF has helped shape major reforms and budget debates, generating more than 30 recommendations that have fed into policy or practice. Evidence presented at the Forum has also influenced many strategic decisions, in areas as varied as taxation, tourism and agriculture.

By convening diverse voices, the EGF ensures that decision-making is grounded in cutting-edge evidence and builds consensus on strategies to drive inclusive and sustainable growth. Local researchers now work directly with senior officials, climate change is being integrated into national strategies, and government plans are increasingly evidence-based, helping build a more resilient and inclusive economy for the future.

Revitalising Uganda's Economy: The Economic Growth Forum

This podcast, hosted by the International Growth Centre (IGC) discusses how climate change intersects with tax and fragility. The moderated discussion features two prominent IGC economists who discuss the main problems for developing countries affected by climate change and how they can move towards paths for growth. 

Beyond COP30: The next big questions for climate economics

The International Growth Centre (IGC) works with policymakers in developing countries to promote inclusive and sustainable growth through pathbreaking research.