Breaking Myths: Surprising Insights from 2024’s Development Economics Research

By challenging old narratives and exploring new evidence, VoxDev has illuminated the complexities of development economics, helping policymakers and researchers rethink their approaches to some of the world's most pressing challenges. If you are teaching or studying Development Economics as part of your A-Level course, this blog comes highly recommended. Ten key insights from development economics research in 2024

Here are some the the key lessons:

1. Evidence Alone Won’t Change the World

The world has produced over 1.4 million papers on cash transfers over four decades. Yet, debates often remain stagnant. This paradox, highlighted by Ugo Gentilini, underscores the need for better communication of research findings. Effective evidence dissemination, collaborative policymaking, and addressing political constraints are essential for converting academic findings into actionable policy.

2. Economic Growth Increases Migration

A long-standing assumption in global aid circles is that promoting economic growth in developing countries will curb migration. Yet, evidence from Clemens and Mendola flips this notion. Their data reveals that rising incomes often enable more people to migrate, challenging the justification of foreign aid as a migration-control tool. Instead, aid policymakers must acknowledge that economic development reshapes aspirations, not just constraints.

3. The Philippines: A Case of “Brain Gain”

Contrary to the "brain drain" narrative, migration doesn’t always deplete skills in developing countries. In the Philippines, opportunities for nurses to migrate abroad led to an increase in domestic nursing graduates. Migration pathways not only spurred education but also funneled remittance-fueled investments back into local communities. This story offers hope for rethinking migration policies in other nations.

4. Fertility Patterns Challenge Simplistic Assumptions

Why do African women continue to have high numbers of children despite better access to contraception? Research from Burkina Faso suggests fertility aligns with family preferences rather than lack of access. Meanwhile, evidence from Namibia shows that economic security policies, like social pensions, can reduce fertility. These insights remind us that fertility decisions are deeply tied to socio-economic stability.

5. Feeding Minds: The Case for School Meals

The benefits of school feeding programs go beyond attendance. Evidence from Colombia and India shows that providing school meals boosts long-term learning outcomes, high school graduation rates, and tertiary education enrollment. With over 200 million children still out of school globally, initiatives like these are critical to improving educational quality and equity.

6. Beyond Attendance: The Learning Crisis

Getting children into schools is no longer the biggest challenge. A global learning crisis persists, with millions failing to achieve basic literacy and numeracy. Conditional cash transfers and midday meal programs have made progress on attendance, but now the focus must shift to effective teaching methods, targeted interventions, and evidence-based curriculum improvements.

7. The Dormant Potential of African Agriculture

Smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa are stuck with low yields, partly due to a lack of knowledge about seeds and fertilization. Addressing inefficiencies and investing in agricultural research and development are urgent. Without these changes, Africa’s agricultural sector will struggle to keep pace with food demand and economic potential.

8. Climate Mitigation and Poverty Reduction: A Win-Win?

Can we combat climate change and alleviate poverty simultaneously? Evidence from the Philippines suggests yes. The National Greening Program created jobs while sequestering carbon. Such initiatives demonstrate the power of integrating economic and environmental goals, particularly when voluntary carbon markets are harnessed to fund local development.