Growth and Poverty in Burkina Faso: A Reassessment of the Paradox

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Periodical article

Title:	Growth and Poverty in Burkina Faso: A Reassessment of the Paradox
Authors:	Grimm, Michael Günther, Isabel
Year:	2007
Periodical:	Journal of African Economies
Volume:	16
Issue:	1
Period:	January
Pages:	70-101
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Burkina Faso
Subjects:	poverty economic development Economics and Trade
External link:	https://jae.oxfordjournals.org/content/16/1/70.full.pdf
Abstract:	Previous poverty assessments of Burkina Faso neglected some important methodological issues. They were therefore misleading and led to the so-called 'Burkinabè Growth-Poverty Paradox', i.e., increasing poverty despite sustained macroeconomic growth and constant inequality. The authors estimate that poverty significantly decreased between 1994 and 2003, i.e., growth was in contrast to what previous poverty estimates suggested 'pro-poor'. However, the authors also demonstrate that between 1994 and 1998, poverty indeed increased despite a good macroeconomic performance. This was caused by a severe drought and the devaluation of the CFA Franc, which led to a profound deterioration of the purchasing power of the poor, an issue, which was also overseen by previous studies. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract]