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Papers by Josephine Tucker
This study evaluates the comparative advantages of public-private partnerships (PPPs) and (public... more This study evaluates the comparative advantages of public-private partnerships (PPPs) and (public-public partnerships) PuPs in urban water services. Based on literature analysis and case studies, past performance of PPPs and PuPs is reviewed against several criteria. Lessons are then identified regarding the barriers and enablers which determine the success of partnerships, and the kind of support donors could usefully provide. The study concludes that while the main determinant of performance is not public or private management but policy, institutions, finance and regulation, there are notable differences between what PPPs and PuPs can offer. In the right circumstances the private sector can improve in efficiency and management, but at high costs. PuPs generally have lower costs and greater focus on capacity building and equity, and have the potential to support more holistic approaches to urban services and the water cycle. Partnerships with local actors can also improve services...
Innovation platforms typically operate in a limited area: their own village or district. But agri... more Innovation platforms typically operate in a limited area: their own village or district. But agricultural constraints may exist at wider levels making local changes ineffectual. Introducing new agricultural practices in a village, for example, may not be enough if national policies prevent farmers from getting inputs. Improving farmer incomes may mean persuading a national supermarket to change its buying policy.
Achieving water security remains an elusive goal yet the benefits of investing in water, sanitati... more Achieving water security remains an elusive goal yet the benefits of investing in water, sanitation and hygiene to achieve basic water security and alleviate poverty are clear. Households benefit through a range of livelihood impacts; economies benefit from greater economic activity and over the longer-term, households and economies benefit through greater resilience to climate change and shocks. So why are governments and their development partners struggling to meet water and sanitation targets? What factors make it difficult to sustain services at scale? And how can policies and plans for delivering and sustaining services for poor people be strengthened in the face of multiple pressures, including climate change? This book addresses these questions and draws conclusions for policy and practice, linking findings with current international debates on service delivery in rural areas. This book should be read by government agencies, donor organisations and NGOs, as well as academics...
It is often argued that investments in water supply and sanitation (WSS) generate wide-ranging ec... more It is often argued that investments in water supply and sanitation (WSS) generate wide-ranging economic benefits. At the household level, improved access to WSS is expected to lead to significant improvements, not only in human health and welfare but also in levels of production and productivity. Because of these wide-ranging effects, investments in WSS are considered important instruments for poverty reduction but, while the expected benefits from investments in WSS are considerable, empirical evidence to support this remains quite limited. This study presents micro evidence, from a survey of 1500 households in Eastern Hararghe (Ethiopia), which enables a better understanding of the impacts of improved WSS access on health, timesaving and productive employment and poverty. Conclusions are drawn and policy implications discussed. We find that access to improved water supply has a strong statistical association with increased volume of water consumed per household and a decrease in t...
A study in three countries (Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Uganda) assessed progress against the Paris ... more A study in three countries (Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Uganda) assessed progress against the Paris Principles for Aid Effectiveness (AE) in three sectors – water, health and education – to test the assumption that the water sector is lagging behind. The findings show that it is too simplistic to say that the water sector is lagging, although this may well be the case in some countries. The study found that wider governance issues are more important for AE than having in place sector-specific mechanics such as Sector-Wide Approaches alone. National political leadership and governance are central drivers of sector AE, while national financial and procurement systems and the behaviour of actors who have not signed up to the Paris Principles – at both national and global levels – have implications for progress that cut across sectors. Sectors and sub-sectors do nonetheless have distinct features that must be considered in attempting to improve sector-level AE. In light of these findings, ...
Water Resources and Rural Development, 2014
Regional Environmental Change, 2014
This paper reviews the state of knowledge on social vulnerability to climate change in three hot ... more This paper reviews the state of knowledge on social vulnerability to climate change in three hot spots (deltas, semi-arid regions and snowpack-or glacier-fed river basins) in Africa, Central Asia and South Asia, using elements of systematic review methods. Social vulnerability is defined as a dynamic state of societies comprising exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. We examine whether the hot spots have specific characteristics that tend to increase or decrease social vulnerability, consider suitable scales of analysis for understanding vulnerability, and explore the conceptions of vulnerability adopted in the climate change literature and the nature of the insights this generates. Finally, we identify knowledge gaps in this literature. All three hot spots are characterized by high levels of natural resource dependence, with increasing environmental degradation. They also exhibit unequal policies and patterns of development, which benefit certain segments of society while making others more vulnerable. Vulnerability is driven by multiple factors operating at different scales; however, characterization of cross-scalar interactions is poorly developed in the majority of studies reviewed. Most studies are either large scale, such as broad comparisons of vulnerability across countries, or local, documenting community-level processes. Detailed understanding of the interactions between climate change impacts on natural systems, and socio-economic trajectories, including adaptation, also emerges as a knowledge gap.
Innovation and Development, 2014
Innovation systems thinking is increasingly influencing approaches to sustainable agricultural de... more Innovation systems thinking is increasingly influencing approaches to sustainable agricultural development in developing world contexts. This represents a shift away from technology transfer towards recognition that agricultural change entails complex interactions among multiple actors and a range of technical, social and institutional factors. One option for practically applying innovation systems thinking involves the establishment of innovation platforms (IPs). Such platforms are designed to bring together a variety of different stakeholders to exchange knowledge and resources and take action to solve common problems. Yet relatively little is known about how IPs operate in practice, particularly how power dynamics influence platform processes. This paper focuses on a research-for development project in the Ethiopian highlands which established three IPs for improved natural resource management. The ‘power cube’ is used to retrospectively analyse the spaces, forms and levels of power within these platforms and the impact on platform processes and resulting interventions. The overall aim is to highlight the importance of power issues in order to better assess the strengths and limitations of IPs as a model for inclusive innovation. Findings suggest that while IPs may achieve some short-term success in creating spaces for wider participation in decision-making processes, they may be significantly influenced by forms of power which may not always be visible or easily challenged.
Poverty Reduction and Pro-Poor Growth, 2012
Achieving Water Security, 2013
Achieving Water Security, 2013
Public Administration and Development, 2014
ABSTRACT This article discusses how decentralisation policies are enacted in the planning and imp... more ABSTRACT This article discusses how decentralisation policies are enacted in the planning and implementation of natural resource management interventions in rural Ethiopia. A key element of decentralisation policy is the emphasis on greater participation by local communities. Drawing on qualitative research conducted with government staff and farmers, this paper illustrates how different actors perceive and implement national policy and how these actions affect the longer-term sustainability of land management interventions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Castanea, 2008
Seed source, absence of favorable microhabitat conditions, and presence of competitors, predators... more Seed source, absence of favorable microhabitat conditions, and presence of competitors, predators or allelochemicals are among the many factors that may limit the germination of viable seeds. We conducted six field, growth chamber, and veranda experiments to investigate the effects of seed source, physical or chemical presence of cooccurring species, and litter presence on germination percentages of the Florida scrub endemic Liatris ohlingerae. This perennial herb produces many seeds but recruits few seedlings. Germination percentages were similar when seeds from scrub and roadside habitats were sown into their own and the contrasting habitat. We found no evidence of chemical inhibition from a co-occurring terrestrial lichen or from the allelopathic Florida rosemary (Ceratiola ericoides), the dominant shrub in the habitat preferred by L. ohlingerae. However, germination was higher in shallow than in deep litter, and was suppressed by litter from oaks and pines compared to litter from Florida rosemary. In one experiment, higher levels of post-sowing seed predation closer to Florida rosemary shrubs limited germination. Germination of intact L. ohlingerae seeds generally exceeded 60% under a range of field and lab conditions. High field germination percentages within a few weeks of sowing suggest that L. ohlingerae does not maintain a sizeable persistent seed bank. Low seedling recruitment in this endangered plant is not likely caused by poor seed germination. *
This report assesses the feasibility of a financing model, Progress-Linked Finance (PLF), designe... more This report assesses the feasibility of a financing model, Progress-Linked Finance (PLF), designed to incentivise and support water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) service providers to meet the needs of poor urban residents in a financially sustainable manner. Under the PLF model, international financing institutions (potentially including multilaterals, bilaterals, and foundations) would enter into commitment agreements with urban WASH service providers, notably utilities and municipalities.
This study evaluates the comparative advantages of public-private partnerships (PPPs) and (public... more This study evaluates the comparative advantages of public-private partnerships (PPPs) and (public-public partnerships) PuPs in urban water services. Based on literature analysis and case studies, past performance of PPPs and PuPs is reviewed against several criteria. Lessons are then identified regarding the barriers and enablers which determine the success of partnerships, and the kind of support donors could usefully provide. The study concludes that while the main determinant of performance is not public or private management but policy, institutions, finance and regulation, there are notable differences between what PPPs and PuPs can offer. In the right circumstances the private sector can improve in efficiency and management, but at high costs. PuPs generally have lower costs and greater focus on capacity building and equity, and have the potential to support more holistic approaches to urban services and the water cycle. Partnerships with local actors can also improve services...
Innovation platforms typically operate in a limited area: their own village or district. But agri... more Innovation platforms typically operate in a limited area: their own village or district. But agricultural constraints may exist at wider levels making local changes ineffectual. Introducing new agricultural practices in a village, for example, may not be enough if national policies prevent farmers from getting inputs. Improving farmer incomes may mean persuading a national supermarket to change its buying policy.
Achieving water security remains an elusive goal yet the benefits of investing in water, sanitati... more Achieving water security remains an elusive goal yet the benefits of investing in water, sanitation and hygiene to achieve basic water security and alleviate poverty are clear. Households benefit through a range of livelihood impacts; economies benefit from greater economic activity and over the longer-term, households and economies benefit through greater resilience to climate change and shocks. So why are governments and their development partners struggling to meet water and sanitation targets? What factors make it difficult to sustain services at scale? And how can policies and plans for delivering and sustaining services for poor people be strengthened in the face of multiple pressures, including climate change? This book addresses these questions and draws conclusions for policy and practice, linking findings with current international debates on service delivery in rural areas. This book should be read by government agencies, donor organisations and NGOs, as well as academics...
It is often argued that investments in water supply and sanitation (WSS) generate wide-ranging ec... more It is often argued that investments in water supply and sanitation (WSS) generate wide-ranging economic benefits. At the household level, improved access to WSS is expected to lead to significant improvements, not only in human health and welfare but also in levels of production and productivity. Because of these wide-ranging effects, investments in WSS are considered important instruments for poverty reduction but, while the expected benefits from investments in WSS are considerable, empirical evidence to support this remains quite limited. This study presents micro evidence, from a survey of 1500 households in Eastern Hararghe (Ethiopia), which enables a better understanding of the impacts of improved WSS access on health, timesaving and productive employment and poverty. Conclusions are drawn and policy implications discussed. We find that access to improved water supply has a strong statistical association with increased volume of water consumed per household and a decrease in t...
A study in three countries (Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Uganda) assessed progress against the Paris ... more A study in three countries (Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Uganda) assessed progress against the Paris Principles for Aid Effectiveness (AE) in three sectors – water, health and education – to test the assumption that the water sector is lagging behind. The findings show that it is too simplistic to say that the water sector is lagging, although this may well be the case in some countries. The study found that wider governance issues are more important for AE than having in place sector-specific mechanics such as Sector-Wide Approaches alone. National political leadership and governance are central drivers of sector AE, while national financial and procurement systems and the behaviour of actors who have not signed up to the Paris Principles – at both national and global levels – have implications for progress that cut across sectors. Sectors and sub-sectors do nonetheless have distinct features that must be considered in attempting to improve sector-level AE. In light of these findings, ...
Water Resources and Rural Development, 2014
Regional Environmental Change, 2014
This paper reviews the state of knowledge on social vulnerability to climate change in three hot ... more This paper reviews the state of knowledge on social vulnerability to climate change in three hot spots (deltas, semi-arid regions and snowpack-or glacier-fed river basins) in Africa, Central Asia and South Asia, using elements of systematic review methods. Social vulnerability is defined as a dynamic state of societies comprising exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. We examine whether the hot spots have specific characteristics that tend to increase or decrease social vulnerability, consider suitable scales of analysis for understanding vulnerability, and explore the conceptions of vulnerability adopted in the climate change literature and the nature of the insights this generates. Finally, we identify knowledge gaps in this literature. All three hot spots are characterized by high levels of natural resource dependence, with increasing environmental degradation. They also exhibit unequal policies and patterns of development, which benefit certain segments of society while making others more vulnerable. Vulnerability is driven by multiple factors operating at different scales; however, characterization of cross-scalar interactions is poorly developed in the majority of studies reviewed. Most studies are either large scale, such as broad comparisons of vulnerability across countries, or local, documenting community-level processes. Detailed understanding of the interactions between climate change impacts on natural systems, and socio-economic trajectories, including adaptation, also emerges as a knowledge gap.
Innovation and Development, 2014
Innovation systems thinking is increasingly influencing approaches to sustainable agricultural de... more Innovation systems thinking is increasingly influencing approaches to sustainable agricultural development in developing world contexts. This represents a shift away from technology transfer towards recognition that agricultural change entails complex interactions among multiple actors and a range of technical, social and institutional factors. One option for practically applying innovation systems thinking involves the establishment of innovation platforms (IPs). Such platforms are designed to bring together a variety of different stakeholders to exchange knowledge and resources and take action to solve common problems. Yet relatively little is known about how IPs operate in practice, particularly how power dynamics influence platform processes. This paper focuses on a research-for development project in the Ethiopian highlands which established three IPs for improved natural resource management. The ‘power cube’ is used to retrospectively analyse the spaces, forms and levels of power within these platforms and the impact on platform processes and resulting interventions. The overall aim is to highlight the importance of power issues in order to better assess the strengths and limitations of IPs as a model for inclusive innovation. Findings suggest that while IPs may achieve some short-term success in creating spaces for wider participation in decision-making processes, they may be significantly influenced by forms of power which may not always be visible or easily challenged.
Poverty Reduction and Pro-Poor Growth, 2012
Achieving Water Security, 2013
Achieving Water Security, 2013
Public Administration and Development, 2014
ABSTRACT This article discusses how decentralisation policies are enacted in the planning and imp... more ABSTRACT This article discusses how decentralisation policies are enacted in the planning and implementation of natural resource management interventions in rural Ethiopia. A key element of decentralisation policy is the emphasis on greater participation by local communities. Drawing on qualitative research conducted with government staff and farmers, this paper illustrates how different actors perceive and implement national policy and how these actions affect the longer-term sustainability of land management interventions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Castanea, 2008
Seed source, absence of favorable microhabitat conditions, and presence of competitors, predators... more Seed source, absence of favorable microhabitat conditions, and presence of competitors, predators or allelochemicals are among the many factors that may limit the germination of viable seeds. We conducted six field, growth chamber, and veranda experiments to investigate the effects of seed source, physical or chemical presence of cooccurring species, and litter presence on germination percentages of the Florida scrub endemic Liatris ohlingerae. This perennial herb produces many seeds but recruits few seedlings. Germination percentages were similar when seeds from scrub and roadside habitats were sown into their own and the contrasting habitat. We found no evidence of chemical inhibition from a co-occurring terrestrial lichen or from the allelopathic Florida rosemary (Ceratiola ericoides), the dominant shrub in the habitat preferred by L. ohlingerae. However, germination was higher in shallow than in deep litter, and was suppressed by litter from oaks and pines compared to litter from Florida rosemary. In one experiment, higher levels of post-sowing seed predation closer to Florida rosemary shrubs limited germination. Germination of intact L. ohlingerae seeds generally exceeded 60% under a range of field and lab conditions. High field germination percentages within a few weeks of sowing suggest that L. ohlingerae does not maintain a sizeable persistent seed bank. Low seedling recruitment in this endangered plant is not likely caused by poor seed germination. *
This report assesses the feasibility of a financing model, Progress-Linked Finance (PLF), designe... more This report assesses the feasibility of a financing model, Progress-Linked Finance (PLF), designed to incentivise and support water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) service providers to meet the needs of poor urban residents in a financially sustainable manner. Under the PLF model, international financing institutions (potentially including multilaterals, bilaterals, and foundations) would enter into commitment agreements with urban WASH service providers, notably utilities and municipalities.