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As part of the regional consultations, case studies from local
CSOs are presented and discussed. See below for summaries of the
case studies during the consultation in South Asia.
Sri Lanka
Trade Policy in Sri Lanka
The case study from the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) in
Sri Lanka focuses on the area of linkages between research and policy
influence in the area of trade policy formulation. Trade policy
is formulated at 3 levels, namely: national level; bilateral/regional
level; and at the multilateral level under the World Trade Organization
(WTO). The study focuses primarily on research related to the bilateral/regional
level agreements on trade policy, drawing where necessary examples
of broader research impacts in areas of policy as well. The IPS
began to actively concentrate on the implications of trade agreements
on Sri Lanka's economy from its inception in 1995. IPS has only
produced one off reports, but has undertaken a continuous assessment
of the various agreements as they were negotiated. The key issues
examined were to assess whether such agreements are likely to result
in a net welfare gain or loss to the Sri Lankan economy and making
policy recommendations to adopt a more coherent framework in formulating
future agreements; in terms of countries selected, scope of liberalization,
etc. Dissemination of the research output has included published
reports and articles, presentation of papers at conferences, etc.
both locally and internationally. Recent examples of IPS representation
include that of the Macro and Trade Policy Framework Steering Committee
and the Task Force on Trade set up to drive the policy programme
of the government; involvement in the Trade and Tariff Cluster under
the National Council for Economic Development (NCED) etc. In policy
terms, it is difficult to attribute whether a particular research
output has led to any policy change per se. Nevertheless, this system
of consistent engagement has opened a certain degree of space for
the IPS to influence the policymaking process on trade issues in
Sri Lanka.
Evidence-Policy Link in the Alternative Energy Development Policies
in Sri Lanka
This case study from the Intermediate Technology Development
Group, Sri Lanka, describes how small scale energy projects implemented
in several villages and lessons learned from these endeavours helped
to promote the use of micro hydro schemes as a low cost alternative
source of energy in Sri Lanka. While demonstrating the viability
of the micro hydro option for electricity generation in Sri Lanka
a few interesting aspects were identified: the functioning of electricity
consumers' society is an effective model for ensuring community
participation and ownership of the programme. Political affiliations
are a major factor in extending the grid and therefore the projects
staff need to be aware of this factor. A significant consideration
for providing energy to remote communities is the cost of grid extension.
The state and politicians see access to energy as a good source
of political gain. On the issue of policy implication of any small
scale project, the leaders and the officials were impressed by the
success stories from the field level. Through consistent and sustained
advocacy by the communities and the dissemination of information
on benefits to the local population, the Sri Lankan government,
particularly the various provincial councils have started to allocate
funds for micro hydro power generation in their provinces. Over
the last 4 years, the allocation for decentralised alternate sources
of energy which includes micro hydro has increased to about 25%
of the amount allocated for overall power sector. For the period
between 2006-2010, the provincial councils have budgeted significant
amounts of money to develop alternative energy sources including
micro hydro.
Evidence-Policy link in Agriculture Policy in Sri Lanka
The case study from Department of Export Agriculture (DEA) of
the Government of Sri Lanka examines how findings of a technology
adoption research programmes have successfully influenced the agricultural
extension policy of Sri Lanka. Extension is one of the important
government interventions in the promotion of the export agriculture
crops (EAC) in Sri Lanka, which comprises spices and coffee, cocoa
and essential oils. New research undertaken in the DEA as a response
to various formal and informal discussions with the growers at different
areas showed that there were low rate of technology transfer and
willingness to adopt newer technologies in the EAC sector. The survey
findings resulted in the change in strategy of extension which included:
collectivizing farmers to form village clusters, organizing them
into CBOs, and linking every cluster with an extension officer.
The assertion was that this strategy is cost effective, has a higher
extension reach with better demonstrative effect. The Sri Lankan
Ministry of agriculture has accepted the concept of cluster village
approach as a basis for its future extension work commencing from
2005. There will be separate budget allocation to facilitate clustering,
CBO formation, and associated training for both the farmers and
extension officers.
Influencing Policies in Sri Lanka: the experience of Environment
Foundation Limited (EFL)
This case study (presented by Mr. Jagath Goonewardena, Attorney-at-Law)
highlights the experience of the CSO Environment Foundation Limited
(EFL), which is mainly comprised of lawyers working on environmental
policy issues in Sri Lanka. EFL uses three types of methods to influence
policy through their work and activities. These are representation,
participation and most important of them all, litigation. The first
two methods are considered to be 'low intensity' mechanisms of influence
where evidence is presented to the policy makers and discussed.
Representations are made by volunteer groups when it is known that
a policy is being drafted or under discussion. While interventions
/ representations may not be solicited by the policy makers, participation
is where the voluntary groups are requested to contribute to policy
making committees or working groups. The final method - litigation
- is what is termed as a 'high intensity' method. In this case policy
change is demanded by seeking action through the judiciary process.
While litigation is seen as the tool of last resort, it is always
included in the larger package of tools used to influence policy.
Since a policy cannot be taken to courts prior to its draft being
prepared, and indeed, if there is no policy, litigation can create
a situation where the court issues an order which influences a future
policy. The specific case of how the above model was used can be
seen in the case where evidence was being brought to bear on the
Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) negotiations
and its implication for Sri Lanka. The study particularly explains
section 27 of the TRIPs Agreement regarding patenting of indigenous
plants and micro organisms.
- Click here for more on the consultation in Sri
Lanka
Bangladesh
Evidence and Policy in Bangladesh - Lessons Learnt, Opportunities
and Constraints
This study by the Unnayan Onneshan analyses the evidence behind
the increasing price of rice in Bangladesh and provides insights
into the rice trading system. The case study shows that middlemen
play a key role in deciding the price of rice in the country and
that the high cost of inputs, fertiliser and irrigation, compounded
by the poor access of farmers to a formal credit system, are the
main reasons behind the high price of rice. In this regard the study
asserts that the government could take appropriate measures to maintain
the stability of the market price of essentials by declaring a fixed
rate for procurement of rice. In order to bring changes in the policy
based on the evidence of price hikes and farmers' share of the price,
Unnayan Onneshan is advocating for a comprehensive rice pricing
agreement between farmers and the government which will offer farmers
opportunity to sell their harvest to licensed mills at a fixed price.
The study also draws attention to the issue of subsidy to agricultural
produce in Bangladesh, which is less than two percent of the total
output in agriculture, although the permissible amount is 10 percent
under WTO rules. This is creating a difference between importing
(Bangladesh) and exporting countries' (i.e. USA, Australia) terms
of trade, with exporting countries enjoying a bigger advantage.
Based on this evidence, it proposes an alternative policy option
to fund the Net Food Importing LDCs which will allow them to provide
financial support to the farmers, at least to the level under permitted
by the WTO. Unnayan Onneshan is advocating for the establishment
of a compensatory fund for food importing least developed countries.
Lost in the Queue : Poverty and Employment in Bangladesh
This study also from Unnayan Onneshan asserts that while there
had been a modest decline in poverty in Bangladesh, there had also
been incremental increase in inequality. The study shows that while
the poverty reduction rate has been one percentage point a year
since the early 1990s, the overall Gini index of inequality increased
from 0.259 to 0.306 during the same period. The rate of unemployment
and under-employment has therefore increased due to insufficient
job creation in both the formal and the informal sectors. The case
study shows that existing government policies are not adequate to
address the issue of unemployment in Bangladesh, and some alternative
directions are therefore needed which should include the provision
of employment guarantee act. Unnayan Onneshan is engaged in influencing
for policy uptake in favour of an employment guarantee act in Bangladesh
for establishing workers' rights and ensuring their economic security
through: (a) constituency building with trade union movements; (b)
providing input to specialised agencies in the form of advise and
research; (c) networking with the international organisations for
changes in the meta narratives; and (d) working with the media through
dissemination of information and monthly meetings.
- Click here for more on the consultation in Bangladesh
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