Two of our recent studies highlight increases in multidimensional poverty in Ethiopia, looking at connections to education, health and employment. Through our work, we aim to deliver tools and insights that enable decision makers to respond to this kind of complexity in more nuanced ways. As an example, in one recent study we used geo-spatial data to identify areas of extreme poverty in less populated, more remote areas of Ethiopia. 

New methodologies like synthetic panel modelling enable us to use existing poverty survey data not only to identify existing drivers of poverty but to simulate potential future causes. In Ethiopia, using this approach revealed a high chance of people moving from just above the poverty line to below it. This was especially true for people in the service sector, domestic workers and self-employed people. This suggests strategies to reduce poverty shouldn’t only focus on those already in poverty. We’ve also explored how climate change is a particularly big risk for poverty in Ethiopia. 

Our work on reducing poverty in Ethiopia has looked at randomised insurance discounts for pastoralists, strategies to address multidimensional poverty, rural development initiatives and targeting interventions in areas most affected by conflict. By enabling governments and decision makers to identify the structural causes of poverty, we aim to inspire action that breaks through these barriers and supports more people to break out of poverty.