ESSAY 7
USAID’s Resilience Policy focuses on the root causes of vulnerability and
on coordination with local partners (for example, as a member of the Global
Alliance for Action for Drought Resilience and Growth in the Horn of Africa
and of the Global Alliance for Resilience in the Sahel, both formed in 2012).
Its five-year goal in the Horn of Africa is to benefit 10 million people directly
and reduce the need for emergency relief by 1 million people. One example
of work toward this goal is extending the impact of the Arid Lands Recovery
Program in Kenya by strengthening drought adaptation efforts.
In the Sahel as well, USAID will concentrate on the most vulnerable
ecological zones. One project will help build on local communities’ work against
desertification: together, water harvesting and a technique for regenerating
native vegetation from the mature root systems of cleared trees and shrubs
have already “re-greened” more than 5 million hectares (12.5 million acres) of
semi-desert land.
Country-Led Development: Building Resilient
Nations
The concept of resilience also applies, more broadly, to nations. It’s a little
more abstract than family efforts to build resilience—which might be learning
which plants can grow alongside maize yet prosper with less rain, or organizing a group of neighbors to start a beekeeping business—but it’s the same idea.
How do countries become more resilient?
The Great Recession and very slow economic recovery showed that our
country’s own capacity to “bounce back” is not always quick or complete.
High poverty rates also show that the country’s resilience does not extend to all
who live here. Still, previous experience gives Americans reason for optimism
that the country can manage to rise to its challenges. Although we have far too
many hungry people for such a wealthy country, there is also a social safety net.
Starvation deaths are very rare here.
Many factors contribute to the United States’ relatively strong ability to
cope with shocks—including a diversified economy, good governance, financial and human resources, and the rule of law. From the framers of the Constitution onward, building and maintaining resilience has been a process led by
Americans—people who live here and understand local conditions.
Today, the need for such “country-led” development is recognized as a necessity for effective foreign assistance. Many low-income countries have developed their own detailed plans to reduce hunger and extreme poverty but
lack the resources to carry them out fully. U.S. assistance helps support such
country-led development plans.
In 2003, the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) was established. It gives
additional development assistance based on countries’ commitment to “root out
corruption, respect hu an rights, and adhere to the rule of law.” Applicants
m
receive help in identifying their key weaknesses in qualifying for MCA funding.
The MCA requires countries to consult with their civil societies to ensure that
funding is responding to problems that are top priorities of local people.
Many critical factors in development are beyond the control of low-income
countries themselves—whether it’s restrictive trade policies, climate change,
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Myths
Realities
Myth: There is little that very poor
people can do to reduce their vulnerability. The only thing we can do is
keep sending humanitarian assistance
to ease their suffering when disaster
strikes.
Reality: Low-income people are
as eager as others to improve their
lives when they have an opportunity.
Just one example is the popularity of
“microlending,” the practice of making modest loans, as little as $50, to
individuals or groups to start small
businesses. The original program was
in Bangladesh; microlending later
spread to many other countries. Overall, there has been an excellent track
record of repayment on the microloans,
and many borrowers have been able
to expand their businesses and later
qualify for larger loans.
Experience shows that committed
leadership can bring about rapid reductions in hunger and extreme poverty.
Notably, Brazil reduced the percentage
of its people living in extreme poverty
from 10 percent to 2 percent in just
five years, 2004-2009. Also in 2009,
the country’s income inequality hit a
50-yea