Microcredit has expanded rapidly since its beginnings in the last 1970s, but whether and how much it reduces poverty is the subject of intense debate. Generally it depends on how the program is implemented and the set of policies that regulate it. In this spirit, microcredit impacts in the...

The Hispanic population is growing rapidly in the U.S. generally and in the southern states particularly. This rapidly growing population is characterized by high poverty rates among children and the elderly compared to other races. The Hispanic population is also less educated, characterized by...

Rural California WIC participants tend to show a slightly lower propensity to redeem WIC-issued food instruments than urban California WIC participants do. In addition to possible food availability problems associated with rural locations, the presence or absence of cultural factors, especially...

The goal of the Food Stamp Program (FSP) is to serve as a safety net for low-income families by providing assistance that will enable them purchase nutritious food. Eligibility to participate in the program is based on U.S. poverty guidelines and asset ownership of recipients. Recent welfare...

A wide range of institutional models and financial products are currently serving, or attempting to serve, the poor's demands for savings and loan services. However, very few of these operate in lower density rural areas or in areas where there has not already been some agriculturally based...

Economic growth has been low and the incidence and numbers of poor people remain very high in some parts of the world, notably in sub Saharan Africa and some parts of South Asia. Projections for poverty reduction suggest that these regions are likely to continue to hold very large numbers of...