The Multidimensional Poverty Assessment Tool: a new framework for measuring rural poverty

Abstract

The Multidimensional Poverty Assessment Tool (MPAT) measures fundamental dimensions of rural poverty in order to support poverty-alleviation efforts in the less developed world. This article's primary purpose is to introduce MPAT and describe its theoretical rationale. It begins with an overview of the importance of creating enabling environments for rural poverty alleviation before describing MPAT's purpose and structure. The article goes on to address some of the advantages and shortcomings of surveys and indicators as means of measuring poverty, and concludes with a few caveats on using MPAT, and a focus on its added value to practitioners and academics.

L'outil mulidimensionnel d’évaluation de la pauvreté: un nouveau cadre pour mesurer la pauvreté rurale

L'Outil multidimensionnel d’évaluation de la pauvreté (Multidimensional Poverty Assessment Tool – MPAT) mesure les dimensions fondamentales de la pauvreté rurale afin de soutenir les efforts de réduction de la pauvreté dans les pays les moins développés. La finalité première de cet article est de présenter le MPAT et d'en décrire le raisonnement théorique. Il commence par donner une vue d'ensemble de l'importance de créer des environnements propices pour l'atténuation de la pauvreté en milieu rural avant de décrire la finalité et la structure du MPAT. L'article traite ensuite de certains des avantages et défauts des études et des indicateurs en tant que moyens de mesurer la pauvreté et se conclut par quelques avertissements concernant l'utilisation du MPAT, ainsi qu'un examen plus poussé de sa valeur ajoutée pour les praticiens et les universitaires.

A Ferramenta de Avaliação da Pobreza Multidimensional: uma nova estrutura para medir a pobreza rural

A Ferramenta de Avaliação da Pobreza Multidimensional (MPAT) mede dimensões fundamentais da pobreza rural para apoiar esforços de redução da pobreza nos países menos desenvolvidos. O principal objetivo deste artigo é introduzir a MPAT e descrever sua razão fundamental teórica. Ele começa com uma visão geral da importância de se criar ambientes capacitadores para a redução da pobreza rural antes de descrever o objetivo e estrutura da MPAT. O artigo prossegue para abordar algumas das vantagens e desvantagens de pesquisas e indicadores como forma de medir a pobreza, e conclui com algumas advertências sobre o uso da MPAT, e um enfoque em seu valor agregado para praticantes e acadêmicos.

El Método para Evaluar la Pobreza Multidimensional: un marco analítico para la medición de la pobreza en el ámbito rural

El Método para Evaluar la Pobreza Multidimensional (MEPM) mide las principales dimensiones de la pobreza rural para respaldar acciones que disminuyan la pobreza en los países menos desarrollados. El objetivo principal de este ensayo consiste en presentar el MEPM y su fundamento teórico. Analiza la importancia de crear un ambiente propicio para que la pobreza rural disminuya y describe el propósito y la estructura del MEPM. También expone las ventajas y desventajas del uso de encuestas e indicadores para medir la pobreza, aconseja proceder con precaución en el uso del MEPM, y se centra en el valor agregado que el Método ofrece a académicos y a otros actores.

Keywords:

• Social sector
• Gender and diversity
• Governance and public policy
• Methods
• East Asia

Acknowledgements

Financial support for the MPA Project is provided by the International Fund for Agricultural Development via a grant from the Initiative for Mainstreaming Innovation, funded by the UK's Department for International Development (DFID). The author is also thankful for a Fulbright Fellowship which helped to finance 10 months of MPAT's development and testing in China. The MPA Project, and development of the MPAT tool, would not be possible without the contributions and support of Moses Abukari, Arif Moqueem Akhtar, Jamie Anderson, Piero Cellarosi, Mingming Chen, Rudolph Cleveringa, Jeanette Cooke, David Dent, Qibin Duan, Jean-Marc Faurès, Moshe Feldman, Nicole Franz, Joana Guerrin, Ulrich Hess, Wenbin Hu, Soumya Kapoor, Seán Kennedy, Pawan Kumar, David Molden, Fengying Nie, H. B. Pant, Mattia Prayer-Galletti, Marcela Quintero, Shaheel Rafique, Thomas Rath, Franceso Rispoli, Adam Romero, Michaela Saisana, Roxanna Samii, Yiching Song, Laurent Stravato, Caroline Sullivan, Wuan Sun, Yinhong Sun, Robina Wahaj, Chengwen Wang, Guifang Wang, Weijing Wang, Anthea Webb, Guobao Wu, Dongqing Zhao, and many others. They will be more specifically acknowledged in the forthcoming MPAT Book.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alasdair Cohen

Alasdair Cohen is the Project Manager and Lead Adviser for the IFAD-supported Multidimensional Poverty Assessment Project. His research interests include Asia, China, indicators and surveys, poverty assessment, small-scale agriculture, rural poverty, water, and watershed functions. <[email protected]>