Economics & Development

wpsWatch is a mobile friendly web-based monitoring platform developed by Wildlife Protection Solutions WPS to support real time detection and response to threats against wildlife. The platform aggregates imagery from camera traps and CCTV systems installed in protected areas and uses artificial intelligence including the MegaDetector model and Microsoft Azure cloud computing to automatically classify images and identify potential threats. By filtering out false triggers and empty images which constitute a large share of motion activated camera data wpsWatch significantly reduces manual review efforts and accelerates decision making. When suspicious human activity or wildlife events are detected the system generates instant alerts delivered via SMS email or WhatsApp enabling rapid intervention by anti-poaching units. wpsWatch integrates with established conservation platforms such as EarthRanger and the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool SMART enhancing situational awareness and operational coordination. In addition the platform enables volunteers and local stakeholders to contribute by reviewing live camera feeds and reporting incidents. Deployed across dozens of sites globally wpsWatch strengthens anti-poaching efforts and supports human wildlife conflict mitigation by providing timely AI driven insights and proactive response capabilities.

Smart Parks is a technology‑driven conservation solution that uses solar‑powered Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) infrastructure combined with other communication networks to enable real‑time monitoring across entire protected areas. The system supports the tracking of wildlife, vehicles, rangers, visitors, and equipment, even in locations without reliable cellular coverage. By deploying a network of sensors and connected devices, Smart Parks provides park management with continuous situational awareness and actionable intelligence that can be integrated with web‑based platforms such as EarthRanger. Since its launch in 2018, Smart Parks has been implemented in wildlife reserves across more than 19 countries and has contributed to significant reductions in poaching in long‑term deployment sites. The technology supports anti‑poaching operations through intrusion detection, wildlife and vehicle tracking, and real‑time monitoring of critical infrastructure such as electric fences. In addition, Smart Parks helps prevent human‑wildlife conflict by providing near real‑time location data on high‑risk species and enabling rapid responses to fence failures or animal movements toward communities. Through open, scalable, and interoperable technology, Smart Parks strengthens conservation management, improves safety, and supports coexistence between people and wildlife across diverse landscapes.

Global evidence suggests that land institutions and policies will be critical to help African countries respond to the challenges of climate change, urban expansion, structural transformation, and gender equality. They will do so by (a) affecting urban dwellers’ ability to create and access productive jobs, live in decent housing, and breathe clean air; (b) allowing farmers and women entrepreneurs to ensure against shocks, increase productivity, and diversify their income sources; and (c) providing the informational basis enabling governments to plan land use, urban expansion, and infrastructure construction; to tax property to provide services; and to transparently manage public land to provide sustained local benefits and encourage adaptation to increase local and global resilience to climate-induced risk. Evidence from many African countries suggests that, because of institutional shortcomings that are often rooted in outdated laws and regulations, many African countries are unable to realize these benefits. This book discusses the available evidence on these issues, highlights examples of policy reforms in Africa and beyond to illustrate available opportunities for and benefits from reform, and identifies indicators and data sources to help identify a sequence of reforms and assess their progress and impact. This information will be of great interest to governments seeking to enhance their land institutions’ performance; to their partners aiming to support such reform; and to policy makers, land professionals, scholars, and civil society aiming to lay the foundations for Africa to better utilize its economic, human, and ecological potential.

This country case study examines Germany’s Public Employment Service (PES), focusing on the institutional structure, governance, service delivery model, and performance management systems of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (BA) and the Job center network. The report describes Germany’s dual employment support framework, where the BA administers unemployment insurance beneficiaries while Job centers deliver services to means-tested benefit recipients through partnerships between federal and municipal authorities. It outlines the governance arrangements, management-by-objectives framework, and the impact of the Hartz reforms in creating more customer-oriented, integrated employment services. The study highlights Germany’s comprehensive approach to labor market integration, including jobseeker profiling through the four-phase model (4PM), individualized action plans, unemployment benefit administration, employer services, active labor market programs (ALMPs), and extensive digital service platforms. The PES primarily delivers services in-house while selectively outsourcing training, placement, and rehabilitation services through performance-based contracts and voucher schemes. Strong employer engagement, youth-focused outreach initiatives, and sophisticated labor market information systems support efficient service delivery.