Poverty profiles typically provide policy makers with information about the characteristics of the poor without giving guidance as to the types of programs best suited for reducing poverty. A method is described in this paper for extending the typical poverty profile to analyze and quantify the constraints faced by poor smallholders in rural areas. The method is applied to rural Zambia, where poverty is widespread and deep. The extension provides timely information for the design of poverty-reducing policies.

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Funding for this study was provided by the Government of Sweden and the World Bank. The views expressed are the authors' own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank, its management, its Board of Directors or its member countries.