Pro-poor growth: Negotiating consensus on a contentious issue

Rapid and sustained poverty reduction requires pro-poor growth, that is a pace and pattern of growth that enhances the ability of poor women and men to participate in, contribute to and benefit from growth. Richard Manning describes how the pro-poor growth concept has produced consensus within the donor community on an issue that has proved controversial for decades. He explains how applying a pro-poor growth lens shows that donors need to rethink their approaches to private sector development, agriculture and infrastructure, areas that used to be neglected but whose contribution to promoting pro-poor growth is now recognized.