Water and chronic kidney disease in Sri Lanka: behaviors and policy responses
Soumya Balasubramanya, PhD
Senior Economist, The World Bank
Associate Editor: Agricultural Economics | Water Resources and Economics
Chair, Committee for Women in Agricultural Economics, IAAE
She/Her/Hers
Description: This presentation examines the historic behaviors of households around drinking water choices against the backdrop of chronic kidney disease in Sri Lanka. Results suggest that the behaviors of households affected and unaffected by CKD are not large enough. These results also support water testing regimens that have found no significant differences between water quality in wells of affected and unaffected households. The largest policy response in Sri Lanka has involved installation of reverse-osmosis kiosks and encouraging households in CKD-affected areas to discontinue using well water and instead purchase water from these kiosks. The results of this study make a case for improving general health and well-being of households in affected areas, without exclusively focusing on reverse-osmosis water plants.
About the speaker: Soumya Balasubramanya is currently a Senior Economist at the World Bank’s Environment, Global practice. She was previously with the CGIAR between 2011-2022. She conducts original field-based research on poverty, development and equity challenges in Asia and Africa, at the nexus of water, agriculture, environment, energy, and health, using large sample survey methods. She collaborates with universities, governments, and the private sector in low-, middle- and high-income countries to influence research, dialogue, funding, policy, and practice on inclusive development. She is an Associate Editor for the journals, World Development, Agricultural Economics, and Water Resources and Economics. She also coordinates the Committee for Women in Agricultural Economics of the International Association of Agricultural Economics. Her work has been featured in media outlets such as BBC, Forbes, NPR, The Economist and The Guardian. Soumya received a Ph.D. in Environment and Development Economics from Duke University in 2011.
The Symposium will be held on Thursday, April 4, 2024, from 11:30am – 5:45pm Eastern.
Location: Field Auditorium Room 1112, Grainger Hall, (9 Circuit Drive, Durham, NC)