Rural DevelopmentRural DevelopmentA Lecture to Undergraduate Students

Pursuing Approaches to Rural Development Course (2015/2016)

ByMangasini A. Katundu (PhD)

Moshi Co-operative University, Tanzania

ObjectivesObjectivesExplain meaning of RDExplain meaning of RDExamine the nature and causes Examine the nature and causes of rural povertyof rural povertyExplain the measurement of Explain the measurement of rural povertyrural poverty

What is Rural?What is Rural?

RuralRuralNo fixed definition, it only depends No fixed definition, it only depends upon perspectives upon perspectives The term “rural” matters very much in The term “rural” matters very much in developing countries, developing countries, in developed countries such as UK and in developed countries such as UK and US is called “country side”US is called “country side”Also refers to “bucolic” or “rustic”.Also refers to “bucolic” or “rustic”.

RuralRuralWhat is knownWhat is known

Rural areas are sparsely settled places Rural areas are sparsely settled places People in rural areas live in villages, People in rural areas live in villages, on farms and in other isolated houseson farms and in other isolated housesLifestyles in rural areas are different Lifestyles in rural areas are different from those in urban areasfrom those in urban areas

RuralRuralpublic services are not available, public services are not available, Governmental services like: Governmental services like: law enforcement, schools, fire departments, law enforcement, schools, fire departments, and libraries may be distant, limited in and libraries may be distant, limited in scope, or unavailable. scope, or unavailable. Utilities like water, sewage, street lighting, Utilities like water, sewage, street lighting, and public waste management may not be and public waste management may not be present.present.Public transport is absent or very limited; Public transport is absent or very limited; people use their own vehicles, walk, bicycle, people use their own vehicles, walk, bicycle, or ride an animalsor ride an animals

RuralRural

Two school of thought:Two school of thought:

single criterion school and single criterion school and multi-criteria schoolmulti-criteria school

single criterion schoolsingle criterion school People who hold this idea argue that:People who hold this idea argue that:

rural people and urban people are the rural people and urban people are the samesamerural and urban cannot be separated, rural and urban cannot be separated, for example when you move from rural for example when you move from rural to urban do you change? to urban do you change? When some one dies in urban s/he is When some one dies in urban s/he is buried in her/his homeland which is in buried in her/his homeland which is in most cases ruralmost cases rural

single criterion schoolsingle criterion schoolWhat can be taken as the differences are the What can be taken as the differences are the variations in economic base, variations in economic base, in rural areas the economic base is in rural areas the economic base is agriculture while agriculture while in urban the economic base is industries, in urban the economic base is industries, According to this argument most of the According to this argument most of the urban centers in Africa would be classified as urban centers in Africa would be classified as rural rural for example Dar-es- salaam, Kampala, for example Dar-es- salaam, Kampala, Lilongwe,etcLilongwe,etc..

multi-criteria schoolmulti-criteria schoolThey argue that, They argue that, rural people are ‘different’ and ‘distinct’ from rural people are ‘different’ and ‘distinct’ from the urban people the urban people Provided that their occupations are different, Provided that their occupations are different, their environment in which they work are their environment in which they work are different, different, the size of their communities are different the size of their communities are different rural communities are smaller than urban rural communities are smaller than urban communities, communities, the two are not homogenous there is social the two are not homogenous there is social stratification or social differentiationstratification or social differentiation

multi-criteria schoolmulti-criteria schoolThey say that, They say that,

mobility and migration trends differentiate mobility and migration trends differentiate the two; the two; usually people move from rural to urban usually people move from rural to urban areasareasAlso their systems of social interactions are Also their systems of social interactions are different different for-example the music found in rural are for-example the music found in rural are different from those seen in urban, different from those seen in urban, music such as “Bongo flavors” ‘ninao in Tz’ music such as “Bongo flavors” ‘ninao in Tz’ ‘embooko In Ug’ and ‘banjuka in Ke’‘embooko In Ug’ and ‘banjuka in Ke’

Rural DevelopmentRural Developmentrural development can be defined as:rural development can be defined as:

Helping rural people set the priorities in Helping rural people set the priorities in their own communities through effective their own communities through effective and democratic bodies,and democratic bodies,

by providing the local capacity; investment by providing the local capacity; investment in basic infrastructure and social servicesin basic infrastructure and social services

Justice, equity and security; dealing with the Justice, equity and security; dealing with the injustices of the past and ensuring safety injustices of the past and ensuring safety and security of the rural population, and security of the rural population, especially that of women especially that of women

Rural DevelopmentRural DevelopmentBasic issues:Basic issues:

Involve rural people in decisions that Involve rural people in decisions that affect their lives through participation affect their lives through participation in rural local government in rural local government Increase employment and economic Increase employment and economic growth in rural areas growth in rural areas Provide affordable infrastructure Provide affordable infrastructure Ensure social sustainability in rural Ensure social sustainability in rural areasareas..

Rural DevelopmentRural DevelopmentRd in general is used to denote Rd in general is used to denote ““the actions and initiatives taken to the actions and initiatives taken to improve the standard of living in non-improve the standard of living in non-Urban neighborhoods, countryside, Urban neighborhoods, countryside, and remote villages”.and remote villages”.

Rural povertyRural poverty

Rural povertyRural povertyThe principal objective of rural development The principal objective of rural development must be the eradication of rural poverty and must be the eradication of rural poverty and its underlying causes.its underlying causes.A poor Man from Kenya was confronted by a A poor Man from Kenya was confronted by a certain development practioner who asked certain development practioner who asked questions pertaining to what is poverty. questions pertaining to what is poverty. Here is what he said “…..don’t ask me what Here is what he said “…..don’t ask me what poverty is because you have met it outside poverty is because you have met it outside my house. my house. Look at the house and count the number of Look at the house and count the number of holes. holes. Look at the utensils and the clothes iam Look at the utensils and the clothes iam wearing. wearing. Look at every thing and write what you see. Look at every thing and write what you see. What you see is poverty”.What you see is poverty”.

Rural povertyRural povertyThe likelihood of achieving the The likelihood of achieving the Millennium Development Goals without Millennium Development Goals without a focus on improving the livelihoods a focus on improving the livelihoods and service accessibility of rural and service accessibility of rural dwellers is low.dwellers is low.Any initiative to achieve the MDGs Any initiative to achieve the MDGs should therefore focus where the should therefore focus where the majority of poor people live i.e. the majority of poor people live i.e. the rural areas.rural areas.

Rural povertyRural povertyPoverty is broadly conceived as ‘inability to Poverty is broadly conceived as ‘inability to attain a minimum standard of living’.attain a minimum standard of living’.Absolute poverty (abject poverty) is a Absolute poverty (abject poverty) is a condition of life so degraded by disease, condition of life so degraded by disease, illiteracy, malnutrition and squalor as to deny illiteracy, malnutrition and squalor as to deny its victims basic human necessities. its victims basic human necessities. poor nation: a lack of resources ( both poor nation: a lack of resources ( both physical, natural and human ),limited physical, natural and human ),limited educational opportunities, a death of skills, educational opportunities, a death of skills, and social- economic and political systems and social- economic and political systems that impeded broad-based growth.that impeded broad-based growth.

Rural povertyRural povertyRelative poverty is a condition when one Relative poverty is a condition when one feels that s/he is poor comparing feels that s/he is poor comparing herself/himself with other members of the herself/himself with other members of the society s/he stays in. society s/he stays in. A person who is relatively poor can afford to A person who is relatively poor can afford to meet the minimum basic needs of life. meet the minimum basic needs of life. A person is said to be living below poverty A person is said to be living below poverty line when s/he fails to meet (cannot afford) line when s/he fails to meet (cannot afford) the minimum basic needs of life, the minimum basic needs of life, this person is said to be living below 1 US this person is said to be living below 1 US dollar a day. dollar a day.

Rural povertyRural povertyChambers put five major things critical for ruralChambers put five major things critical for rurallife:life:

PovertyPovertyPhysical weaknessPhysical weaknessIsolationIsolationVulnerability andVulnerability andPowerlessnessPowerlessnessAll are important but vulnerability andAll are important but vulnerability andPowerlessness deserve more recognitionPowerlessness deserve more recognitionand analysisand analysis

Rural povertyRural povertyVulnerability reflects lack of buffers Vulnerability reflects lack of buffers against contingencies such as: against contingencies such as: dowry, bridewealth, weddings and dowry, bridewealth, weddings and funeralsfuneralsDisasters, sickness, etcDisasters, sickness, etcPowerlessness is reflected in the ease Powerlessness is reflected in the ease with which rural elites acts as a net to with which rural elites acts as a net to intercept benefits intended for the poor, intercept benefits intended for the poor, In the way the poor are robbed and In the way the poor are robbed and cheated!! cheated!!

Rural povertyRural povertyThis is what a landless laborer in This is what a landless laborer in Bangladesh has to say:Bangladesh has to say:““We have no power to talk in front of We have no power to talk in front of the rich, like the Chairman. the rich, like the Chairman. We are afraid of them. We are afraid of them. We are always looked down upon and We are always looked down upon and scolded.scolded.So we never know what they are writing So we never know what they are writing and doing” (Chambers,1983;p103).and doing” (Chambers,1983;p103).

Rural povertyRural povertySome documented causes of rural poverty:Some documented causes of rural poverty:

Structural AdjustmentStructural AdjustmentDebt crisisDebt crisisCorruptionCorruptionColonial Histories Colonial Histories Centralization of PowerCentralization of PowerWarfareWarfareEnvironmental degradationEnvironmental degradationSocial InequalitySocial InequalityPoverty is therefore not just an economic Poverty is therefore not just an economic issue; it is also an issue of political issue; it is also an issue of political economics economics

Rural povertyRural povertyRural poverty can be measured by:Rural poverty can be measured by:

Human Poverty Index (HPI) andHuman Poverty Index (HPI) andCapability poverty measure (CPM) Capability poverty measure (CPM) Using indicators such as: Using indicators such as:

Life expectancy, Life expectancy, lack of basic education, lack of basic education, lack of access to public and private resources,lack of access to public and private resources, lack of choice, lack of choice, lack of freedom, lack of freedom, lack of dignity, lack of dignity, lack of self-respect and respect of others, lack of self-respect and respect of others, lack of decision-making (at both levels lack of decision-making (at both levels

individual and national or societal), individual and national or societal),

Rural povertyRural poverty acute exploitation acute exploitation powerlessness of the individuals, of powerlessness of the individuals, of

group within a particular country and group within a particular country and between nations.between nations.

Lack of health care, Lack of health care, Lack of clean, safe water and Lack of clean, safe water and

sanitation sanitation Higher mortality rates (infant and Higher mortality rates (infant and

maternal)maternal) Hanger and starvation, etc.Hanger and starvation, etc.

Take careTake care