Rural development

Rural DevelopmentRural Development
A Lecture to Undergraduate Students
Pursuing Approaches to Rural
Development Course (2015/2016)
By
Mangasini A. Katundu (PhD)
Moshi Co-operative University, Tanzania

ObjectivesObjectives
Explain meaning of RDExplain meaning of RD
Examine the nature and causes ofExamine the nature and causes of
rural povertyrural poverty
Explain the measurement of ruralExplain the measurement of rural
povertypoverty

RuralRural
No fixed definition, it only depends uponNo fixed definition, it only depends upon
perspectivesperspectives
The term “rural” matters very much inThe term “rural” matters very much in
developing countries,developing countries,
in developed countries such as UK andin 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”.

RuralRural
What is knownWhat is known
Rural areas are sparsely settled placesRural 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 houses
Lifestyles in rural areas are differentLifestyles in rural areas are different
from those in urban areasfrom those in urban areas

RuralRural
public 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 inand 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 beand 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 andsingle 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 therural people and urban people are the
samesame
rural and urban cannot be separated,rural and urban cannot be separated,
for example when you move from ruralfor example when you move from rural
to urban do you change?to urban do you change?
When some one dies in urban s/he isWhen some one dies in urban s/he is
buried in her/his homeland which is inburied in her/his homeland which is in
most cases ruralmost cases rural

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

They argue that,They argue that,
rural people are ‘different’ and ‘distinct’ fromrural people are ‘different’ and ‘distinct’ from
the urban peoplethe urban people
Provided that their occupations are different,Provided that their occupations are different,
their environment in which they work aretheir environment in which they work are
different,different,
the size of their communities are differentthe size of their communities are different
rural communities are smaller than urbanrural communities are smaller than urban
communities,communities,
the two are not homogenous there is socialthe two are not homogenous there is social
stratification or social differentiationstratification or social differentiation

They say that,They say that,
mobility and migration trends differentiatemobility and migration trends differentiate
the two;the two;
usually people move from rural to urbanusually people move from rural to urban
areasareas
Also their systems of social interactions areAlso their systems of social interactions are
differentdifferent
for-example the music found in rural arefor-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 development can be defined as:rural development can be defined as:
Helping rural people set the priorities in theirHelping rural people set the priorities in their
own communities through effective andown communities through effective and
democratic bodies,democratic bodies,
by providing the local capacity; investment inby providing the local capacity; investment in
basic infrastructure and social servicesbasic infrastructure and social services
Justice, equity and security; dealing with theJustice, equity and security; dealing with the
injustices of the past and ensuring safetyinjustices of the past and ensuring safety
and security of the rural population,and security of the rural population,
especially that of womenespecially that of women

Basic issues:Basic issues:
Involve rural people in decisions thatInvolve rural people in decisions that
affect their lives through participationaffect their lives through participation
in rural local governmentin rural local government
Increase employment and economicIncrease employment and economic
growth in rural areasgrowth in rural areas
Provide affordable infrastructureProvide affordable infrastructure
Ensure social sustainability in ruralEnsure social sustainability in rural
areasareas..

Rd in general is used to denoteRd in general is used to denote
““the actions and initiatives taken tothe 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
The principal objective of rural developmentThe principal objective of rural development
must be the eradication of rural poverty andmust be the eradication of rural poverty and
its underlying causes.its underlying causes.
A poor Man from Kenya was confronted by aA poor Man from Kenya was confronted by a
certain development practioner who askedcertain 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 whatHere is what he said “…..don’t ask me what
poverty is because you have met it outside mypoverty is because you have met it outside my
house.house.
Look at the house and count the number ofLook at the house and count the number of
holes.holes.
Look at the utensils and the clothes iamLook 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”.

The likelihood of achieving theThe likelihood of achieving the
Millennium Development Goals withoutMillennium Development Goals without
a focus on improving the livelihoods anda focus on improving the livelihoods and
service accessibility of rural dwellers isservice accessibility of rural dwellers is
low.low.
Any initiative to achieve the MDGsAny initiative to achieve the MDGs
should therefore focus where theshould therefore focus where the
majority of poor people live i.e. the ruralmajority of poor people live i.e. the rural
areas.areas.

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

Relative poverty is a condition when one feelsRelative poverty is a condition when one feels
that s/he is poor comparing herself/himselfthat s/he is poor comparing herself/himself
with other members of the society s/he stayswith other members of the society s/he stays
in.in.
A person who is relatively poor can afford toA 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 povertyA 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 USthis person is said to be living below 1 US
dollar a day.dollar a day.

Chambers put five major things critical for ruralChambers put five major things critical for rural
life:life:
PovertyPoverty
Physical weaknessPhysical weakness
IsolationIsolation
Vulnerability andVulnerability and
PowerlessnessPowerlessness
All are important but vulnerability andAll are important but vulnerability and
Powerlessness deserve more recognitionPowerlessness deserve more recognition
and analysisand analysis

Vulnerability reflects lack of buffersVulnerability reflects lack of buffers
against contingencies such as:against contingencies such as:
dowry, bridewealth, weddings anddowry, bridewealth, weddings and
funeralsfunerals
Disasters, sickness, etcDisasters, sickness, etc
Powerlessness is reflected in the easePowerlessness is reflected in the ease
with which rural elites acts as a net towith 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 andIn the way the poor are robbed and
cheated!!cheated!!

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

Some documented causes of rural poverty:Some documented causes of rural poverty:
Structural AdjustmentStructural Adjustment
Debt crisisDebt crisis
CorruptionCorruption
Colonial HistoriesColonial Histories
Centralization of PowerCentralization of Power
WarfareWarfare
Environmental degradationEnvironmental degradation
Social InequalitySocial Inequality
Poverty is therefore not just an economicPoverty is therefore not just an economic
issue; it is also an issue of politicalissue; it is also an issue of political
economicseconomics

Rural poverty can be measured by:Rural poverty can be measured by:
Human Poverty Index (HPI) andHuman Poverty Index (HPI) and
Capability 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 individuallack of decision-making (at both levels individual
and national or societal),and national or societal),

 acute exploitationacute exploitation
 powerlessness of the individuals, ofpowerlessness of the individuals, of
group within a particular country andgroup within a particular country and
between nations.between nations.
 Lack of health care,Lack of health care,
 Lack of clean, safe water and sanitationLack of clean, safe water and sanitation
 Higher mortality rates (infant andHigher mortality rates (infant and
maternal)maternal)
 Hanger and starvation, etc.Hanger and starvation, etc.

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