Rural Non-farm Activities in Impoverished Agricultural Communities PDF Download

Author: Mulat Demeke
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Agriculture
Languages : en
Pages : 76

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Author: Reimund Roetter
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1402066163
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 241

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Book Description
Facing new challenges with respect to sustainable agriculture and rural development strategies for low-income countries, related to global environmental change and globalization of markets, an interdisciplinary Wageningen University and Research Centre group set out to draw lessons from the DLO-IC projects of the last eight years. In discussing the way ahead and a future agenda, a number of major research challenges, as well as policy questions are outlined.

Author: John A. Dixon
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.
ISBN: 9789251046272
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 424

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Book Description
A joint FAO and World Bank study which shows how the farming systems approach can be used to identify priorities for the reduction of hunger and poverty in the main farming systems of the six major developing regions of the world.

Author: Gertrud Buchenrieder
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Manpower policy, Rural
Languages : en
Pages : 132

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Book Description
Evidence from many low income countries over the last decade shows that the share of rural household income from non-farm sources is growing. Empirical research found that non-farm sources contribute 40-50% to average rural household income. Most of this income originates from local rural sources. Thus, non-farm rural employment is gaining prominence in debates on rural development, particularly in the sense of reducing poverty in farm households and contributing to sustainable livelihoods. Farm households have been observed to follow a multitude of strategies to prepare for and cope with different kinds of risks and thus reduce their livelihood vulnerability. As it concerns income creating strategies, they can be grouped into two categories: (i) adjusting and diversifying farm production activities and (ii) non-farm activities (on- and off-farm) such as wage- and self-employment in the same region or urban centres, implying temporary or permanent migration. In summarysing, it can be stated that diversity and sustainability of livelihoods play a key role in rural households' strategies to ensure survival under difficult ecological and economic conditions. Some common patterns can be identified: if access to farm land is a limiting factor for rural households, even low-paid jobs in the non-farm sector are of key importance to make a living. If land supply is elastic and accessible to rural households, the diversification of farm activities is followed as the main strategy to secure their livelihoods, often supplemented by some form of non-farm rural employment. In general, the farm size must surpass a critical threshold to create capacities to engage in better paid non-farm rural employment, which limits policy options to refer to non-farm rural employment as a silver bullet accessible to all social groups when fighting rural mass poverty. Also, the role of social capital assets cannot be underestimated as it paves the way for profitable forms of non-farm rural employment. This edited volume is a collection of topical papers presented at the Deutsche Tropentag (DTT) 2001 "One World - Research for a Better Quality of Life" that was held at the University of Bonn from October. 9th to 11th, 2001 in Bonn. Papers of the thematic sessions on "Conflicts, Migration and Rural Development" as well as "Poverty and Livelihood Strategies" are combined in this publication. The papers deal with the issues of non-farm rural employment for sustainable rural livelihoods. It also includes one topical paper that was presented at the 42nd Annual Conference of the Gesellschaft für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften des Landbaus (GEWISOLA) "Perspectives for the European Agricultural and Food Sector Following Eastern Enlargement", September 30 to October 2, 2002, at the Martin Luther University, Halle, Germany. The contributions in this volume on non-farm rural employment and its poverty alleviation impact on farm households and policy options contains are from six case countries (Bolivia, Brazil, Guatemala as well as Bulgaria, Kosovo, and Romania) in two distinct regions (Latin America and Central and Eastern Europe).

Author: Junior R. Davis
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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The literature on transition economies devotes relatively little attention to agriculture and the rural non-farm economy, despite the importance of the sector and its relevance to the livelihoods of the majority of the world's poor. This paper is part of a growing volume of empirical work on agriculture in transition countries and especially on the topic of the rural non-farm economy and livelihood diversification among the poor. The empirical work presented in this report is primarily based on large (nation-wide) rural household surveys and other field-related research activities using a broad range of methodologies. In recent years there has been growing recognition of the role of the non-farm sector for employment, income smoothing and income generation in rural areas in the developing, developed and transition countries. However, there has been limited focus on the factors that determine people's capacity to take advantage of or to generate these opportunities. It is hypothesised that two processes are apparent: demand-pull, where rural people respond to new opportunities; and distress-push, where the poorest are driven to seek non-farm employment as a survival strategy. Sometimes these processes work together. The non-farm sector is thus vital for rural employment and incomes in situations of both stagnant and buoyant agriculture and rural economy as a whole. It is vital for Armenia and Georgia's economic growth, as the development of remunerative and sustainable non-farm employment opportunities will have important effects in terms of poverty reduction. It is also important for Romania's EU accession, currently foreseen in 2007, as the development of remunerative and sustainable non-farm employment opportunities will have important effects in terms of the use of future structural funds, regional assistance and the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy. This research identifies the key socio-economic factors, resources, activities and constraints to rural households and enterprises in the non-farm rural economy. These data were collected at the micro-level and analysed in the context of the sustainable livelihoods framework, farm systems theory and contemporary econometric methodologies. The aim was to derive policy conclusions conducive to the development of sustainable rural livelihoods.

Author: Michael P. Collinson
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.
ISBN: 9789251043110
Category : Agricultural systems
Languages : en
Pages : 452

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Book Description
This book provides a detailed history of farming systems research (FSR). While it includes the application of FSR to developed country agriculture, its main focus is on FSR in its original role, with small scale, resource-poor farmers in less developed countries. There are some 40 contributions from nearly 50 contributors from 20 countries, illustrating both the diversity and yet the coherence of FSR. The five parts of the book cover: (1) FSR - understanding farmers and their farming (FSR origins and perspectives; understanding farming systems); (2) the applications of farming systems research (FSR in technology choice and development; FSR in extension and policy formulation); (3) institutional commitment to FSR (FSR: some institutional experiences in national agricultural research; dimensions of the organization of FSR; training for FSR); (4) FSR: the professional dimension (regional and international associations; FSR and the professional disciplines); and (5) cutting edge methods, abiding issues and the future for FSR.

Author: Spielman, David J.
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
ISBN:
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 4

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Book Description
While policy makers, media, and the international community focus their attention on Pakistan’s ongoing security challenges, the potential of the rural economy, and particularly the agricultural sector, to improve Pakistanis’ well-being is being neglected. Agriculture is crucial to Pakistan’s economy. Almost half of the country’s labor force works in the agricultural sector, which produces food and inputs for industry (such as cotton for textiles) and accounts for over a third of Pakistan’s total export earnings. Equally important are nonfarm economic activities in rural areas, such as retail sales in small village shops, transportation services, and education and health services in local schools and clinics. Rural nonfarm activities account for between 40 and 57 percent of total rural household income. Their large share of income means that the agricultural sector and the rural nonfarm economy have vital roles to play in promoting growth and reducing poverty in Pakistan.

Author: P. Purushotham
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 342

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Contributed articles presented earlier at a seminar on rural manpower policy in various Indian states for the poor.

Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Agriculture
Languages : en
Pages : 24

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Author: Steven Haggblade
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
ISBN: 0801886643
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 514

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Book Description
Contrary to conventional wisdom that equates rural economies with agriculture, rural residents in developing countries often rely heavily on activities other than farming for their income. Indeed, nonfarm work accounts for between one-third and one-half of rural incomes in the developing world. In recent years, accelerating globalization, increasing competition from large businesses, expanding urban markets for rural goods and services, and greater availability of information and communication technology have combined to expose rural nonfarm businesses to new opportunities as well as new risks. By examining these rapid changes in the rural nonfarm economy, international experts explore how the rural nonfarm economy can contribute to overall economic growth in developing countries and how the poor can participate in this rapidly evolving segment of the economy. The authors review an array of recent studies of the rural nonfarm economy in order to summarize existing empirical evidence, explore policy implications, and identify future research priorities. They examine the varied scale, structure, and composition of the rural nonfarm economy, as well as its relationship with agricultural and urban enterprises. And they address key questions about the role of public intervention in the rural nonfarm economy and how the rural poor can participate in and navigate the rapid transition underway in rural areas. The contributors offer new insights to specialists in rural development and to others interested in overall economic development.