The increasing proportion of older people in the world is often seen as a success for humankind, the result of improving health conditions. However, the situation is more complex. Elderly populations are creating new challenges, particularly in rural areas of developing countries. These can threaten efforts to promote development in rural areas, and as such they urgently need to be addressed through appropriate policies.

Population ageing – the increase in the proportion of ‘older people’ (i.e. those aged 60 and over) – is happening across the globe, but it is occurring at a much faster rate in developing countries. Over two thirds of older people now live in developing countries most of which have inadequate resources to deal with ageing-related problems.

Population ageing is the outcome of lower fertility levels across the world, (meaning the share of children is slowly falling), and improving health conditions (meaning people live longer). In developing countries, many fatal diseases (particularly HIV/AIDS) affect young people more than old, thus contributing to population ageing. The ageing process is occurring even faster in rural areas due to rural-urban migration, which sees young adults leaving to find work in the cities. Older people often return to rural areas when they retire, resulting in even more elderly in rural populations.

Research from the Food and Agriculture Organisation indicates that there are certain social problems associated with population ageing in rural areas:

• Rural ageing places great burdens on scarce household resources and community services.
• Older people are often dependent on their families, as they have no income or pension, particularly elderly widows.
• They are often in poor health after a life of working, and suffer from high levels of stress and anxiety.
• They can be particularly vulnerable to poverty, unable to access services such as health care, and incapable of using resources such as land and water independently.
• There is sometimes a change in the demographic structure of households, with increasing numbers of old people at the ‘head’ of the household.

In the absence of a young labour force, older people have to look after the crops and livestock. In many cases, however, they are unable to work the land effectively, and cannot afford to hire labour. This can reduce the agricultural productivity of an area, leading to food insecurity and poor nutrition. Older people are discriminated against in terms of training in the use of new technologies and often they are less well educated. They are also denied access rights to land, particularly elderly women.

Whilst population ageing needs to be addressed everywhere, very few developing countries have effective policies on ageing. Possible policy approaches include:

• enhancing traditional systems of family support for older people
• encouraging elderly people to continue working when able to do so
• supporting systems to enable personal savings that can be used in old age
• developing public schemes to respond to older people’s needs, such as pensions and health services.

Although population ageing has caused many problems, it also brings many opportunities. Older people have considerable knowledge and experience, particularly of traditional agricultural practices and medicines. They are important in caring for young people whose parents have either moved to cities or died from disease. It is important that decision-makers find ways to make the most of population ageing and develop enabling policies, as the ageing process is unlikely to slow down in the near future.

Source(s):
‘Rural population ageing in developing countries: issues for consideration by FAO’, SD Dimensions series, April 2004 Full document.

Funded by: Food and Agriculture Organisation

id21 Research Highlight: 26 January 2005

Further Information:
Libor Stloukal
Sustainable Development Department
Food and Agricultural Organization
Rome
Italy

Tel: +39 (0) 65705 3958
Fax: +39 (0) 65705 2004
Contact the contributor: Libor.Stloukal@fao.org

SD Dimensions, Sustainable Development Department, Food and Agriculture Organization

Other related links:
'Helping older people who care for grandchildren orphaned and affected by AIDS'

'Understanding old age and poverty in South Africa'

Eldis resource guide on aging populations

http://www.helpage.org/