The Kagera region in north-west Tanzania is landlocked and dependent on agriculture. Farming is central to most people’s livelihoods. Can poor farm workers in Kagera shape their own future and move out of poverty? And if so, how?

Research from Economic Development Initiatives, Tanzania, examines the factors that impact on people’s freedom to move out of poverty. The research draws on survey data from 47 rural villages in Kagera (from 1993 and 2004) as well as on more in-depth qualitative information on eight of the villages.

The research shows that there are two main routes out of poverty in Kagera. For people with sufficient land and other assets, there is agriculture. The research finds that those who diversified their farming activities (for example, growing modern crops such as green peppers and vanilla) were most likely to succeed. People who stuck to traditional farming activities (growing bananas and coffee) were more likely to remain poor.

The other main route out of poverty is trading and business. The research shows that people’s ability to move into this kind of work depends largely on their exposure to life outside their village. In contrast to farming, a continued good health and an extensive trust network can compensate for lack of initial capital here.

The research also shows that poor people in Kagera are extremely vulnerable to shocks, such as illness or the death of a family member. Only the richest people have the ability to protect themselves against the negative impacts of such shocks.

Key research findings include:

• Rural people who can diversify their farming activities or move into non-farm activities such as trade tend to do well.
• People who live in remote areas and lack land and other assets have the least freedom to move out of poverty.
• When poor people leave their villages to look for work, they often end up working and living in dangerous and alienating conditions (such as new settlement areas that have grown up around gold mines).
• Poor people are very vulnerable to even relatively small shocks (unexpected events).
• Local inheritance rights in Kagera make women particularly vulnerable when their husband or father dies.

In Kagera and similar regions, farming will continue to be the mainstay of most people’s livelihoods for the foreseeable future. However, given the right conditions, people living in rural areas like Kagera can gradually move out of poverty.

The policy implications of the research include:

• Raising agricultural incomes should be a priority.
• Promoting new crops and supporting farmers in marketing them (for example, through help with information and credit) are important.
• Promoting universal primary education and exposing people to new ideas and networks are also important.
• Introducing social protection measures to help people cope with unexpected events such as illness would help to reduce vulnerability.
• Ensuring local compliance to national inheritance laws would help improve the lives of women whose husband or father dies.
• Promoting social cohesion and government leadership in new settlement areas will be important.

Source(s):
‘Moving out of Poverty in Tanzania’s Kagera Region’, Economic Development Initiatives, EDI: Bukoba, by Joachim De Weerdt, 2006 (PDF) Full document.

Funded by: World Bank

id21 Research Highlight: 20 July 2007

Further Information:
Joachim De Weerdt
Economic Development Initiatives
Box 393 Bukoba
Tanzania

Tel: + 255 (0)28 2220059
Fax: + 255 (0)28 2220059
Contact the contributor: j.deweerdt@edi-africa.com

Economic Development Initiatives

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