Rural Poverty Reduction in the 21St Century Policy in Focus Is a Regular Publication of the International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG)
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A publication of The International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth Volume 16, Issue No. 1 • April 2019 Rural poverty reduction in the 21st century Policy in Focus is a regular publication of the International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG). The International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG) is a Some of the photographs used in this publication are licensed under partnership between the United Nations and the Government of Brazil to The Creative Commons license; full attribution and links to the individual promote South–South learning on social policies. The Centre specialises licenses are provided for each. in research-based policy recommendations to foster the reduction of Specialist Guest Editors: Ryan Nehring, Cornell University and Ana Paula de poverty and inequality as well as promote inclusive growth. The IPC-IG is la O Campos, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) linked to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Brazil, the Ministry of Economy (ME) and the Institute for Applied Economic In-house Editor: Manoel Salles Research (Ipea) of the Government of Brazil. Publications Manager: Roberto Astorino Director a.i.: Niky Fabiancic Copy Editor: Jon Stacey, The Write Effect Ltd. IPC-IG Research Coordinators: Diana Sawyer; Fábio Veras Soares; Rafael Guerreiro Osorio and Sergei Soares Art and Desktop Publishing: Flávia Amaral and Rosa Maria Banuth The views expressed in IPC-IG Publications are solely those of the authors Cover art: Mosaic produced by the IPC-IG Publications Team, composed and should not be taken as representing the views of their respective of photographs by (from left to right, top to bottom) Andrea Moroni, institutions, the United Nations Development Programme, Asian Development Bank, Deanna Ramsay/CIFOR, Axel Fassio/CIFOR and or the Government of Brazil. Ollivier Girard/CIFOR (all the photographs are licensed under the Creative Commons <https://bit.ly/OJZNiI>). Rights and Permissions – All rights reserved. The text and data in this publication may be reproduced as long as written permission is obtained Editor’s note: We would like to express our sincere appreciation to all from the IPC-IG and the source is cited. Reproductions for commercial the authors for their generous and insightful contributions, without purposes are forbidden. which this issue simply would not have been possible. Summary 7 Rural poverty reduction in the 21st century 11 Labour and rural poverty 14 The puzzling persistence of rural poverty 17 Rural poverty challenges in Latin America in light of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 22 Sustainable rural livelihoods and the Sustainable Development Goals 26 A multisectoral rural poverty reduction strategy: key components 28 Resilience and rural poverty reduction 32 Land access and control: rights, reform, and restitution 36 Beyond migration for/or development 39 Removing barriers to access social protection in rural areas: a core priority to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 1.3 42 Rethinking our strategy of rural poverty reduction: empowerment through a human rights-based approach 45 The impacts of investments in agricultural and rural development on Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 2: a meta-review of evidence 49 How can poverty reduction programmes empower rural women? Considerations from social protection 52 Gender and rural poverty Editorial While political dynamics differ greatly from one place between the two are becoming more evident. Rural to another, rural areas continue to have legitimate populations are also increasingly diversifying their grievances. Poverty in rural areas is both more prevalent livelihoods: while the agricultural sector remains the and more acute than in urban areas—about 80 per cent most important, other sectors are crucial to generate of the world’s extremely poor people live in rural areas. income for poor people in rural areas. This will certainly need to change, especially if The articles in this issue offer insights into what has been governments and development organisations are done to reduce rural poverty; they present some of the serious about achieving the Sustainable Development progress that has been made and offer suggestions for Goals. Rural populations are on the front lines of climate different ways in which further progress can be achieved. change mitigation and adaptation and will need to be Our objective is to increase the visibility of rural areas and a productive force to ensure the food security needs the centrality of its residents in meeting cross-cutting of countries and communities around the world. existential challenges in the 21st century. We hope that Political will and leadership are needed to make rural it helps contribute to the debate by communicating the development and poverty reduction a priority. Rural urgency and importance of reducing rural poverty to poverty in the 21st century presents new challenges achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and revitalise and opportunities for governments and organisations rural areas around the world. that share the goal of pro-poor development. The classic dichotomies between rural and urban environments are becoming less relevant as linkages Ryan Nehring and Ana Paula de la O Campos 6 Rural poverty reduction in the 21st century Ryan Nehring1 and in the 21st century must consider the group, comprising fisherfolk and forest Ana Paula de la O Campos2 different levels of interconnectivity, as well communities, while other non-agricultural as the opportunities generated, between activities also constitute an important The widespread industrialisation of the the different geographical spaces. part of their incomes (De la O Campos 19th and 20th centuries was fuelled by a et al. 2018). It is up to governments, vision of development as a progressive Rural societies are as important as ever, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), modernisation of production—from including in the developed world (Scoones multilateral institutions and other actors agriculture to manufacturing. The role of et al. 2017). The Sustainable Development to establish how these populations can rural societies in that process lies at the Goals (SDGs) are now calling for the be part of building a more sustainable heart of understanding large-scale social elimination of extreme poverty for all and inclusive agricultural and and political transformations (Moore people everywhere by 2030. Development environmental transformation. Jr. 1966). Yet processes of structural efforts, social mobilisation, investment and transformation and growth have not renewed attention from States will need The authors featured in this issue come been completely inclusive and have led to focus on rural areas. Historical patterns from a wide range of institutions— to differentiated rural worlds in the 21st of poverty reduction in rural areas suggest governmental, non-governmental and century that have seen less progress that this new focus will need to be based academic—and represent different than their urban counterparts. Overall, on multisectoral approaches that target disciplines and perspectives from around global poverty has fallen over the last some of the most vulnerable populations, the world. Their collective scholarship is several decades, including in rural areas. such as women, indigenous peoples and an urgent reminder of the importance of However, despite these gains, poverty those without land, while balancing these rural development in the eradication of continues to be a persistent feature efforts with overall local development. extreme poverty (SDG 1) by the rapidly of rural areas and societies. About 80 It also needs to be based on reducing approaching deadline of 2030. per cent of the world’s extremely poor inequalities between rural and urban people3 live in rural areas, and, in many areas, including by supporting positive Following this introductory article, regions, rural areas have experienced few interactions between both environments Carlos Oya presents a critical view of the positive changes in their overall well- to stimulate inclusive growth. ‘pro-smallholder’ approach to rural poverty being (World Bank 2018). It is also in rural reduction. He reminds us that the poorest areas where poverty is most severe. The aim to reduce rural poverty in the people in rural areas typically rely on 21st century importantly intersects wages for their livelihoods. Thus, it is crucial This issue of Policy in Focus assesses with a range of other global challenges. to understand labour market dynamics the historical and current state of rural Effects from climate change will be if employment creation is to establish poverty, as well as some of the key factors pronounced in many areas around the productive linkages between urban and and approaches for poverty reduction in world, and rural populations, often rural areas. Instead of past industrialisation rural spaces that are facing both new and dependent on for their livelihoods, will processes, Oya sees ‘industries without persisting challenges. Increasingly high potentially be the most affected and will smokestacks’ as one area of hope, where levels of connectivity are making urban– also be at the forefront of mitigation and rural producers may find new income rural dichotomies much less evident. adaptation efforts. Recent calls to double generation opportunities in horticulture A study by the Food and Agriculture the global food supply also present an and fruit production (‘industrialisation of Organization