Poverty amidst Plenty

Reflections by: Joseph Sekiku, FADECO, Karagwe, Kagera region, Tanzania.

A talk given at Ecodyfi, Machynlleth, Powys, UK, on 10 July 2003.

Introduction

From newspapers, TV,radios, etc. much is said about starvation, poverty, deprivation, wars, diseases and poverty in Africa. Equally talked about is the high level of development assistance that is given every year.

But as you might well know, development aid has been extended to Africa for ages (unendingly) and one would wonder why problems addressed never stop.

Without necessarily answering this paradox, I'd like to share my experiences working at grassroot level, in Nyakasimbi village, Karagwe district, Kagera region, NW Tanzania.

General key observations

• Fertile land suitable for cultivation with no need for application of synthetic fertilisers

• Rainfall in two distinct seasons enough to support plant growth twice a year

• Population size of Tanzania : 35 Mln

• Area: 945,000 sq. Km

• Only 40% of arable land is utilised and for subsistence farming

• Excess production above household consumption recorded with:

• over 80% bananas

• over 60% maize

• Over 40% beans

• over 60% round potatoes

Main problems

• Household poverty and poor standards of living for most households

• Limited access by majority to essential services (due to limited capacity to pay for them)

• Low and very poor household incomes ( Income per capital < US $ 100 )

• Wide spread food shortage and hunger

• Limited access to information resources (radio, news papers, etc)

• Diseases (HIV/AIDS, Malaria, water borne diseases, Malnutrition)

Main causes of above problems

• Limited access to markets for agricultural produce

• Limited capacity and knowledge to add value through processing and storage

• Limited opportunities for post primary education

• Limited opportunities for adult education

• Low participation of the masses in planning, decision making, etc.

• Global influences by the World Bank and IMF: privatisation, SAP,

• All marketing farming is targeted for export to the West whereas a local market would be possible

• Limited access to medical services

• Poor communication and transport infrastructure

• Environmental degradation through uncontrolled cutting down of forests and bush burning

• Poor governance and lack of participation

• Not enough capital or access to capital to invest

• Poor investment policies

• Rural to urban migration

• Centralisation of government: all decisions made by government in Dar es salaam

99% of people in Tanzania are peasant farmers but:

• The economy is entirely agrarian: it is from garden to pot to mouth. When crops fails for whatever reason, there is no always no reserve to mitigate the situation.

• Most farmers practice shifting agriculture, moving from one place to another in search of virgin land. Where this is not possible, crop yields fall due to diminishing natural soil fertility

• From time to time, the government accepts food donations to supplement food deficit in some regions yet, due to poor roads, food is rotting in farms in Kagera region.

• Food markets are under developed (food costs very cheaply) and so not much income is realised from food crops.

• Coffee prices have tremendously fallen and with no alternative cash crop, most households have no other sources of income.

Education

• 67% have access to primary education (govt wants to attain 87% attendance by 2010)

• 32% have access to post primary education (secondary, vocational)

• 1.4 % have access to University

• 20 Teacher training colleges (1 per region)

• Ratio of teacher to pupil is 1:45

• Teaching work force only 45% of required

Education in Karagwe

• 157 primary schools (average 500 pupils per school)

• 8 secondary schools (only 1 government owned)

• 4.2% have access to post primary education

• 4 Vocational Schools

• 95.8% drop out after primary school

• Access to education by Girls: 1 out of 10

Health situation in Tanzania

• Malaria is still a major killer disease.

• HIV/AIDS is also taking its toll.

• Water borne diseases are also wide-spread.

• Malnutrition is high among children.

• Infant mortality and maternal mortality are very high.

Problems associated with health

• Most of the main diseases are preventable. Unfortunately, the local population lack the necessary capacity and knowledge.

• Access to medical services is limited as such have been commercialised, are far so patients have to move long distances, availability of cheap expired drugs which means diseases are not eradicated, etc.

Way forward

Agricultural improvement:

1. Making sure that enough food is stored is not difficult. Value-added processing and storage are not difficult either. Composting is not difficult either. So empowering people so that they can grow, process, preserve and market their products seems the best remedy.

2. Access to markets (both local and export) with a focus on creating sustainable markets at both fronts. What people need is TRADE NOT AID.

3. Capacity building of the farming groups through training and sensitisation programmes to be able to grow more, preserve and add value through processing and creating markets would greatly improve the local economy.

4. Increasing access to information on better farming practices, markets, new technologies/ innovations e.g. rural information centres and access to the internet would help farmers make a difference.

Way forward to improve health

• Sensitisation on basic primary health care and preventive medicine

• Use of proven and effective natural therapies

• Improve health delivery services

• Create training opportunities for local people in rural and modern medics

• Introduce conducive policies for family planning, reproductive and sexual health care to adolescents, etc.

Interventions by FADECO

1. Economic / Agriculture improvement:

• Focus on introducing proven low cost technologies:

  • - solar fruit drying

  • - Sustainable organic agriculture

  • - Post harvest fruit processing

  • - Promote incoming generating activities including bee keeping

  • - Use integrated pest management techniques

• Improved access to information on local markets

• Explore export possibilities

• Encourage small scale/ cottage industries

• Support small business through training and Micro credit facilities

2. Education

• - Promote life skills education to school drop-outs by establishing a multi-purpose training centre within the village and transfer skills such as:

• Organic farming practices

• Vocational skills (tailoring, carpentry, wood work, screen printing, Computer)

• Small scale food processing

• Business skills development

• Advocate for girl education, etc.