Rural Livelihood And Poverty In Tanzania: A case study of Mkinga District, Tanga Region

This paper aims to examine rural livelihood and poverty in Tanzania within communities at Mkinga district, Tanga region. Livelihood diversification is not well understood and adopted as a coping strategy due to various risk, shocks and uncertainties in the study area. To alleviate poverty, government should promote livelihood diversifications together with associated variables that influence access to livelihood assets. Establishment of adaptation measures, inland aquaculture, tourism and other income generation activities can subsidize their struggle for survival. It should be noted that in rural areas development of agriculture sector plays a vital role. However, the efforts of the government and other stakeholders in rural development should put the same efforts on non farming activities such as adaptation measures on climate change, rural insurance, rural finance, extension services to fishers and favorable business environment. Key words: Livelihood, livelihood framework, Assets

Of What Significance Are Improved Main Roads in Malawi? Economic and Non-Economic Perspectives of Rural Communities from Karonga and Chitipa Districts

Road transport is the predominant mode of transportation in developing countries and is the major driver of the socio-economic development of the countries.  However, little is known about the empirical evidence of the economic and non-economic impact of these roads to rural communities in Malawi.  The main aim of the study was to explore the economic and noneconomic perspectives of improved roads from the perspective of rural communities residing along the improved Karonga-Chitipa road.  The phenomenological qualitative approach and case study design were employed to identify both the economic and non-economic impacts of improved Karonga-Chitipa road from the perspective of rural communities dwelling along this road.   The study found out that improved Karonga-Chitipa road had an economic and non-economic impact on rural communities along the road.  The economic impact included intensification and extensification of forestry-based businesses, the growth of business in rural areas, and employment creation. The study found out that the improvement of the road had brought some positive non-economic impacts like improved mobility, access to social amenities and migration.  The study recommends further studies on mechanisms for sustaining the positive impacts on the well-being of the rural communities. Keywords: Economic impact, non-economic impact, improved Karonga-Chitipa road, livelihood, rural communities, China, Malaw

Mixed Starts and Uncertain Futures: Case Studies of Three Chinese Agricultural Investments in Zimbabwe

Chinese agricultural investments in Africa have grown significantly in the past two decades, but there remains very little empirical research on the nature of these investments. This paper aims to address this knowledge gap by looking at three different types of Chinese investors in Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector: a National State Owned Enterprise (SOE), a Provincial SOE and a private company. Collectively, their experiences not only challenge the pervasive view that Chinese companies are progressing at unstoppable rates in African markets, but also raise deeper questions about the importance of company structures, financial stability and the environments in which they operate

Sink or Swim? Survival Mechanisms Employed by Local Non-Governmental Organisations in Malawi: A Case from the Agriculture Sector

The study was conducted to explore the survival mechanisms of local non-governmental organisations in Malawi particularly those operating in the agriculture sector as a case. It used a qualitative approach with focus on survival mechanisms based on three categories visa-vie financial, public relations and capacity building.  Among the three categories, financial related mechanisms were revealed as key to local non-governmental organisations’ survival.  Many of them depend on grants and donations to fund their projects. Others depend on subcontracting and community or member contributions. Public relations and capacity building mechanisms such as use of rebranding, diversified programmes, technical, managerial and resource mobilization skills were also revealed as central to their survival. Since a good relationship with the public plays a very important role to the existence of any non-government organisation, the study therefore recommends that the local organizations need to touch-base well with the public (target audience) and all stakeholders within and outside its catchment area to ensure their survival.  This could enable them to get the much needed support from all the relevant stakeholders thereby guaranteeing their continued survival. In addition, the review of the Non-Governmental Organisation Act and development of a policy, should factor in issues of their survival if their contribution to the development of Malawi is to be sustained. The act or the policy should incorporate some guidelines on how subcontracting should be handled. Above all, local non-governmental organisations should look beyond one strategy. Keywords: Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Survival Strategies, Agriculture Sector, Malawi

Difference or Indifference: China's Development Assistance Unpacked

China's growing role in international development through so?called ‘South–South cooperation’ has attracted considerable global attention. This article aims to provide a nuanced understanding of the nature of foreign aid policies implemented by China and help facilitate a new set of dialogues between China and more established providers of aid. It unpacks the developmental side of the story by first analysing the official discourse of Chinese aid in a historical context and thereafter examines the practice of conditional aid in relation to the Chinese emphasis on non?interference and mutual interest. The empirical basis for this article is largely derived from field studies undertaken in Malawi, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. We argue that although centrally controlled, Chinese aid has been consistently developmental, reflecting both the country's own development path and, to a lesser extent, international developmental goals

Blurring the Lines between Aid and Business in the Agricultural Technology Demonstration Centre in Zimbabwe

In recent years, tremendous attention has been given to China’s burgeoning agricultural engagements in Africa. Due to limited access to these engagements, most discussions have focused on macro-level discourse analysis as well as political and economic analysis on its impacts. Little research of an anthropological nature has been undertaken at the micro-level operation of ongoing projects, taking note of the nature of interactions between the donors and local counterpart staff within a given cultural setting. This article focuses on a Chinese- Zimbabwe Agricultural Technology Demonstration Centre (ATDC) to provide insights into the daily activities, interactions and cultural encounters with locals. Ethnographic methodologies are used to examine the Chinese and Africans’ activities, ideas and dialogues at the Demonstration Centre to present through empirical observations how China’s macro strategy is implemented in actual practices of staff and local partners at the ATDC in Zimbabwe

Brazil and China in Mozambican Agriculture: Emerging Insights from the Field

Mozambique, a country undergoing rapid transformations driven by the recent discovery of mineral resources, is one of the top destinations for Chinese and Brazilian cooperation and investment in Africa. This article provides an account of the policies, narratives, operational modalities and underlying motivations of Brazilian and Chinese development cooperation in Mozambique. It is particularly interested in understanding how the engagements are perceived and talked about, what drives them and what formal and informal relations are emerging at the level of particular exchanges. The article draws on three cases (1) ProSavana, Brazil's current flagship programme in Mozambique, which aims to transform the country's savanna, spreading along the Nacala corridor, drawing on Brazil's own experience in the Cerrado ; (2) the Chinese Agricultural Technology Demonstration Centre (ATDC); and (3) a private Chinese rice investment project in the Xai?Xai irrigation scheme, which builds on a technical cooperation initiative. Commonalities and differences between the Brazilian and Chinese approaches are discussed