Three Decades of Rural Development Projects in Asia, Latin America, and Africa: Learning From Successes and Failures

rural development, donor policy, project evaluation

International migration and national development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Viewpoints and policy initiatives in the countries of origin

Zoomers A, van Naerssen T. International migration and national development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Viewpoints and policy initiatives in the countries of origin. COMCAD Arbeitspapiere - working papers, 32. Bielefeld: COMCAD - Center on Migration, Citizenship and Development; 2007

Правова відповідальність

У статті досліджено актуальні питання правової відповідальності.В статье исследованы актуальные вопросы правовой ответственности.The actual questions of law responsibility are researched in the article

International migration and national development in Sub-Saharan Africa: viewpoints and policy initiatives in the countries of origin ; paper presented at the conference on ‘Transnationalisation and Development(s): Towards a North-South Perspective’, Center for Interdisciplinary Research, Bielefeld, Germany, May 31 - June 01, 2007

Der vorliegende Beitrag stellt die Ergebnisse eines Projektes vor, in dem es zum einen um die Beziehung zwischen Migration und Entwicklung aus Entwicklungsländerperspektive geht und zum anderen um die Minimierung der negativen Effekte dieser Beziehung. Dabei stehen die Länder Afrikas südlich der Sahara im Mittelpunkt des Interesses. Zunächst erfolgt ein kurzer überblick über die Inhalte und Methoden des Projektes. Anschließend werden die Ergebnisse vorgestellt, wobei zunächst eine Typisierung der internationalen Arbeitsmigration nach Zielländern erfolgt. Im Anschluss daran werden die unterschiedlichen Migrationswege und -arten untersucht. Danach widmen sich die Autoren den Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschieden in den Herkunftsländern. Abschließend erfolgt ein Überblick über politische Initiativen in einzelnen Ländern sowie über die Diasporagemeinden in den Niederlanden. (ICD)Contents: Acknowledgement; 0. Background; 1. Summary of project results; 1. Introduction; 2. The characteristics of international labour migration: towards a typology; 3. Migration routes from sub-Saharan Africa and recent trends; 4. Viewpoints in the areas of origin: common issues; 5. Issues on the policy agenda: a country overview; 6. A summary of concrete policy initiatives; 7. Intermezzo: African diaspora organisations in the Netherlands and development; 8. Final reflections, recommendations and suggestions for follow up; Appendix 1: Suggestions for follow-up research (in line with the policy recommendations); 1. Migration hubs and transit migration; 2. Migration as a booming business; 3. The image and reputation of various EU-countries as areas of destination; 4. Migrants as competitors and rivals; 5. Embassies, diplomatic relations and the institutionalisation of migration; 6. International migration, land speculation/ foreign-fundia and land titling; 7. Migrant and diaspora organisations (in relation to civil society); Appendix 2: Ideas for PhD projects; Project 1: International Migration and European Borders; Project 2: Migration and Home: settlement and removal in the EU; Project 3: Migration and Transnational Networks: diasporas within the EU, new networks and the impact for development

Oil Palm Plantations in Indonesia: The Implications for Migration, Settlement/Resettlement and Local Economic Development

5. Concluding remarks It is not difficult for policy makers to show that oil palms are an economically rentable crop with a huge potential for further economic growth. In addition to national demands, the growing worldwide interest in biofuels as an alternative to fossil fuels will increase demand for its feedstock and lead to the expansion of oil palm plantations in climatically suitable regions. On the basis of a cost–benefit analysis of various crops, oil palm will probably continue to be seen as a highly profitable crop with interesting possibilities for being promoted as a source of ‘green’ development. The Indonesian population has increasingly been attracted by this crop, as it provides them with opportunities to benefit and multiply their incomes, which will in itself provide capital for improving consumption and having a good life. At the same time, however, Riau shows us that there are environmental costs (deforestation, invasion into peat land areas etc.) and that oil palm expansion is accompanied by rapid immigration and urbanization. Even though policy attempts are made to control land conversion or to stop deforestation, much of what is happening today cannot easily be regulated. It is not the direct effects (i.e. the expansion of plantations and production) but the indirect effects and multipliers that bring into question the long-term sustainability of the development model. The establishment of new settlements, rapid urbanization and continuing immigration will require additional employment opportunities. And along with the growing population and the conversion of rice lands into oil palm fields, food security issues will increasingly become a problem. Rather than making quick money from oil palm production, the Indonesian government should make efforts to better control the indirect effects and especially to investigate the problem how to make oil palm-based economies more sustainable and equitable in the longer term. Without interventions – and with today’s laissez-faire approach – further oil palm expansion will soon lead to the depletion of natural resources and an increase in social tensions as a result of unemployment and food insecurity

How to Research the Changing Outlines of African Livelihoods

This paper examines how to research the changing outlines of African livelihoods in the present era of globalisation. After an analysis of the historical and theoretical  context in which the modern livelihood approach developed, two trends in modern livelihood studies are discussed, i.e. its increased holistic features and the  surmounting of its micro-orientation. Subsequently, the most pressing issues in livelihood research are reviewed: decomposition of households, and the increased diversification and increased multi-locality of livelihoods under globalisation. The next section focuses on two major theoretical and methodological challenges facing the livelihood approach at present. First, with respect to the problem of access, we will demonstrate that the livelihood approach can become more powerful analytically by improving its theoretical depth through incorporating valuable elements of sovereignty and power. Second, there is the access to livelihood opportunities in relation to decision-making. In this context, we review various relevant concepts, such as livelihood strategies and styles, in order to operationalise the improved theoretical depth. We then propose livelihood trajectories as an appropriate  methodology for examining pathways of African livelihoods. In doing so, the paper also suggests an agenda for future research on African livelihoods. Cet article examine les aspects changeants des systèmes de survie africains dans le contexte actuel de la mondialisation. Après une analyse du contexte historique et théorique au sein duquel l’approche moderne aux systèmes de survie a été   développée, nous débattons de deux tendances existant au niveau les études sur les moyens de survie, notamment l’aspect holistique grandissant caractérisant ces études et le dépassement de sa micro-orientation. Des questions d’actualité dans le domaine de la recherche en systèmes de survie sont ensuite évoquées : la décomposition des foyers, et la diversification accrûe ainsi que le caractère de plus en plus multi-local des moyens de survie dans le contexte de la mondialisation. La partie suivante porte sur deux principaux défis théoriques et méthodologiques auxquels est actuellement confrontée l’approche aux systèmes de survie. Tout d’abord, en ce qui concerne le problème de l’accès, nous démontrons que l’approche aux systèmes de survie peut avoir un contenu analytique plus percutant, en améliorant sa profondeur théorique à travers l’intégration des éléments de  souveraineté et de pouvoir. Deuxièmement, il existe la question de l’accès aux opportunités donnant accès aux moyens de survie, en relation au processus de prise de décision. Dans ce contexte, nous passons en revue divers concepts, tels que les stratégies et styles de survie, afin de rendre opérationnelle cette  amélioration de la teneur théorique. Ensuite, nous proposons des trajectoires de survie, comme méthodologie adaptée permettant d’examiner les voies de survie en Afrique. Cet article propose par la même, un agenda pour la recherche future en matière de systèmes de survie africains

В портфеле редакции

This paper argues that global linkages, flows and circulations merit a more central place in theorization about local development. In particular, we make connections across two dominant types of global flows that shape our world tremendously: international migration and large-scale land investments. The paper compares the two hypes and underlines the similarities in their genealogy, rhetoric and push for good governance as a solution. It then maps out the emergent geographies of local development given rise by these two ntersecting global flows and discusses how they hinder the road to inclusive and sustainable development. While analysing the consequences of the two global flows, we probe the mileage of two interlinked influential concepts in development studies: the notion 'development as freedom' and the Sustainable Livelihood Approach. We conclude that the relational aspects of livelihood and development, positionality of the local vis-à-vis the global or external, and transformations coming from the outside should be central in our renewed conceptualisation about local development

Can the Dragon Make the Lion Breathe Fire? The Links of Chinese Entrepreneurs in the Addis Ababa Economy

China’s increasing role in many African economies has given rise to discussions about the drivers of these economic relations and the benefits that Africa can reap. This article, based on field work carried out in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), aims to contribute to this discussion by shedding light on a group that is often overlooked: the Chinese small entrepreneurs. Our investigation of five specific economic linkages shows how Chinese entrepreneurs mainly operate in secluded market segments, but also are impactful players in the local economy of Bole Rwanda (Addis Ababa). Their presence has both direct and indirect economic effects: even though focusing mainly on serving the Chinese community, these entrepreneurs play important roles in employment generation, and the transfer of knowledge of particular markets, while simultaneously offering new opportunities for Ethiopian entrepreneurs and transforming the existing vegetable market. The dragon helped the lion to breathe fire—the challenge is to make it a far-reaching and long-lasting breath

Poverty is Bad: Ways forward in livelihood research

In this paper, we take the view that the essence of poverty is the fact that one or several basic conditions for generating a living are not being met. The conditions considered most vital for making a living are to a certain extent context specific and subject to (cultural and social) interpretation and evaluation