Conclusions and recommendations of the African regional conference on the integrated approach to rural development, Moshi (Tanzania), 13-24 October 1969

'LIN ITED N'ATIONS

ECONOMIC and SOCIAL COUNCIL

Djatr-, LITP:'D

E I(L14! J;;CD/ 55

19 I'jay J·970

Ori,~illal: ETGLISH

11eeting of Experts Oil the Dsve Lo prnent

of Rural Life .and Institutions in Ilest !drica Accra, 22-31 July 1970

CONCLUSIONS I,FD RSCO/JIEENDATIONS OF THE AFRICAN REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE HTTEGRATED APPROACH TO RURAL DEVELOPNilTT,

MOSHI (TM,ZANIA), 13-24 OCTOBER 1969

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Paragraph INTRODUCTION

Chapter

1 8

21 - 39

40 - 65 66 - 87 88 -108 109-155

I I I III

IV

V

VI

M7C-970

Definition and objectiv~s of rural development Factors influgncing rural development

PrC' blems of rur~1 dcvelopmen t

Presen t strategies of rural development The integrated approach to rural development Recommendations

9 ²⁰

EICN.14 IS,/CD/55

INTRODUCTION

1. This report of the Afrioan Regional Conferenoe on the Integrated Approach to Rural Development consists of a summary of consultant and other papers presented to it, and discussions and interventions by participants,observers and other individuals who attended and took part in the deliberations of the conference. The report has been prepared by the rapporteurs appointed for the task by the conferenoe, with the assistance of the secretariat.

2. The conferen~e was organized by the Economic Commission for Afrioa, the Dag Hammarskjold Foundation of Sweden, the African Institute for Eoonomic Development and Planning (IDEP), the Organization of African Unity, and in co-operation with the Regional Inter-Agency Committee on Rural Development (ECA, FAO, ILO, WHO, UNICEF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNDP) and the Government of Tanzania.

3. The oonference took plaoe at the Co-operative College, Moshi,

Tan~ania, from 13 - 24 October, 1969. The 'deliberations were conducted in eighteen plenary sessions in the auditorium of the Co-operative College under the direction of the following Officers:

Chairman: Mr. Kisaka Robert Kadio (Tanzania) 1st Vice-Chairman: Mr. M. Djibril Aw (Mali) 2nd Vice-Chairman: Mr. M.C, Chibowa (Zambia) Rapporteurs: Mr. Kolo Twumasi (Ghana)

Mr, Jean-Pascal llraza Nganga (Congo-Brazaville)

4. The secretariat of the conference consisted of:

Director: Mr. J. Riby-Williams (FDA) Co-Director: Mr. Sven Hamrell

(Dag Hammarskjold Foundation)

Executive Secretary' Dr. T. Peter Omari

(UN/EGA)

Asst. Exeoutive Seoretary: Mr. J. Quirino Lanhounmey(ECA) Secretary: Mr. Miohael Edo (IDEP)

Liaison Officer, Mr. J, M. Rutashobya (Tanzania)

5.

The opening session of the conference on Monday, 12 Ootober, 1969, was presided over by Mr. J. Riby-Williams, Director, ECA Division Human Resouroes Development. It was opened by the Hon. A.M. Babu,

Minister for Commerce and Industry, Government of the Republio of Tanzania who was introduoed by the Regional Commissioner of Moshi. In his speeoh the Minister indioated that Tanzanians are honoured that Mcshi had been ohosen as the site for this conference sinoe the SUbject-matter of the oonferenoe is most important to the developing world. Rural; development, aocording to the Minister, "is the key to progress in developing oountries

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where the majority of the people, almost 95 per cent in Tanzania, live in rural areas". The Minister commended the spirit and essence of the Arusha Declaration and the benefits of self-reliance, African culture and

traditicnal values, to participants cf the conference. Mr. Riby-Williams delivered a speech to the conference on behalf of the United Nations.

6. The conference brought together thirty-eight participants frcm twenty-seven African countries; thirty-five cbservers including the representatives of OAU, 110, FAO, UNESCO, WHO, UNDP, UNHCR and UNICEF;

and others from Universities and organizations in East Africa. Participants and observers included specialists and administrators in the field cf

rural development and the various cther fields: economists, sociologists, physical and regional planners, agriculturists and geographers. The agenda and daily programme of work is to be found as appendix II to this report.

7.

The conference also privided the opportunity for officials of the various international agencies and organizations, and officials of the various EGA member governments participating in it, to come together and get acquainted with one another, to share their knowledge and experience, and to develop a sense of common purpose and outlook towards the integrated approach to rural development.

8. The report that follows was adopted by the Conference at its 16th, 17th and 18th Plenary Sessions.

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Chapter I

Definition and objectives of rural development Defini hon of rural development

9.

Rural developmen, _~~ a complicated process that defies easy definition.

Its compLaxt tY' is testified to by the mul tiplici ty of forms that rural development programmes have taKen in the past and still take in many parts of the 'World: "mass action", "ma.ss education"; "ponul a r- action", Ilrural reconstruction", ^IIcommunal act ton", "community development", "animation rurale", "agricultural extension" and the like. Rural development fre- quently is also ccnfused wi th agricul tural development or wi·th the, meohani- zation of the countryside.

'lO~ Rural development should be defined in connexion with itslocala - the rural area which is "an area where the population is predominantly active in the primary sectcr and where, consequently, man is closely conneotedto the land and is noticeably subject to the condit,icons, of his na tural snv a ronmen t";

11. Rural development involves modernization, and modernization implies an increase in productive power. It also implies changes in human

attitudes, replacing a sense of dependence on the natural environment

- with the desire and abili ty to influence the arrangments of that env-i ronment .

-'M~detnization seeks to establish an economic base for the society which wt>t11d,generate progressively large-r levels of output, and promote the

emer~enCe:of a knowledge and attitudinal base which make possible the Wqlahsion oflnan'scapacity to deal rationally with his environment.

12. Rural development waS defined by the Conference as "The outcome of a series of quantitative and qualitative changes occurring among a given rural population 'and whose converging effects indicate in time . a rise'in ,the standard of liVing a.nd favourable changes in the way of life".

Ruraldevelupment also calls for a set of projects and policies so designed and co-ordinated that they will raise the whole pattern of living of Ii given ruralpopula tion from one level to a markedly higher level and, in so doing, create a society which will thereafter be dynamic economically and socially.

'Why rural devel"pment?

:1'3.:Bural areas exist in all countries, and all countries therefore, need programmes of rural development. But the need is most pressing in develop- ing African countries where the rural sector is appreciably larger than the urban sector. In developing countries, the population is predominantly rural and rural aotivities are the basis of national income generation.

Any effort to modernize those countries requires the mobilization of the :resources of the countryside, both as a means of im?roving directly the way of living of the rural population and as the main sourCe of income and

foreign exchange earnings for use in the development of the urban-industrial sector.

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14. In Africa, about 80 per cent of the population lives in rural areas.

Governments therefore,cannot afford to neglect this majority of the popu- lation, nor wouldi t be, Elqui table topr9videt4., benefits of development only for urban residents. Over the past decade, the production of food per capita has risen only slightly, if at all. The young peopl~are

leaving the countryside and migrating into the towns at a rate greater than the urban sector's capacity to absorb them. This is already creating problems of overcrowding and unemployment in the cities. Life in the countryside continues to be characterized by inadequate medical services, improper nutri tion,under-empLoyment and other ills. These facts make , well-conceived programmes of rural development very urgent.

Objectives of rural development

15. The ultimate aim of development is the improvement of manls working _ and living conditions. Iiith tho development of the economy, the bene fi ts

of scienoe and technology should be spread more 'ilidely among the population.

16. Short-term plan targets might be a stipulated rate of inorease of production per unit area for cash orops in some countries, such as cotton, coffee, coooa, etc., or a ntipulated rate of inorease in yield per acre or in total acreage of major crops to meet looal ooneurnpti on of staple foods suoh as wheat, rioe, millet or oorn, eto.

17. vlliether primacy in the development prooess should be given to agri- oulture or industry need not oause new debate. African na'tions are pre- dominantly rural, national disposable income then must, in the shor~run,

oome from surpluses generated in the rural seotor. Investment might be allooated to economic poles (areas with more favourable eoonomic endowment), the benefits of suoh investment being spread to all areas throu~h the

distribution of government servioes.

18. MediUiii-~range goals are necessary to bridge the gap between short-term and fong-term objectives. Since _long~tenn objectives are,by defini tien, not immediately realizable, it becomes necessary to formulate medium-range

goals as 'more speciric indicators of movement and quantitative data become available. For rural development, the cmedium-range goals might be as follows' increased per capita income and food product; deorease in the disparity between rural and urban income, fair and stable prices, slowing down of the population movement into the towns , increase in ,the level of

employment, improvement in the balance of payment position, increased

investment and rate of innovation, and an improvement in housing, health faoilities, educational provisions and transportation networks.

19. The long-range objective of development is to change the economy from one which is preponderantly agro-rural to one characterized by industry, trade and services; and to replaoe an essentially t.radi ti on-cbound sooial system with one which is dynamio. This does not mean the imposition of

E!CN.14!Sl,CD!55 Page 5

alien values on the indigenous population, rather the development of,i~­

digenous values to make them compatible with modern progress~v~ cond~t~ons that promote growth and development. It is also.necessa~ to ~ncrease

productivity through a radical change in product~on techn~ques.,reform patterns of land tenure and use; and to diversif,y ru:al product~on. The object is to create an economy capable of self-susta~ned gro~th. '

20. A necessar,y and fundamental aspect of rural development is consideration of the human factor. The rural economy is rich in land and labour bu t

scarce in capital. Programmes of rural development must therefore, rely on the most effective USe of hl1IDan and physical resources. FUrther, the attitudes of the population will determine the degree to ~hich development programmes can succeed. It is vital that the popl11ation take an active part in the formulation and execution of development programmes in order that the programmes may conform as closely as possible to local conditions and needs, and in order that the people may exerCise some control over their dee tiny.

Chapter II

Factors influencing rural develonment Geographical and ecological factors

21. Man in the rural area is close to the land and to nature and is posi- tively and negatively influenced to a greater or lesser extent by the con- ditions of his natural environment. Geographical factors such as rainfall, humidity, sunshine, rivers and distance determine to a large extent the natl1ral production potentials of the rl1ral environment. A rural development programme s houLd therefore, take into account these na tural forces.

22. The rural area is characterized by inadequate supplies of healthy drinking water, unde~developedtransportation facilities,thereby raising the cost of export and import for land-locked countries sl1ch as Mali,

Zambia, Niger and the Central African .iepub Lf c , limited rainfall and desert areas in oountriessuch as the UAR, Algeria, Senegal and Libya, primtive land use and the inadequacy of soil conservation methods; a high crop loss factor dl1e to plant diseases and the predations of rodents and other animals, and the laok of structures and arrangements to mitigate the effects of these natural conditions on the people's working and living conditions.

23. Apart from these physical f'ea tu rea , there is the question of adaptation of man, plants and animals to this environment, as well as the inter-action among all three. Ver,y often it is diffiCUlt to initiate radical changes in the environment in order to adapt the geographical and ecologioal factors to the needs of man. Nevertheless, scientific research and the employment of techniques such as irrigation, make it POSSible to introduce new plant

var~etles and an~mal species that can suit an otherwise forbidding locale.

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Economic and technological factors

24. The eoonomy of the r~ral areas is typically a s~bsistence ag~i~~lt~ral economy and is marked by little diversification and a low preduct~v~ty level. To develop it, the following fundamental factors sho~ld be

empahsized: infrastructure: roads, hydro-agricultural development, health education, etc., product~<.,," opt;'IT,Ufil ha.rmoni aa tion. of production facto.rs;

conditions for marketing of.products:· good cond~t~ons for.preserv~ng,and storing produce, guaranteed internal and external markets; rair-, p rof'I table and stanle prices.

25.. The us e of traditional p·attern.s of' production (hoeing, shifting c"l··

tivation, etc.) mainly acccunts for the low productivity of rural com- munities even though these do not require huge investment. On the other hand, the introduot~on of modern teohniq~es such as large-scale farming and the use of machines and fertilizers, requires both the mobilization of huge capital, which is difficult to obtain, and the train'ing of a rural manpower.

26. The peasant is more a "social" than an "economic" man. Kinship ties and custom determine his eoonomic actions and r&quirements and there is not that exp~ndingmix of'wants and needs which, in the modern economy, provides an impetus for innovation and growth.

Sociological and psychological factors

27. The rural community is frequently a closed community, with ,9us:t.ouis, ., praotices and h"bi ts evolved over seve:ra1 c.enturies and iii slow to ohan ge , 28. The extended family system makes for group s~pport. It has provided

for the maintenance of the very young, t~e old, the infirm and others who have been unable to provide for themse}ves, Lately the capacity of the

rural family to continue these welfare services has been over-taxed; and external assistanoe in the form of State-supported and voluntar.y institu- tionshas been neoessary and urgent. The system as it widely exists today per:n;, ts the existence'^0'£ wid.espreaii undel~employmel)t, and is correspondingly inefficient but, on the other hand, still erovides some security for group members and enoou ra ge s a sense of social responsibility.

29. The farmer is genemlly of the opinion that the spirit of his ancestors and other. supernatural foroes actively participate in his daily life. He

therefore, considers that he oannot effectively control his own activities.

ABa result, he finds it diffioul t to adont new methods and ideas in agri cu I tu.re,· hygiene and food h;'bi ts for fear of evil spells 'from spirits and other foroes should these innovations depart from the traditional ways.

30. An important figure in the c~mmunity is the medicine man, who is

believed to have sup rena tura I powers and is consul ted r-egu LerIy for advice.

The medicine man is close '100 the people and understands· them well enough, and is t hus in a pivotal posi tien to assist. or hinder programmes for rural development.

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31. In the traditional society, there is role differentiation by age, sex, ordinal position and social status. Along with the mutual obligations of members of a kinship group, this may make it difficult to introduce modern methods of organization geared ~o rational prooedures and efficienoy, and aimed at inoreased produotion and not merely to wider distribution.

3.2. In some countries such as 'he UAR, the arable land i s limi ted ar.d

there is population pressure on the land. Family planning has therefore, beoome an urgent neoessity and is vigorously pursued. Another demographic factor is the steady drift of the young, able and educated from the oountry- side into the towns, leaving only the older and less mobile or produotive inhabitants in the rural areas.

Institutional factors

33. The institutional factors include the establishment of a more effective form of looal and national government, politioal parties, religious bodies,

s~cret societies, credit and co~operative organizations, effective traditional leadership structures, marraige laws and customs and patterns of age-group and othe r sooial organizati.ons , These institutions represen t various ways of mobilizing and involving the 'peasant and they compete for his time and attention. Philosophical factors are those relating to cosmogony, and the vision whioh the African farmer has of the universe surrounding him. They also concern the manner ir. whioh 11m understands these and exploits their powers to meet his daily needs. These oonsiderations and unsophistioated attitude often retard the introduction of progress in certain rural

environments.

34- Political parties played a vi tal role in mobilizing the people for the anti-colonialist struggle and have great potential for use as vehioles for reaching the masses of the population and involving the people in the formulation'and 8%ecution of national goals and programmes. The political leadership articulates the society's goals, and can serve to broaden the peasant's frame of reference from the village or tribe to the nation.' 3'5. Urban residents are ~etter or ganize d and more vecal pol: tieally. than

the rural population, and they have often forced governments to conoentrate investment and servioes in the urban areas. To oounteract this, and to encourage governments to give due attention to the important role' of ru ra L

comrnuni,ties in tlle national aconomy and to attend to their needs, i t'is

neoessary that rural pop~lations oreanize themselves into effeotive press~re

groups and establish liaison with central and looal governments.

36. Religious regulati on s must be taken in to a ccoun t in the implemehta tion of rural development programmes. Such regula tions may involve the enumera-·

tion of prohibited foods, days of work and geographioal areas. It is also to be noted that religious institutions usually command the loyalties and oommitment of the peasant more than other institutions, and oan therefore playa significant role in involving the people in rural development pro- grammea.

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Factors of innovation

37. To effect change, consiceration should be given to the dynamics of change within the system; the extent to which the system can generate its own momentum for change, and the role of "external" agents in this Change.

Attention should be given to the training of rural development agents from within the community itself as .ell as those from the outside, welfare officers and assistants; doctors, nurses and medical and public heCllt'h aides; agricultural officers and assitants; teachers and adult education officers', etc.

38. Notwi ths tanding the stabilit.}" of the tradi tional sys tern, as indica ted in the foregoing, rural socie~ies in several parts of Africa (for example, Nigeria), have recognized the need for change and have through self-help projects built schools, clinics, roads and markets and have combined to send some of their young people for study abroad.

39,. The young people are, in general, more educated and receptive to, modern ideas than the older generation. This makes for tension, which can in itself be a factor of' irinevatian. To enhance this process, measureS need to be taken to retain t~e younS, educated people in the countryside.

Chapter III

Problems of rural development AgriCUltural and Agrarian Reform,

40. The productivity of the rural sector must be considerably increased to provide the margin of surplus for the economic and social development of the nation. Considerations of a growing population with limited land r-es our-cec mi ght. also require changes in land tenure, to eliminate any disparities in land-holdings which are found in the rural areas.

41. To disseminate knowledge of ~mproved farming implements and techniques, some gove rnments , for example, the Ghana Gove rnme nt , have set 4P State

farms and demons,ration projects. In Togo there are centres for all-round training where sectoral chiefs, supervisory staff, rural animators and peasants are trained. In Congo-BrazzaVille five plant nurseries were established from whioh the Government distributed seeds to the peasants at a subsidized price. Irrigation schemes, programmes to increase the use of fertilizers, and the formation of co-operatives and credit institu- tions are among the ways of taokling the problem of low agricultural

productivi ty.

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42, The cost of establishing demonstration centres, or agricultural or rural development centres could be prchibitive, especially as the agrono- mists, medical assistants, veterinarians and other ci'ficials who will live in those centres may have to be given special salary inducements or other benefits to encourage them to stay in those centres rather than leave for the urban centres.

Education and Training

43.

Education is the major means of creating a more productive manpower.

General education aims at the inculcation of general attitudes of logical thought, vigorous analysis, broad-mindedness and such character traits as compassion, tolerance and inquisitiveness. Unlike general educatio~

training is specific, and involves the acquisition of particular skills and techniQues. The impcrtance of education and training in the deve Lopmen, of Africa is attested by the well-known Addis Ababa Plan in which African Governments committed themselves to the acceleration of their educational programmes.

44. The question of the ourric~lumcontent of the educational programmes is of considerable importance. Until recently, the educational system was designed to produce white-collar workers for the administrative arms of government; and classical education was emphasized. Such an emphasis is of little relevance to programmes of development, however. In fact, it creates citizens whc are unaware cf the problems of the rural sector and who aspire to living in the urban-industrial sector. These citizens also tend to regard manual labour as demeaning.

45. It becomes necessary, in designing education for rural development to devise curricula which will counteract this attitude of preference for the developed sectors. The urban sector is not growing fast enough to absorb the output of the educational system and trained people are in urgent demand in the countryside. The object of education for rural development should be to produce job-makers rather than job-seekers;

job-creators rather than job-fillers.

46. Efforts have been made in many African countries to design this type of educational curriculum. In Botswana, according to the contribution of Mr. P. Van Rensburg of the Swaneng Hill School, courses have been introduced in civic education to replace the classical curriculum's

emphasis on the history and culture of the European nations with an emphasis on an awareness of the African context, its history and its dynamios

of change. Here "Workers' brigades"are organized to do carpentry, sewing, spinning, weaving and dress-making.

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47.

A pilot project in the Namutamba Teachers' Training College in Ug~da

sponsored by UNESCO is also designed to promote an educational approach in which teachers do ,less in the class-room and involve the students more in extra-olassroom operations in which there is increased involvement, in such activities as brick-making, farming and bUilding.

48. There are ''workers' brigades", "revolutionary" centres, and other special efforts to relate education to the needs of the rural population in East Africa, Ghana, Guinea and in many other African countries.

49.

A number of problems arise from the implementation of these programmes.

They frequently require an initial outlay in specialized equipment and tools; and they sometimes require the employment of expatriate staff, all of which is expensive. They have sometimes been utilized also for political ends.

50. Another problem arises in oonnexion with the readiness of the economic system to absorb the graduates of special schools, and the manner in which their graduates perceive their roles, Where prestige and high remuneration are reserved for those who have gone through the usual seoondary sohools or through the universities, the graduates of these non-classical program- meS may feel frustrated if their qualifications are not recognized and are employed in inferior,positions. They might then be inolined to view

their involvement with brigades, etO., as temporary while they await the first opportunity to transfer to secondary and other recognized sohools.

Graduates of these schools. may also, instead of using their training in the countryside, prefer to apply to Clerical jobs at Ministries of Agri- culture or Rural Development and to work in the urban areas.

51. There isa lack in many countries. of .adequa te manpower surveys. This makes for a lack of precision in the projection of the types and numbers of graduates of ·the different institutions that will be needed. In the absence of good surveys, the des'ign of educational curricula will have to rely only on broad estimates of future manpower needs,

52. There is a shortage of qualified teachers, so that there has to be an acceleration in programmes for teacher training, School facilities need to be expanded and efforts must be made to reduce the drop-out rate. The abolition of illiteraoy is a primary goal, as it is necessary that the population should be able to read and write in order that they can be involved in national programmes. The use of radio and, where possible, television as instruments of education also should be considered.

53.

A successful programme of eduoation produces many people with skills seeking opportunities to put these skills to use. This puts pressure on the economic system and can be a force for innovation and rapid change.

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Administrative structures and practices

54.

The area of suitable a~~inistrativeinstitutions for rural development programmes should be given careful consideration. The setting up of a separate Ministry of Bural Development has the advantage of the _def~n~te

location of responsibili ty in one Ninistry. It has the disadvantage, hoveve-., that the responsibilities of the Ministry would cut across those of several other Ministries, and confusion and difficulties might arise. Some Asian countries have set up Ministries of Bural Development but these have not worked very well. The 'alternative is to involve the executing ministries

(agriculture, forestry, health, education, etc.) directly in rural develop- ment programmes with some mechanism for co-ordinating them. The Ministries may be brought together in, say, a Rural Development Committee. If there is a danger that giving the chair to a functional Ministry may lead to overemphasis on the programmes cf that !Hnistry, the Ministry of Local

Government or its equivalent may be given responsibilities of co-ordination.

In any administrative arrangement, harmonious relat'ionships 'Detween the

various Ministries from the Jevel of Minister to the operatives are nece ss ary for effective execution of rural development programmes.

55.

Practices of patronage, insufficienc,Y of motivation on the part of offiCials, and inadequacy of training and experience, may make for inefficiency in the administration of development projects. Increased steps should be taken to train administrators in modern techniques of management and project planning and execution.

Health and welfare

56.

The rural area in Africa is characterized by inadequate health facilitiE insanitary conditions and practices, and the prevalence of communicable

diseases and childhood ~alnutrition. The improvement of the well-being of the p.eople requires a concerted effort to eliminate these condi ti ons through the establishment of more health facilities, inoculation against oommunicable diseases, organization of waste disposal, improvement of the water supply and the inculcation of Detter feeding habits and health education so important in securing community pa'I'ticipa.tion in health services.

57.

Governments have generally given priority to the improvement of health

fac~lities and as a result, in many ?arts of Africa, the overall death rate is decreasing. The birth rate is generally high, and the result is a rise in the rate of popula ticn grc;rth, whi ch leads to increased pressure on social facili ties.

58,

,In many rural communities, the mothers are usually either pregnant or

nurs~ng. This fre'l.uency of Child-birth, added to the household agrioultural and trade functions which are expected of thc woman, make for a severe

stra~n on _he~ health and results in reduced ;rorking capacity in addition to prema ture, agm g; One way to coun teract this might be through family planning and _teach~ng the women to space thei r children. CChis ,fill furthermore·

prov~d8 a,method,for redQcing high infant mortality rate characterizing large fam~l~es, ~n respect of demographic consideration.

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Settlement of migrants and refug..es '.'

59.

The High Commissioner for R3fugees estimates that there are at

present 900,000 refug88s in Afrioa. Some have fled from territories still under colonial control (Mozambique, Angola) or from the settler-dominated Sou them African countr '.os. Some have fled because of conflicts in their former place of residence.

60. Tanzania, for example, has about thirty to thirty-five thousand refugees from Mozambique, who have been located in an area occupied by people of the same tribe. There is the problem of how temporary these

refugees are, when or whether they will De able to return to their countries, and how rapidly and fully they mus^t be integrated with the area in which

they have been "temporarily" located.

61. It is necessary, before settling refugees, to determine the compati- bility of the conditions of their place of origin with those of the place where it is intended for these to be settled. An attempt to settle

refUgees in Tanzania ran into opposition from the majority tribe in the settlement area trho feared. that an alliance between the refugees and the minori ty would be established; the refugees in question had to be relocated in Burundi. Also difficulties will arise in locating a group ITom a

fishing community w~ere a daily income can be derived from the sale of fish caught, to a farming community, where the major part of the annual income is received during the harvest season,

Leadership and a.gents of change

62. Leadership is orucial in directing change. In rural development the role of leadership is to i.ndicate the direction of ohange, to elicit the active involvement of the population in development programmds and to articula.te tho objectives and goals which are sought by the society.

Local leadership is needed to explain national goals to the local population and to communicate the wishes of the local people to higher government officials,

63. Traditionally; leadershi.p a.n African societ,,! was exercised by chiefs, elders and doctor priests (or medicine men). Alongside these traditional leaders, new leaders have now sprung up. In many African countries, churches and other social organizations have developed local leadership f'or gr-oup reoreation~ e du.cac LonnI and social welfare activi ties. Men'⁸ clubs, co-opera7-b'~ so ci oti.es , "societes mutuelles de production rurale", and agricultural oNl'Od.ls, r,:::'e s ome of 7-he institutions which have been instruments of leHd~rsnip formatiun in rural areas. These have often brought pe~ple t~g~theI for oollective efforts in rural development.

64.

The educational system is the channel of entry into the modern sector and mission and gov s mmont schools and colleges have produoed the national leaderc

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65. Confliot oan arise between the traditional leadership and the new leadership. The d,ynamios of change result in the progressive erosion of the role of the traditional leaders, who might express their resentment in opposition to rural development programmes. The national leadership should make every effort to convinoe all looal leaders, traditional ·and new, of the importance of rural development projeots and to seek ways of using their oonsiderable talent", so that tl1e,t& leaders, will not work atoross- pu rpo se s , It is often better, for instance, toperoi t the traditional leaders to attempt to implement their ideas than to quash them outright.

Thus, a rai~-maker may be permitted to attempt to produoe rain. If he sucoeeds, there is rain, which is good for the crops, if he fails, the new leaders can argue the need, fur say, irrigation to aupp Lamarrt the rai.n-makcr'8

efforts.

Chapter IV

Present strategies of rural development

66. Present strategies of rllral development are, in many cases, sectoral in orientation. Eaoh programme emphasizes a particlllar seotor or objeotive in rural development although, since there are inter-relationships be twe an the various Beotors and objeotives, other seotors and objeotives are not entirely negleoted. Consequently, the spirit of oo-ordination should be emphasized and ecnouraged.

Strategies for inoreased agrioultural produotivity

67. ·Agrioultural extension servioes, oo-operative movements, experimental or demonstration farms, and seed distribution nurseries are some of the

teohniques used for introducing improved agricultural methods. Co-opera ti.ves vary in nature and acops , A oo-operative may emphasize production, di st z-ibu-,

tion, financing or marketing; and it may oarry out all of these functions.

Some of the examples being made in Afrioan countries to inorease the yield from the land may be seen in the efforts to Togo, Sudan and Ethiopia.

68. In Togo, SORAD Lc a Iw,l ti-pllrpose o:rga;oization, primarily conce rne d with agrioultural prodllotivity. It is organizsd in five companies,

corresponding to each of the economic regions of the COllntr,y, and it is involved in extension work, educa_t~ng t.he farmers on neW techniques, prodllc,.

tion and marketing. The companies have an initial capital of 5 million CFA france,. and receive assistanqe from various organizations. The peasant8 also make annual contributions to it. The companies have a representative governing Council on which peasants are in the majority; and they have directors and technical advisers who are often expa tria tes provided through technical assistanoe.

69. In the Sudan, co-operatives, which have been in existence sinoe the thirties, have been given increasing government support since 1964,· resulting in the oreation of a Ministry of Co-operative and Rural Development. There are about 1,300 co-operatives of varying size and type. All nrivate cotto~

schemes have been converted into oo-operatives.

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E/CN.14/SWCDI55 Page 14

70. Ethiopia has eet up agro-industrial complexes in the form of large State farms with processing units attached to them which serve as sources of revenue for the government, provide increased employment, and serve also as centres for providing extension services to the surrounding farmers.

Strategies for eduoation and training

71. The strategies for education are designed to re-orient the school curricula for increased relevanoe to the needs of the countryside to train adolescents who do not continue with formal education and may otherwise be jobless, to inorease youth and adult literacy in the Coill"try-side, and

to train farmers in modern farming methods and techniques. Examples of such programmes are the Swaneng Hill School in Serowe, Botswana and the UNESCO project in Uganda which have been mentioned earlier.

72. Kenya has set up a Board of Adult Edu.cation sinC€ 1966 to co-ordinate all Government voluntary programmes in adult education and rural training.

The Board has representatives from ten Government Ministries and twelve non-Covernmentagencies, in addition to one chairman and"give-co-opted members. The Board has plans to set up multi-purpose training centres to be called District Development Centres (DDC) which will have sections for farmer training, co-operative training, communi~ development, local

leadership training, health education and commercial training. The DDC is intended to be the focus of all extension work in the district.

73. The Institute of Adult Studies of the University College, Nairobi, has proposals to train rural development extension officials in relation to adult education. It is the aim of this programme to give orofessional training to each official in extension discipline as well as, in common

with other"officials, training in such skills as communication and administra- tion. The object is to give all officials a common orientation to rural

development while giving each official greater expertise in other technical fields sufficient to allow him to have an appreciation of the work of other extension officers. It is proposed that the university in this field

should work closely with the Kenya Institute of Administration to supplement the Government in-service training whi ch is done there for field workers, middle leadership and tcp administrator and policy maker.

74. The rural development College, Holte, Denmark, gives broad inter-

disciplinary courses in rural development. There are both "Long" ·(8 months) and "short" (9 weeks ) courses for va r-i ous lev-elsof development personnel, drawn from 12 African countries. Personnel from development agencies of local and _centr~l governments, and the co-operative movement also receive training here. Ghana has a Voluntary Work Camp Association, .hich organizes university students for rural projects, especially during the longer vacatio~

Town Development Committees may reQuest assistanoe from the Work Camp Associa- tion. The projects expose students to rural ·life and make them more

familiar with the problems of the countryside.

75.

The Congo-Brazzaville has a system of agricultural instruction including an agricultural lycee in Brazzaville and an agriculrural college at Sebiti.

It has also set up "Centres for Practical Instruction" ("Centres

a

orientation

,----,~~-_.-,~----

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Page 15

pratique", COP), in the nine regions for general education and for instruction in agrioultural methods and artisan work. In these centres, about 50 per cent cf the instruction and wcrk is en agriculture, 25 per cent on crafts and artisan work, and 25 per cent on general instruction.

Strategies for financing

76. Lack of financial capital is a major constraint on rural development.

The ru~al peasant is too poor to pay for the equipment and instruction he needs tc improve his farming methods and increase his yield. Efforts h~ve

been made to tackle this problem through rural credit institutions, co-

operative credit arrangements, development banks, and bilateral or multilateral

assisbanca , .~

77.

The SORAD companies in Togo, for example, have an initial capitalization of

5

million CFA franos from the Government. The peasants make an annual contribution. The companies market their products and save a portion of their profits after distributing dividends to the farmers. The European Development mnd gives them considerable assistance. The companies cun also borrow from the Agriculture National Credit Branch which was established in 1967 to finance activities in rural areaS.

Heal th and (l ocial Gervices

78.

It is the aim of government to provide clinics, mobile dispensaries, hospitals, drug distribution centres, health education and inoc~lati9P.

services for the rural population. It is also necessary to improve the water supply, build better roads and introduce electricity where feasible. The Sudan has a rural Water and Development Corporation to develop water sources.

Monoculture strategies

79. Much of the effort for agricultural development has been in the production of crops for exports, co cca (Nigeria, Ghana), Cotton (Sudan), coffe.e(Uganda), Bananas (Cameroon). Sudan Government has oonverted all private cotton

holdings into co-operatives) and the Nuba Mountains ProgrammA for ootton

production brought the cultivators two million pounds in 1951/52.

Small-scale industries

80. The development of small-scale industries is a necessary part of . rural development. It can develop local handicrafts, skilled workers and provide a baSis for further industrialization. Many countries have set ~up

prooessjng plants for agrioultural produots (meat and oTFnfes in Nigeria, and fish in Congo-Brazzaville) and many countries. Such as Senegal, have villages or communities of artisans and skilled craftsmen to promote the skills and crafts of the community.

Communal approaches

81. The resettlemtnt soheme has often been adopted to embrace all aspects of development in rural communities. Where there are many refugees, such as in Burundi and Tanzania, and where all aspects of life of the group

E/CN.14/SWCD/55 Page 16

have been transplanted, the zonal development approach has also been adopted. Tanzania, for example, has adopted an ideology unique to itself

in the concepts of "self··re llance" and "ujarnaa" whioh emphasize total community inv,-1vement and participation in all aspects of the community!s development. Some of these projects _(uj~maa villages in Tanzania) are discussed in the next Ch8Dt8~ on the integrated ap~roach to rural develop- ment.

82. The UAR has had long ox~erience with the integrated approach in the nature of its Combined Units and Social Centres. The country first set up Rural Social Units, with agricultural, socia~medical and welfare officials, who worked with elected village representatives to develop the area. The villages were asked to contribute to the support of the oentres, to give

them a commitment to the centres' programmes. As there were not enough centres, Rural Combined Units were created in 1953, consolidating the social centres and expanding the area of ccverage. Rural Social Units were set up by the people themselves in areas not covered by the Combined Units. In 1966, the Ministry of Social Affairs initiated pilot projects which it called' the "People's Co:nmi ttees for Social Development" (POlCD), which give an increased role to the peasants and sought to organize all

the projects of the local area for maximum consistency and effectiveness.

Research

83. Research is a vital aspect of rural development, and provides accurate information on the existing situation, needs, and poss i.bd Ldti.e s for change.

Mention may be made of the West African Institute for' Oil Research (WAIFOR) in Nigeria, the West African Cocoa and BUilding Research Institutes in

Ghana, and the Very strong Research Centre of the Aswan Regional Development Authority in the UAR. Similar research institutions and programmes exist

in other African countries and these suppo rt rural and regional development programmes and activities.

Other ocnsideraticns

84. All African Governments are deeply aware of the overriding need for rural deVelopment programmes, r.nd the examples given above are but a few of the numerous projects being pursued by governments in all African countries to improve the liVing conditions of rural populations.

85. The sectoral bias of many of the presen~ strategies is due in part to the ministerial form of government inherited from the colonial regimes.

Ministriallines of responsibility are vertical and ^ror e dd s po s e the Ministries (Health, Education, Agricultllre,Lands, Communication, etc.)

to organize their projects independently. One strategy to offset this lack of co-ordina tion is the regional development approach which organize's the various departmental representatives at the regional level under a unified or co-ordinating leadership such as that supplied by the local or regional administrator. This is the case in Ghana and Kenya for example.

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Page 11

86. The International agencies(UNESCO, ILO, WHO, FAO, UNDP, WFP, U1fI9EF, etc.) and bilateral aid agencies play an important role in providing.

financial assistance, personnel, equipment and other facilities for rura~

development programmes. The approach here has also been seotoral, oecause there has been insufficient co-ordination among the agencies even at the African regional level.

87.

A common aspect of strategies for rural development is the recognition of the necessity for self-help and maximum self-reliance on the part of thG people. Capita~ is short, but land and labour are relatively abundant So that everyone can work towards increased production. The principle of cb-Operation or communal effort, characteristic of African enterprise; can be encouraged and utilized to its maximum potential.

Chapter V

The integrated approach to rural development Abstractions and generalizations

88. The concept of integrated rural development presupposes the recognition of a rural-urban continuum and the implication that the rural area cannot oe considered in isolation but in relation to the urban counterp~~t, fer it is in this sense that problems of rural-urban migration, rural exodus, and agricultural and industrial development can oe tackled. Development must oe harmonized in such a manner that both sectors can complement each other.

This could be achieved more effectively cn the regional or zonal scale.

89.

Similarly, rural development essentially requires an integrated and inter-disciplinaryapproach. The very nature of the prccess cf.rural . development and the size of the problem of promcting economic and social progress in rural areaS require that acticn oe taken on several fronts simultaneously, and not independently of each other.

90. The effectiveness of the "integrated rural development" approach depends upon the acceptance, by the governments concerned, of the philosophy and 'technology of planning and a design of development strategy, its sincere application, and the involvement of all strata of the society in its planning and execution or implementation.

91. While it is recognized that the prcblems of the rural sector are urgent and unique and call for special attention, it is esssntial that the rural programmes be planned and implemented at the zonal or regional level within

the framework of an overall national development plan, and not in isolation.

-Rural _prog~amme~ thus conceived might be regarded as a means of achieving rural-urban integration within the context of the national development process.

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92. The integrated approaoh _sho~ld have, as a primary objeotive, the mobilization of h~an and material reso~roes in the r~ral areas; and it s houLd involve the stimulation of a combination of the following f'a c to.r-se aotive partioipation of the pop~lation involved - espeoially young people and women; techno-economic oharaoteristics, inoluding cost-return analysis and covering the vario~s physioal and eoonomio faotors relevant to r~ral

developmen, programmes; h~man resouroes development; institutional develop- ment; and administrative maohinery whioh will faoilitate integrated approaoh and f'or- effectiveoommuniea tions at all level". '

93~

in

_p~rsuing the oo-ordinated and integrated approaoh to develepmen~

one of the cruoial faotors is the type of training given to persons at all levels involved at the policy-making, exeoution and the p~blio with whom they will work. Integration m~st take place at the inoeption of the idea to be implemented in order that basic problems of planning, organization and implementation may be olarified before they solidifY.

9.4.

The oonoept'of "in'teix-ated" approaoh in ru ra I development should be understood to mean an "integral" approaoh in the sense that it is a highly struotural and systematic exeroise in whioh aifoomponents in the system of development can be understood as important and appreoiated for the part whioh they play individually and oolleotively. That in this sense

differeo from the "harmonization" of plans and the "oo-oReration" of various agencies; and has signifioance also for the co-ordination of rural develop- ment plans.

The Tanzanianapproaoh

95. In presenting the Tanzanian "experiment" in integrated approaoh to ru ra I development, the oonsultant stressed the necessity for recognizing that

there is not one integrated approaoh but other possible ones as well. - depending upon the social, eoonomio and political conditions eXisting wh within the country concerned. The Tanzanian example was therefore presented as one approach to the problem.

96. This approach is based upon the following ooncepts, Sooial Equality, the spread of benefits of development widely throughout the society;

U,iamaa: development forms of eoonomic activity whioh encourage collective and co-operative efforts and avoid wide differenoes of wealth and inoome;

Self-relianoe: whioh does not mean self-suffioienoy but emphasizing development through the maxim~ mobilization of domestio resources,

partio~larly through mobilization of the people; Economio and Sooial

Transformation: rapid expansion of productive oapaoity to create the basis for f~ture eoonomio and sooial transformation; Afriopn Eonnomio Integration:

the extension of eoonomio oo-operation to other Afrioan States.

E/CN.14/SWCD^f55 Page 19

91.

The objeotives of this strategyhave been tc provide ultimately the citizens of Tanzania with ade~uate food and water, employment and income, edQoation and training, health services and social secQrity within

available resouroes. In this effort rural development has been chosen as the central focus of the national development effort.

Co-ordination and integration

98.

Co-ordination and integration was conceived by the Conferenoe at three levels: (a) at the international level, (b) at the national level and (c) at the operational level.

99. In presenting the paper Mr. Riby-Williams oalled for comments on the neoessity for co-operation and integration of rural development programmes among United Nations Agencies in the manner envisaged by the Inter-Agency Committee on Rural Development in Afrioa (E/CN.14/422).

100. An integrated approach to rural development is essential and should be pursued both at the level of Government and at the level of Internationa:

agencies. Moreover, concerted action of the United Nations and specialized agencies should as far as possible be achieved at the nroject level.

101. The oonference noted with satisfaction that some oonsensus had already been aohieved by the various United Nations and Specialized agencies, as to the need for adopting a comprehensive and integrated approach to rural development - as evidenced particularly by the establishment and operation of the Africa Regional Inter-Agency Committee on Rural Development and of the ACC Working Party on Rural and Community Development.

102. In this connexion the conference took moteof the EGA resolution

197 (IX) entitled "Integrated Approach to Rural Development in Afrioa", which was adopted at the ninth session (February 1969) of that Commission, and which reoommended inter alia,

"(i) That a permanent Regional Inter-Agency Committee on Rural' Development in Africa should be established, at Addis Ababa,

to provide for periodic consultations among agency representatives (at the technical level), and to oonsider, plan and suggest

methods for implementing suitable projeots which lend themselves readily to ooncerted action in matters relating to rural

development and that the Economic Commission for Afrioa should be made responsible for convening and servicing this Committee;

and that

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"(2) With a view to securing the fullest possible co-operation' of African Governments in the adoption of the philosophY and strategy of the integrated' approach to rural development, sub-regional seminars be arranged to exchange ideas and "

information on the integrated approach and to identify from each sub-region, one or two suitable pilot projects wllich - subject to the agreement of the.Gmrernment(s) concerneliand,"

a satisfactory inter-disciplinary reconnaissance, based on the Guiding Principles enunciated above- could be sponsored for Regional inter-agency co-ordinated assistance". "

f03. In the same resolution 197(IX), the secretariat of the ECA was

lJ?articularly requested "to intensify research into social inputs required for economic dpvelopmentj as well as studies of methods required to secure popular participation 'in deve Lcpment projects"; and "to give appropriate technical aid to ,African member States with a view to setting up or

improving na tional and mul tina tional training centres in rural deve Lopment" •

, , .

104. The conference accepted the necessity for co-'ordina tion of the policies and programmes of United Nations agencies at the international level and suggested a possible role of the EGA in this capacity in connexion with the Africa region. African Governments who are also members of these Uni ted Nations bodies were urged to take a more active role to" ensure'

that maximum benefit is ,secured through harmonization and co-ordination of the policies of these bodies so that they will be more effectivE; in

the region.

105. At the national level, it was observed that, in manyoAfrican countries, several ministries or agencies were involved in rural development; ,that their activities were 'seldom co-ordinated; and that all too often .a '

project ,which was being implemented under the responsibility-bf 'one

ministry was insufficiently co-ordinatedwith other areas of activity falling wi thin the competence of othe r mi.nLa^{t r-i.es, .}

106, It was the consensus of the conference that national planning and other appropriate agencies should examine the programmes and the nature of their relationship with United Nations international organizations in their countries and ensure a more effective and realistic means of co-ordina tingtheir activities" of integrating the programmes of these agencies more, closely into that of the national Governments .and of securing maxi mum benefit from the significant contributions that these agencies', can make to their rural and other development programmes.

107. Co-ordination and integration of programmes at the national and local levels among ministries and departments requires a more complicated level of adjustment and readjustment in which several alternatives are possible.

In this connexion two papers presented and discussed earlier in this report were helpful, the FAD contribution or Agricultural Development Centres and the UNDSD contribution on "A l~orking Model for Concerted Development for Rural Areas". Both contributions advocate the establishment of co- ordinating machineries at the national or village level based upon an agricultural centre or a Rural Development Corporation.

EICN.14 /SIVCD /55 Page 21

108. These plans or models may be examined as possible approaches to rural development with their inherent di f'f'Lcu I ties at implementation. The

conference, however, noted that for an effective co-ordination and integration of programmes at the national and local leveiSI

(a) Integration must take place at the time of the inception of the idea and must be carried through to completion;

(b) Involving other ministries and departments when the project has already begun does not ensure proper integration;

(0) In the training of personnel, the integrated approach should be used so that the attitude of co-operation and a~preoiat1on

for the need for co-operation may develop in officials at the outset;

(d) Administrators, field workers and the general public must be taught to appreciate benefits of the integrated approach - through adult education and literacy methods, audio-visual and other aids;

(e) Co-ordination is often more effective when undertaken by ,a local or regional administrative or political body or official with the co-operation of operating departments rather than by

one of the departments involved in the proJect under consideration.

Chapter VI Recommendations

109. The Africa Regional Conference on the Integrated Approach to Rural Development, meeting in Moshi, Tanzania from 13 to 24 October, 1969,

having discussed the subject of the integrated approach to rural developmept and examined problems of the developme~t of the rural areas in Africa as embodied in the preceding Chapter, of this Heport, reoommends as follows:

Defini tion and Objectives of rural development

110. Member States of Africa should bear in mind the salient features of the definition of rural development adopted by the Conference in the planning and execution of their policies and projects for the development of their rural areas. The Conference defined rural development as the outcome of a series of quantitative and qualitative changes that occur among a given rural population, the ronverging effects of which produce, in time, a rise in the standard of living and favourable changes in the way of life of the people.

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111⁰ The te rm "rural"should be stretched to ccver- industry as well as agriculture (including animal huspandry, fishing and forestry) in a rational policy of national physical planning. In this oonnexion, the social aspects and consequences are subsumed.

112. The objeotives of rural development should include, among other things, changes in attitude of rural populations which making them self- reliant, raise their standard of living" and enable them to contribute more fully to the economic, social and political development of their countries.

113, Governments should establish clearly defined short-term and long-term

object:i,V:~'f,'for their rural development programmes.,

11 4.

Afric~n

S tatee must step up food production at a clearly faster tempo than the rate of demographic growth. Also, in order that nu t'r-Lt iona L needs may be fully assumed, efforts in the direction of increasing food production s hou Ld take due account of both the quanti ta tive aspects and

the qualitative, aspects, including the promotion of habits, attitudes, and practices which are favourable to good dietarY habits. '

115. African governments must take necessary measures to counteract the negative forces and influences agai~~t the acquisition of good dietary habi ts - especially in regard to chiXd,nutri tion,.. such as those caused by religious, traditional, customary and habitual reasons and, practices.

11 6• The conference noted with satisfaction the initiative taken by the OAU with the assistance of FAO, in estabh:shing regional storage centres for staple food products, and recommended that this plan be pursued as an important step forward in the organizations of agricul tural marketing chains which can be a good beginning for infra-regional trade that is so

vital to Afr~cafs econom~c growth.

117. While foreign aid helps to

';e~edy,

weak public finances and national savings, <'hiB app roa.ch ,toward a solution to the p rnb Lem should be regarded' as temporary; Guvernments should therefore, try and adopt measures that enable them to depend upon their own resourceS,as muoh as possible avoiding costly loans.

118, Apart from the economic needs, the transformation of the rural economy, particularly the modernization of agriculture, must answer to social needs, particularly in relation to the problems of youth.

Factors1nfi.'uenolng rural. ',de~€lopmeht

119. _Th~' ECA, the specialized agencies and UNICEF together with all members of the United Nations family, should endeavour to make available to the African member States, competent experts to undertake a systematic study of the geographical and ecological factors influencing rural development in the light of contemporary scientific and technological knowledge. r·iember States should be encouraged to implement a policy for training specialized

cadres in these disciplines.

•

"._---_

^•....

_ - - - -

"lcn

.14/Sv1CD/55 Page 23

120. The use of techniques such as irrigation and the selection of varieties and breeds suitable for narticular environs, are recommended to member

States in order \0 oombat the risk inherent in geological and ecological factors·as discussed in thio Report. All integrated rural development

progrcmmee must take the relevant constraints into account.

121, Rural d e v e L o p m e n , pJ..0bramm8,s J..t:4.Ul.:L'd aa.e~ua-:;e ^{L n}f ^{r a a}t ^{r u c t u r e ,} m c x i m u m

producticn factors and the improvement of internal and external channels of t~ade. The provision of these factors of production by Grvernments is

urge~tly recammended.

122, The African Development Bank, the World Bank and its subsidiary bodies, and. all international and regional organizations interested in Africa are urged to adopt a broader assistance policy towards development programmes foJ' ru ral a.reas in Afrioa.

123, African States sho~ld resolutely embark upo~ a future of ~rogres8 by mobilizing all internel ann external resources intended for the rural areaS, in order tc introduce modern techniques suitable to African condi- tions.

124. African States should ~ndertake a policy of training at all levels to ensure the sucoess of policies toward the integrated apprcach to rural development.

125. Africans and otbers responsible for rur~l development at all levels should integro.to vi th tbe rurn; r".sses, arid should learn from them so that they too might change and make ~he ru ral masses amenable to the idea of progTess which 'unp Lt e a chango , They s hcu.l d also rely on the influential and dynamic. e Lements ir. the rural a reas to re cu re a quicker response from the maSSBS to ne" ~echniques.

126. African rob tical leaders should s pa ro no pains to induce person" of all shades of po l1tical opinion to support pro gramme s of rural development especiall;y the lntegrated. ap proa ch as has hE,en accented by this conference.

127 .. Rural development programmes should be prepared democratically ·by cDnsulting >lith, and with the support of, the rural inhabitants who should participa te in the s e Lect i.o-i of targets and in all phases of the implemen- tion prog:r-an;me.

128. Curriuulum ccntent, should suit the development needs of Africa;

and 0ducation for rural development should ·be directed to produce job- makers rather than job-seekers, job-c,eators rather than job-fillers. Jt shculd also ai~ to develop the physical and mental ability of the child in a community-oriented, rather than in a book-~entred, educa+,ional system.

- - - " - " "

•

•

B/CN .14/SvlCD/55 Page 24

129. The implementation of programmes related to technical and vocational training should be encouraged in the rural areas. These progranmes should be designed to meet specific needs and conditions, and their implementation should lead to the acceleration of the country's development BcLe~eo.

1)0. Aud.Lo-v isual aid "'sdias should be us e d as an educational method in the rural areas, specially for combating illiteracy and for sryeeding up educational and cultural progress in rural Africa.

131. Effor~ must be made to keep educated youth in the rural area. This can be achieved if the youth are trained in jobs suited to their environ- ment and if the rural environment itself is improved. The jobs must carry financial remuneration and prestige comparable to similar urban jobs. The same applies to rural teachers and other rural workers whose salaries

and conditions of servioe should be improved in order to compare favourably with those of the same seniority, engaged in the public and civil services.

132. Training for rural development should not be restricted to the youth alone. Farmers, field Workers, Rdministrators and political leaders

should be trained to appreciate the need for rural development and special- ly the integrated approach to community welfa~e.

133. The productivity of the rural sector must be increased to provide the margin of surplus for economic and social development. The dissemination of knOWledge on improved farm implements and techniques should be promoted.

The construction of irrigation schemes and the implementation of programmes to increase the USe of fertilizers and to form co-operative and credit institutions should also be considered as a major part of government policy in order to accelerate rural development.

134". Programmes of agrarian reform in Africa must be viewed at the initial stage of its implementation from the social and political points of view as well as from the economic aspect.

135. To give the co-ordinating responsibility of rural developnent to a functional or executive ffilnistry IIlCl"Y lead to over-emphasis of the programme of that ministr,y, and may run into conflict with regional departments of other ministries. A specific agency of government, in accordance with the practices and needs of the co~ntr,y, should therefore be assigned the

responsibility of ensuring the fullest co-ordination of the rural development programme. Co-ordination at the regional level could be through regional administrators at the national level _thr~ugh inter-ministerial committees or with the assistance of a special ministry of ru~al development or the national planning ministry.

136. The improvement of health conditiuns in rural Africa requires a

concerted effort to provide health and sanitary facilities and to initiate local organizations for waste disposal, improvement of wat~r s~pply,

inculcation of better feeding habits and vacoination against communicable diseases.