Contemporary discussions of Africa’s recent growth have largely interpreted such growth in terms of structural transformation, based mainly on national- and sectoral-level data. However, the micro-level processes driving this transformation are still unclear and remain the subject of debate. This collection provides a micro economic foundation for understanding the particular growth processes at work within the region’s rural areas, and in so doing provides important insights for policy action. The book provides valuable household- and farm-level evidence about the drivers of rural labour productivity, improvements in access to markets, investment in food value chains, and indeed the role of rural economic growth in Africa’s ongoing rural transformation processes. Some of the features of Africa’s ongoing rural transformation are similar to those of agricultural transformation as experienced in Asia and elsewhere. However, other features of Africa’s rural transformation are unique, and pose important challenges for development policy and planning. Together, the studies compiled in this volume provide an updated, evidence-based, and policy-relevant understanding of where African countries are in their developmental trajectories and the region’s prospects for achieving inclusive forms of development over the next several decades. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Development Studies.

"What does it mean to say that rural areas of Africa are poor? Many people insist that in rural African countries areas poverty is prevalent. This is either because the smallholder agricultural practices are unproductive or it is because economic policies have not protected and promoted African farming. But whether this deprivation is the fault of the peasant, or the government, both sides agree on the facts of rural poverty. However in both cases rural poverty is described using measures which make it hard, if not impossible, to capture new forms of wealth that rural people may be accruing. These new forms of wealth, which largely comprise productive assets, are especially important because they feature so prominently in rural people's own definitions of wealth. Using an unprecedented collection of longitudinal surveys, in which experienced researchers have revisited villages which they have known for decades, we track surprising increases in assets in diverse locations in Tanzania. These findings the result is a compilation which is fascinating in itself and important far understanding of rural economies development data and agricultural policy"--

Based on new evidence from in-depth field surveys, this book addresses the unique situation of countries that remain deeply engaged in agriculture, and proposes a set of policy orientations which could facilitate the process of rural change.

The 39th Annual Meeting of the Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DCED) was hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome on the 14th June 2017. The DCED brings together more than 22 bi – and multi-lateral donors, development funds, UN agencies, and private foundations, to explore how to make markets work for the poor. Under the aegis of Annual Meeting, FAO organized a Thematic Day to explore the relevance of small and medium sized agro-food compan ies (SMAEs) in poverty reduction and the transformation of rural development, inviting representative of small and medium sized enterprises from Uganda and Ethiopia, and academics and experts on finance and agricultural value chain development. This report represents a summary of the proceedings by the FAO organizers of the Thematic Day.

This working paper is the update of an earlier cross-country study on household income sources using an expanded harmonized dataset. The analysis presented covers a total of 93 surveys representing 41 countries – nearly double that of the previous study – to depict rural and urban households’ livelihood strategies across different levels of economic development. The findings shed light on the relationship between household livelihood activity portfolios and per capita gross domestic product, confirming a picture of multiple livelihood activities across the rural and urban space, at different levels of development. However, we find an emerging divergence between countries from sub-Saharan Africa and those from the rest of the world regarding employment and income generation.

The UN Decade of Family Farming (2019-2028) acknowledges the importance of inclusive rural communication services (RCS) to advance economic, environmental and social dimensions of family farming. Focusing on Africa, this study examines the role of RCS in rural transformation and family farming and provides insights for the region. Through case studies and a review of media and ICT trends and policies, it highlights the need for participatory, farmer-centred communication approaches and responsive delivery mechanisms aligned with local socioeconomic realities. The study concludes with recommendations for embedding RCS into national policies, thereby opening new development opportunities for family farmers and rural communities in the Africa region.

This report aims to provide an illustrative and insightful overview of FAO’s work in social protection across Africa. [Author] Produced by the FAO Regional Office for Africa, the publication showcases a range of innovative and impactful projects that have contributed to enhancing the livelihoods and resilience of vulnerable populations. [Author] It features examples from Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Somalia, Uganda and Zambia. [Author] The report explores how FAO’s initiatives have effectively integrated social protection with agriculture and rural development, addressing challenges such as food insecurity, poverty and climate change. [Author] Aimed at policymakers and practitioners, the publication’s intent is to foster knowledge-sharing, stimulate dialogue and encourage the replication of successful models in other countries and contexts. [Author]

Many people believe that Africa will struggle to create jobs for its rapidly-growing population, and that rural youth will eventually migrate to cities or other countries. This book uses survey data to create a nuanced understanding of the constraints and opportunities facing rural youth in Africa.

This book synthesizes the conceptual and applied aspects of rural livelihoods as a discipline, and collates the analytical frameworks and approaches that have been designed, applied, and discussed over the last five decades. These include the sustainable livelihoods approach with its vulnerability-asset construct, collective governance of common pool resources, livelihood trajectories and poverty dynamics, rights-based approach and social justice, graduation approach for the ultra-poor, and the resilience framework to address complex risks. The book is divided into three parts, namely: introduction to rural livelihoods; synthesis of the present state of knowledge; and strengthening the knowledge action pathway. At the end of each chapter, a set of class exercises is provided to bring about a deeper understanding of these approaches and their application in real-life situations. The expected outputs from penning this textbook are threefold. Firstly, it assimilates the rural livelihood works of eminent academicians under one cover. Secondly, it positions itself as a one-stop destination for educators by translating these concepts into a ready-to-teach applied format. Thirdly, it functions as a ready reckoner for young professionals by providing a step-by-step approach to apply these learnings in real-life situations. The purpose of this book is to provide a solid foundation to the teaching and learning of rural livelihoods in academia, bridge the gap between the science, policy, and practice of rural livelihoods, and finally shape a pool of better informed and equipped professionals in development. Special thanks to Himanshu Rohira for his contributions and assistance.