Smallholder income and land distribution in Africa : implications for poverty reduction strategies

Results are drawn from nationally-representative household surveys in five countries between 1990 and 2000: Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Mozambique, and Zambia. The paper addresses five major points: (1) why geographically-based poverty reduction or targeting strategies, e.g., focusing on marginal areas, is likely to miss a significant share of the poor in any particular country regardless of targeting efficiency in these areas; (2) why current enthusiasm for community-driven development approaches will require serious attention to how resources are allocated at local levels; (3) why sustained income growth for the poorest strata of the rural population will depend on agricultural growth in most countries, even though the poor generally lack the land and other productive resources to respond directly or immediately to policies and investments to stimulate agricultural growth; (4) why agricultural productivity growth, while most easily generating gains for better-off smallholder farmers, is likely to offer the best potential for pulling the poorest and land-constrained households out of poverty; and (5) why meaningful poverty alleviation strategies in many countries will require fundamental changes to make land more accessible to smallholder farmers. Overall conclusions are as follows: (1) While some areas tend to experience higher rates of poverty than others, poverty among smallholder households is not primarily a geographic phenomenon. (2) Serious disparities in incomes and land allocation at the local level can be found across all five countries. This may give pause to current development initiatives focusing on community-driven development. (3) Meaningful poverty alleviation strategies in many countries will require fundamental changes to make land more accessible to smallholders. Absent major changes in access to land, declining farm sizes, landlessness and near-landlessness, and poverty are likely to continue. (4) Sustained income growth for the poorest segment of the rural population is likely to depend on agricultural growth in most countries, even though the poor generally lack the land and other productive resources to respond directly or immediately to policies and investments to stimulate agricultural growth. Areas for future research are outlined in conclusion. Includes references.