Nowadays, urban-rural connections are accelerating in sub-Saharan Africa resulting in agricultural transformations, which in turn lead to the transformation of rural livelihoods. This paper... Show moreNowadays, urban-rural connections are accelerating in sub-Saharan Africa resulting in agricultural transformations, which in turn lead to the transformation of rural livelihoods. This paper examines agricultural transformations in the Dodoma Region, Tanzania, and their impact on local rural livelihoods. Triggered by transportation development and rising demand for agricultural produce on the national and international level, the transformation of rural livelihoods on the village level entails: the application of more advanced methods and organisation of agricultural production; the increased use wage-labour; considerably higher agricultural revenues; a distinct rise of livelihoods partly or exclusively based on small-scale industry, petty trade and other businesses; and a distinctively higher level of incomes and consumption. Show less
In this farewell lecture on the occasion of his departure as Professor of Development in sub-Saharan Africa at Leiden University and Director of the African Studies Centre (ASC), Leiden, the... Show moreIn this farewell lecture on the occasion of his departure as Professor of Development in sub-Saharan Africa at Leiden University and Director of the African Studies Centre (ASC), Leiden, the author starts with the vuvuzela issue as an illustration of the lack of confidence the world has in South Africa organizing and running the World Cup smoothly. He takes that as a sign that there still exists a stereotype of African incompetence, despite the social and economic progress Africa has witnessed in the last decade. He does not want to argue that African Studies have not been able to offset such a stereotype. What he tries to show is that it is not clear from the wealth of actor-oriented research in African Studies what the main social, political and economic trends in Africa are. He argues that actor-oriented research in African Studies should try to increase its relevance by contributing- through meta-analyses and comparative research-to the discussion on social, political and economic trends in Africa. Special attention should be paid to the possible rise of the developmental state in Africa. In doing so, African Studies may also substantiate its claim that it is able to challenge the universal pretensions of mainstream social science. Show less
Ook voor Afrika blijven de gevolgen van de kredietcrisis niet uit. In eerste instantie leken de financiële markten in Afrika minder gevoelig voor de kredietcrisis. Maar inmiddels zijn ook... Show moreOok voor Afrika blijven de gevolgen van de kredietcrisis niet uit. In eerste instantie leken de financiële markten in Afrika minder gevoelig voor de kredietcrisis. Maar inmiddels zijn ook Afrikaanse beurzen onderuit gegaan. Daarnaast zal de wereldwijde recessie, die volgde op de kredietcrisis op de financiële markten, Afrika niet onberoerd laten. Hoe en hoe hard valt nog moeilijk met zekerheid te zeggen, maar de "Kaart van Afrika 2009" probeert een inschatting te geven van de gevoeligheid van de Afrikaanse landen voor de wereldrecessie. Show less
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... Show moreThis 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, increased diversification and increased multi-locality of livelihoods under globalisation. The next sections focus on two major theoretical and methodological challenges facing the livelihood approach at present. Firstly, 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. Secondly, 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 so doing, the paper also sets the agenda for future research on African livelihoods. Paper presented at the 11th General Assembly of CODESRIA, 6-10 December 2005, Maputo. Show less
This chapter starts from the premise that economic actions can only be understood if looked upon as embedded in social structure. Therefore, it elaborates the concept of (sustainable) livelihood,... Show moreThis chapter starts from the premise that economic actions can only be understood if looked upon as embedded in social structure. Therefore, it elaborates the concept of (sustainable) livelihood, which is taken to emanate from the interactions of actors with vital capitals. It argues that, in the context of globalization, livelihood becomes increasingly multidimensional and multilocal, spanning rural and urban areas at the same time. The chapter focuses on changing rural-urban linkages in West Africa, notably on the trade in maize, yam, and cattle in Benin. Expanding flows between rural areas and urban outlets are analysed against the background of the livelihood strategies of traders, paying special attention to trade organization, networks, entry modes, and accumulation paths. Emphasis is placed on the role of social capital in these interactions. Bibliogr. [ASC Leiden abstract] Show less
