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
This document presents the preliminary findings from the quantitative data generation and analysis conducted as part of the project “Financial decision-making, gender and social norms in Zambia”.... Show moreThis document presents the preliminary findings from the quantitative data generation and analysis conducted as part of the project “Financial decision-making, gender and social norms in Zambia”. Using a series of specially designed behavioural experiments, we generated an extensive set of insights into the normative environment within which spouses in Eastern Province, Zambia, make decisions about individual money holding and saving. Here are some of those insights. Spouses in Eastern Province, Zambia, are willing to compromise household-level earnings in order to maintain individual control over money. Wives, but not husbands, are more likely to compromise household-level earnings in order to maintain individual control over money, when they can keep that money and their actions hidden from their spouses. Individually-held behavioural prescriptions, i.e., the “shoulds” and “oughts” that individuals have in mind and reference as guides for their own behaviour and as benchmarks against which to evaluate others’ behaviour, inform decision-making about maintaining individual control over money at a cost to the household. Further, when individuals know that their spouses will find out about their descisions regarding maintaining individual control over money (or not) at a cost to the household, the individuals take their spouses’ opinions about what they should do into account, i.e., they compromise. There is strong but not unequivocal evidence pointing to the existence of a social norm, i.e., a “should” or “ought” that is collectively held and enforced by members of a community, forbidding saving in secret from one’s spouse, with the secrecy not the saving being the problem. Assuming it exists, this social norm forbidding saving in secret from one’s spouse applies to both husbands and wives, and this is acknowledged by both husbands and wives. However, the extent to which violations of this norm are tolerated depends on who is doing the violating and who the evaluating. In patrilineal communities (as compared to matrilineal communities), both husbands and wives are especially intolerant of secret saving by husbands and in both patrilineal and matrilineal communities, wives are less tolerant than husbands of secret saving by husbands and more tolerant than husbands of secret saving by wives. This relative tolerance of secret saving by wives notwithstanding, just under one in three wives and one in six husbands think that a man is justified in beating his wife if he discovers that she is saving in an e-wallet or has joined a savings group without his knowledge and, as grounds for wife beating, saving in secret is on a par with neglecting the children, visiting friends or family in secret and refusing to have sex. For further insights, see the main text of the report. Show less
[Abstract in English]. This article investigates the possibility of long-term causation in the political history of the Central African Republic. It does so by looking at the biography of... Show more[Abstract in English]. This article investigates the possibility of long-term causation in the political history of the Central African Republic. It does so by looking at the biography of Barthélémy Boganda (1910-1959). It argues that the upheavals of European colonisation at the beginning of the twentieth century – as experienced by Boganda as a child – exercised an enduring influence on his persona and remained relevant for his life and work throughout the later part of the colonial era. Second, the article investigates the persistent relevance of cultural repertoires as ingrained in the religious cosmologies in the region in pre-colonial times for the nature of Boganda’s political leadership. It argues that his charisma was articulated through the behavioural repertoires of the trickster archetype, as described in the pedagogical warnings of pre-colonial regional cosmologies. This betrays the continued relevance of pre-colonial notions of political legitimacy as marked by folly, which is an essential element in the trickster figure. While warning against essentialist interpretations of Central African culture, the article concludes that research into political anthropology could reveal how styles of political deportment among Central African leaders (from politicians to warlords) are possibly fed by older (unhelpfully called ‘pre-colonial’) notions of cunning and brutality, which undergird deeper representations of violence and power.[Abstract in French]. Cet article examine la possibilité de causalités de longue durée dans l’histoire politique de la République centrafricaine. Il s’y attèle à travers une étude biographique de Barthélémy Boganda (1910-1959). Il soutient que les bouleversements induits par la colonisation européenne au début du XXe siècle – tels que vécus par Boganda enfant – ont exercé une influence durable sur sa personnalité et ont continué à avoir un impact sur sa vie et son travail tout au long des dernières années de l’époque coloniale. L’article examine également le fait que les répertoires culturels enracinés dans les cosmologies religieuses de la région depuis l’époque précoloniale sont restés pertinents pour la nature du leadership politique de Boganda. Il soutient que son charisme s’exprimait à travers des répertoires de comportement liés à l’archétype du décepteur ou fripon, tels que décrits dans les admonitions pédagogiques des cosmologies régionales précoloniales. De ce fait, on constate que les notions précoloniales de légitimité politique marquées par la folie, qui sont un élément central de la figure du décepteur, sont restées d’actualité. Tout en mettant en garde contre toute interprétation essentialiste des cultures centrafricaines, l’article conclut que les recherches sur l’anthropologie politique peuvent mettre au jour la manières dont les modes de conduite politique observables chez les leaders centrafricains (des politiciens aux chefs de guerre) pourraient être nourris par des notions anciennes (qualifiées de façon peu idoine de « précoloniales ») de ruse et de brutalité, qui sous-tendent des représentations plus profondes de violence et de pouvoir. Show less
Kamau, P.; Kinyanjui, B.; Akinyoade, A.; Mukoko, C. 2018
This paper documents and assesses productive employment policies in Kenya. The main objective being to reflect on the current state of affairs, identify constraints and gaps among these policies.... Show moreThis paper documents and assesses productive employment policies in Kenya. The main objective being to reflect on the current state of affairs, identify constraints and gaps among these policies. The paper is mainly based on desk-top research which reviews available literature and policy papers on employment in Kenya since independence in 1963 in order to determine how these policies have impacted on productive employment in Kenya.The paper argues that the primary challenge in the labor market in Kenya is not unemployment per se but rather lack of productive employment and decent work among the poor population given that most of the population works in the informal sector. This population working in the informal sector tends to be vulnerable and has low productivity and low earnings, which effectively undermine the efforts for inclusive and sustainable growth. We use the framework related to productive employment to document and analyze different policies. While employment creation has been central in all government policies, the focus has largely been on increasing the number as opposed to the quality of employment creation. It is for this reason the informal economy has remained the main contributor of employment opportunities. Apparently jobs in the informal sector tend to be largely casual, temporary, low wage, and without effective job security.The Agriculture and Manufacturing sectors have potential for creating employment but again the nature of jobs in these two sectors remain largely casual which compromises on productive employment. To promote productive employment, these sectors require increased funding and establishment of stakeholders’ consultative forums. There is also the need to attract FDI most of which come with better terms of employment compared to indigenous investments. Show less
Kazimierczuk, A.H.; Kamau, P.; Kinuthia, B.K.; Mukoko, C. 2018
The flower sector in Kenya accounted for over 65 per cent of new jobs created in the agricultural sector between 2010 and 2015 and remains a major employer in the country. The floriculture value... Show moreThe flower sector in Kenya accounted for over 65 per cent of new jobs created in the agricultural sector between 2010 and 2015 and remains a major employer in the country. The floriculture value chain involves a variety of players involved in activities, such as plant development and growing, providing necessary inputs, transport and handling – each of them generating a part of the direct or indirect employment. The quality of this employment is, however, less clear.In 1978, the flowers’ export volume was 3,000 tons. Since then, the sector has grown by an average of 16 per cent per year in terms of volume and 25 per cent in terms of value of production. Foreign investors and partners played a critical role in launching and expanding the floriculture industry in Kenya. Dutch companies started flower export businesses, and Dutch and Israeli advisors have been important sources of technical support. Initially, large and medium flower farms were mostly owned by foreigners, Kenyans of foreign descent or members of the Kenyan (political) elite. Kenyan smallholders were also involved in flower growing at that stage. In 2016, approximately 190 flower farms and 5,000 smallholder farmers were involved in the flower production. Today, flower growing is done predominantly by Kenyan-owned farms, while Dutch companies dominate the breeding and propagation activities. Growers provide the highest employment opportunities in the entire chain, predominantly for women, due to the labour intensive character of their operations. Breeders, propagators and other companies in the chain hire less people directly but create important indirect employment in the sector.The support of the Kenyan government in promoting the floriculture sector was mixed through the years and was not the decisive factor in the sector development. The success of the industry is, to an extent, a result of the capacity of the private sector to develop independently from the state and the capacity to quickly adapt to changing circumstances. Following the rapid development of the sector in the mid-1990s, flower companies have been criticized for poor labour standards and a number of other abusive practices. In response to this criticism, the companies have adapted a range of international and national social and environmental standards that should lead to improved labour conditions.This working paper’s primary objective is to assess to the extent to which the flower sector and the jobs created have been sustainable, inclusive and productive; and whether there are any differences between practices and quality of employment created by the international players, particularly Dutch companies in comparison to the non-Dutch counterparts. The secondary objective is to assess and understand what are the main challenges for the companies in the flower sector to create and maintain (productive) employment, as well as other pitfalls in their day-to-day operations. For this purpose, a mixed methods approach to data collection was implemented, including a sector-wide standardized questionnaire, case studies and a number of key informant interviews. This report concludes with a set of policy recommendations targeting the Kenyan government and the international community. Show less
Conflicts are multi causal and remain an inevitable part of human existence, and Africa like other parts of the world has had to grapple with the phenomenon. The Northern Region of Ghana has over... Show moreConflicts are multi causal and remain an inevitable part of human existence, and Africa like other parts of the world has had to grapple with the phenomenon. The Northern Region of Ghana has over the years been a hotbed of conflicts as several communities have gained notoriety for frequent violent disturbances. Though the “North” is not the only place of simmering tensions and conflicts since colonial times, the violent nature and intractability of some conflicts which often make the headlines for obviously “bad” reasons leaves much to be desired This paper examines Northern Ghana’s intractable conflicts many of which have partisan and political undertones, and have served as fodder to exacerbate; chieftaincy succession conflicts, land and boundary disputes, and others that may arise from competing group interests. More importantly, some of these disputes may directly be as a result of struggle for political power or domination. Whilst relying on textual or content analysis of conflicts in Ghana and Africa the author also makes use of, interviews, personal observation and experiences gained from the area under discussion. Resource persons and researchers, some from these conflict areas offered great insight for this write-up. Show less
This paper discusses general political and economic issues in Nawuriland during and after German colonialism. The paper argues that the legacies of German colonialism are still largely seen and... Show moreThis paper discusses general political and economic issues in Nawuriland during and after German colonialism. The paper argues that the legacies of German colonialism are still largely seen and felt in Nawuriland especially in plantation projects, land and chieftaincy. Show less