Rural Africa at the crossroads: livelihoods, practices and policies

This research paper synthesises findings from the De-Agrarianisation and Rural Employment (DARE) programme across seven sub-Saharan African countries, examining how Structural Adjustment Programmes have driven rural populations toward income diversification and non-agricultural activities.

• Structural Adjustment Programmes have led to a significant, unplanned increase in income diversification among rural populations in sub-Saharan Africa, making them more spatially mobile and occupationally flexible as they rely more on non-agricultural income.
• Rural livelihoods are currently characterized by a 'balancing act' where individuals manage tensions between farming and non-farming activities, family and individual needs, and rural and urban environments. This diversification includes the migration of youth and women selling home-making skills, though it also introduces urban-style social dysfunctions into villages and threatens traditional agrarian values.
• To support diversification and the ongoing process of depeasantisation, the paper recommends improving human capital for youth through education and extra-curricular programs, conducting participatory assessments of spatial comparative advantages, and reforming rural land tenure policy to increase agricultural productivity.

APA

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (2011). Rural Africa at the crossroads: livelihoods, practices and policies. https://cdkn.org/resource/rural-africa-at-the-crossroads-livelihoods-practices-and-policies

Chicago

Climate and Development Knowledge Network. Rural Africa at the crossroads: livelihoods, practices and policies. 2011. https://cdkn.org/resource/rural-africa-at-the-crossroads-livelihoods-practices-and-policies.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |title=Rural Africa at the crossroads: livelihoods, practices and policies |date=12 September 2011 |url=https://cdkn.org/resource/rural-africa-at-the-crossroads-livelihoods-practices-and-policies |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateanddevelopmentknowledgenetwork2011rural, author = {{Climate and Development Knowledge Network}}, title = {{Rural Africa at the crossroads: livelihoods, practices and policies}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2011}, month = sep, url = {https://cdkn.org/resource/rural-africa-at-the-crossroads-livelihoods-practices-and-policies}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }