Inside Poverty and Development in Africa : Critical Reflections on Pro-Poor Policies

When discussing development issues in Africa, it is not sufficient to simply stress the ubiquity of failure, malnutrition, disease, predatory states and war; one also has to recognize that important aspects in the lives of millions of ordinary people have been transformed over the last five decades. The contributions in this book are rooted in extensive empirical research at local, regional and/or national level in different African countries (Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, South Africa and Uganda), while some take a pan-African view. All, however, offer insight from different analytical perspectives into the heterogeneity of poverty and development processes in Sub-Saharan Africa and confront the ideas, concepts and assumptions that lie behind pro-poor policies. The volume also encourages policy makers to choose realistic policy prescriptions in an attempt to move people out of poverty.

Marcel Rutten is a geographer at the African Studies Centre. Since the early 1980s he has conducted longitudinal research on land tenure, water development, and tourism in Africa. His interest is also directed to Kenyan politics. Ongoing research comprises sustainable water infrastructure (i.e. shallow wells), and drought planning strategies among Maasai pastoralists. He is also involved in a comparative study of the development trajectories of four African and four Asian countries.

André Leliveld is an economist at the African Studies Centre. Since the late 1980s he has conducted research on (informal) social security arrangements in Africa. His interest is also directed to the effectiveness of development aid to Africa. Ongoing research comprises (micro) insurance in Uganda and community-based health insurance in Africa. He is also involved in a comparative study of the development trajectories of four African and four Asian countries.

Dick Foeken is a human geographer at the African Studies Centre, where his main research interests are urban poverty, urban agriculture and urban water supply in Africa. For the past ten years he has been involved in two major projects, the ‘Nakuru Urban Agriculture Research Project’ (NUAP) in Kenya and ‘Sustainable Urban Agriculture’ in Tanzania.