Bringing Context to Multidimensional Poverty:

Neil Dawson

Measured and Unmeasured Dynamics in

Rural Rwanda

Rutsiro

NyamagabeNyamasheke

Conflicting themes in Rwandan Conflicting themes in Rwandan developmentdevelopment

• Poverty alleviation

• Malthusian land crisis

• Highly centralised policy-making

Policies introducedPolicies introduced• Universal education and increased provision of

schools

• Health insurance scheme and increased provision of rural health facilities

• Formal land registration

• Crop specialisation and land consolidation

• Villagisation to improve housing and aid service provision

• Housing improvements – eradication of grass rooves

• Modernisation of rural centres

• Reconciliation between ethnic groups/ De-ethnicisation

Measures of successMeasures of success

• Income poverty down 12% from 2006 to 2011

• % MD poor down 17% 2005 - 2010

• ‘Trailblazer’ in MDG progress, top for SSA

• Successful land registration program

• Increases in production of approved crop types (wheat, rice, potatoes, beans, maize and cassava)

• Consistent real term GDP growth of 6% plus. Goal to become middle income economy

Local indicators of poverty reductionLocal indicators of poverty reduction

• Health: new health centres in all 3 sites

• Education: new schools, closer

• Shelter: grass rooves replaced

• Security: greatly reduced militia activity and

associated crime

Why mixed methods?Why mixed methods?• Complexity and non-linearity

• Ethics

• Lack of local perspective – how do ‘subjects’ think and act?

What should we ask?What should we ask?going beyond policy x = effect ygoing beyond policy x = effect y

• What does it mean to live well in that context?

• How do people differ? In terms of material, relational and subjective dimensions

• How do different changes and policies affect different people? Not only end effect but processes involved

• How are different changes and policies interrelated?

• How do people themselves adapt to change?

Conceptions of Conceptions of wellbeingwellbeing• Land &

livestock• Work/trade• Shelter• Health• Infrastructure

• Social relations/ sharing

• Freedom to choose how to pursue own objectives

““Land is the main source of life for many people.”Land is the main source of life for many people.”

“All of the difficulties we face stem from not having enough land to farm and also not being able to acquire the inputs to manage the land.”

• Average land size 0.8ha, median 0.4ha

• 8% landless

• Only 38% trade crops

Study design issuesStudy design issues

• What is the ideal balance of sample v

depth? Positionality, reliability

+ evidence

• Preparation

• Adaptability

• RestrictionsRutsiro

NyamagabeNyamasheke

  Landless labourers (34%)

Resource poor workers (38%)

Relatively wealthy, diversified farmers (24%)

Relatively wealthy professionals without livestock (3%)

Land hectares

Average 0.13 Average 0.56 Average 2 Average 2.25

Livestock Majority have none, 7% own

cow

29% own a cow Nearly all own cows

No livestock. All grow trees

commerciallyOccupation

Labourers earning 40p to

£1 per day

Regular, low-paid work. 43% trade crops

Own business or professionals. 68%

trade crops

All are professionals and trade crops

Housing Small and basic houses

Mostly medium Relatively large houses

All have large houses

Heterogeneity in material wellbeingHeterogeneity in material wellbeing

Differences between socio-ethnic groupsDifferences between socio-ethnic groups

Implications for meeting basic needsImplications for meeting basic needs

Subjective dataSubjective data• Perceptions of increased poverty, despite clear

investment-driven gains. Complexity - multiple trends and shocks with interrelated effects on wellbeing

• Loss of autonomy – uncertainty and agency

• Impact on social relations and cultural practices

• Relational issues – poverty reproduction

Target-driven development: Target-driven development: A to B with our eyes closedA to B with our eyes closed

• Villagisation• Shelter• Health• Trade buildings

• Environmental protection

• Land policy - tenure• Land policy – land use

2004 Land 2004 Land policypolicy

“It should be possible for the government to repossess the land if the owner or holder of the land rights has failed to

use it in accordance with the law.”

Social relations and cultural practiceSocial relations and cultural practice

“The new leadership we have didn’t allow people to carry on doing those things

and we hated those changes that were brought about. Those cultural

gatherings were important to people who took part in them.”

“In the past people produced banana beer and then called their neighbours.

They cooked, drank and then ate all together, sharing, dancing and singing

and practising traditional chanting. That has totally changed, no-one can

even invite their neighbours round to share anything anymore, as they don't

even have enough for themselves”

“I was born into manual labour with a small income. Up until

now that is all I have been able to do. And I will die doing the

same thing.”

Relational issues and poverty Relational issues and poverty reproductionreproduction

“Sweeping doesn’t require somebody with school qualifications, or

at least to be a guard you don’t need a high level of education! Even

the guards there at the sector offices are no stronger than us. They

are the same like us but we aren’t chosen for that work, you can’t

find a Twa working there. Having a sustainable job doesn’t require

just education, your ethnicity is a factor.”

Methodological issues - StrengthsMethodological issues - Strengths• Holistic, counter-narrative open to the unexpected

• Overcome measurability issues – non-material aspects

• Subjective, local perspective, non-normative

• Dynamic, meaningful conclusion on trends & their causes

Thanks!Thanks!

Supervised by:Adrian MartinProf Thomas Sikor

neilm_dawson@yahoo.co.uk

“We lived in the same cell before, further down the hill, but were supposed to come to the village, so we did in October. I had lived in the old house since we were married. We had no help at all to come here. And we were told we had to move, it wasn’t something we saw any advantage in. There was someone from (nearby village) came and helped us to build it and we expected that was free, but then he claimed we had to pay him 70,000Rwf (£70). I have paid him 30,000 and now we have to pay the rest slowly.”

Poverty reduction policiesPoverty reduction policies

• Forced to move from family home• Sold half of land to be able to do so• In debt to builder• Wishes to buy livestock• Lacks money to continue crop trade• Further from water supply• Yet reduced poverty by indicators

Tea plantation

Native forestVillage A Village B

Plantation forest Wetland