How Has Development Come to Be Associated Popularly with Poverty Alleviation?

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ASSIGNMENT

PETER KING’ORI GICHOHI         17/02376

NJAGI W PURITY                         16/00129

MARY NJOKI NGUGI                   17/02861

JONES K MUTUVI                        17/02445

                                     JANET BIRIR  

How has development come to be associated popularly with poverty alleviation?

INTRODUCTION

Development refers to the ability of a nation to improve the lives of its citizens. Measures of improvement may be material, such as an increase in the gross domestic product, or social, such as literacy rates and availability of healthcare. According to the United Nations fundamentally, poverty is the inability of getting choices and opportunities, a violation of human dignity. It means lack of basic capacity to participate effectively in society. The World Bank declares that poverty is a pronounced deprivation in well-being, and comprises many dimensions. It includes low incomes and the inability to acquire the basic goods and services necessary for survival with dignity.  Poverty also encompasses low levels of health and education, poor access to clean water and sanitation, inadequate physical security, lack of voice, and insufficient capacity and opportunity to better one’s life.

Poverty is a state deprivation of human needs e.g.; no access to food, clean drinking water, ample shelter, good health/ healthcare, long life among many others.

 Poverty alleviation is a set of measures, both economic and humanitarian, that are intended to permanently lift people out of their poverty life.

Below are some of the development measures both economic and humanitarian intended for poverty alleviation?

Role of Agriculture development in poverty alleviation

Agriculture is the science, art, or occupation concerned with cultivating land, raising crops, feeding, breeding, and raising livestock. In less developed or developing countries, people practice substance farming whereby Agriculture forms the backbone of the economy and also the basic source of food supply of all countries, whether developed or underdeveloped. However with enough capital, role of agriculture in developing Countries involves the following;-

Contribution to National Income-in Kenya for example among the main income earners is Tea, Coffee and flowers. The leading industrialized countries of today were once predominantly agricultural. India stills its 28% of national income from Agriculture.

Source of Raw materials for agro-based industries-Agricultural advancement is necessary for improving the supply of raw materials for the agro-based industries especially in developing countries .Shortage of these goods affects other industries like flour mills, oil and dal mills, bread, meat milk products among others.

 Employment opportunities-Agricultural sectors creates job opportunities reducing crime and encouraging everyone to be constructive in economy development

 Relief of capital- Human manpower can substitute imported capital to do a similar tasks, the cost is reduced while at the same time creating jobs for the locals.

Agriculture sector provides funds for capital formation in many ways as: agricultural taxation, exports of agricultural products, collection of agricultural products at low prices by government and selling it at higher prices. This method is adopted by Russia and China .

 Helpful in Phasing out Economic Depression-During depression, industrial production can be stopped or reduced but agricultural production continues as it produces basic necessities of life. Thus it continues to create effective demand even during adverse conditions of the economy.

Source of Foreign Exchange for the Country-Most of the developing countries of the world are exporters of primary products. These products contribute 60 to 70 per cent of their total export earnings.

 Role of agriculture in rural development and poverty eradication

Increase in Income-As a result of agricultural progress, there will be extension of market for industrial products. Increase in agricultural productivity leads to increase in the income of rural population which is turn leads to more demand for industrial products, thus development of industrial sector

 Improving Rural Welfare-It is time that rural economy depends on agriculture and allied occupations in an underdeveloped country. The rising agricultural surplus caused by increasing agricultural production and productivity tends to improve social welfare, particularly in rural areas. The living standard of rural masses rises and they start consuming nutritious diet including eggs, milk, ghee and fruits. They lead a comfortable life having all modern amenities—a better house, motor-cycle, radio, television and use of better clothes.

 Employment Opportunities for Rural People-Agriculture provides employment opportunities for rural people on a large scale in underdeveloped and developing countries. It is an important source of livelihood. Generally, landless workers and marginal farmers are engaged in non-agricultural jobs like handicrafts, furniture, textiles, leather, metal work, processing industries, and in other service sectors.

 Through Agricultural projects Social amenities get introduced to the social through the social responsibility networks-These may include schools, hospitals among others.

Inflation Control

Inflation control is key because when it’s high the price of basic items goes up uncontrollably. When inflation is checked the prices of commodities go down allowing people to start saving their income for other developments raising their living standards.

Human Capital Formation

This is component of the poverty strategy to increase the productivity or earning capacity of the poor is a massive commitment to upgrade education and health conditions in the region. That should reduce the oversupply of unskilled labor and raise the average wage. 

Population control and development of healthcare amenities

 A country is able to develop faster in terms of health and other social amenities when its production capacity is higher than the population growth rate. Development in family planning method reduces child mortality and improves maternal health which in return increases the productivity and the living standards.

Innovation and technology for poverty alleviation

Poverty takes many forms that limit people’s potential to live a healthy and productive life.