SOAS Research Online

Abstract

This study seeks to focus on an assessment of the Social and economic impact of policies adopted by a World Bank-supported rural development scheme to develop improved rice production in North-Central Sierra Leone: The Northern Area Integrated Agricultural Development Project (lADP). Particular attention is paid to an examination of the spatial impact of the project, flecause lADP is designed to promote' development for 'smaller' and 'poorer' farmers, attention is focused on separating different groups of farmers and attempting to measure their responses to, and potential for participation in the process of rural transformation. Allocation of infrastructural facilities within the project area is intended by project planners to facilitate project activities in 'difficult' areas and to open up hitherto 'remote' communities to the exchange sector of the economy. This study attempts to argue the point that there is little evidence of any correlation between the pattern of resource allocation and 'need' defined in terms of population concentration, agricultural resource potentials and/or inadequacy of existing facilities. The following typify some of the detailed conclusions derived from this study: (a) The effect of lADP credit policy is to increasingly direct available loan capital to 'wealthier' farmers who are committed to a process of transition from farming to merchant capital - dominated trading sectors of the national economy. (b) That farm labour supply imposes a greater constraint on efforts to increase agricultural output than the supply of suitable farmland. Labour shortages are widespread and reflect the heavy outmigration of young males to urban c entres. (c) Labour 'companies' or work groups supply significant amounts of farm labour inputs in the study area. The existence of these work groups acts to stratify the rural communities into three categories of peasants: 'poor' 'rriddle and 'wealthy' peasants. (d) The distribution of project farmers shows a reaspnabh' even response over the project area. Spatial allocation of project infrastructure has, however, tended to produce an anomalous pattern. Consequently, there are some inadequacies in the emerging spatial structure. (e) Overall the results emphasise the need to take account of farmers' views and understanding of the process of agrarian change.