Role of Groups in Managing Rural Change (Edexcel IGCSE Geography)

The Role of Different Groups in Managing Rural Change

Spec point — 4GE1-S6.068

• Rural areas are home to billions of people across the world

• There is an increasing focus on making rural areas sustainable

• There are many stakeholders who have an interest and role in managing sustainable rural change;

  • National and local government
  • Intergovernmental Organisations (IGOs)
  • Non-Governmental Organisations(NGOs)
  • Local communities

• Some stakeholders will also be decision makers such as government and land owners

• All projects and strategies aim to make rural areas sustainable and improve people's quality of life

UK: Sustainable rural change

National and local government

• One government department - Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
• Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) funding schemes provide money to improve agriculture, the environment and rural life

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)

• Some NGOs are landowners of rural areas of the UK, together with other NGOs they work to ensure that those rural areas are sustainable

• Examples of NGOs working in the UK include:

  • National Trust one of the UK's largest landowners - manages many rural estates and over 1,000 farms
  • Countryside Land and Business Association (CLA) advises rural businesses and landowners
  • Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
  • Woodland Trust
  • Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE)

Local communities

• These are groups of people who live in rural communities in the UK

• They include:

  • farmers
  • landowners
  • local residents

Kenya: Sustainable rural change

National and local government

• Kenya has three government departments responsible for rural areas:

  • Agriculture
  • Livestock
  • Commerce and Tourism

• The country’s agricultural development strategy for 2010-2020 aims to:

  • achieve agricultural growth of 7 per cent annually
  • reduce food insecurity by 30 per cent

Intergovernmental organisations (IGOs)

• There are many IGOs involved in making the rural areas in Kenya sustainable, these include:

  • The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) - gives loans to small-scale farmers
  • The World Bank- rural roads project to improve transport in rural areas
  • World Health Organisation- Funds and supports many projects including the Universal Health Coverage Initiative

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)

• NGOs work on a local and national scale in Kenya

• Some of the NGOs involved in sustainable rural projects include:

  • Water Aid and Water.org are involved in projects to provide clean water and sanitation to rural areas reducing disease and improving hygiene
  • Oxfam working with rural communities affected by locusts
  • Traidcraft supports small businesses in rural communities increasing incomes
  • Plan International promoting education for girls

Local communities

• These are groups of people living in the rural communities who may be involved in the sustainable projects

• They may include:

  • farmers
  • landowners
  • local residents

Case Study

Upper Tana Catchment natural resource management project

• Funded by money from:

  • the Government of Kenya
  • a loan from IFAD
  • a Spanish Trust Fund
  • contributions from the local community

• Cost US$69 million

• The project aims to reduce rural poverty in the Upper Tana River catchment through:

  • empowering communities to sustainably manage resources
  • improving incomes and living standards
  • improving sustainable management of water

• The area includes over 200,000 rural homes

• Micro grants are available for community-led activities such as irrigation, fisheries, agriculture

• The impact of the project includes:

  • training for local communities on sustainable practices including bee-keeping, tree nursery management, fish farming
  • over 749 km of trees and seedlings were planted to stabilise river banks
  • approximately, 115,000 people now have access to clean water
  • two water laboratories now monitor water quality
  • the rehabilitation of 2,138 hectares of forest
  • over 90 community workers trained to make energy-saving devices
  • a 40% decrease in the use of fuelwood