Rural Urban Market Linkages
PART A
Conceptual framework
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Chapter 1 outlines the background to urban - rural linkages: | 1. | It describes the recent phenomena of urban growth accompanied by increased food demand. | 2. | It describes the role of small and intermediate urban centres in facilitating exchange between the towns and the countryside. | 3. | It defines the objectives of improving linkages by making marketing interventions. | 4. | It outlines the purpose of the guide as a framework for studying market linkages. | 5. | It provides a summary of the overall process that is recommended by the guide. |
BACKGROUND
Context - urban growth
By 2030, 60 percent of the worlds population are expected to be living in urban areas. As shown in Table 1, estimates of urban population increases vary widely, from a doubling to a trebling over a 20-year period.
Population increases in less developed countries are also adding significantly to the proportion of the urban population that is living below the poverty level. fifty percent of the population below the poverty line is common and figures for the year 2000 were as high as 80 percent for some cities.
This urban expansion has four main consequences for food security, as shown in Box 1.
Role of small and intermediate urban centres
Population growth is not solely in larger metropolitan centres - the mega cities. The number of small and intermediate sized urban centres are also increasing and also have an important role as links in the marketing system (as explained in Chapter 2). The International Institute for environment and development (IIED) estimated that by 2000, more than 60 percent of the urban population of Africa, the Caribbean and Southeast Asia (as well as Europe) were in urban centres of less than half a million inhabitants. These market towns and administrative centres are of critical importance in facilitating exchanges between rural and urban areas. Rural populations depend on these urban
Conceptual framework
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Chapter 1 outlines the background to urban - rural linkages: | 1. | It describes the recent phenomena of urban growth accompanied by increased food demand. | 2. | It describes the role of small and intermediate urban centres in facilitating exchange between the towns and the countryside. | 3. | It defines the objectives of improving linkages by making marketing interventions. | 4. | It outlines the purpose of the guide as a framework for studying market linkages. | 5. | It provides a summary of the overall process that is recommended by the guide. |
BACKGROUND
Context - urban growth
By 2030, 60 percent of the worlds population are expected to be living in urban areas. As shown in Table 1, estimates of urban population increases vary widely, from a doubling to a trebling over a 20-year period.
Population increases in less developed countries are also adding significantly to the proportion of the urban population that is living below the poverty level. fifty percent of the population below the poverty line is common and figures for the year 2000 were as high as 80 percent for some cities.
This urban expansion has four main consequences for food security, as shown in Box 1.
Role of small and intermediate urban centres
Population growth is not solely in larger metropolitan centres - the mega cities. The number of small and intermediate sized urban centres are also increasing and also have an important role as links in the marketing system (as explained in Chapter 2). The International Institute for environment and development (IIED) estimated that by 2000, more than 60 percent of the urban population of Africa, the Caribbean and Southeast Asia (as well as Europe) were in urban centres of less than half a million inhabitants. These market towns and administrative centres are of critical importance in facilitating exchanges between rural and urban areas. Rural populations depend on these urban
Links: Source: Compiled from Satterthwaite and Tacoli (2003). IIED, London. | There has been a some criticism of these policies, particularly whether they have had the expected impact in promoting rural development, particularly the agricultural sector