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REDUCING POVERTY & HUNGER IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ROLE OF FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. Association for International Agriculture & Rural Development 41 st Annual Meeting Washington, DC; June 5-7, 2005 By Charles E. Owubah, Ph.D. Research Questions. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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REDUCING POVERTY & HUNGER IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES:
A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ROLE OF FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
Association for International Agriculture & Rural Development 41st Annual Meeting
Washington, DC; June 5-7, 2005
ByCharles E. Owubah, Ph.D.
Research Questions
What are the causes of Hunger? What has been the early roles (1400s to
World War II) of faith-based organizations in reducing hunger and poverty?
What are examples of successes of how have faith-based organizations have helped to reduce hunger and poverty?
Outline Definition of faith-based
organizations Early Roles of faith-based
organizations Uniqueness of faith-based
organizations in addressing the causes of hunger & poverty
Examples of success stories
Faith-Based Organizations?
“Religious and religious-based organizations, places of religious worship or congregations, specialized religious institutions, and registered and unregistered non-profit institutions that have a religious character or mission” (Global Health Council, 2005)
Faith-Based Organizations?
Definition Registered faith-based relief and development
organizations
Large American faith-based relief and development organizations involved in reducing hunger and poverty in developing countries
Adventist Relief and Development Agency Catholic Relief Services Food for the Hungry International World Vision
CRS, WV, ADRA, & FHI
Name of Organization
Year Establishe
d
Countries of Operation in
2005Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
1943 99
World Vision (WV) 1950 100Adventist Relief & Development Agency (ADRA)
1956 120
Food for the Hungry International (FHI)
1971 46
Growth of World Vision
110
20
40
55
7481
96
0
20
40
60
80
100
No.
of C
ount
ries
1950 1959 1969 1979 1989 1995 1999 2004
Figure 1. World Vision: Countries of Operation, 1950-2004
Growth of World Vision
165 388
1932
55095049
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
Num
ber o
f Pro
jects
1959 1969 1979 1989 1995
Figure 2. World Vision: Number of projects, 1959-1995
Early Roles Ghana
Roman Catholic Church conducted its first mass in Ghana on 20th January 1482, in Elmina, a small fishing town along the coast of Ghana
The Catholic faith grew and was followed by the Anglican, Presbyterian, and Methodist Churches
Early roles: Development of Human Capital
Ghana In 1876, the Methodist Church built the
first secondary school, Wesleyan High School, in the country
Early missionaries did set up clinics, maternity homes, hospitals, and orphanages
In 1980, a third of the bed strength of the hospitals in Ghana was under the care of Churches (Buah 1989)
Early roles: Agriculture Ghana
The Methodist Church established the first “Scientific Farms” in Cape Coast to train farmers on appropriate technology
The Presbyterian Church established nurseries and experimental farms in Akuapem to supply farmers with seedlings of new crop varieties
Early roles: Development of Human Capital
Kenya In 1892, the East African Scottish Mission
(Presbyterian) started a school in Kibwezi
In 1926, Protestants in Kenya collaborated to establish Alliance High School. In 1948, Alliance Girls High School was established to improve the level of education for girls
Churches established mission hospitals as part of their outreach: (Kikuyu in 1901; Maseno in 1906; Tumutumu in 1908; Chogoria in 1915; Kijabe in 1915)
Early roles: Agriculture Kenya
Missionaries taught new farming techniques (terracing, intercropping, etc.)
Missionaries introduced new crop varieties E.g. Presbyterians planted the first coffee seeds in Kibwezi in 1893
Early roles: Agriculture and community development
United States In the early 1900s, the clergy were often
instrumental in efforts to improve health care, farming, and the establishment of credit unions and farming cooperatives.
Theodore Roosevelt: “Any consideration of the problem of rural life that
leaves out of account the function and possibilities of the church and of related institutions would be grossly inadequate…because, from the purely social point of view, the church is fundamentally a necessary institution in country life.” (Prins and Ewert, 2002)
Early roles: Agriculture and community development
United States Church-extension collaboration strengthened
rural communities in the early 1900s.
In the 1920s and 1930s, seminaries and colleges collaborated in summer school curricula to:
“assist ministers in acquiring new insight into tested methods of town and country church work and understanding of the trends and problems in modern country life; to develop a fellowship among those engaged in rural service; to develop contacts between agricultural leaders, particularly those in extension work and rural ministers” (Landis & Willard, 1933, Prins and Ewert, 2002).
Causes and dimensions of Hunger
Key Causes of Hunger Lack of assets and resources to
produce sufficient food Limited, or lack of income to procure
adequate food for consumption
Dimensions of Hunger Transitory, or short-term Chronic
Relief Interventions to address Transitory/Short-
term Hunger WV Relief Interventions
Relief Interventions
Chronic Hunger Chronic hunger is a manifestation of poverty,
and that attempts to eradicate hunger can only be successful when poverty is alleviated
“Hunger is, in most instances, a consequence of economic impoverishment and marginalization.”
“It is imperative that economic empowerment form the core of strategies to eliminate the underlying causes of hunger.” (1993 NGO platform at the World Bank Conference on Actions to reduce Hunger WorldWide)
The Big Five Developmental
Interventions (UN Millennium Project)
Agricultural Inputs Investment in basic health Investment in education Power, transport and
communications services Safe drinking water and sanitation
Uniqueness of Faith-Based Organizations
An already existing infrastructure Loyal groups/followers Holistic ministry/programming
Uniqueness of Faith-Based Organizations
An already existing infrastructure Alliances and partnerships with churches,
synagogues, mosques, temples, etc. have been used as entry points to deliver aid and engage in development activities
In times of disaster, access to individuals and groups who understand a culture, and knows the terrain, and location of hamlets and villages is essential to saving lives
Uniqueness of Faith-Based Organizations
Loyal groups/followers Have unique advantage in delivering
appropriate and scientifically proven development messages to needy communities
E.g. Resistance to polio vaccine in Northern Nigeria
Uniqueness of Faith-Based Organizations
Holistic ministry/programming Encompasses all aspects of interventions that
address the well being of the mind, body, and soul
Deep belief that it is not enough to preach the gospel of God, and that humankind must have access to food and other necessities of life (John 6:35; “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”
Values-based programming—”the ABc approach”—has become important in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa and other places
Success Story: Morulem Irrigation Scheme in Kenya
Background In 1979, African Inland Church began an
irrigation scheme in Morulem, Turkana District, Kenya
In 1984, the African Inland Church withdrew its support and in 1990, the Morulem community approached World Vision for support
In 1992, World Vision secured PL 480 Title II funding from the Office of Food for Peace, USAID
In 1997, WV secured additional funding from USAID to support the program
Success Story: Morulem Irrigation Scheme in Kenya
Outcomes The objective of increasing food production to
meet 80% of household annual grain requirements, has been met and exceeded. In 2000, for example, household grain production met 138% of household grain requirements.
In 2000, massive food aid distributions were done in Turkana and other districts to save lives, but the beneficiaries of MIS were food secure to the extent that they had surplus food in their grain bank.
Success Story: Morulem Irrigation Scheme in Kenya
Outcomes Program has diversified the local economy and
has created 938 jobs, in an area where there are no other job creators beside the Government of Kenya
Farmers are able to produce enough grain to feed their families throughout the year, while selling surpluses on the market
The Program is sustainable on all four key criteria; Financial, Infrastructural, Environmental, Institutional
Success Story: Morulem Irrigation Scheme in Kenya
Awards 1999: “Outstanding Performance in
Environmental Conservation”—resulting in UNDP commemorating the World Day to combat desertification with the people of Morulem
2000: “Outstanding Performance in Food Production” (FAO)
2001: “Outstanding Performance in the Field of Food Security” (FAO)
Success Story: Brazilian Farmers Access to International
Melon Market
Background In 1999, WV established a partnership
with the Inter-American Development Bank, and began helping poor farmers in the Rio Grande do Norte State to gain direct access to the melon market in Europe.
Success Story: Brazilian Farmers Access to International
Melon Market
Results 1999: 45,000 boxes were exported to
Europe, and increased incomes by 54% 2000: 75,000 boxes of melons were
exported to Europe 2000: 15,000 boxes sold to a Brazilian
national chain of supermarkets
Success Story: Brazilian Farmers Access to International
Melon Market
Results 2001: 140,000 boxes of melons exported to
Europe 2001: 30,000 boxes sold to local consumers in
Brazil WV strengthened the capacity of a small local
export company and reduced legal costs from 26% to 8%, thereby increasing farmers incomes exponentially, and allowing them to pay off debts and build assets
Local export company is financially sustainable and no longer depends on WV.
Success Story: Tomoya Irrigation Project, Bolivia
Background 1994: Leaders of Sorojchi, Yoroca, Chua
Chua, Molle Molle and Sorocoto requested Food for the Hungry International to help build an irrigation system along the Tomoya river to irrigate 1,300 acres of arid farmland, and provide clean drinking water for the communities
FHI secured PL 480 Title II, Title III, and Development Assistance funding from USAID to support the project.
The project took seven years to complete
Success Story: Tomoya Irrigation Project, Bolivia
Results A 28 kilometer road along
the sides of the cliffs have been constructed
Communities have been able to build irrigation canals, and terraced hillsides and are able to harvest crops two to three times in a year
Success Story: Tomoya Irrigation Project, Bolivia
Results Crop yields have doubled
and tripled, in some cases, allowing farmers to sell surplus food
FHI has helped farmers to build a food processing plant, allowing local farming cooperatives to add value to their produce
Clean water is available all year round and is having a positive impact on the health of children
Conclusions Faith-based organizations have
been instrumental in reducing poverty and hunger for centuries
Faith-based organizations continue to be significant and influential change agents on the war on hunger and poverty
Conclusions The growth and uniqueness of faith-based
organizations is a reflection of their assets; (a) an already existing infrastructure, (b) Loyal groups/followers, and (c) Holistic ministry/programming
Strategies to end hunger and poverty are known, and that there continues to be hunger and poverty because the level of commitment and scale of operation continues to be meager compared with needs
References
Buah, F. K. 1989. A History of Ghana. Macmillan Education Limited, London, pp 259.Global Health Council, 2005. Faith in Action: Examining the Role of Faith-Based Organizations in
Addressing HIV/AIDS. Global Health Council, Washington, DC. Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America, Commission on Church and Country Life.
1916. The church and country life: Report of conference held by the Commission on Church and Country Life under the authority of the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America. Columbus, Ohio. December 8-10. Columbus Ohio.
Landis, B. and Willard, J. 1933. Rural adult education. Macmillan Company, New York.Lappe, F. M; Collins, Joseph; and Rosset, Peter. 1998. World Hunger: 12 Myths. Grove Press,New York, pp 270.Lawlor, J. R. 1999. The Church and International Development: Seeking Justice and Peace inMission to the World Poor. Universal Publishers, Parkland, Florida, pp 137.Prins, Esther, and Ewert, D. M. 2002. Cooperative Extension and Faith-Based Organizations:Building Social Capital. Journal of Extension, Vol. 40, Number 3.Runge, C. F; Senauer, Benjamin; Pardey, P. G.k and Rosegrant, M. W. 2003. Ending Hunger inOur Lifetime. John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, pp 288.Sachs, Jeffery. 2005. The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities of Our Time. Penguin Press,New York, pp 396.World Bank. 1986. Poverty and Hunger: Issues and options for food security in developingcountries. Washington, DC. World Bank.