reducing poverty & hunger in developing countries: a retrospective analysis of the role of...

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 of Faith-Based Organizations

Development of Human Capital

Development of Agriculture

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


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


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


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


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.


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


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.


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


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


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


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.

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