Regional Experts Meeting on Social Protection
Theme: Investing in Social Protection in Africa
Senegal, 9-11 June 2008
Note prepared by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO)
Background
As a result of declining fertility levels and advances in medicine, nutrition and technology, population ageing is occurring quite rapidly in developing countries. Many of these countries do not have the resources or policy experience to address ageing-related issues effectively. The ageing of rural societies is often accelerated by the migration of rural youth and young adults to cities for work, and the return of older persons to rural areas upon retirement. Because the social service infrastructure is relatively weak and geriatric support virtually non-existent in most rural areas across the developing world, older individuals are likely to face serious difficulties if their families do not commit to safeguarding their well-being.
Ageing and rural development
Population ageing in rural settings generates major social and economic challenges that, if not addressed properly, can threaten efforts to promote sustainable agriculture and rural development. Research conducted by FAO in various rural settings reveals the following:
▫Rural ageing places an enormous burden on scarce household resources and community services.
▫Older persons in rural areas are often in poor health after a life of hard physical labour, and frequently suffer from high levels of stress and uncertainty about their future.
▫Older rural residents are particularly vulnerable to poverty and malnutrition as they are often incapable of making independent use of productive resources such as land and water.
▫Older persons in rural areas tend to be dependent on their families and/or neighbours, particularly when they have no savings, income, pension, or access to remittances.
▫The emigration of young adults and the high rates of AIDS-related mortality in certaincountries have altered the demographic structure of rural households and communities. Growing numbers of older persons are acting as heads of households, farm managers, and guardians of young children – all during a stage of their lives when they might once have expected to be receiving care themselves.
In rural communities short of young workers, older residents must look after crops and livestock. In many cases, they are unable to farm effectively on their own, and there is no possibility of hiring labour or using animal power or mechanized equipment. Older persons often have relatively little formal education and are frequently discriminated against in terms of access to rural credit facilities, agricultural extension services, and supplies such as modern farm implements and improved seeds and fertilizers. Older women and ageing widows are often denied access to agricultural land, with negative consequences for their economic and social well-being. Factors such as these can reduce the agricultural productivity of an area, leading to higher overall levels of poverty and food insecurity.
Conceptual framework of determinants of ageing-related poverty in agricultural settings (developed by FAO)
Ageing as an opportunity to promote people-friendly development
Interesting opportunities often emerge in the context of rural population ageing. Many older rural residents have extensive knowledge and experience and can serve as invaluable sources of information on traditional agricultural practices, natural approaches to healing and health maintenance, and coping with various challenges in food production. Their intergenerational role is crucially important, particularly when they are charged with caring for and guiding young people whose parents have moved to cities or have died prematurely. Since population ageing trends in rural areas (and the aspects and effects of this process) are certain to continue in developing countries for years to come, agricultural and rural development will be increasingly dependent on the contributions made by older persons. Far from being a burden, the elderly will be an indispensable resource and many will not be able to “rest” after working all their lives.
Therefore, policy-makers must find effective ways to ensure that older rural women and men live free from economic hardship and able to lead healthy, productive lives.However, formulating and implementing appropriate policies is unlikely to be easy because a poor society will have difficulties tackling even a modest increase in the proportion of older people. Policy action on ageing needs to start well ahead, because measures to establish the necessary adaptations – such as social pensions, public safety nets, specialized medical services, etc.– require a considerable amount of lead time.
FAO working in support ofrural elderly
FAO’s mandate is to raise levels of nutrition, improve agricultural productivity and sustainability, better the lives of rural populations, and contribute to the growth of the world economy. Fighting hunger and achieving food security for all is at the heart of FAO’s efforts – to make sure that all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
The global number of older people (aged 60+ years) is currently estimated at 675 million, i.e. 10% of humankind. In the Central and Western Regions of Africa, the total number of elderly inhabitants currently reaches approximately 13.5 million, corresponding to 3.5% of the population of the two regions. While this level of population ageing is quite low in comparison to Latin America, Asia or Northern Africa, the situation of older rural residents is particularly urgent. Countries in Central and Western Africaoften have sizeable rural populations, but very few have effective policies on rural ageing. The experience of FAOindicates that the following policy mix might answer many of the challenges arising within this context:
▫Enacting social protection measures – such as the provision of social pensions and specialized nutritional assistance – to mitigate risks associated with reduced food access (for instance, due to increased food prices), particularly for the poorest households.
▫Boosting food production through investment in rural infrastructure, promotion of “elderly-friendly” agricultural technologies and development of market institutions.
▫Eliminating discrimination against older people (especially older women and widows) in terms of access to and control over agricultural resources.
▫Encouraging and enabling older rural residents to continue working, producing food, and earning an income when they are able to do so.
▫Fostering a culture in which individuals are encouraged to accumulate personal savings during their prime working years, to serve as a resource base in old age.
▫Maintaining and enhancing traditional systems of family and community support for older persons.
FAO stand ready to cooperate with government, members of the UN family, and other key actors that wish to pursue gender- and age-sensitive approaches to poverty and hunger reduction and are interested in improving the integration of older persons into development interventions. What can FAO offer to its partners?
▫Unique expertise in specific technical areas: agriculture, forestry, fisheries, management of natural resources, sustainable rural development, emergency and rehabilitation assistance, etc.
▫Policy advice on how to effectively address rural ageing matters in food and agriculture interventions.
▫Synergies with relevant FAO technical programmes, such as: gender and population, support to rural livelihoods, agricultural technologies, nutrition, agricultural extension, emergency and rehabilitation, etc.
▫Access to FAO country offices/programmes, and to sub-regional offices for Central Africa (in Gabon) and for Western Africa (in Ghana).
▫Experience of working with/through rural institutions such as local government, farmer organizations, rural cooperatives, etc.
▫Cooperation in advocacy and fund-raising for the well-being and full participation of elderly rural women and men.
For further information, please contact:
Libor Stloukal, PhD
Population Policy Officer and FAO focal point on rural ageing
Gender, Equity and Rural Employment Division (ESW)
Economic and Social Development Department, FAO, Rome – Italy
Tel. (+39)06 570 53958, e-mail:
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