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The impact of HIV/AIDS on rural livelihoods

Whilst the HIV/AIDS epidemic is affecting people all over the world, it affects young and middle-aged adults most seriously. This is the most economically active age group, meaning the disease has a dramatic impact on agricultural production, rural livelihoods and food security in many countries. Labour-saving crops and improved agricultural techniques will be a valuable support measure for such communities to increase agricultural output and food production.

The spread of HIV/AIDS is having a major impact on rural livelihoods in central, eastern and southern Africa. The impact in western Africa is just becoming evident. There is also a need for greater knowledge of the impact in other regions, such as south Asia, western China, central Asia and Russia. While some countries, such as Botswana, have a declining rate of HIV/AIDS due to the success of intervention programmes, the problem is expected to increase rather than decrease in most places over the coming years. This is likely to result in economic decline, increased food insecurity caused by declining agricultural productivity and increased water insecurity.

Research by the Programme of Advisory Support Services for Rural Livelihoods, UK, examines the impact of HIV/AIDS on agricultural production and food security in these areas. The project has compiled existing research on labour-saving crops and agricultural techniques to make it available in an accessible format for HIV/AIDS afflicted communities. The research demonstrates that:

The impact of HIV/AIDS on rural economies has been severe, resulting in a decline of economic activity to basic survival levels in some places. Poor people are most affected by this and their potential for recovery is limited.
As communities become less healthy, they are unable to produce enough food for basic human needs.
Water security is affected by an inability to access wells or the contamination of water supplies by burial sites.
The ability to innovate and adapt is often insufficient to deal with the speed at which the disease spreads.

The response to a decline in economic activity has been a shift from agriculture to other forms of employment. This shift is easier for rich people than for poor people. Poor people often seek employment that increases individual or household risk, such as seasonal work with no guaranteed year-round income. This move away from agriculture threatens food security and slows down economic development. Local responses aim at short to medium-term survival, rather than long-term development.

Policy responses are limited; interventions that effectively prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS are extremely difficult to achieve. They are time-consuming and have very mixed results. From the policies tried, the research identifies the most effective policy responses:

Relief activities may be necessary in the short-term, but must recognise that the recovery process may take much longer.
The provision of anti-retroviral drugs will have both an immediate and a long-term effect on improving food security, by prolonging the life of agricultural workers.
The introduction of social development programmes, such as improving education, in combination with labour-saving technologies and anti-retroviral drugs is the best long-term solution.

Source(s):
‘Mitigation of the Impact of HIV/AIDS on Rural Livelihoods through low-labour input agriculture and related activities’, Overseas Development Group Project, July 2003 Full document.
Keynote Address by Professor Tony Barnett to IFPRI Conference “HIV/AIDS and Food and Nutrition Security”, Durban, 14-16 April 2005 Full document.

Funded by: UK Department for International Development (DFID)

id21 Research Highlight: 27 April 2005

Further Information:
Tony Barnett
Development Studies Institute (DESTIN)
London School of Economics and Political Science
Houghton Street
London
WC2A 2AE
UK

Fax: +44 (0) 20 7955 6235
Contact the contributor: a.s.barnett@lse.ac.uk

Development Studies Institute (DESTIN), London School of Economics, UK

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