Journal of African Studies
Online ISSN : 1884-5533
Print ISSN : 0065-4140
ISSN-L : 0065-4140
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Volume 2010, Issue 77
Displaying 1-13 of 13 articles from this issue
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Articles
  • Current State and the Future of NERICA's Dissemination:
    A Field Survey of NERICA's Dissemination Projects in Guinea
    Takashi NANYA
    Article type: Articles
    2010 Volume 2010 Issue 77 Pages 1-18
    Published: December 31, 2010
    Released on J-STAGE: December 06, 2013
    DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11619/africa.2010.77_1
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
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    The NERICA, which carries the strengths of both Asian and African varieties high-yield ability and resistance to drought, weeds, pests and diseases has been expected to bring the “Green Revolution” to Africa. NERICA's dissemination was started in the late 1990s, focusing on West African countries and the cultivation area in 2006 was estimated approximately 200,000ha. However, due to lack of reliable information, it is difficult to determine what the NERICA actually is as a variety and how well this variety is actually established in rural area. In this paper, the author firstly attempts to clarify the actual state of NERICA's dissemination through a field survey carried out in the project sites of Guinea. Secondly, examined are NERICA's profitability compared with Guinean local varieties and how it is perceived in rural society. According to the investigation, certain profitability was confirmed, with the projects giving fertilizer to and buying good seeds back from the participating farmers. However, there were also negative findings: poor efficiency of investment in fertilizer and herbicide; abandonment of cultivation by the farmers with the departure of the project. On the other hand, NERICA has much potential to overcome “famine period” for its biggest advantage: a short growing period. It is highly expected to improve food security and quality of life in rural society. For NERICA to be disseminated properly in the future, strategy shift is needed: it is important for the international community to move away from providing farmers with seeds and fertilizer towards transferring the cultivation technology in the selected arable land while encouraging scientific research and quality control of the variety by supporting research institutions.
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  • Relations with Outside World through Traditional Rituals of the Babongo Pygmies in Southern Gabon
    Naoki MATSUURA
    2010 Volume 2010 Issue 77 Pages 19-30
    Published: December 31, 2010
    Released on J-STAGE: December 06, 2013
    DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11619/africa.2010.77_19
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
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    As in the case of many African countries, traditional rituals for healing, solving family, business, and political problems are used by many people in the Gabonese Republic. In particular, central African forest foragers (known as Pygmies) are thought to be special ritual practitioners because of their great knowledge of medical plants and supernatural power.
    In this article, I will focus on the ritual practices of the Babongo Pygmies in southern Gabon and demonstrate that: (1) the Babongo, although living in marginal villages, have formed relationships with the people in town including political authorities through their traditional rituals, (2) The traditional rituals provide much money for the Babongo who have little opportunity for monetary income.
    Previous studies reported that because Pygmies are in marginal villages, they cannot contact the outside world without going through their neighboring farmers and they cannot participate in the modern state system. However, the Babongo have used their marginal status to their advantage by establishing traditional rituals that are attractive to outsiders. In this way, the Babongo in southern Gabon have managed to secure contacts with outside world without the aid of farmers, and have social status as ritual practitioners.
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  • Responses to Rural Development Dynamics in the Matengo Highlands of Southern Tanzania:
    The “Side Effects” of a Participatory Rural Development Project
    Ryugo KUROSAKI
    2010 Volume 2010 Issue 77 Pages 31-44
    Published: December 31, 2010
    Released on J-STAGE: December 06, 2013
    DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11619/africa.2010.77_31
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
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    This paper uses a case study of a participatory rural development project (the SCSRD project) conducted in the Mbinga district in southern Tanzania to underscore the importance of understanding the side-effects of such initiatives when implementing popularly-led development projects.
    Mbinga district is a major coffee-producing area, and rural development projects/programs had introduced farmers' groups (kikundi) to the area during the latter half of the 1990s to coordinate external support. In this environment, the SCSRD project was established in the village under study to support activities integrating economic revitalization and natural resource conservation. This project, which emphasized flexible management, was designed to expand successful efforts that had been undertaken at the individual level in response to program recommendations. Although it was clear that many kikundi organized under the project were intent on taking credit for accomplishments, the project attempted to continue to provide support to these groups by using their locally popular fish-farming services because of the importance of their objectives.
    This paper discusses the side-effects of this project. In particular, people came to regard the kikundi as a vehicle not only for receiving credit but also for engaging in valued activities and reinforcing interpersonal relationships. Because side-effects sometimes involve critical changes in popular attitudes, analyses should devote more attention to the multiple effects of rural development projects to garner useful information for new rural development challenges.
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