Commercialization of Agriculture under Population Pressure: Effects on Production, Consumption, and Nutrition in Rwanda

摘要

The study assesses the effects of increasing commercialization of agriculture and the interaction between commercialization and population growth in a survey area in northwestern Rwanda, one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Tea and potatoes are the main commercial crops. Tea has not been economically successful in the study area, where it competes strongly with subsistence crops. The average farm household in the area receives more than half its income from nonagricultural earnings, mainly by men employed in tea factories and reforestation or infrastructure projects. Other topics examined are the limited off-farm employment of women, who provide most of the labor for subsistence agriculture, and malnutrition in the rural households. The study points out the need for improved rural infrastructure to diversify and expand employment opportunities. Also needed are erosion control to upgrade the agricultural resource base and adequate sanitation facilities and health services to combat the child nutrition problem.