Do IRED works provide elements enabling us to distinguish specificities linked to geographical or national contexts (e.g. West Africa vs. Southern Africa, French-speaking vs. English-speaking areas, rural vs. urban context) through the examples cited?
IRED’s publications offer in-depth analyses of the financial empowerment strategies of development organizations in Africa. These studies take into account various specificities related to geographical and national contexts, notably the distinctions between West and Southern Africa, French-speaking and English-speaking areas, as well as rural and urban environments.
GEOGRAPHICAL AND NATIONAL DISTINCTIONS IN AFRICA #
West Africa
- The West African Producers’ Organizations Network (ROPPA) is frequently cited as a leading example of a farmers’ organization bringing together several million producers (farmers, artisans, fishermen, men, and women) from some fifteen French- and English-speaking West African countries. Its founding leader, Mamadou CISSOKHO of Senegal, is cited as a friend and key player in the vision of a global farmers’ movement, having participated in South/South exchanges organized by IRED. ROPPA’s activities cover production, processing, training, and economic activities in various fields. One of the identified weaknesses is their still limited capacity to create medium- and large-scale enterprises and cooperatives, particularly in processing and marketing. Publications and websites are recommended to monitor their structuring and development efforts.
- The Sahel is cited as an important intervention zone for IRED, with activities organized over the past two years. The Méckhé experiment in Senegal, where farmers studied their environment and problems themselves, is cited as an example of “Peasant Studies.” A rotating fund in the Sahel, “Moulins Pères, Moulins Filles, Moulins Fils” in Yatenga (Upper Volta), is presented as an innovation to alleviate women’s workload.
- The Pan-African Institute for Development in West Africa and the Francophone Sahel (IPD-AOS) is based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Research conducted in the laboratory area near Ouahigouya in Burkina Faso, led by Professor René Billaz, has influenced the training of IPD students.
- Local management training sessions were held in Senegal, Mali, and Burkina Faso. Fieldwork workshops in these countries focused on gardening, weaving, and milling.
- The Brussels-based CADTM is listed as an NGO that provides information on and manages debt programs in the Global South, including West Africa.
- ENDA (Environment and Development of the Third World) is mentioned as an organization with which African leaders should cooperate, potentially involving specific actions in West Africa where ENDA is active.
- The ILO/ILO implements technical cooperation projects in several West African countries such as Mali, Senegal and Togo, providing employment policy advisory services and access to financing for youth employment legislation.
Southern Africa
- A peasant movement in Southern Africa established a building goods business in a small regional metropolis, selling to both farmers and urban dwellers. This illustrates an adaptation to the regional context with links between rural and urban areas.
- PAID-ESA (Pan African Institute for Development in English-speaking East and Southern Africa) is based in Kabwe, Zambia.
- South Africa’s Kagiso Trust is presented as a case study.
- The ILO/ILO has also carried out technical cooperation projects in Zimbabwe.
- Central Africa:
- PROPAC is mentioned as the Central African PO network.
- The IPD-AC (Pan-African Institute for Development in French-speaking Central Africa) is based in Douala, Cameroon.
- The “Local Development Initiatives (ILD)” initiative is a term used in Central Africa to designate small NGOs that are developing.
- The ILO/ILO has technical cooperation projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
East Africa:
- PAID-ESA (Pan African Institute for Development for Anglophone East and Southern Africa) also covers East Africa and is based in Zambia.
- The ILO/ILO has projects in Egypt, Malawi and Uganda.
- Rwanda’s experience with the multiplication of cooperatives to structure informal employment is cited as an interesting response.
- North Africa:
- The IPD-AN (Pan-African Institute for Development North Africa) is based in Salé, Morocco.
- The ILO/ILO has projects in Morocco.
- Unemployment has been identified as a possible cause of the Arab Spring uprisings, particularly affecting North African countries.
DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN FRENCH-SPEAKING AND ANGLOPHONE AREAS #
- ROPPA brings together producers from French- and English-speaking West African countries, and the exchanges organized by IRED have enabled farmers in these areas to communicate despite language differences. This suggests a desire to transcend language barriers in regional development initiatives.
- The various Pan-African Institutes for Development (IPD) are organized according to linguistic zones (French-speaking, English-speaking), thus recognizing a certain specificity linked to language in the implementation of programs and training.
DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN RURAL AND URBAN CONTEXTS #
- Many examples focus on rural development and farmers’ organizations. Specific challenges to agricultural credit and agricultural marketing are highlighted [see previous answer].
- However, the informal sector in African cities is also cited as a place for initiatives and small businesses that meet local needs. Support and modernization of this sector are advocated.
- An example of a peasant movement establishing a building materials business in a regional metropolis in southern Africa illustrates an economic link between rural (potentially providing raw materials or customers) and urban (larger market) areas.
- Difficulties in accessing the purchase of agricultural products, particularly in cities, due to high costs, are noted.
- The African diaspora often prefers to invest its savings in large international banks in Europe rather than in economic projects in their home villages, highlighting a financial flow from rural areas to urban or international centers. It is suggested that financial tools be put in place to direct these investments toward the creation of local banks.
- Market research is presented as an important step for projects, distinguishing the characteristics of rural markets (small, seasonal, homogeneous, isolated) from urban markets (large, less seasonal, more varied, more competition).
In conclusion, IRED’s works, through their examples and the structures they support (such as ROPPA and the IPDs), highlight specificities linked to geographical (West, Southern, Central, East, North Africa), linguistic (Francophone, Anglophone) and spatial (rural vs. urban) contexts. These distinctions are manifested in the types of grassroots organizations, the challenges encountered in financing and economic development, and the strategies adopted to meet the needs of local populations. IRED seems to adopt a flexible approach, recognizing the plurality of development paths and the need to adapt to local and national situations.
