The complexities of rural poverty in sub‐Saharan Africa

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Abstract
Rural poverty is an endemic problem in sub‐Saharan Africa, with the region faring very badly on most of the common poverty indicators. After drawing a contrast with the position in South Asia the paper considers the problem from the local level. It is argued, however, that while the manifestations are local, the causes and the potential remedies are found in the nature of linkages with the wider national and international economies. A framework is adopted to illustrate the complexity of linkage effects. The value of the framework is then demonstrated by considering the success of Machakos District (Kenya) in transforming a weak area into one which has shown distinctive signs of improvement as a result of the expansion of its external linkages and the consequent strengthening of its own local economy.

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