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Political commitment at the country level is key to halting the spread of AIDS in rural communities
Strong political commitment to the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic at the national level is crucial to the development of a multisectoral response to the disease considered essential to alleviate its widespread impact in rural areas, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The following considerations and activities are suggested to launch joint HIV/AIDS prevention and mitigation strategies for rural communities:
Agricultural education and training policies need to take account of the gender implications and the socio-economic impact of the epidemic on rural households/communities.
National AIDS control programmes should advocate enactment/enforcement of legal reforms to protect vulnerable groups, especially HIV/AIDS widows and orphans, focusing on land tenure, inheritance, access to assistance and inputs.
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Development agencies need to take account of the implications of HIV/AIDS in all of their outreach activities. Rural development policies, by improving farmers' social and economic conditions and reducing dependence on migration and prostitution, can reduce transmission of the disease.
Improvement in women's social and economic status is a crucial step for increasing their ability to protect themselves and their families from the epidemic. Gender-sensitive agricultural extension programmes can make an important contribution in this regard.
Rural development policies need to take account of the growing labour constraints and the potential widespread disruption to the rural economy and social structure.
National HIV/AIDS control programmes must be broad-based and involve all government and non-government agencies, including ministries of finance, health, agriculture, education, etc.
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