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Tackling=20 illiteracy in rural areas

Poverty and illiteracy are major problems for people living in = rural=20 areas. The slow pace of progress towards universal basic education = is=20 often overlooked and is largely due to persistently low enrolment = and=20 completion rates in rural areas. Rural poverty is strongly linked = to=20 illiteracy, malnutrition, infant mortality and poor access to = water.

A report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation in Rome and = UNESCO=20 Institute of Education Planning describes a major international = study on=20 education and rural development. The authors warn that rural = poverty and=20 illiteracy are major structural development challenges. To achieve = the=20 Millennium Development Goals (particularly the first two on = halving hunger=20 and poverty and ensuring universal primary education by 2015)=20 international aid agencies need to change the way in which they=20 operate.

The report notes that:

Decreasing interest in agricultural education and research = is the=20 result of a false belief that the green revolution would offer = limitless=20 science-based solutions to producing staple grains.=20
=91Rural=92 is no longer synonymous with agriculture: rural = labour=20 markets increasingly require rural workers to find non-farm = employment.=20
Without basic literacy and numeracy, individuals are = unlikely to be=20 hired for anything more than basic wage labour.=20
Rural people without an education are poorly equipped to = make=20 informed decisions for themselves or their communities or to = actively=20 get involved in promoting economic, social and cultural = development.=20
Businesses are unlikely to choose to invest in rural areas = if=20 skilled or trained people are unavailable.=20
Education improvements in rural areas with limited job=20 opportunities, if considered in isolation from other investments = may=20 simply encourage migration towards cities.

Migration to cities will increase if improvements to education = are not=20 accompanied by other economic and social opportunities. Rural = poverty and=20 under-development are increasingly recognised yet support for = agriculture=20 and rural development is declining.

The authors call on policy-makers to:

use public investment to enable rural areas to attract and = keep=20 learners, with a particular focus on basic education=20
involve community members in developing relevant approaches = to=20 skills training=20
shift the focus on crop and animal production at agriculture = universities towards a broader curriculum that would offer=20 non-agricultural vocational skills, new information about = technology and=20 markets and that would establish alliances with local business = and=20 promote entrepreneurship=20
increase donor support to rural development: this could = readily be=20 funded by even a modest reduction in the current $1bn a day paid = as=20 subsidies to farmers in industrialised states=20
tailor programmes to meet the particular needs of minority, = nomadic=20 and displaced populations=20
use education and training as ways of reinforcing the = ability of=20 rural poor people to access and analyse information, to voice = their=20 opinions in public debates and to establish strategic alliances. =

Contributor(s): David Atchoarena and Lavinia = Gasperini

Source(s):
=91Education for rural development: = towards new=20 policy responses=92, Food and Agriculture Organization and UNESCO=20 International Institute for Educational Planning, by David = Atchoarena and=20 Lavinia Gasperini 2003 (now available also in Spanish and French) = More = information.
Further publication from the Education for = Rural=20 People programme, FAO More=20 information.

Funded by: Food and Agriculture Organization, Spanish = and French=20 Translations funded by the Republic of San Marino

id21 Research Highlight: 25 August 2005

Further Information:
David Atchoarena
UNESCO = International=20 Institute for Educational Planning
7-9, ue Eug=E8ne = Delacroix
75116=20 Paris
France

Tel: + 33 1 4503 7749
Fax: + 33 1 4072=20 8366
Email: d.atchoarena@iiep.unesco.org=

UNESCO International = Institute=20 for Educational Planning

Lavinia Gasperini
Sustainable Development Department
Food = and=20 Agriculture Organization
Viale delle Terme di = Caracalla
00100=20 Rome
Italy

Tel: + 39 06 57056244
Fax: + 39 06 5705=20 3801
Email: Lavinia.Gasperini@fao.org

Food and = Agriculture=20 Organization, Sustainable Development Department

Other related links:
'Reflecting on = REFLECT:=20 destigmatising literacy =91drop-outs=92'

'Universal = literacy:=20 essential for development?'

'Literacy = skills =96=20 proven pathway out of poverty'

'Women=92s = literacy=20 programmes improve social and economic development in = Nepal'

'Are literacy = classes=20 working for women in Mali?'

ProLiteracy = Worldwide

Eldis = literacy resource=20 guide

Views = expressed on=20 these pages are not necessarily those of DFID, IDS, id21 or = other=20 contributing institutions. Unless stated otherwise articles = may be=20 copied or quoted without restriction, provided id21 and = originating=20 author(s) and institution(s) are acknowledged.

Week = beginning=20 Monday 10th October 2005=20

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