GEOGRAPHY ELECTIVE
STUDY NOTES FOR
CHAPTER 10 Strategies to alleviate uneven
development
How can we alleviate uneven development?
Strategies that international organizations come up with to help people in LDCs achieve better standard of living and to alleviate uneven development. Examine uneven development on a national scale and evaluate various
strategies that countries adopted to alleviate uneven development within their countries.
International cooperation
Different countries work together by forming international organizations. Organisations often work together to achieve common objectives.
Examples are World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB).
International cooperation may take place through provision of aid, in the form of financial and technical assistance/
Countries meet regularly to discuss and agree on some strategies, known as International agreements.
Strategies take time to have effect on people and places. Strategies which last more than 5 years: long-term plans
Strategies which last less than 5 years: short-term plans
1. International Organisations
1.1 World Bank
International organization made up of countries committed to provide aid to reduce poverty in world.
Established in 1944, it provides aid in form of money and technology to LDCs to help them develop economically and socially.
In 2007, World Bank consists of 185 member countries. Members provide loans to LDCs at low or not interest.
Loans can be used by LDCs to improve their level of development, through projects to improve sanitation and water supply, or finance vaccination programmes.
Between 1998 to 2006, over US$890 million in funds were supplied to the KDP, in combination of loans and credits from International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and International Development Association (IDA).
KDP is largest community-driven programme and benefited over 34000 villages across Indonesia.
Under KDP, monetary grants were directly given to villages to pay for their own development plans.
For example Sleepy Tirtomoyo, an Indonesian village, had been experiencing a severe lack of water.
With aid from World Bank, villages managed to dig an underground well with machines rented from the cities.
High capacity pumps were also brought in and a network of pipes installed. Villagers now have access to clean and reliable water supply.
Villagers also use water for irrigation to increase amount of crops cultivated. Health and economic conditions improved as a result of aid from World Bank.
1.2 Asian Development Bank
ADB was established in 1966 to reduce poverty and improve quality of life of people in Asia Pacific Region.
ADB provide aids to 67 member countries in form of monetary loans and technical assistance.
Government can use financial support to improve country’s economy and level of development.
ADB lends millions to LDCs such as Bangladesh to support economic growth.
Example: ADB provided financial and technical help to Bangladesh in Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge Project, which aimed at improving country’s transport infrastructure.
Aim was to build a bridge to connect Bangladesh’s less developed northwestern region to more developed eastern region.
Completed bridge eases traffic congestion, enable road and rail transport routes to function more efficiently.
Encourages economic growth in less developed northwestern region by increasing passenger and goods traffic, improving living conditions through improved infrastructure by removing existing traffic congestion.
Bridge also connects agricultural areas in north west to commercial centre. Makes it easier for farmers to transport their produce to markets for sale. \
2.1 United Nations Millennium Development Goals
UN countries propose international agreements on certain issues. Individuals can opt to pledge commitment to the agreements. UN drew agreement to alleviate uneven development in the world.
UN drew up UNMDG in 2000 to help LDCs achieve greater development. UNMDG aims to get LDCs out of poverty. Long term plan which UN aims to
achieve by 2015.
UMNDG address issues such as poverty, hunger, disease etc. Plans include also promote gender equality, education and environmental sustainability. The 8 goals of United Nations:
1. Get rid of extreme poverty and hunger. 2. Achieve primary education for everyone in the world.
3. Promote gender equality and empower women (through education) 4. Reduce child mortality.
5. Improve maternal health
6. Fight HAVs/AIDs, malaria and other diseases. 7. Ensure environmental sustainability.
8. Develop global partnership for sustainability.
Out of 6.5 bullion people, 1.1 billion live in extreme poverty. First goal to get rid of extreme global poverty and hunger.
Example:
Since adaptation of UNMDG, cases of extreme poverty and hunger in Vietnam greatly reduced.
Decreased from 58.1% in 1993 to 24.1% in 2004.
Strategies include training people living in poor communities, so necessary skills to look for jobs. Also, increase access to basic social services for poor, educational campaigns raise awareness of dire situation of poverty in country, pressure on gov to create jobs and increase income.
Second goal to achieve primary education for everyone in the world. Percentage of enrolment in primary schools around world increased. In South East Asia, enrolment from 72% in 1999 to 89% in 2004. Largely progress made in India.
2.2 United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea
International agreement attempt to control usage of resources in seas and oceans in the world.
Ensure resources being used in a sustainable manner and not over used or depleted.
UNCLOS, coastal states exclusive rights to use resources such as fish and oil, in waters 320+ km from shorelines. → Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) EEZ developed to prevent fisherman of a country from fishing in waters of
foreign countries.
Too many people fishing may lead to exploitation and depletion.
Before UNCLOS, feared depletion of fish stocks in popular fishing grounds and pollution from waste released by ships which would threaten coastal resorts and ocean life.
Agreement on EEZ beneficial for coastal LDCs. Example:
Peru coastal LDC where fishing industry important to economy.
Larger fishing boats from DCs compete with poor fishermen from Peru for fish.
Larger fishing boats enable spotting of fish easily and thus disadvantaged the poor fighermen.
Due to EEZ, DCs with better technology cannot use improved fishing boats or advanced fishing equipment to fish in Peru’s seas.
However, landlocked countries do not benefit.
3.0 National Development
Within some countries, there is uneven development at different states. Developed states known as core while less developed states called periphery. Government thus adopted various strategies to bring about national
development.
National development: Increase in wealth of country, higher living standard of living for citizens.
Level of development depends on strategies government adopts. Government should make right decisions on which strategies to adopt.
Strategies to promote national development in less developed regions
Strategy 3.1: Improve water supply and sanitation facilities
Important to proving adequate infrastructure to ensure citizens have basic needs met, in terms of water and sanitation.
Ahmedabad major commercial, industrial and financial centre of state Gurjarat, India.
However, 41% live in slums and squatters. More than 25% do not have toilet facilities. Poverty widespread.
Mid 1990s, Parivartan Slum Networking Programme help region develop. Local authorities and leasing business institutions came together to help
improve living conditions of slum dwellers, provide them with better quality of life.
Local government decided on areas that were to be upgraded and local banks financed the project.
Slum dwellers provided with basic infrastructure so have access to clean water supply and underground sewerage, individual toilets and solid waste collection.
Facilities help reduce spread of diseases caused by bacteria found in waste and contaminated water.
Help villagers adapt to changes in environment.
Monthly monitoring meetings held to review the work progress and discuss future plans.
Training provided to teach people about proper usage of new facilities to prevent them from getting damaged or have them repaired.
Within 5 years, Parivartan Slum Networking Programme benefited over 56000 people in 40 slums.
Death rates fell from 6.9 per 1000 people to 3.7 per 1000 people. Fewer suffered from general illnesses.
Thus, it has succeeded in improving standard of living and helped region developed.
Strategy 3.2 Improving Education standards
Places higher literacy generally more developed than places with lower literacy rate.
People in country that can read and write, likelihood of finding jobs higher. Able to upgrade their skills through training programmes.
LDCs, standard of education generally low. Few schools, illiterate.
Government realise importance of education and making plans to implement education policies as part of national development.
Thailand, Royal Thai Government recognized need to help less developed regions in Thailand, such as hill tribe communities in north to develop. Education key factor in development strategy.
Hill tribe communities made up of about 1 million people from tribes that live in extreme poverty.
Mostly no formal education and illiterate.
Much lower standard of living compared to most people in developed cities. In 1998, Hill Tribe Education Project developed under government policy to
provide ‘Education for All’. Promote literacy.
Formal and informal education programme developed to suit needs of hill tribes communities.
People taught Thai Language and Math, basic life and social skills.
Volunteer teachers brought in from developed regions to live with hill tribe community and teach them.
Community learning centre built in each village and thus access to education. Part of education programme to teach the communities about sustainable
development to continue to support themselves and improve standard of living.
Taught about sustainable farming methods and agricultural production increased then.
Many found employment, thus income.
However, hill tribes live in small communities and geographical isolation made it difficult for government to reach out to large numbers of communities. Communication barriers also challenge.
Strategy 3.3 Population control
Large population means a lot resources needed to support the people.
If country’s resources unable to support its population, overpopulation results. Brings problems such as shortage of jobs and housings, limited access to
education and too many people competing for too few resources. To prevent over population, population control implemented.
Example:
In 1970s, Chinese government recognized that population was growing too quickly.
If trend allowed, the problems arising greatly affect China’s development. As result, ‘One Child’ Policy implemented in 1979.
People in rural areas have more children as additional help on farms. Couples traditionally prefer having son to carry family name.
Couples tend to try continue bearing children until they get a son.
Many volunteers recruited to promote late marriage, late childbearing and use of contraception to keep birth rates low.
Birth rates dropped since implementation of ‘One Child’ Policy.
Policy worked so well, government made adjustments to ensure sufficient people support elderly in future.
Strategy 3.4 Job creation and financial assistance
To increase standard of living of people, government needs to ensure enough jobs for population.
Insufficient jobs, country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita remain low.
People unemployed, not enough money to meet basic needs, government needs to create more job opportunities for people.
4.3 million poor families in Philippines.
Evidence of widening income disparity between rich and poor, resulting in uneven development in country.
3.4.1 Reducing poverty in Philippines
In 2001, government implemented Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan (KALAHI) or ‘Linking Arms Against Poverty’.
Improve standard of living of poor in Philippines.
Main ways to accomplish this was to increase employment and income of poor.
Difficult to gain employment in formal sector jobs as no formal education or skills.
Most poor able to work in informal sectors: Small family-run businesses that are labour-intensive and requires little skills.
Sell hand-made products, provide delivery service etc. Little attention given to help informal sector develop.
Small business entrepreneurs rarely given loans to build and sustain businesses.
Many businesses would fail because of lack of financing or because owners did not have proper training or skills to run businesses.
In KALAHI plan, more attention and resources given to poor to help informal sector develop.
Microfinance, small loans given to small businesses to help develop and grow.
Business accessed to ensure loans given out to productive businesses. Ultra-poor given interest-free loans.
Government obliged banks to allocate part of credit loans to poor farmers and entrepreneurs.
Many private organization volunteered to help provide financial aid for poor. Poor also given training and advice to help them run businesses productively
and effectively.
Villagers attend training courses on leadership and self-employment. Skills training like boat-making, dress-making, bag-making and slipper-making.
3.4.2 Results of KALAHI plan
About 3 million people have been helped.
600000 agricultural jobs created in rural areas and government provided jobs, through job placement schemes to 1.7 million people previously unemployed. Poverty rate decreased in rural areas as more people had incomes and able
to afford basic necessities.
However, need to diversify the products and skills of poor. Poor need greater market access to get more people to purchase goods and services.
Need for more volunteers to be part of microfinance programme to give loans and provide training for poor, reaching out to more enterprising poor.
