A geographical approach to development studies for the rural South: toward the compatibility of poverty reduction with environmental conservation

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24520900
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Human geography
• Research Institution: Rikkyo University
• Principal Investigator: MAKITA RIE 立教大学, 21世紀社会デザイン研究科, 特任准教授 (20585450)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 農村開発の課題 / 認証を利用した農業 / ポリティカル・エコロジー / インド / フィリピン / 商品作物生産

Outline of Final Research Achievements

As a framework for analyzing simultaneously two crucial objectives of rural development in the global South, environmental conservation and poverty reduction, this research project proposes a hypothetical means-end relationship between the two objectives that can be linked by Fair Trade certification as an intermediary institution. To examine under which conditions this theoretical means-end relationship works in real settings, geographical literature focusing on human-nature relationships were reviewed and four case studies on agricultural producer groups and a plantation in Asia were reanalyzed comparatively. An important lesson from the study is: only when the means (environmental conservation) introduced by Fair Trade can be compatible with other competing means (farm and non-farm) for the end (poverty reduction), do small farmers incorporate the designated means.

Free Research Field

人文地理学、開発研究、地域研究