Globalization and deepening rural poverty in contemporary Sub-Saharan African society

Abstract

In recent time, especially in the last decade the issue of globalization and economic integration of world countries has been the aspiration of many nation states, including those in Africa. But various governments and organizations have not thought deeply about the social impact of this world phenomenal trend irrespective of its envisaged economic gains. Having a view of Africa and the rest of the world in respect to globalization trend it is important to examine how globalization impacts on African people’s quality of lifer and poverty situation. Against this background this paper examines the interface between globalization phenomenon and deepening rural poverty situation in Africa. The basic assumption behind this submission is that embracing the globalization phenomenon contributes negatively in the economic development and quality of life of Africans, especially those in the rural areas via the dislocation of indigenous cultural and other practices that have sustained the base structure of the people. The paper therefore, presents the theoretical conceptualization of rural poverty in Africa, characteristics and nature of the rural poor in Africa, rural poverty situation in Africa, with emphasis from Nigeria. It also explores the phenomenon of globalization and other causal processes of rural poverty in Africa, its relationship with indigenous cultural and technological practices, and consequently the impact of the interaction between them on the poverty situation or quality of life of African people. This paper concludes that globalization deepens rather than alleviates the poverty situation of rural Africans. It is therefore, recommended that African rural population should be deliberately protected through economic and cultural policies to prevent the eroding and disruptive force of globalization.