AIDS and Rural Livelihoods

HIV and AIDS continue to devastate the livelihoods of millions of Africans and represent the major public health challenge in many countries. More people die of AIDS each day than from wars, famine and floods combined, while an orphaned generation of children must be provided for. Yet despite millions of dollars of aid and research, there has previously been little detailed on-the-ground analysis of the long-term impact on rural people. This book fills this gap in knowledge by bringing together recent evidence on HIV/AIDS impacts on rural households, livelihoods, and agricultural practice in sub-Saharan Africa. There is particular emphasis on the role of women in affected households. The book is unique in presenting micro-level information collected by original empirical research in a range of African countries, and showing how well-grounded conclusions on trends and major problems can then be addressed by policies. It is shown that HIV/AIDS impacts are more diverse than we know (and not always negative) on the basis of cumulative evidence so far. The book represents a major contribution to our understanding of the impacts of HIV/AIDS and how these can be managed

Anke Niehof is a full professor at Wageningen University, the Netherlands, holding the chair of Sociology of Consumers and Households. Gabriel Rugalema is a Senior Officer in the Gender, Equity and Rural Employment Division of FAO, Rome. Stuart Gillespie is a senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), director of the Regional Network on AIDS, Livelihoods and Food Security (RENEWAL) and coordinator of the Agriculture and Health Research Platform (AHRP).