Integrated Research on African Way of Rural Development Based on Area Studies

本研究旨在建立一个从环境保护和利用的角度审视“非洲农村发展方式”的框架和方法。这一框架和方法旨在通过跨学科实地工作和参与性办法促进对农村地区现实的了解，从而巩固根据土著特点制定解决办法的努力。主要结果如下：1)在农村社会中传播新技术和/或社会制度的过程涉及引入提供创新机会的外部因素，这些因素可以通过与社会中各种因素和个人的密切相互作用创造新的制度。在这一过程中产生的模仿学习和涌现特性是基于农村地区土著特征潜力的实践发展的重要贡献者。2)在非洲许多农村社会中观察到的均衡机制可以促进传播，如果社会中的大多数人相信新技术或系统是可用的（内生成熟），并且外部条件支持实施。随着外部因素的传播，它们在社会系统内内化，并为所有居民所利用。3)根据非洲农村现状，在实地调研和参与性行动数据的基础上，设计了一个切实可行的农村发展模式。在这个模型中，首先通过实地调查和与居民的讨论来确定农村地区的“焦点特征”。通过在该地区进行的试验设计和实施解决方案；这些试验培养了研究人员的“实践意识”，激活了内源性发展的潜力。这一跨学科研究证明了内生发展模型的有效性。

This study aimed to establish a framework and methodology for examining “ African way of rural development" from the perspective of environmental conservation and utilization. This framework and methodology were designed to promote understanding of the realities in rural areas through interdisciplinary fieldwork and participatory approaches that would underpin attempts to develop solutions based on indigenous characteristics. The main results were as follows.1) The process of disseminating new technologies and/or social systems in rural societies involves introducing external factors that present opportunities for innovation and that can create new systems by virtue of their close interactions with various factors and individuals in the society. Imitative learning and emergent properties arising during this process are important contributors to the development of practices based on the potential of the indigenous characteristics of the rural areas.2) The leveling mechanisms observed in many rural societies in Africa can advance dissemination when majorities in the societies are convinced that new technologies or systems are available (endogenous maturation) as well as external conditions support the implementation. As external factors are disseminated, they become internalized within the social system and become accessible to all inhabitants.3) A practical model for rural development, based on the current situations in African rural areas, was designed on the basis of data obtained through fieldwork and participatory action. In this model, the “focal feature" of the rural area is first identified through fieldwork and discussions with the inhabitants. A solution is designed and implemented through trials conducted in the area; these trials develop the “practical sense" of the researcher and activate the potential for endogenous development. The availability of a model for endogenous development was demonstrated by this interdisciplinary study.