Tourism has been acknowledged by practitioners and governments to be a tool for economic development, not exclusively but mainly, of less developed countries with few other competitive sectors and, therefore, for boosting their domestic economy as well as reducing the endemic poverty in Africa.
This paradigm is difficult to apply when the tourism industry is not viable in a country and the great majority of tourism establishments have insufficient numbers of clients to make profit.
In this respect, some findings indicate that, tourism and local small-scale agriculture (World Bank, 2006b) have been widely neglected by the Government of Sierra Leone, all efforts having been directed onto the development of the mining sector. In fact, while production and marketing constraints can be solved as stated in the wider agriculture literature, due to the nature of Sierra Leone as a “fragile state”, findings suggest that the lack of commitment and attitude of the Government to more responsible tourism forms or approaches will hamper any attempt to foster strategic alliances between the poor agriculture sector and tourism industry or other lucrative market-segments. Although the recent tourism development in Sierra Leone addresses the important issue of preserving the few available tourist attractions, an overall (responsible) tourism destination management integrating all stakeholders and planning consequently the steps leading to competitiveness, as in the case of The Gambia, is still lacking.
That tourism benefits will automatically “trickle down” and boost other sectors of the economy, mainly agriculture, is a widely spread belief; yet empirical evidence is still lacking. On the contrary, the literature review indicates that tourism might harm the already neglected and weak agriculture of less developed countries through increased food imports to satisfy the new foreign demand.
Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE
1.2 CONCEPTS: CSR AND PRO-POOR TOURISM APPROACH
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 TOURISM AS A POVERTY ALLEVIATION TOOL
2.1.1 Pro-poor tourism strategies
2.1.2 Pro-poor critical factors
2.2 TOURISM-AGRICULTURE LINKAGES
2.2.1 Demand related factors
2.2.2 Supply related factors
2.2.3 Marketing and intermediary factors
2.3 CASE STUDY GAMBIA IS GOOD
2.3.1 Area and Context
2.3.2 Tourism in The Gambia
2.3.3 Background and details of the PPT initiative
2.3.4 Pro-poor focused actions
2.3.5 Specific actions to involve the poor or address barriers to participation
2.3.6 Implementation and Impacts
2.3.7 Identifying impacts on poor people
2.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
3 METHODOLOGY
3.1 THE SUB-SECTOR FRAMEWORK
3.2 SUB-SECTOR APPROACH
4 SIERRA LEONE – BACKGROUND INFORMATION
4.1 GEOGRAPHY AND ECONOMY
4.2 TOURISM SECTOR
4.2.1 Instability & Demand
4.2.2 Tourism Infrastructure
4.2.3 Tourism in Poverty Reduction Strategies in Sierra Leone
5 FINDINGS
5.1 PERI- URBAN AGRICULTURE SUB-SECTOR
5.1.1 Demand
5.1.2 Peri-urban Farming
5.1.3 Marketing
5.2 LOBSTERS EXPORT AGENT
5.2.1 Demand
5.2.2 Production
5.2.3 Marketing
5.3 SUPPORT SERVICES
5.3.1 Extension Services
5.3.2 Financial Services
5.3.3 Transportation
5.3.4 Destination Management & Marketing
5.3.5 Education
6 CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
6.1 CONCLUSIONS
6.1.1 Methodology
6.1.2 Main objective of this thesis
6.2 RECOMMENDATIONS
6.2.1 Research on food consumption
6.2.2 Implementation “Market Linkages Training Program for Sierra Leone”
6.2.3 Sustainable Lobsters Export and Fishery in Sierra Leone
Research Objective and Core Themes
This master thesis aims at clarifying if and how fostering backward-linkages between tourism and agriculture, as a pro-poor tourism strategy and an approach to enhance destination competitiveness, serves as a viable tool for poverty reduction in developing countries, particularly in Sierra Leone.
- Pro-poor tourism strategies for poverty reduction in developing countries
- Backward-linkages between the tourism industry and local agricultural producers
- Analysis of the tourism sector and market constraints in Sierra Leone
- Case study of "Gambia is Good" as a model for agri-tourism supply chain integration
- Integration of the informal sector into mainstream tourism market segments
Excerpt from the Book
3. The quantity and quality of local production
Traditional small-scale farming, labour-intensive and the lack of proper production practices, are associated with low levels of productivity and quality, including high post-harvest food loses or deterioration (FAO, 2003). In the tourism literature those are factors found to limit the access to the tourism industry, as food service depends on the reliable sources of products in terms of quality and quantity to meet guests’ expectations (Torres and Momsen, 2004). General quality attributes are divided into two groups: extrinsic, form, colour, freshness, and packaging as well as intrinsic ones, e.g. ethical, flavour, texture, food safety. Interestingly, Torres and Momsem (2004) identified that social and ethnic differences in Mexico between those purchasing foods and those producing it, probably influence food purchasing patterns of hotels and gastronomy in general, as it may be the case that chefs and food & beverages managers are ignorant of the existence of products or quantity in the proximity, and automatically relate lower quality with local farming activities and poorer livelihoods (Torres, 2002).
Another important issue widely addressed in the literature is the impact of HIV/AIDS on the rural poor livelihoods, limiting the productivity trough the loss of labour force, and thus perpetuating the vicious circle of rural poverty and dependency on foreign aid and food imports (Shapouri and Rosen, 2001; Siegel and Alwang, 2005). In her study of HIV/AIDS impacts on subsistence agriculture in Mozambique, Waterhouse argues that in addition to productivity losses, local know-how on traditional crops (see entrenched production patterns above) might be lost forever. Despite recent acknowledgement of inflated United Nation's Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) HIV figures and the risk of losing credibility, the problem still exists and should not be underplayed (Wilson, 2006).
Summary of Chapters
1 INTRODUCTION: This chapter introduces the research context, focusing on the collaboration with FIAS/DFID to identify policies that increase competitiveness in key sectors like tourism, and defines the research scope for fostering fair backward-linkages in Sierra Leone.
2 LITERATURE REVIEW: This chapter provides the theoretical foundation for pro-poor tourism, detailing strategies for economic and non-economic impacts, and analyzes factors influencing tourism-agriculture linkages through a case study of the initiative "Gambia is Good".
3 METHODOLOGY: This chapter introduces the sub-sector framework and the rapid market appraisal approach used to conduct field research in Freetown, focusing on identifying markets, participants, and barriers to effective supply chain linkages.
4 SIERRA LEONE – BACKGROUND INFORMATION: This chapter provides a socio-political and economic context of Sierra Leone, highlighting the country's dependence on foreign aid, the declining state of the tourism sector, and its relevance to poverty reduction strategies.
5 FINDINGS: This chapter presents the empirical results of the study, mapping the supply chains for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (FFV) and lobsters, and identifying the constraints and opportunities within these sub-sectors and support services.
6 CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS: This chapter synthesizes the research findings, concluding that a pro-poor tourism strategy is currently not viable in Sierra Leone due to the lack of a mature industry, and offers recommendations for future research on food consumption and pilot training programs.
Keywords
Pro-poor tourism, agriculture linkages, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, poverty reduction, food supply chain, small-scale farmers, tourism competitiveness, market access, informal sector, value-added agriculture, sustainable tourism, agri-tourism, stakeholder coordination, foreign aid dependency.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research evaluates the viability of fostering backward-linkages between the tourism industry and local agriculture as a pro-poor strategy for poverty reduction, with a specific focus on the context of Sierra Leone.
What are the primary thematic areas explored?
The work covers pro-poor tourism strategies, the practical challenges of integrating small-scale farmers into tourism supply chains, the impact of political and economic instability on tourism development, and the potential of specific agri-tourism initiatives.
What is the primary objective of this thesis?
The thesis aims to determine if and how linkages between agriculture and tourism can enhance destination competitiveness and contribute to poverty reduction in developing countries, while assessing if models like "Gambia is Good" are replicable in the Sierra Leonean context.
Which research methodology does the author employ?
The author uses the sub-sector analysis framework combined with rapid market appraisal techniques, including semi-structured interviews with hotel and restaurant managers, as well as field visits to agricultural sites.
What topics are covered in the main section of the thesis?
The main part of the work provides an overview of Sierra Leone’s background, maps the supply chains for fresh fruits, vegetables, and lobsters, and identifies the operational constraints and potential opportunities within these sub-sectors.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include pro-poor tourism, agricultural linkages, Sierra Leone, poverty reduction, supply chain integration, smallholder farmers, and the informal economy.
Why is the "Gambia is Good" case study significant?
It serves as a benchmark for a successful, market-led initiative that connects small-scale female farmers with high-end tourism markets, providing a practical example of how to overcome logistical and quality-standard barriers.
What does the author conclude about the current state of tourism in Sierra Leone?
The author concludes that tourism in Sierra Leone is currently in its infancy and plagued by political instability and infrastructure deficiencies, making a full-scale pro-poor tourism strategy premature without first stabilizing the sector.
What specific recommendations does the author make for Sierra Leone?
The author recommends prioritizing infrastructure rehabilitation, conducting comprehensive research into consumer food consumption patterns, and implementing a pilot "Market Linkages Training Program" with a small group of committed, enthusiastic farmers before expanding further.
- Citar trabajo
- Dirk König (Autor), 2007, Linking agriculture to tourism in Sierra Leone - a preliminary research, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/91629
