Sources of Demo Data Essay Example

in which she confidently stated her belief that mankind will continually find solutions, asserting that "The power of ingenuity will always exceed demand." This philosopher also played a role in discussions about women's involvement in the workforce and societal progress, advocating for improved opportunities for work and education for women (Jain, 2005). Malthusian theory posits that population size and growth are influenced by food supply and agricultural practices. On the other hand, Boserup's theory suggests that agricultural methods are influenced by population size.

Both the Malthusian view and Boserup's theory discuss the relationship between food scarcity and population. According to the Malthusian view, when there is a shortage of food, the surplus population will decrease naturally. Boserup, on the other hand, argued that people will find ways to increase food production during challenging times by utilizing more workforce, machinery, and fertilizers (Jain, 2005). Boserup's theory emphasizes how population, environment, and technology are interconnected. She defines 'population' as both population density and overall size and growth. In her perspective,'environment' mainly refers to land resources along with factors such as climate and soil quality.

Boserup's focus is primarily on historical civilizations or developing countries, where 'technology' mainly refers to the tools and inputs used in agriculture, which is the primary productive activity in these societies. According to Boserup, there is a generally agreed upon belief that technological changes have a significant impact on population size. However, the influence of population size on technology itself has not received as much attention. In response to this, Boserup explores the role of population as an independent variable that affects both the development of agricultural technology and the productive

capacity of resources. Boserup argues that during a period of sustained population growth, there is a decrease in output per man hour in the short term. This is caused by more intensive methods requiring more hours of work from agricultural laborers, thereby deteriorating the ratio of output to labor cost.

According to Boserup (1965, p. 39-42), in the long run, workers would become more efficient at tasks required by new intensive regimes, resulting in increased output. The growing population would also lead to more efficient production through division of labor. However, Boserup notes that for small populations with low density, it is not beneficial to switch to more intensive regimes that require additional labor inputs and result in short-term productivity losses.

In her work, Boserup (1965) argues that an increase in population density is necessary before accepting short-term declines in labor output and the challenges of intensive agriculture. Once higher densities are achieved, however, it becomes necessary for the population to invest more labor in intensive systems in order to achieve long-term advantages in output. Boserup also claims that reliance on food imports has undermined the pressure for domestic agricultural intensification. The developed world's provision of food aid and subsidized imports has made it more appealing for many sub-Saharan African countries to import food rather than increase domestic production. Additionally, food imports contribute to a lack of investment in rural areas as resources are focused on crop production for export or the urban industrial sector.

The main development models of export-led growth supported by international organizations, like the World Bank, in sub-Saharan Africa are associated with this type of flow (Boserup,

1981, p. 202). This theory has been crucial in understanding agricultural patterns in developing countries, although it is oversimplified and generalized. In Africa, it can be used to perceive sub-Saharan Africa as historically having a lower population density compared to other regions. As a result, the region is marked by subsistence agriculture and a prevalence of low-technology practices.

According to Boserup (1990, p. 258), Africa has a higher prevalence of extensive land-using subsistence systems due to historically lower population growth rates compared to other parts of the world. This has resulted in there being more land than is needed for agriculture in many parts of Africa. The theory proposed by Boserup is also evidenced in the case study of Mauritius, a 1860 km2 island nation situated off the east coast of Africa.

Mauritius heavily depends on farming and fishing, which contribute 4.6% to its GDP, thanks to its fertile soils and tropical climate. According to Jain (2005), Mauritius' main exports can be categorized into four groups: sugar (32%), garments (31%), plastics (32%), and others (5%). In 1992, the population of Mauritius was 1,094,000 people. Projections indicate that by 2025 it will reach 1,365,000 individuals. This represents a growth rate of 1.45%, with a doubling time of 47 years. As mentioned by Jain (2005), the average fertility rate during this period stood at 2.17 children per woman.

However, the population growth in Mauritius has not been consistent over time. Initially stable due to similar birth and death rates, there was a significant increase in birth rate from around 35 per thousand to over 45 per thousand in the1950s while the death rate declined

from30 per thousand to15 per thousand shortly after(Jain ,2005). Consequently,the natural increase spiked,and this put pressure on the country's resources due to its growing population.

The government intervened by implementing various measures such as promoting family planning, restricting early marriage, improving healthcare, and advancing women's status. They also focused on diversifying agriculture, investing in industry, and enhancing trading links.

Over time, attitudes towards family size changed and people started marrying later. Additionally, there was an increase in educational and work opportunities for women (from 22.3% employment in 1975 to 35.5% in 1990).

The presence of transnational companies in Mauritius can be attributed to tax incentives, the Freeport at Port Luis, the abundance of educated residents, ample cheap labor, and efficient transport.

These developments support Boserup's theory that "necessity is the mother of invention." The government had to adapt to population growth by improving and diversifying agriculture. This aligns with the idea that population growth drives agricultural growth.

Boserup's theory also suggests that a country must enhance its technology to support a growing population and that many technologies remain untapped without a sufficient population size.

The implementation of Buserup's theory can be observed both in Mauritius and Zambia. In order to sustain its population, Mauritius had to construct a Freeport and enhance transportation (Jain, 2005). Similarly, the Chitemene system in Zambia serves as another illustration of Buserup's theory being applicable in Africa.

The Chitemene system, a farming method used in the Northern Province of Zambia, involves cutting trees to clear fields and improve soil fertility. This technique was developed in response to the growing population in the area, which required increased food production. The Chitemene system successfully met this demand by

enhancing land fertility and increasing food production for the expanding population. However, Boserup's theory, considered the optimal population theory, has limitations when applied to Africa.

The text discusses weaknesses in Boserup's theory, such as the lack of consideration for the law of diminishing returns and ecological factors. According to Obadan (2004, p. 99), Boserup did not take into account how an increase in population density and labor on a fixed portion of land would lead to diminishing returns in output. This is especially relevant for African countries with limited technology because an increase in population density results in diminishing returns in agriculture.
Furthermore, another weakness in Boserup's theory is its failure to consider ecological factors that negatively affect agriculture due to increased population density. Prior to 1970, agriculture accounted for more than 75 percent of export earnings in Nigeria and other African nations. However, population growth has caused stagnation in agriculture primarily due to ecological factors like drought, disease, and declining soil fertility. By the mid-1990s, the share of agricultural exports had declined to less than 5 percent.

The passage discusses Nigeria's shift from being a food exporter to relying on food imports to meet its domestic demand (keet, 1994: p. 55). It also highlights the challenges faced by delicate environments like the Barotse flood plains in Zambia in sustaining rapid population growth. Boserup's theory is insufficient in explaining the lack of technological advancements in such situations. Additionally, Boserup's theory does not adequately address the impact of agricultural subsidies provided by developed nations on African countries.

Despite the growing population density in Africa, the sale of agricultural products from Africa at low prices

on the global market, which is caused by developed countries subsidizing their own agricultural products, discourages farming. Fontanel and Touatam (2004, p. 31) cited cotton trade as an example and highlighted that if government subsidies were not provided, the production costs of cotton in most sub-Saharan African countries would be three times lower than those in the United States.

According to Miroudot (2004: 47), the subsidies given by the United States and European Union to cotton producers caused Africa to suffer a loss of US $920 million in the year 2001/2002. Furthermore, Boserup's theory does not take into account conflicts within African nations that hinder farming and lead to reliance on foreign aid instead of domestic products. Ayttey (1998, p. 193) discloses that in 1996, more than 20 million Africans became refugees, resulting in them losing their homes, jobs, and belongings. Consequently, these individuals are unable to attend school, grow crops, or work in sectors such as factories and government and business administration.

The decrease in food production in some countries is a result of this situation. Boserup's theory is based on her observations in southeast Asia, particularly India, where she acknowledged the impact of densely populated regions. However, it may not be as relevant to Africa due to its lower population density. In conclusion, while Boserup's theory does not completely explain the relationship between population growth, the environment, and technology, it provides an additional viewpoint alongside other theories.

The theory has provided practical solutions on the connection between population growth and resources, particularly in Africa. BIBLIOGRAPHY Ayittey, G. 1998. Africa In Chaos, St. Martin’s press. New York
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Fontanel, J. and Touatam, A. 2004. The Rift. African Geopolitics. No. 13. Paris.
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