Both development and post-structuralist anthropologists have
critiqued development. Development anthropologists are concerned
that development does not take adequate account of the social and
cultural factors of developing nations, while post structuralists question
the ontology of development and assert that domination over
developing nations is inherent in the concept of development. To
examine the social effects of development projects I conducted
ethnographic research for a nine-week period on social relations at
Sagana Fish Farm, located two kilometers from Sagana Township in the
Kirinyaga District of the Central Province of Kenya. (The population of
Sagana Township is approximately 5,885 people.) I obtained thirty-one
semi-structured interviews, also relying on participant observation and
informal interviews with civil servants (permanent employees) and
casual laborers (temporary employees). I analyzed information obtained
during interviews and participant observation within the context of
power and resistance theory.
Civil servants tended to value the presence of development
projects because projects made structural enhancements and
renovations to the fish farm. Development projects presented civil
servants the possibility for skills development and additional income to
fish farm employees and created temporary employment for individuals
from neighboring communities. Civil servants stated that an
inexpensive source of protein was available in the form of fish, chicken,
and milk as a result of the work of development organizations.
However, they also expressed concerns regarding the sustainability of
development projects due to tension between expatriate development
project workers and fish farm employees, inadequate information
sharing and technology transfer, and financial and human resource
mismanagement in the Kenya civil service.
Casual laborers discussed the possibility of skills development
through their work with development projects at the fish farm and
expressed concern about their employment conditions. They were
concerned about low wages in contrast with the intensity of their labor;
insecure terms of employment; an absence of protective equipment at
their work site; health and medical issues; and the availability of treated
drinking water. Other concerns were associated with dignity, tribalism,
and a fear of power of expatriate development workers and Kenyan civil
service officers. Based on the above findings I made the following
recommendations were made: implement cultural sensitivity training
for expatriate development workers; develop project plans that foster a
sense of investment in project operations; provide discounted fish to
casual laborers; improve the work conditions of casual laborers; establish
a health clinic; and provide informal loans to facilitate technology
transfer. / Graduation date: 1999
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/28321 |
| Date | 16 March 1999 |
| Creators | Burke, Deborah A. |
| Contributors | Young, John |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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