The Invisible Poor: A Portrait of Rural Poverty in Argentina (World Bank Working Papers)

The work grows out of discussions with counterparts at the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food (SAGPyA) and INDEC. Recognizing the dearth of information on rural areas, the World Bank team agreed to review knowledge on rural poverty and provide guidance on future data collection efforts. A primary objective of this study is to raise the profile of the rural poor in Argentina. Largely because of data limitations, in particular the EPH's lack of coverage in rural areas, profound gaps exist in the understanding of rural poverty in Argentina. As a result, the rural poor have sometimes been neglected in policy discussions. As a first step in highlighting the situation of the rural poor, this report takes stock of existing research, exploits previously untapped information from the 2001 Population Census, and presents findings from a new qualitative study on the subject. For the future, it is crucial that the EPH be expanded to full national coverage. Roughly 38 percent of the country's population, consisting of four million rural residents and another 12 million who live in smaller urban areas, lie outside the current reach of the survey. An expanded EPH would be valuable both for better evaluating existing programs and for helping the government design new programs and policies. Recognizing the challenges that expansion of the EPH would bring, the final chapter of this report explores the key technical issues involved. As the Government of Argentina moves forward with its consideration of how to best improve data on rural issues and address rural poverty, the World Bank stands ready to assist in supporting the next steps. This report is offered in the hope that will stimulate dialogue and interest in addressing the nation's invisible poor. Contents......Page 4 Acknowledgments......Page 8 Preface......Page 9 Abbreviations and Ackronyms......Page 10 The Nature of Rural Poverty in Argentina......Page 11 A Qualitative Study of Rural Poverty in Argentina......Page 15 Measuring Poverty and Welfare in Rural Poverty Analysis......Page 17 Introduction......Page 20 Figure 1.1. Long-Term Trends in Rural and Urban Population in Argentina......Page 21 Box 1.2. Data Sources for Rural Poverty in Argentina ......Page 26 Figure 1.6. Proportion of Farms That Are Poor by Province, 1988 and 2002......Page 31 Figure 1.24. Percentage of Population with Unsatisfied Basic Needs by Sector of Employment of Household Head ......Page 46 Introduction......Page 48 Sociodemographic Characteristics......Page 49 Aspirations, Conflict, and Discrimination ......Page 72 Extreme Poverty......Page 75 Past Rural Household Surveys in Argentina......Page 79 Rural Surveys in Other Countries of Latin America......Page 83 Choice of Welfare Measure: Options for Argentina......Page 87 Table 3.1. Values of the Inverse Engel Coefficient Used in Latin America ......Page 90 References......Page 93 Annexes......Page 98 Table A.1. Poverty According to Unsatisfied Basic Needs by Province (Percent) ......Page 100 Table A.7. Access to Water (Percent)......Page 102 Table A.10. Type of Housing (Percent)......Page 103 Table A.23. Household Number and Size......Page 107 Table A.34. Industry (Percent)......Page 110 Chaco province......Page 113 Jujuy Province......Page 114 Mendoza Province......Page 115 Guía de preguntas......Page 121 Table 1.1. Population in Argentina and its Regions, 1991 and 2001......Page 22 Table 1.2. Farm Residents in the 1998 and 2002 Agricultural Censuses......Page 30 Table 1.3. Incidence of Poverty for Selected Provinces, 2003......Page 33 Figure 1.8. Unsatisfied Basic Needs by Education of Household Head ......Page 34 Figure 1.9. School Attainment Profile for Individuals Ages 21–30 ......Page 35 Table 2.1. Indicators for Sampled Rural Areas in Argentina......Page 50 Table 2.2. Summary of Social Issues based on Qualitative Households Survey (2007)......Page 51 Table 2.3. Summary of Focus Group Findings......Page 53 Table 2.4. Summary of Focus Groups......Page 55 Table A.4. Poverty According to Unsatisfied Basic Needs by Size of Household (Percent) ......Page 101 Table A.13. Contractual Housing Situation (Percent)......Page 104 Table A.17. Possession of Refrigerator (Percent)......Page 105 Table A.21. Phone Access (Percent)......Page 106 Table A.27. Average Years of Education by Age Group......Page 108 Table A.30. Relation to Household Head (Percent)......Page 109 Table A.36. Occupational Categories Within Agricultural Sector (Percent)......Page 111 Table A.40. Social Security Contributions (Percent)......Page 112 Table B.1 Sampling Units Demographics......Page 117 Figure 1. Rural Poverty According to Unsatisfied Basic Needs ......Page 12 Figure 2. Long-Term Trends in Rural and Urban Population in Argentina......Page 13 Figure 3. Salaried Agricultural Workers by Number of Workers at Place of Employment......Page 14 Figure 1.2. Rural Populations as a Percentage of Total by Province, 2001......Page 23 Figure 1.3. Unsatisfied Basic Needs Indicators by Each Component ......Page 27 Figure 1.4. Poverty According to Unsatisfied Basic Needs ......Page 28 Figure 1.5. Proportion of Rural Residents with Unsatisfied Basic Needs by Province, 1991 and 2001 ......Page 29 Box 1.3. The 2003 Rural Household Survey ......Page 32 Figure 1.10. Average Years of Schooling by Age Group and Area......Page 36 Figure 1.11. Population Pyramid for Urban Population in Argentina, 2001......Page 37 Figure 1.12. Population Pyramid for Rural Towns Population in Argentina, 2001......Page 38 Figure 1.14. Unsatisfied Basic Needs by Age of Household Head ......Page 39 Figure 1.16. Housing Quality Index by Share of Population in Different Areas ......Page 40 Figure 1.17. Access to Infrastructure Services......Page 41 Figure 1.18. Health Insurance by Area......Page 42 Figure 1.20. Sector of Employment by Area......Page 43 Figure 1.22. Type of Employment by Area, Agricultural Workers Only......Page 44 Figure 1.23. Salaried Agricultural Workers by Number of Workers at Place of Employment ......Page 45 Box 1.1. What Does “Rural” Mean in Argentina? ......Page 24 Box 2.1. An Example of a Case Study in Chaco Province ......Page 59 Box 2.2. An Example of a Case Study in Jujuy Province ......Page 61 Box 2.3. An Example of a Case Study in Tucumán Province ......Page 64 Box 2.4. Chagas Disease ......Page 65 Box 2.5. An Example of an Indigenous Case Study in Mendoza Province ......Page 69 Box 3.1. Organization of the Encuesta de Hogares in Bolivia ......Page 85 Many Of The Poorest Argentines Are Invisible In Official Statistics; Four Million Rural Residents And Another 12 Million In Small Urban Areas Lie Outside The Reach Of The Permanent Household Survey (eph), Which Is The Basis For Poverty Figures And Most Data On Social Conditions In The Country. According To The Best Estimate, Roughly A Third Of Rural Residents, More Than A Million People, Live In Poverty. The Urban Bias Common In Many Countries Has Been Accentuated By The Lack Of Data On The Rural Poor--with Little Information On Their Condition, It Is Exceedingly Difficult For Policy Makers To Design Policies And Programs To Help Move People Out Of Poverty. The Report Is Organized As Follows: Chapter One Profiles Rural Poverty Base On The Limited Existing Data, Including The First In-depth Analysis Of Rural Poverty Ever Conducted With The 2001 Population Census. Chapter Two Presents Findings From The New Qualitative Study Of The Rural Poor Conducted In The First Half Of 2007. Finally, Chapter Three Concludes With A Discussion Of Methodology For Rural Poverty Analysis, Focusing On The Issues Related To Expanding The Eph To Full National Coverage.--publisher's Description. Issues And Challenges For Rural Poverty In Argentina / By Gabriel Demombynes, Johannes Metzler, And Dorte Verner -- A Qualitative Study Of Rural Poverty In Argentina / By Ignacio Llovet And Dorte Verner -- Methodology For The Analysis Of Rural Poverty In Argentina / By Gabriel Demombynes And Leopoldo Tornarolli. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 74-77).

Many of the poorest Argentines are invisible in official statistics. Four million rural residents and another 12 million in small urban areas lie outside the reach of the Permanent Household Survey (EPH), which is the basis for poverty figures and most data on social conditions in the country. According to the best estimate, roughly a third of rural residents, more than a million people, live in poverty. The urban bias common too many countries have been accentuated by the lack of data on the rural poor. With little information on their condition, it is exceedingly difficult for policy makers to design policies and programs to help move people out of poverty. The report is organized as follows: chapter one profiles rural poverty base on the limited existing data, including the first in-depth analysis of rural poverty ever conducted with the 2001 population census. Chapter two presents findings from the new qualitative study of the rural poor conducted in the first half of 2007. Finally, chapter three concludes with a discussion of methodology for rural poverty analysis, focusing on the issues related to expanding the EPH to full national coverage.

'The Invisible Poor' seeks to raise the profile of the rural poor in Argentina, promote dialogue on rural poverty issues, provide the best currently available information about rural poverty, and offer a basis for discussions on how to expand household survey data collection to rural areas. Most previous work has been based on case studies or one-time surveys in a few provinces and consequently has been of limited use for drawing conclusions about rural conditions overall in Argentina. Largely because of data limitations, profound gaps exist in the understanding of rural poverty in Argentina. As a result, the rural poor have sometimes been neglected in policy discussions. This study does not directly address policy responses. Rather it seeks to provide an analytical basis for understanding the conditions of rural life, with the ultimate goal of helping policy makers improve the welfare of Argentina’s rural poor through evidence-based policy.