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Bridging the Socio-Informational Divide for Poverty Reduction in the North ‘A’ District, Zanzibar

H. A. Haji & A. M. Omar

Abstract

Information inclusion has direct impacts on the reduction of poverty. This is even more apparent with rural environment. Failure to consolidate information with strategies for poverty reduction produces severe negative consequences. In Zanzibar, the non-involvement of information professionals in the implementation and review of the PRSP (2010/11 –

2015/16) is believed to be one of the main causes of government failure in achieving the poverty reduction goals. This paper, therefore, is explores the concept of information divide in the execution of poverty reduction strategies in the context of rural Zanzibar. It is based on a study that was carried out to achieve the following specific objectives: to assess the comparable level of education of small-scale fishermen and farmers of different genders in the North ‘A’ District; to examine the range and accessibility of information resources by farmers and fishermen of different genders;  to identify the link between socio-informational exclusion and poverty; to identify the challenges small-scale fishermen and farmers face; and to suggest measures that could be introduced to fight poverty through information inclusiveness. The study was a case study and employed mainly a qualitative method, using interviews  to  collect  data.  Essentially,  the  study’s  analysis  of  the  poverty  problems  in Zanzibar sought to detail the socio-informational gap between the “haves” and the “have- nots” and use the findings to make a number of recommendations.

Key  words:  Information,  library  services,  socio-informational  divide,  poverty  reduction, Zanzibar      

Proceedings of The 1st COTUL Scientific Conference Held On 25th – 28th November 2014