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Investigating Difference: Applications of Wealth Ranking and Household Survey Approaches among Farming Households in Southern Zimbabwe

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  • Ian Scoones

Abstract

Wealth ranking and household survey approaches to understanding wealth stratification are applied in tandem for a sample of farming households in southern Zimbabwe. While conventional surveys usually stratify sample populations according to criteria chosen by the researcher, wealth ranking is based on criteria offered by local people. Patterns of wealth and well‐being over time, between ecological zones and in relation to local indicators are explored with focus groups of men and women. The rankings emerging from these discussions are compared with survey data for the same household sample. The wealth rankings are highly correlated with livestock ownership, farm asset holdings, crop harvests and crop sales. Wealth ranks derived from farmers' analyses are then compared with a cluster analysis of the survey data, with both discrepancies and overlaps discussed. It is concluded that wealth ranking provides an accurate indicator of relative wealth and that ranking can be a useful complementary method to be employed alongside survey assessments. In addition, qualitative discussions during ranking exercises reveal details of the historically, socially and economically constructed understandings of wealth and well‐being of different actors. The conventional assumption that surveys always provide ‘better’ data is thus questioned.

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  • Ian Scoones, 1995. "Investigating Difference: Applications of Wealth Ranking and Household Survey Approaches among Farming Households in Southern Zimbabwe," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 26(1), pages 67-88, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:devchg:v:26:y:1995:i:1:p:67-88
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-7660.1995.tb00543.x
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    1. Scoones, Ian, 1992. "The economic value of livestock in the communal areas of southern Zimbabwe," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 39(4), pages 339-359.
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    2. Hoogeveen, H. & van der Klaauw, B. & van Lomwel, A.G.C., 1970. "On the timing of marriage, cattle and weather shocks," Other publications TiSEM b204a595-6426-4108-a166-2, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    3. Shaffer, Paul, 1998. "Gender, poverty and deprivation: Evidence from the Republic of Guinea," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 26(12), pages 2119-2135, December.
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    11. Shaffer, Paul, 2013. "Ten Years of “Q-Squared”: Implications for Understanding and Explaining Poverty," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 269-285.
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    13. Jackson, Cecile, 1996. "Rescuing gender from the poverty trap," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 489-504, March.
    14. Jagger, Pamela & Luckert, Marty K. & Banana, Abwoli & Bahati, Joseph, 2012. "Asking Questions to Understand Rural Livelihoods: Comparing Disaggregated vs. Aggregated Approaches to Household Livelihood Questionnaires," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(9), pages 1810-1823.
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    16. Matteo Caravani, 2024. "The Failing Aid Complex in Uganda’s Northeast," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 36(6), pages 1573-1592, December.
    17. Hargreaves, James R. & Morison, Linda A. & Gear, John S.S. & Makhubele, Mzamani B. & Porter, John D.H. & Busza, Joanna & Watts, Charlotte & Kim, Julia C. & Pronyk, Paul M., 2007. ""Hearing the Voices of the Poor": Assigning Poverty Lines on the Basis of Local Perceptions of Poverty. A Quantitative Analysis of Qualitative Data from Participatory Wealth Ranking in Rural," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 212-229, February.
    18. Hillebrecht, Michael & Klonner, Stefan & Pacere, Noraogo A., 2020. "Dynamic Properties of Poverty Targeting," Working Papers 0696, University of Heidelberg, Department of Economics.

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