For some time now, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa but also in other regions of the world, the immunodeficiency disorder HIV/AIDS has been a problem affecting the whole of society on a dramatic scale. It is not only the health sector that faces challenges. Rural development, too, has become a focus of attention, as the consequences of HIV/AIDS are especially devastating in rural areas.

At the epicentre of the immunodeficiency disorder: Rural areas
Family members who suffer from AIDS are less able to provide labour for agricultural production. Other family members have to spend time caring for sick relatives. Fewer farm workers means less farming, which in turn means lower income from agricultural production. Meanwhile, the costs incurred by households for health care increase. This weakens their purchasing power, resulting in a shortage of money to buy food.

Concerted action, combined strengths
A promising approach is to mainstream efforts to combat HIV/AIDS within rural development projects. In this way, all the stakeholders involved – from individual households to municipal authorities and higher administrative echelons – are able to grasp the causes and consequences of HIV/AIDS and implement strategies to mitigate its impacts in the long term. A primary concern in this regard is providing support to help the rural population avoid HIV infection and manage the consequences of HIV/AIDS.

Our key inputs
Reliable coordination of the various national sectoral policies and coordination with regional and local plans and strategies are vital. Successful results require an interplay of various factors:

• increasing agricultural productivity
• growth that benefits especially the poorer population groups
• training of people and institutions by competent advisory services 
• improved health care
• due consideration of social, cultural and religious circumstances
• good governance.

Key contributions by GTZ in this context include advisory services relating to setting up workplace HIV/AIDS programmes, building competence in the management of HIV/AIDS by providing governmental and non-governmental institutions and regional and municipal service providers with support in specialist areas, organisational issues and methods, and helping village communities to mitigate the impacts of HIV/AIDS on farming.