ABSTRACT
By 1964 new large villages had developed in the Lower Volta, new roads had been constructed, schools, clinics, hospitals had opened. The demand for imported food increased bringing growth in store trading. There was an immediate market for cash crops. These were all visible changes. However, more profound and permanent change to the economy was brought out by the influence of 'strangers' on the traditional structure, customs and attitudes of riparian communities. Aggregate village income in Battor in 1964 increased to 250% over 1954 levels. It would be erroneous however to consider increased income as a measure of increased labour productivity without considering price changes. In 1954, a significant net surplus of annual income over annual expenditure occurred in probably only some five to six households. By 1964 the number of households making net annual savings had greatly increased and a high marginal propensity to save seemed evident.
