SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS IN PRACTICE: EARLY APPLICATIONS OF CONCEPTS IN RURAL AREAS

What is poverty – and how it can best be addressed – are central questions at conceptual and practical levels in international development. Increased donor commitment to tackling poverty has made the search for answers more urgent. This paper outlines a new approach to poverty alleviation – sustainable livelihoods – setting out its basic concepts and drawing lessons from early experience. The approach is being pursued by, amongst others, the UK Department for International Development.