 What are Sustainable Livelihoods?
Despite decades of "development," poverty in the South has continued to increase. Existing development approaches may lend themselves to elegant models, but they are not working. We need to find alternative paths.
The concept of livelihoods, encompasses varied ways of living that meet individual, household, and community needs. Needs, in this context, are understood holistically, and would include the social, economic, cultural, and spiritual. For a livelihood to be sustainable, it must be adaptive and able to withstand stress. It should also safeguard, rather than damage the natural environment.
Sustainable livelihoods put people first. Sustainable livelihoods are based on the belief that local struggles against poverty will lead us to development strategies that work. Sustainable livelihoods can be understood as both a goal and an approach. It's Both a Goal...
Sustainable livelihoods, as a goal, is grounded in real lives. Very simply, it is the answers you get when you ask people what the "good life" is to them. Their responses would surely include common characteristics such as: meaningful work, meeting basic needs, health, security, and living within an equitable and just society. Sustainable livelihoods is not only creating employment, it is creating new ways of living that enable people to meet their varied and interwoven needs without compromising the ecosystems that support them and their community. ... And an Approach
Sustainable livelihoods approaches, are rooted in particular people in specific places making decisions about sustaining themselves and their families. Being grounded in people's daily struggles, and building upon their myriad strengths -- these approaches encompass many different priorities and strategies.
By definition, sustainable livelihoods approaches are not simple and linear. But in their texture and diversity we may find ways to understand the persistent poverty around us. More importantly, we may find ways to alleviate it. Local Effort -- Global Change
Sustainable livelihoods are about local, self sustaining solutions. However, local contexts often exist within a larger system that can suppress peoples' very real knowledge, abilities, and opportunities. To create sustainable livelihoods, everyone will need to develop ways of living that are not founded on the continued oppression and poverty of the majority.
The contribution from the "top" (whether the privileged within societies, or other societies entirely) is not necessarily to find solutions for the poor. Rather, it is to remove the barriers that keep people in poverty. These barriers exist to maintain the privileges of the few. The responsibility for developing sustainable livelihoods is global. Everyone will need to shift towards more sustainable ways of living.
If we are to create an equitable and sustainable future we have to work together. We have to be willing to learn from each other and pool our knowledge. We do not have time to work in isolation. Hopefully sharing accounts of local initiatives will encourage new ways of approaching poverty and development.
Sustainable Livelihoods in India and Senegal
In India, Development Alternatives (DA) envisions sustainable livelihoods as empowering individuals to meet their basic needs with dignity. DA uses various strategies in creating livelihoods but focuses particularly on appropriate technologies and the sustainable use and regeneration of natural resources.![[ Jump to DA module ]](/webgfx/dajumper.gif)
ENDA works with popular actors in Senegal and other parts of the world in the struggle against poverty. Its main objectives are to allow people at the grassroots to make there own decisions about how to fulfill their needs and to redefine development according not only to these needs, but also to people's ambitions.![[ Jump to ENDA module ]](/webgfx/endajumper.gif) (en français)
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