Institute of Development Studies

Sustainable Livelihoods in Southern Africa

'New Perspectives on Governance and Rural Development in Southern Africa '

Sustainable Livelihoods in Southern Africa was a three-year collaborative project carried out by research partners in Mozambique, South Africa, UK and Zimbabwe, funded by the UK Department for International Development.

Few would deny the importance of the ideals of the 'sustainable livelihoods approach' - poverty reduction, reducing livelihood vulnerability, improving environmental sustainability, and participatory approaches are all seen as 'good things' for development. How, in practice, can these ideals be realised? The sustainable livelihoods approach requires new ways of thinking about institutional and organisational arrangements for development, as well as understanding how poor people can gain access to natural resources and influence policy processes so that their concerns are realised.

Through case studies in Zambezia (Mozambique), the Eastern Cape Wild Coast (South Africa) and the lowveld area of south-east Zimbabwe, this Sustainable Livelihoods in Southern Africa programme examined the challenges of institutional, organisational and policy reform around land, water and wild resources in southern Africa.

SLSA Project overview and key findings

• IDS key contact: Ian Scoones
• Project dates: April 2000 - March 2003
• Project status: Closed
• Funder: Department for International Development (DFID)

Researchers

• Ian Scoones
• Lyla Mehta
• Caroline Ashley, ODI
• Joseph Chaumba, University of the Western Cape
• Ben Cousins, Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS) South Africa
• Edward Lahiff, Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS)
• Zefanias Matsimbe, University of the Western Cape
• Kgopotso Mokgope, University of the Western Cape
• Solomon Mombeshora, University of Zimbabwe
• Sobona Mtisi, ODI
• Isilda Nhantumbo, IUCN Mozambique
• Alan Nicol, ODI
• Simon Norfolk, Consultant, Mozambique
• Zolile Ntshona, Umsobomvu Consulting, South Africa
• João Pereira, UFICS at the University of Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo
• Shaila Seshia, Former IDS MPhil
• Will Wolmer, Independent Consultant

Selected Outputs

• Mehta, L and Ntshona, Z (2004) 'Dancing to two tunes? Rights and market-based approaches in South Africa's water domain', SLSA Research Paper 17, Brighton: IDS
• Chaumba, J., Scoones, I. and Wolmer, W. (2003) 'From Jambanja to Planning: The Reassertion of Technocracy in Land Reform in Southeastern Zimbabwe', SLSA Research Paper 2, Brighton: IDS
• Wolmer, W., Chaumba, J., and Scoones, I. (2003) 'Wildlife Management and Land Reform in Southeastern Zimbabwe: A Compatible Pairing or a Contradiction in Terms?', IDS Bulletin 34.3, Brighton: IDS
• Chaumba, J., Wolmer, W. and Scoones, I. (2003) 'New Politics, New Livelihoods: Changes in the Zimbabwean Lowveld Since the Farm Occupations of 2000', SLSA Research Paper 3, Brighton: IDS
• Mehta, L.Scoones, I and Ashley, C (2003) 'Rights Talk and Rights Practice: Challenges for Southern Africa', SLSA Overview Paper , Brighton: IDS
• Ntshona, Z and Lahiff, E (2003) 'Rural Development, Institutional Change and Livelihoods in the Eastern Cape, South Africa: A Case Study of Mdudwa Village', SLSA Research Paper 5, Brighton: IDS
• Nhantumbo, I. and Pereira, J. (2003) 'Só para o Inglese ver' - The Policy and Practice of Tenure Reform in Mozambique', SLSA Research Paper 11, Brighton:
• Lahiff, E (2003) 'Land Reform and Sustainable Livelihoods in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province', SLSA Research Paper 9, Brighton: IDS
• Mehta, L.Scoones, I and Ashley, C (2003) 'Decentralisations in Practice in Southern Africa', SLSA Overview Paper , Brighton: IDS
• Mtisi, S. and Nicol, A. (2003) 'Caught in the Act: New Stakeholders, Decentralisation and Water Management Processes in Zimbabwe', SLSA Research Paper 14, Brighton: IDS
• Nhantumbo, I., Norfolk, S. and Pereira, J. (2003) 'Community Based Natural Resources Management in Mozambique: A Theoretical or Practical Strategy for Local Sustainable Development? The Case Study of Derre Forest Reserve', SLSA Research Paper 10, Brighton:
• Ntshona, Z and Lahiff, E (2003) 'Community-Based Eco-Tourism on The Wild Coast, South Africa: The Case of the Amadiba Trail', SLSA Research Paper 7, Brighton: IDS
• Norfolk, S., Nhantumbo, I. and Pereira, J. (2003) 'The 'New' Communities: Land Tenure Reform and the Advent of New Institutions in Zambézia Province, Mozambique', SLSA Research Paper 12, Brighton:
• Lahiff, E (2003) 'The Politics of Land Reform in Southern Africa', SLSA Research Paper 19, Brighton: IDS
• Nicol, A. and Mtisi, S. (2003) 'The Politics of Water Policy: A Southern Africa Example', SLSA Research Paper 20, Brighton: IDS
• Mehta, L.Scoones, I and Ashley, C (2003) 'The Rural Poor, the Private Sector and Markets: Changing Interactions in Southern Africa', SLSA Overview paper , Brighton: IDS
• Spenceley, A (2003) 'Tourism, Local Livelihoods and the Private Sector in South Africa: Case Studies on the Growing Role of the Private Sector in Natural Resources Management', SLSA Research Paper 8, Brighton: IDS
• Wolmer, W (2003) 'Transboundary Conservation: The Politics of Ecological Integrity in the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park', SLSA Research Paper 4, Brighton: IDS
• Ashley, C and Wolmer, W (2003) 'Transformation or Tinkering? New Forms of Engagement Between Communities and the Private Sector in Tourism and Forestry in Southern Africa', SLSA Research Paper 18 , IDS
• Ashley, C and Ntshona, Z (2003) 'Transforming Roles but not Reality? Private Sector and Community Involvement in Tourism and Forestry Development on the Wild Coast, South Africa', SLSA Research Paper 6 , Brighton: IDS