OPTIMIZING THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS APPROACH (SLA) TO POVERTY REDUCTION IN AFRICAN URBAN AREAS

 Ogwuche Jonathan Ali

Department of Geography

Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria

E mail: ogwuche.jonathan@yahoo.com

 ABSTRACT

Recent evidence confirms that despite more than half a century of development strategies, many countries have experienced economic decline and more than three quarters of the entire world urban population are living in poverty. The concept of sustainable livelihoods is one way to approach urban poverty reduction through the twin issues of human development and environmental improvement and management, using a participatory policy that recognizes working with the people, by the people, and for the people. Development practitioners find the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach very helpful as it enables them to focus on the livelihood options of the poor and develop pro-poor strategies. Its approach to urban poverty reduction is one that acknowledges that poverty is a condition of lack of access to physical rather than only a lack of finance. This paper has shown that  the adequacy of, and access to physical capital in urban areas are needed, not only to enhance sustainable livelihoods, raise productivity,  create jobs and  wealth, but to promote sustainable development and  environment improvement and management. Finally, it is recommended that stakeholders in urban governance should embrace capacity building in sustainable livelihoods approach for effective implementation of its principles and concepts.   

Keywords; Poverty, Sustainable Livelihoods, Sustainable Poverty Reduction, Urban Poverty Reduction, Sustainable Livelihoods Approach, Sustainable Livelihoods Framework