Poverty is a denial to basic human needs. It is a sense of powerlessness and helplessness in life. Poverty is measured based on estimated minimum required income/consumption levels.
Growth and development are not interchangeable terms. Growth could simply mean an increase in the overall income level or gross production (GDP) in a country whereas development is a much broader concept. Development requires that the entire society benefits from the country’s income growth rather than a privileged few. Development encompasses change in societal attitudes and larger social inclusion. Some of the core values of development could be sustenance, self-esteem and freedom. Sustenance implies that there are certain basic needs like food, shelter, education and access to healthcare which are necessary for a reasonable quality of life. Self-esteem and freedom refer to dignity of labor and emancipation from servitude. So the primary goals of any social development project should aim at increasing the availability of life-sustaining goods, raise quality of living and expand social choices available to individuals.
Development, again, should be holistic and inclusive or else it will lead to an increasing gap between the rich and the poor. Although it is said that, in a capitalistic society, over a period of time the benefits of growth percolate down to the bottommost part of society, a failure in this approach could lead to massive social unrest. Yet another school of thought puts forth the benefits of bringing up the lowermost section of society through extensive public expenditure projects. The rich tend to spend mostly on imported goods which do no good to the local industries. The lower sections of society, when uplifted, can stimulate great demand for locally produced goods and services.
A livelihood comprises of the abilities, resources and actions required for a means of living. A livelihood is sustainable if it can overcome shocks or obstacles, maintain its abilities and provide overall benefits. The sustainable livelihoods approach emphasizes on people, particularly poor people, the opportunities available and the threats faced by them. The focus is on the people, in entirety, rather than the resources or the supplier of resources. Based on the feedback, from the people, support is provided to overcome obstacles and utilize opportunities. The support and assistance can and should come in varied forms. The theory “Give a man some fish to eat and he will be happy for a day, teach a man to fish and he will be happy forever” need not and will not always be true. Future planning is sensible only when the present is secure. What interest will a person, who is not sure of surviving tomorrow, have if offered a 6 month training in technical skills post-which he may be gainfully employed. What is of immediate concern is his survival. So any assistance package should be dual focused- one, immediate help and two, future sustenance planning.
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Growth and development are not interchangeable terms. Growth could simply mean an increase in the overall income level or gross production (GDP) in a country whereas development is a much broader concept. Development requires that the entire society benefits from the country’s income growth rather than a privileged few. Development encompasses change in societal attitudes and larger social inclusion. Some of the core values of development could be sustenance, self-esteem and freedom. Sustenance implies that there are certain basic needs like food, shelter, education and access to healthcare which are necessary for a reasonable quality of life. Self-esteem and freedom refer to dignity of labor and emancipation from servitude. So the primary goals of any social development project should aim at increasing the availability of life-sustaining goods, raise quality of living and expand social choices available to individuals.
Development, again, should be holistic and inclusive or else it will lead to an increasing gap between the rich and the poor. Although it is said that, in a capitalistic society, over a period of time the benefits of growth percolate down to the bottommost part of society, a failure in this approach could lead to massive social unrest. Yet another school of thought puts forth the benefits of bringing up the lowermost section of society through extensive public expenditure projects. The rich tend to spend mostly on imported goods which do no good to the local industries. The lower sections of society, when uplifted, can stimulate great demand for locally produced goods and services.
A livelihood comprises of the abilities, resources and actions required for a means of living. A livelihood is sustainable if it can overcome shocks or obstacles, maintain its abilities and provide overall benefits. The sustainable livelihoods approach emphasizes on people, particularly poor people, the opportunities available and the threats faced by them. The focus is on the people, in entirety, rather than the resources or the supplier of resources. Based on the feedback, from the people, support is provided to overcome obstacles and utilize opportunities. The support and assistance can and should come in varied forms. The theory “Give a man some fish to eat and he will be happy for a day, teach a man to fish and he will be happy forever” need not and will not always be true. Future planning is sensible only when the present is secure. What interest will a person, who is not sure of surviving tomorrow, have if offered a 6 month training in technical skills post-which he may be gainfully employed. What is of immediate concern is his survival. So any assistance package should be dual focused- one, immediate help and two, future sustenance planning.
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