Revisiting Sustainable Livelihoods: Insights from Implementation Studies in India

Abstract

Amongst public policies for poverty reduction there has been a renewed thrust on enhancing rural livelihoods in recent times. This article situates current mission based livelihood programmes in India within the larger context of livelihoods discourse in the last two decades in development studies. This article revisits the literature on livelihoods and the Sustainable Livelihood Approach (SLA). A critical review of SLA suggests a welcome focus in public policies on perspectives and institutions of the poor. However, operationalizing, implementing and evaluating SLAs present several challenges. A review of implementation of livelihood schemes in India is presented with suggestions for a dialogue between SLA frameworks and implementation studies literature in public policies. India presents an interesting opportunity for academics to shift the discourse from poverty and employment as key themes to an engagement on livelihoods as a frame that hitherto has largely remained a practitioner led discourse.