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The Sustainable Livelihoods Approach is governed or underpinned by several core principles that determine how development interventions should be designed. Toner (2003) organises these principles into two categories; a category with normative principles and a category with operational principles. In the normative category, the author lists the four principles discussed below.

People centred

The Sustainable Livelihoods Approach is believed to be a people centred approach, because it recognises that the poor are the most important people to consider in any development initiative. It focuses on what matters to poor people and not what outsiders think is most important (Ashley & Carney, 1999). This approach:

Analyses people’s livelihoods, the changes they go through and supports them in achieving their own livelihood goals, it also focuses on the impact of different policies and institutional arrangements on poor peoples’ livelihoods, with the intention of seeking to influence these arrangements so that they can promote the agenda of the poor.

(Farrington, Carney, Ashley, & Turton, 1999, p. 4).

Participatory

Secondly, Toner (2003) identified the participatory nature of the SLA. It is believed that past development interventions were ineffective partly because they excluded the poor in the process of development. Therefore, the SLA identifies this major weakness and attempts to correct it, by including the poor in the process of developing development initiatives. The poor become the major participants in the identification of indicators of poverty and their preferred intervention in

35 the solving of their problems. The SLA privileges the knowledge of the poor and requires (or prefers) outsiders to respond to the poor according to their wishes (Carney, 2002).

Sustainable

Thirdly, the SLA considers the four dimensions of sustainability. Economic sustainability, which allows continual growth of the economy and development, does not compromise the environment and it is achieved through the use of renewable natural resources over a long period of time, without altering or depleting the resource base (Overton, 1999). In addition, social sustainability as seen in the SLA, upholds forms of social equality and justice which are enjoyed within society. It advocates for the removal of injustices and major inequalities that exist within societies, for example, the division of society by race, class, gender, human rights violation and extreme inequality in the division of wealth.

However, environmental sustainability advocates for the use and protection of the environment, by the local people. For example, local people should use their natural resources to meet their basic needs requirements in life, but this should be undertaken in sustainable ways that do not deplete or pollute the environment (T. N. Gladwin, Kennelly, & Krause, 1995). Institutional sustainability, on the other hand, is also advocated by the SL approach, through well defined laws, the involvement of local people in policy making, and the involvement of an effective public and private sector, which allows for the continual improvement of poor people within society. This approach, therefore, upholds the importance of not only using the natural resources sustainably but it also advocates for the sustainability of institutions that govern them, for example, government or traditional rules and regulations (Farrington et al., 1999).

Empowering

The fourth principle (under the category of normative principles) is the notion of empowerment. In the past, development programmes initiated in rural areas appeared to not give the poor a voice with which to stand up for themselves, following a development intervention. Therefore, the SLA

36 seeks to overcome this constraint by attempting to give the poor a voice and, increased opportunities and wellbeing, after the process of development has taken place (Carney, 2002, p. 13). This enables the poor not to constantly depend on outside assistance but rather be able to solve any problem that may befall them: this approach enables poor people to not always depend on external help.

The second category identified by Toner comprises operational principles. These are principles that make people seriously consider particular issues and what form/steps need to be taken, in regards to issues (Carney, 2002, p. 14). These principles are outlined and briefly discussed below.

Conducted in partnership

The SLA emphasises the importance of the partnership between various participants in development and it acknowledges the importance of bringing together the actors in development. It emphasises the creation of a partnership between the poor, the public sector and the private sector (Hussein, 2002, p. 15). This type of partnership which the SLA advocates, is one based on equality, transparency and common goals between the participating parties (Carney, 2002, p. 15).

Multi-level and Holistic

The SL approach acknowledges that fighting poverty is a vast responsibility and that it can only be successful if approached from all levels: micro and macro-levels. SLA ensures that activities undertaken at the micro-level are reflected in policies at the macro-level and these policies support development initiatives carried out by people at the micro-level (Ashley & Carney, 1999, p. 7). In addition the SLA is also holistic, since it is:

Non-sectoral and applicable across social groups, recognizes multiple influences on people and seeks to understand the relationship between these influences. Furthermore it recognizes multiple actors from private to national ministries,

37 community based organizations to newly emerging decentralized government. More so it acknowledges the multiple livelihoods strategies that people adopt to secure their livelihoods and seeks to achieve multiple livelihoods outcomes to be determined and negotiated by people themselves.

(Farrington et al., 1999, p. 4).

Disaggregated

The SLA recognizes the different livelihoods that exist within various groups of people (Toner, 2003). It acknowledges the importance of understanding how livelihoods strategies vary between disadvantaged groups of people, as well as between men and women. This approach, therefore, notes that stakeholder analysis and gender analysis are important tools that should be considered during the development process (Carney, 2002, p. 15).

Long term and flexible

Lastly, this approach also acknowledges that poverty reduction is a complex endeavour that requires a long term involvement or commitment and that it should be dynamic, in order to respond to the diverse and ever-changing livelihoods of poor people (Hussein, 2002).