Context of the Sustainable Livelihood Approach

Abstract

All development is done within a wider socio-economic and cultural context, the boundaries of which extend beyond the immediate locality of the project. Cognisance has to be taken of this; otherwise good ideas can end up as bad experiences, damaging the very fabric of the community and society of the beneficiaries. With this in mind, we will provide a brief overview on the socio-economic, historical, religious and political situation in Nigeria, the national context for the case study, with special reference to Igalaland in Kogi State where the SLA was undertaken. The aim is to provide the reader with some of the context for the SLA (including historical context), but in particular to help set out why the organisation facilitating and leading the process felt that the SLA was required.