Sustainable Rural Development ─ Sustainable Livelihoods and the Community Capitals Framework

This book brings together several systems-level approaches to the consideration of the interaction of livelihood choices, natural resource management and participatory action research on sustainable development. By focusing on these approaches to community change, the volume hopes to encourage readers to consider how they might adopt methods such as Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA), Community Capitals Framework (CCF) and Participatory Action Research (PAR) in their own research, practice and teaching. Thus, this volume will engage readers in reflection about the importance of systems-level approaches that address poverty from the perspective of the poor, natural resource management that maintains the resource for future generations, and the engagement of local people in designing and implementing, and thus owning, strategies that address equity as well as economic security and the environment.

This book was originally published as a special issue of Community Development.

Mary Emery focuses on rural and community development including using the Community Capitals Framework (CCF) in evaluation, research on community change, and program planning. She coordinates the Great Plains IDEA transdisciplinary multi-university distance degree in Community Development and is Department Head for Sociology and Rural Studies South Dakota State University.

Isabel Gutierrez-Montes is a Colombian Biologist, MSc. in natural resources and Ph.D. in Rural Sociology, who works in Mesoamerica using the CCF as a diagnostic and planning tool in landscape management, assessment of vulnerability, implementation of farmer field schools, and socio-environmental educational programs. Currently, she is the leader of the Mesoamerican Agroenvironmental Program, and Coordinator of the Masters of Development Program at CATIE, Costa Rica.

Edith Fernandez-Baca is a Peruvian DVM with a Ph.D. in Rural Sociology. Her focus is on using CCF in social and ecosystem adaptation to climate change, PAR, gender and inclusion in Andes Countries. Currently, she is the National Coordinator for Peru of the Mountain Ecosystems Based Adaptation Program at UNDP.