19
needs to be carried out by national level organisations. The review should be carried
out with input from both companies and the community. It also should be followed
by targeted capacity-building at the government level, so that government organisations can effectively implement community capacity-building approaches and help
other stakeholders like companies to get actively involved in its implementation.
Stakeholders have faced serious challenges in community capacity-building
implementation due to infrastructure issues. Resource allocation for infrastructure
for community capacity-building as well as stakeholders’ responsibilities in this
domain remains unclear for some parties. Evidence shows that stakeholders are
often unaware of their potential roles and even of their legal responsibilities for
infrastructure provision. It is recommended that communities play an active role in
advising on the allocation of resources. It is equally important that both governments and companies further engage and commit to the delivery of infrastructure
for community capacity-building actions, especially where these have been identified by communities as being of high priority, thereby increasing community opportunities to meaningfully benefit from these initiatives.
2.4 Impact Sustainability: Final Remarks
The strengthening or misuse of capacities or assets might bring either positive or
adverse livelihood opportunities or outcomes for communities. For instance, an
increase in economic activities can foster labour market opportunities. If communities are well equipped in terms of capacities or assets, they can gain valuable benefits resulting in significant livelihood outcomes. These outcomes derive from the
combination of livelihood opportunities and community assets. Therefore, if a community’s capacities match gainful livelihood opportunities, they might be able to
increase income, improve their existing conditions and reduce poverty.
Enhancing community assets will bring positive livelihood outcomes for local
communities. In doing so and following the SLF, it is necessary to identify and use
clear links between livelihood strategies and the community assets they utilise.
Economic diversification was recommended as a combination livelihood strategy.
However, such a strategy needs to be accompanied by labour market opportunities
to enhance other assets, such as employment and income, which will improve the
community’s existing conditions. If Colombian communities (and those adjacent to
mining and exploration projects in Latin America and elsewhere) are well equipped
in terms of assets (education, employment, income, work experience and infrastructure), they are more likely to achieve livelihood outcomes that are sustainable for
the longer term and so reduce poverty across the region.
As the sustainable livelihood framework – a modified version of which was the
governing framework of the research here reported – is widely used across the
developing world, the sustainability recommendations given in this chapter are
likely to help in achieving the aims of SDG 1 No Poverty in other developing
locations and elsewhere.
2 SDG 1 No Poverty
needs to be carried out by national level organisations. The review should be carried
out with input from both companies and the community. It also should be followed
by targeted capacity-building at the government level, so that government organisations can effectively implement community capacity-building approaches and help
other stakeholders like companies to get actively involved in its implementation.
Stakeholders have faced serious challenges in community capacity-building
implementation due to infrastructure issues. Resource allocation for infrastructure
for community capacity-building as well as stakeholders’ responsibilities in this
domain remains unclear for some parties. Evidence shows that stakeholders are
often unaware of their potential roles and even of their legal responsibilities for
infrastructure provision. It is recommended that communities play an active role in
advising on the allocation of resources. It is equally important that both governments and companies further engage and commit to the delivery of infrastructure
for community capacity-building actions, especially where these have been identified by communities as being of high priority, thereby increasing community opportunities to meaningfully benefit from these initiatives.
2.4 Impact Sustainability: Final Remarks
The strengthening or misuse of capacities or assets might bring either positive or
adverse livelihood opportunities or outcomes for communities. For instance, an
increase in economic activities can foster labour market opportunities. If communities are well equipped in terms of capacities or assets, they can gain valuable benefits resulting in significant livelihood outcomes. These outcomes derive from the
combination of livelihood opportunities and community assets. Therefore, if a community’s capacities match gainful livelihood opportunities, they might be able to
increase income, improve their existing conditions and reduce poverty.
Enhancing community assets will bring positive livelihood outcomes for local
communities. In doing so and following the SLF, it is necessary to identify and use
clear links between livelihood strategies and the community assets they utilise.
Economic diversification was recommended as a combination livelihood strategy.
However, such a strategy needs to be accompanied by labour market opportunities
to enhance other assets, such as employment and income, which will improve the
community’s existing conditions. If Colombian communities (and those adjacent to
mining and exploration projects in Latin America and elsewhere) are well equipped
in terms of assets (education, employment, income, work experience and infrastructure), they are more likely to achieve livelihood outcomes that are sustainable for
the longer term and so reduce poverty across the region.
As the sustainable livelihood framework – a modified version of which was the
governing framework of the research here reported – is widely used across the
developing world, the sustainability recommendations given in this chapter are
likely to help in achieving the aims of SDG 1 No Poverty in other developing
locations and elsewhere.
2 SDG 1 No Poverty