Does Sustainable Livelihood Approach Contribute to Effective Poverty Reduction in Sri Lanka?

Abstract

Poverty is the inability to access and satisfy one’s basic needs because one lacks income, well-infrastructures, literacy and many other factors. For many centuries, Sri Lankan rural people are suffering from poverty. Since many years ago, there cannot be seen an effective poverty reduction program was conducted in Sri Lanka. Most notably, the lack of research on poverty reduction in Sri Lanka has led to create a gap in literature. The concept of Sustainable Livelihood (SL) is an attempt to go beyond the traditional definitions and approaches to poverty eradication. SL approach is designed to directly address the vulnerables in remote areas. Through this approach it will encourage the market access, infrastructure development, financial assistance and many more services to remove poverty from vulnarables. But it seems to be that there are some failures or hindrances when the approach get in to practice. It is now recognized that more attention must be paid to the various factors and processes which either constrain or enhance poor people’s ability to make their living in an economically, ecologically, and socially sustainable manner. This paper was designed to recognize the contribution of the Sustainable Livelihood approach to poverty reduction. The research was employed in Southern province covering three Districts, Matara, Galle and Hambanthota in Sri Lanka. It was used a survey method to conduct the research using structured questionnaire. Data was collected from the beneficiaries who were benefitted from any type of SL program, in Southern province, Sri Lanka. The research paper concluded the critical discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the Sustainable Livelihood approach to poverty reduction. Finally the findings will encourage the government, policy makers and related decision making institutions, introducing most applicable livelihood policies to eradicate poverty from Sri Lanka.