The Poverty of Development: Problems and Possibilities

Abstract

This paper sets out with the premise that many current development policies are indeed impoverished because they often fail to recognise or value the issues of culture, context, and choice, in the process of planning and implementation. Development policies conducted in a top-down ethnocentric manner do not accommodate local knowledge and hence overlook communities or individuals as innovators. This in turn has negative repercussions on the achievement of sustainability and the future independence of donor-initiated projects. Only when there is mutual understanding, tolerance, and respect for diversity in cultures and the living contexts of people involved in the design and implementation of development programmes, can they truly succeed. This paper comprises a synthesis of specific problems encountered and the possible solutions and alternatives offered. Inputs from the SPAFA- IDP International Conference on Issues of Culture, Context, and Choice in Development, held 28-30 November 2002, are utilised to present a global (and not just personal) perspective on the topic.