Introduction: livelihoods in crisis: challenges for rural development in Southern Africa

Introduces a journal issue, Livelihoods in Crisis? New Perspectives on Governance and Rural Development in Southern Africa, which explores how various rural development & governance issues related to wild resources, land, & water have worked in practice in Mozambique, South Africa, & Zimbabwe. Here, debates on southern African rural development are reviewed before looking at the nonfarm rural economy & the potential for livelihoods outside the agricultural sector. In this light, the notion of "sustainable livelihoods" is considered. The research program underpinning the contributions is detailed, highlighting the policy framings that emerged. In this light, key arguments from the investigated policy narratives are summarized. A main conclusion is that redistribution is necessary for successful rural development regardless of the policy framing. Contributions are referred to throughout. 60 References. J. Zendejas