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Livelihoods and Rural Poverty Reduction in Kenya
Author(s) -
Freeman H.,
Ellis F.,
Allison E.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
development policy review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.671
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1467-7679
pISSN - 0950-6764
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-7679.2004.00243.x
Subject(s) - livelihood , poverty reduction , poverty , economic growth , government (linguistics) , corporate governance , development economics , public service , business , socioeconomics , political science , economics , geography , public administration , agriculture , finance , linguistics , philosophy , archaeology
This article describes research linking micro‐level outcomes to macro‐level strategies with respect to rural poverty reduction in Kenya. It is set against a background in which a new government, elected at the end of 2002, is wrestling with how to break away decisively from previously unfavourable norms in the conduct of public life. The research undertaken in ten villages in Suba and Bomet districts in 2001 and 2002 confirms governance problems as having a broadly debilitating effect on rural livelihoods. Rolling back this pattern of public service behaviour needs to be made a priority; otherwise national goals to improve education, health and the transport infrastructure will reap significantly lower gains than are potentially possible.