Articles · Vol. 33 No. 2 (2008): Africa Development

Poverty Eradication Dilemma: Understanding Poverty Dynamics in Nebbi District, Uganda

  • Alfred Lakwo
    Alfred Lakwo
    Programme Director, Agency for Accelerated Regional Development, P.O. Box 80, Nebbi, Uganda; Visiting Lecturer, Institute of Ethics & Development Studies, Uganda Martyrs University, P.O. Box 5498, Kampala, Uganda; e-mail: alakwo@umuac.ug ;and a doctoral candidate at...
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Vol. 33 · 2008 No. 2 Africa Development AD

Abstract

This paper addresses a current methodological gap in poverty measurement, which stems from acknowledging the multi-dimensionality of poverty, on the one hand, and using an income/consumption measurement of poverty as the norm, on the other. The current income-based measure of poverty presents only part of measuring poverty status as a whole. The consumption basket is wrongly taken by those of economic inclination to wholly represent the entire, even non- monetary valued, range of poverty. The paper approaches this dilemma using a participatory and community-driven approach where the subjective views of people are used to define and categorize the poor, contrary to the poverty line approach. Such categorization was based on the perceived wellness of life and what made/denied wellness. A survey follows to explore the quantitative scope of poverty. This participatory, qualitative and quantitative mix of method, it is argued, provides for ascertaining organizational accountability in terms of the relevance of programme targeting and outreach as well as performance measurement over time. The method can also be used to deepen current participatory poverty assessments that simply stop at defining and identifying poverty causes, effects and solutions.

 

Keywords

poverty Agency for Accelerated Regional Development (AFARD) Nebbi District Uganda

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Author Biography

  • Alfred Lakwo

    Programme Director, Agency for Accelerated Regional Development, P.O. Box 80, Nebbi, Uganda; Visiting Lecturer, Institute of Ethics & Development Studies, Uganda Martyrs University, P.O. Box 5498, Kampala, Uganda; e-mail: alakwo@umuac.ug ;and a doctoral candidate at Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

References

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  11. MoFPED, 2001, Uganda Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper Progress Report 2001: Summary of Poverty Status Report. Kampala: MoFPED (8 February).
  12. MoFPED, 2002, Second Participatory Poverty Assessment Report: Deepening the understanding of poverty. Kampala (December).
  13. MoFPED, 2004, Poverty Eradication Action Plan, 2004/05–2007/08. Kampala. MoFPED, 2005, Poverty Status Report, 2005: Progress in implementing PEAP. Kampala.
  14. MoFPED, n.d., Uganda Poverty Status Report, 2003: Achievements and pointers for the PEAP Revision. Kampala.
  15. Nebbi District Local Government, 2002, Participatory Poverty Assessment for (i) Parombo Sub-county; (ii) Pakwach Town Council; (iii) Nebbi Town Council; and (iv) Zeu Sub-county. CEFORD.
  16. Scott, J., 1998, Seeing Like a State: Why certain schemes to improve the human condition have failed. New Haven: Yale University Press.
  17. UNDP, 1997, The Human Development Report: Human Development to Eradicate Poverty. New York: Oxford University Press
  18. World Bank, 2000, World Development Report 2000/01: Attacking Poverty. New York: Oxford University Press.

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Vol. 33 No. 2 (2008): Africa Development →