Do communities hold the key to sustainability?

This is an attempt to investigate and to consolidate the gap between practice and policy. My investigation into community mobilisation focussed on farmer groups and their income generating livelihood activities looking at aspects of sustainability, approaches and knowledge in technical, economical, physical, natural and social resources, through a comparative case study, with emphasis on gender issues and its impacts. To my understanding, the most evident problem is that practice and policy are not linear. There is need to understand why policies face such daunting challenges in the field while implementation or field realities are so far from planning. It can throw more light and bring effectiveness and impact in development intervention and change. My social sciences background demands that this gap be acknowledged and worked upon to make a real difference. Currently, I am constantly confronted with it, but my belief is development practitioners must persevere through dialogue with all actors that these social, often intangible issues are acknowledged. This measure can lead to the success or failure of the much needed interventions to benefit communities long term.