The politics of land...

...On the wall of the offices of CSRC where I'm currently working. Photocopies of land right certificates that grant ownership to landless farmers.

A small piece of paper that is just the beginning of the journey. The roots of poverty, injustice, exploitation and oppression lie in the unequal distribution of land. However, the acquisition of land rights on its own won't automatically lead to an amelioration of these circumstances. The villages that I have so far visited since working with CSRC mirror much of what is going on throughout rural Nepal. The majority of communities survive primarily through subsistence agriculture, with productivity levels remaining low as a result of limited access to new technologies and resources. Lack of economic opportunity and the recent conflict resulted in many of the most productive members of households migrating, with families becoming increasingly dependent upon remittances sent back by family members working overseas.

The next phase is looking at 'sustainable livelihoods'

More here on my blog if interested. (Along with some photos that illustrate a little of what I'm on about...)