Centre of Sustainable Livelihoods

Using Research as a Poverty Reduction Tool

The Centre of Sustainable Livelihoods is a postgraduate research centre of the Vaal University of Technology Research hub, with the focus on using research as a tool to reduce poverty, household food insecurity and malnutrition in Africa. In recent years, we have focused on poverty, malnutrition and household food insecurity in rural, peri-urban and urban communities in the Vaal region, Qwa-Qwa, Eastern Cape, Soshanguve, Hammanskraal and various African countries. The close relationship that the Centre of Sustainable Livelihoods has with these communities has helped us to create a relevant research programme with a high level of implementation. This has led to the malnutrition.

These initiatives have enjoyed high-level financial support from the National Research Foundation since 2000. Thanks to the South African Netherlands Partnership in Alternative Research in Development, there has also been a number of nutrition education and household food production programmes aimed at supplementing the above-mentioned initiatives since 2007. Other funding agencies include the CSIR, Nestle, the Oilseeds Advisory Committee, United States Potato Board and the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health. All the research undertaken by the Centre of Sustainable Livelihoods should result in significant scientific impact through publications in accredited and other peer-reviewed scientific journals and postgraduate qualifications. It should also have sustainable effects on the development of low-income urban and rural communities.

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