Natural Resources and Local Livelihoods in the Great Lakes Region of Africa

By: An Ansoms and Stefaan Marysse

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Synopsis: Fragile but progressive post-conflict reconstruction has allowed for a new growth-oriented logic in the Great Lakes Region of Africa. However, the opportunities provided by economic development are not being equally distributed. A struggle exists between large-scale and local small-scale actors that is particularly prevalent in the rural environment, where the increasingly prevalent scramble for natural resources impacts heavily upon local livelihoods. This is occurring both in the agricultural sector and in the mineral sector. This book analyses the opportunities and constraints for local actors' participation in economic growth. The book first looks into the contemporary challenges with regard to land relations and local livelihoods in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Burundi and Rwanda. It then goes on to consider the ambiguities that characterise the relationship between mining and development in the DRC. This book is essential reading for students, researchers and policy makers workingon rural development in Africa and those interested in understanding post-conflict reconstruction and the way in which local level dynamics relate to the broader political economy. "