What do you mean by 'Goodbye to Projects?'?
The reasoning behind the title can be found in the 'principles' of sustainable livelihoods approaches which point to the importance of macro-micro linkages and working in partnership and so on. This project set out to establish if the adoption of such principles engenders a radical change in project management practice.

However, between the conception of this research and the present time a wider debate has emerged which questions the continued existence of donor-led projects as levels of funding for sector approaches and direct budget support increase.

Essentially this project remains about exploring the major implications of adopting a sustainable livelihoods approach, but we also recognise that our study forces us to examine the broader strategies and contexts in which specific interventions operate. Thus our case studies will allow us to consider some current questions about the most effective format for development interventions.

What methodology is being used?
'Goodbye to Projects?' is putting together a number of case studies, using semi-structured interviewing and documentation, in order to analyse how they accord with sustainable livelihoods principles. The interventions studied are not necessarily specifically SL-based , but have been chosen in order to enable specific comparisons to be made, such as between a two participatory planning projects, one of which was explicitly designed using SL principles.
Our case studies encompass the range of interventions from small NGO projects to sectoral government programmes and strategies.

When are the findings available?
We are currently in the final stages of data collection and the preparation of individual case study analysis in terms of sustainable livelihoods approaches. At our next project meeting in December we will start a larger process of comparative analysis that will draw out useful lessons for those engaged in the policy and practice of development.

In the early part of 2003, we begin a series of workshops in Tanzania, South Africa and Uganda to discuss our findings and inform policy and practioner focussed outputs.

In addition, academic outputs concerning the basis and practice of SLAs will be produced by all partners. Early work was presented at our recent workshop 'Supporting Livelihoods, Evolving Institutions' and can be found at www.brad.ac.uk/acad/dppc/GTP/slworkshoppapers.html