Is sustainable development or social capital essential for Africa's socioeconomic transformation? Despite widespread preaching of sustainable development by institutions like the United Nations and NGOs, tangible progress has been lacking, akin to an overdue pregnancy—quantitative rather than qualitative. Is Africa still in need of this gospel or what it requires now not just sustainable development but robust social capital to achieve lasting socioeconomic transformation. My thinking. What is yours.
Caution is needed in using the term and ideas within social capital due to the significant critiques of it. Many scientists prefer to avoid the phrase, instead re-framing the apposite ideas to be more grounded, useful, and useable:
1. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2698596
2. https://doi.org/10.1111/etap.12016
3. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032329296024001005
4. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654314532696
5. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijmr.12085
6. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0143814X99000215
7. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyh179
8. https://doi.org/10.2190/6U6R-LTVN-FHU6-KCNU
If useful, our more comprehensive agendas for achieving sustainability:
1. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8959-2_2
2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imic.2015.04.001
3. https://doi.org/10.1108/DPM-02-2017-0043
Ewoton Newton Arumah , generally, I think that your perspective raises an important question about the effectiveness of sustainable development initiatives in Africa and whether a focus on social capital might be more beneficial for achieving lasting socioeconomic transformation. While sustainable development is undoubtedly crucial for addressing environmental and economic challenges, the emphasis on social capital recognizes the significance of community relationships, trust, and cooperation in driving positive change.
In many African contexts, social capital plays a pivotal role in fostering resilience, innovation, and collective action. Strong social networks and community cohesion can enable communities to address pressing issues such as poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation more effectively. Additionally, investing in social capital can lead to greater inclusivity, empowerment, and social justice, which are essential elements of sustainable development.
However, it's essential to recognize that sustainable development and social capital are not mutually exclusive but rather complementary. Both concepts contribute to building resilient and prosperous societies. Therefore, I think that instead of viewing them as competing priorities, it may be more beneficial to integrate approaches that leverage the strengths of both sustainable development and social capital to drive meaningful socioeconomic transformation in Africa.
A sustainable community is one where the people can meet their needs using their time and skills, and the energy, resources, and ecological funtions of the land that they are co-stewards of, in perpetuity. All forms of ‘sustainable’ require the community context. Acheiving sustainable development does not automatically lead to a sustainable community. I would suggest the whole world eequires sustainabilty, rather than sustainable development.