Articles authored by Kilby, Patrick

Practical Notes

The measurement of impact is difficult in development work as it entails attributing longterm social, personal, and community change, to relatively small-scale short-term interventions in a community's life. This paper examines the experience of the Australian NGO Oxfam Community Aid Abroad in measuring its impact in two of its operational regions, India and Sri Lanka. The findings highlight the importance both of participation and `downward' accountability mechanisms, and of linking local-level activities within a broad regional, national, and global context.

Articles

This paper makes the case that emergency relief programs to pastoral areas of Africa do little to relieve the fundamental effect of famine, which is destitution. It argues that traditional mechanisms of coping with drought are often disrupted by food aid programs especially Food-For-Work. Three case studies from Sudan and Kenya are used to support the argument. The paper concludes by making policy recommendations for emergency programs to be more effective in meeting the primary need of pastoralists following severe drought, which is to rebuild herds and therefore their livelihoods.