Community-Based Initiatives and Poverty Alleviation in Subsistence Marketplaces

Despite the success of recent poverty alleviation efforts, millions remain entrapped by abject poverty. While many of these efforts have resulted in vastly improved lives for individuals and their close relations, the benefits for the community, as a whole, are less clear. This research draws on Resource-Advantage Theory to investigate the potential of community-based initiatives as a route to poverty alleviation in subsistence marketplaces. In particular, the viability of a collaborative, community-based solution is demonstrated through a case study detailing the outcome of reforestation measures in Mexico and Haiti. The findings suggest that the success of community-based initiatives in poverty alleviation efforts is predicated on combining market-oriented goals and a communal philosophy.