Assessing India's peri-urban needs
Although it is quite well-known that urbanisation significantly contributes to land use changes and degradation of natural resources, an impact assessment had not been adequately explored until now. Thus, the PERIURBAN project has sought to identify inner links between socio-economic and environmental processes and to comprehend current institutional mechanisms. Furthermore, pressures placed on natural resources caused by energy and transport were also examined. Geoscientists took a multidisciplinary approach to impact assessment techniques which will be useful to the communities in developing countries. A policy workshop in Delhi, India in September 2005 generated many important findings regarding what peri-urban policy needs to entail. Among these were what should make up the basic elements. Topics included were sustainability, reliance on community based budgeting, flexibility and diversity, a pro poor and gender sensitive element and reliance on participatory methodologies. Also included were policy options for energy in the peri-urban interface. The knowledge obtained has been disseminated in both technical and non-technical formats. As a result, these efforts should make a positive impact on food security, health and overall quality of life, hence leading to the sustainable economic and social and scientific development of India.
