In this paper, we argue that the appropriate strategy for sustainable development depends greatly upon the pathways of development that are feasible in a given location. Based on a typology of situations in the East African highlands using these variables, we develop hypotheses about the potential pathways of development in different situations, and the policy and institutional requisites to achieve sustainable development of such pathways. We also argue that the choice of development pathway largely conditions the opportunities for particular resource management technologies, and develop hypotheses about the technological strategies that may be feasible within particular development pathways. We conclude the paper with hypotheses about the priorities for policy intervention to achieve sustainable development in the East African highlands. We emphasize that these are only hypotheses, and that policy research is needed to assess their validity in different contexts of the East African highlands.
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