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Summary: We use case studies from Zimbabwe to illustrate the complexities that can undermine development efforts in semi-arid mixed farming areas. Livelihood improvement and micro-catchment management were considered in the context of portfolios of household activities. While technical and institutional interventions may strengthen safety nets, they did not appear to reduce poverty significantly. Managing common-pool resources and implementing the necessary institutional changes involved substantial and unsustainable transaction costs. Effective alleviation of poverty requires integrated, multi-tiered, and long-term interventions that expand economic opportunities and empower people to drive their own development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]