The Sustainable Livelihoods Framework

The Sustainable Livelihoods Framework
  
The Sustainable Livelihoods Framework:-

•It’s ONE WAY of “organising” the complex issues surrounding POVERTY

•It’s NOT the ONLY WAY

•It needs to be:

o  Modified

o Adapted

o Made appropriate to local circumstances

o Made appropriate to local priorities

 Livelihood - Definitions:-

The definition used by Department of Foreign and International 

Development (DFID)

incorporates these sentiments

—'A livelihood comprises the capabilities, assets (including both material and social resources) and activities 

required for a means of living. A livelihood is sustainable 

when it can cope with and recover from stresses and 

shocks and maintain or enhance its capabilities and 

assets both now and in the future, while not 

undermining the natural resource base' (Chambers, R. and 

G. Conway, 1992).

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) differentiates between a job

and a livelihood, which are often used interchangeably.

—Jobs
"A job connotes one particular activity or trade that is 

performed in exchange for payment. It is also a formal 

agreement, as manifested by a contract, between an 

employer and employee...... . A job can, however, 

comprise part of an overall livelihood, but does so only to 

complement other aspects of a livelihood portfolio.

—Livelihoods
"A livelihood, on the other hand, is engagement in a 

number of activities which, at times, neither require a 

formal agreement nor are limited to a particular trade. 

Livelihoods may or may not involve money. Jobs invariably 

do. Livelihoods are self-directing. ....

— Livelihoods are based on income derived from "jobs", but also on incomes derived from assets and entitlements. "

"a means of living or of supporting life and meeting individual and community needs"

Principles:-

—People-centred:- beginning by understanding peoples’ priorities and livelihood strategies.

— Responsive and participatory:- responding to the expressed priorities of poor people.

—Multi-level:- ensuring micro-level realities inform macro-level institutions and processes.

—Conducted in partnership:- working with public, private and civil society actors.

—Sustainable:- environmentally, economically, institutionally, and socially.

—Dynamic:- ensuring support is flexible and process-oriented, responding to changing livelihoods.

—Holistic:- reflecting the integrated nature of people’s lives and diverse strategies.

—Building on strengths:- while addressing vulnerabilities.

Livelihoods Assets

 Human Capital

 Health, Nutrition, Education, Knowledge and skills Capacity to work & Capacity to adapt

Social Capital

Networks and connections

Patronage Neighbourhoods kinship

Relations of trust and mutual support

Formal and informal roups

Common rules and sanctions

Collective representation

Mechanisms for participation in decision-making

Leadership

Physical Capital

Infrastructure - transport - roads, vehicles, etc.

secure shelter & buildings water supply & sanitation

Energy communications

Tools and techology - tools and equipment for production seed, fertiliser, pesticides traditional technology

Natural Capital

Land and produce

Water & aquatic resources

Trees and forest products

Wildlife

Wild foods & fibres

Biodiversity

Environmental services

Financial Capital

Savings Credit/debt

formal, informal, NGOs

Remittances -Pensions -Wages these all sources of livelihood assets

The Asset Mix

Different households with different access to livelihood “assets/capital”

•Livelihoods affected by:

o diversity of assets

o amount of assets

o balance between assets

The asset mix of a  

Landless female agricultural labourer

 

Human capital

• labour capacity

• no education

• limited skills

Natural capital

• landless

• access to common property resources

Financial capital

• low wages

• no access to credit

Physical capital

• poor water supply

• poor housing

• poor communications

Social capital

• low social status

• descrimination against women

• strong links with family & friends

• traditions of reciprocal exchange

= an extremely reduced “livelihood

  pentagon”

 

“Vulnerability” Context

          

 

  

Understanding vulnerability

—Moser characterizes vulnerability as insecurity in the well being of individuals, households or communities in the face of a changing environment

◦Because people move in and out of poverty the concept of vulnerability better captures processes of change that poverty line measures

—Understanding vulnerability

—Chambers observes that vulnerability has two sides

◦An external side of risks, shocks and stress

◦An internal side of defenselessness due to lack of means to cope with damaging loss

Policies, Institutions & Processes

•Policies      

•of government

•of different LEVELS of government

•of NGOs

•of interational bodies

•of government

•of different LEVELS of government

•of NGOs

•of interational bodies

  

•Institutions 

•political, legislative & representative bodies

•executive agencies

•judicial bodies

•civil society & membership organisations

•NGOs

•law, money

•political parties

•commercial enterprises & corporations 

•Processes

•the “rules of the game”

•decision-making processes

•social norms & customs

•gender, caste, class

•language

 

 

  

Livelihood Strategie.s
 

What do people do?

 

—Combining:

 the assets they can access

Taking account of:

 

the vulnerability context

Supported or obstructed by:

 

policies, institutions and 

processes.

 

                           ………..………..leading to

•

Natural-resource based. Non-NR / off-farm activities. 

Migration /

remittances. Pensions and grants. Intensification vs. diversification. Short-

term vs. long-term.

 

Livelihood Outcomes
 

What are people seeking to achieve?

 

Poverty  - a “poor” livelihood outcome:

qbased on a fragile or unbalanced set of 

livelihood assets

qunable to sustain to shocks, changes or trends

qnot supported, or actively obstructed by 

policies, institutions and processes that  

do not allow assets to be used as they 

might

qlivehood options combined in a “bad” or unsustainable strategy

Livelihood Outcomes.What are people seeking to achieve?

—More sustainable use of the NR base

—More income

—Increased well-being

—Protect rights

—Recover dignity

—Reduced vulnerability

—Improved food security