This paper reviews emergency livelihoods assessment approaches in situations of chronic conflict and political instability (SCCPI). Approaches are reviewed using an adapted livelihoods framework and an analysis of what happens to livelihoods in chronic conflict and political instability. It also examines how a livelihoods analysis can add to the identification of appropriate interventions to address protracted risks to livelihoods. The overall aim is to contribute to better understanding of the problems faced by populations in chronic conflict and political instability, and to find ways of protecting livelihoods to more effectively save lives and reduce future vulnerability.
On the basis of themes emerging in current debates on rural development in Latin America, this paper develops an analytical framework for analyzing rural livelihoods in terms of their sustainability and their implications for rural poverty. The framework argues that our analyses of rural livelihoods need to understand them in terms of: (a) people's access to five types of capital assets; (b) the ways in which they combine and transform those assets in the building of livelihoods that as far as possible meet their material and their experiential needs; (c) the ways in which people are able to expand their asset bases through engaging with other actors through relationships governed by the logics of the state, market and civil society; and (d) the ways in which they are able to deploy and enhance their capabilities both to make living more meaningful and to change the dominant rules and relationships governing the ways in which resources are controlled, distributed and transformed in society. Particular attention is paid to the importance of social capital as an asset through which people are able to widen their access to resources and other actors.
USAID's Bureau for Africa organized a workshop on economic strengthening to improve the well-being of orphans and vulnerable children. The workshop brought together a diverse group of specialists with experince and expertise in the areas of economic strengthening and children's programming to determine how appropriate interventions can be developed and implemented on a scale that matches the impact of AIDS.
The report: presents an analysis of vocational training (VT) programming and the actors involved in northern Uganda; offers VT providers concrete recommendations for programming at each stage in the VT cycle, including best practices and lessons learned; and guides VT programs and youth participants through a market-assessment and self-assessment to integrate market information into program design and create links between VT and the private sector.
Assessing the Impact of Agricultural Research on Poverty Using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework
Many studies simplify the linkages between agricultural research and poverty and measure only one or two aspects of those linkages. This approach may miss important aspects of poor people's lives, including the diverse ways in which technology affects their livelihoods. This paper presents an alternative approach that is being employed in a study of the impact of agricultural research on poverty. This study, led by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) on behalf of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research's (CGIAR) Standing Panel on Impact Assessment (SPIA), currently includes five case studies. The common thread in these case studies is the use of the sustainable livelihoods framework as the starting point for the analysis. The framework is more complex than those used in many approaches and calls for interdisciplinary research methods. Experience to date suggests that the approach is not only manageable, but provides important additional insights that would not otherwise be obtained from conventional research approaches.
This paper proposes an extension to the sustainable livelihoods framework by introducing a sixth asset, information capital. Information capital is a critical livelihood asset. Adding information capital as a core asset in the sustainable livelihoods framework promises to improve our understanding of peoples' livelihoods. The paper focuses on the framework area called livelihood assets. It reviews the sustainable livelihood framework particularly the role of capital assets in livelihoods analysis. Information capital is then defined followed by a discussion of why it is important. Finally, case studies drawn from literature and empirical research are cited.
The DFID Sustainable Livelihoods Guidance Sheets summarise and share emerging thinking on the sustainable livelihoods approach. The Guidance Sheets aim to stimulate reflection and learning on the sustainable livelihoods approach and encourage users to make their own contributions to its further development. As the sustainable livelihoods approach evolves, the sheets will be updated.
Livelihoods programming is gaining increasing attention in Northern Uganda as the region transitions from an emergency situation to an early recovery environment. For many youth, vocational training is at the crossroads of livelihoods support, economic recovery, education, and rehabilitation and reintegration. Our report (forthcoming May 2008) will aim to provide program planners with relevant tools and concrete recommendations for incorporating economic planning into vocational training through thoughtful engagement of youth in decision-making about vocational training, market analysis, pre- and post-training market linkages and integration with the private sector.
This paper explores the nature of the violence that characterises complex humanitarian emergencies and the related implications for modelling livelihoods systems. While noting the importance of livelihoods approaches in complex humanitarian emergencies, it deliberates the limitations of sustainable livelihoods frameworks when applied in environments marked by protracted instability. Adaptations to the model are discussed, with a particular focus on the relationships among violence, assets and liabilities within livelihoods systems. Political economy of violence theories intimate that the assets on which livelihoods systems are constructed in peaceful times may instead become life-and livelihood-threatening liabilities in periods of conflict. Adaptations to livelihood systems in violent settings require that analysts consider violence from policy, institutional and process perspectives. It is suggested that vulnerability should be re-conceptualised as endogenous to livelihoods systems in violent settings. Building on the work of others, a livelihoods model adapted for complex humanitarian emergencies is presented.
Some MFIs are finding ways to team up with existing safety net programs in hopes of making themselves at least indirectly useful to the poorest. Some safety net and grant programs are deliberately providing financial training and information to their clients so that their clients can subsequently link with MFIs. In other words, people who benefit from safety net programs may "graduate" to become full-fledged microfinance clients. This Focus Note discusses two basic models of linkages between MFIs and safety net programs.
CGAP Focus Note #34.
Presents an update of the various research projects currently underway in the Feinstein International Center at Tufts University. Includes research on humanitarian assistance, impact assessment, conflict-affected regions, livelihoods, youth, and child protection, among other subjects
The objective of this study is to better inform programming for orphans, children affected by HIV/AIDS, and other vulnerable children. It mapped economic strengthening activities intended to benefit orphans and vulnerable children, and identifies opportunities for improving economic strengthening programming, including: increased funding, sustainable market-driven approaches, greater cooperation and information sharing among economic development specialists and specialists focused on vulnerable children, linking field programs to businesses and other economic strengthening entities, and improving qualitative and quantitative information about child-focused economic strengthening programs.
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