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In the past few
years a lot of research on rural livelihood systems and possible
interventions by development organisations was done. Development
agencies such as DFID, UNDP, ODI, CARE, AME, HIVOS, Oxfam
and many others all developed their own methods and approaches
in designing livelihood interventions. Some of them are summarized
here, in order to put the RLS tool, the Nine Square mandala,
in relation to them.
A
Selection of livelihoods Definitions
A Gujarati farmer
(RLS research, Högger et al 2000) :
Livelihoods is "Ghar Chalava"
(to keep the household going)
NADEL,
Switzerland (Högger 2000)
Livelihoods are a multidimensional
whole embracing all forces and constraints, material and non-material
in nature, that determines a families' existence.
BASIX,
India
Livelihoods are ways of keeping oneself
meaningfully occupied by using one's endowments (human and
material) to generate adequate resources to meet the requirements
of the household in a sustainable manner. (www.basixindia.com)
DFID
(UK Department for International Development) / CARE / Oxfam
A livelihood comprises the capabilities,
assets (stores, resources, claims and access) and activities
required for a means of living: a livelihood is sustainable
which can cope with and recover from stress and shocks, maintain
or enhance its capabilities and assets, and provide sustainable
livelihood opportunities for the next generation; and which
contributes net benefits to other livelihoods at the local
and global levels and in the long and short term.
(Chambers, R. and Conway, G. in Sustainable rural livelihoods:
Practical concepts for the 21 st century, IDS Discussion Paper
296 (1992)
Institute
for Development Studies (IDS) (Ian Scoones, recently adapted
Chambers definition):
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, maintain or enhance its capabilities and assets,
while not undermining the natural resource base.
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A livelihood
intervention (= livelihood promotion) is a conscious
effort by an agency or an organisation to promote and
support livelihood opportunities, usually for a large
number of people.
But as Katticaren
(see ref.) states:
Livelihood intervention is more than income enhancement.
It is about increasing economic power of the people.
It is facilitating asset creation, capacity building,
and access to opportunities. It is building securities.
It is confidence to venture into new areas/take risks
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