livelihoods

Livelihoods refer to the means by which people obtain the resources necessary to maintain living standards and meet basic needs. A livelihood includes not only income but also access to assets, capabilities, and activities that enable individuals and households to secure food, shelter, health, education, and resilience to shocks. Livelihoods are shaped by geography, climate, culture, governance, and markets, and they vary across urban and rural contexts.

Asset categories commonly used in livelihood analysis include five capitals: human capital (skills, health, knowledge), social capital (networks, institutions), natural capital (land, water, ecosystems), physical capital (infrastructure, tools), and financial capital (savings, credit). Access to these assets is mediated by factors such as gender, age, class, and policy environments, which can create advantages or constraints for different groups.

One influential framework is the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA), which emphasizes building resilient livelihoods by combining assets and activities and by managing vulnerability, shocks, and trends. SLA looks at the vulnerability context, livelihood strategies, and the institutions, policies, and processes that shape access to assets.

Livelihood strategies vary by context: in rural areas, agriculture, fishing, forestry, and livestock are common and are often supplemented by off-farm work or remittances; in urban areas, wage employment, self-employment, and informal sector activities predominate. Diversification is a common strategy to spread risk and enhance stability.

Policy and development work use livelihood analysis to design interventions that protect and enhance assets, reduce vulnerability, and improve food security and poverty outcomes. Indicators include income sources, asset ownership, consumption, employment, and resilience to shocks.