Livelihoods

Fisherman with his family in coracles in the backwaters of Kochi, Kerala Flickr Koshyk http://www.flickr.com/photos/kkoshy/2628555058/Understanding how poor people in low-income countries make a living is not straightforward. Poor households often combine a range of strategies to get by. Labouring or agricultural activities may be combined with migration, the sale of goods or services, trading, or gathering accessible resources. Such strategies can straddle rural and urban spheres, involve different household members, be affected by conflict or crisis and impact on the livelihoods of others in the community.

Livelihoods research can bring numerous benefits to policy and practice. For example, it can provide vital data for policy instruments that directly support the livelihoods of the poor – such as social protection measures or livelihood protection as part of humanitarian response. It requires substantial primary research at both micro and macro- level, a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, and the use of appropriate conceptual frameworks.  

ODI has been closely involved in the development of livelihoods approaches over the last decade, linking together work on a number of themes including humanitarian response, conflict and security, forests, tourism, agriculture, food, health, migration, social protection and urban issues.

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