Sustainable Livelihoods Approach
Annex 2: Application of the Sustainable Livelihoods Principles
There are six sustainable livelihood principles:
People centred
- Ensure that the needs and priorities of the poor are central and primary.
- Take into account differences among ‘the poor’, including those that are based on sex, age and ethnicity.
- Involve stakeholders from different organisations, government, NGOs and communities, to ensure that poor people’s livelihood perspectives are represented.
Holistic
- Look beyond single sector development programmes and projects.
- Involve agency staff and development partners from different disciplines, as well as primary stakeholders, to broaden the range of perspectives.
- Make linkages between different development programme and project plans.
Dynamic
- Be aware that livelihoods change over time (seasonal and longer term).
- Adopt a process approach, with effective feedback and monitoring procedures.
- Accept that the development programme and project environment is likely to change over time.
- Establish a process for reviewing and re-negotiating programme and project objectives and processes at stages during the life-span of the intervention.
Building on strengths
- Do not analyse and plan around problems only, but also focus on strengths.
- Use strengths, including good relationships, as a starting point for planning and build upon them.
Macro-micro links
- Recognise the impact of policy and institutional context on livelihoods.
- Make links between micro reality and macro level influences.
- Involve stakeholders from a range of levels (macro, meso and micro), giving equal voice to all.
Sustainable
- Ensure activities are sustainable in long term (including economic, environmental, social and institutional sustainability).
- Keep exit strategies in mind, and ensure transfer of skills and responsibilities.