Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
grassroots and empowering approach that emphasized the agency of
households over their lives - a factor that Chambers (1997) would
continue to stress in his later works. Although there have been many
versions of the livelihoods framework, a key component has been to
identify access to, and use of, a range of physical, natural, human,
social and financial assets
by individuals, households and communities.
These assets are commonly associated with different types of capital:
human, natural, physical, social and financial
(see Table 3.1.1) - an
approach that has been adopted by the Department for International
Table 3.1.1
Sustainable Rural Livelihoods Framework
Natural Capital
Land and environmental resources
Private and communal property rights in land, pastures,
forests and water
Physical Capital
Note: some asset
frameworks have a
separate category for
infrastructure
Property and goods
Transport
Machines and tools
Domestic animals stocks
Food
Energy
Communications (including ICTs and mobile phone access)
Infrastructure e.g. access to water and sanitation
119
Human Capital
Labour provided by members of household and community
comprising of different genders, generation and age, health
and ability
Education, qualifications and skills
Social Capital
Social resources such as networks, memberships of groups
and support mechanisms
Trust and reciprocity
Diasporic networks - migration
Cultural Capital (shared cultural or religious values; language
and other markers of cultural identity)
Financial Capital
Income
Savings (including jewellery)
Access to credit
Remittances
Pensions
Source
: adapted from Carney (1998)
