Livelihoods represent the fundamental relationship between the people in the Kunene River basin and its biophysical resources. They are the primary activities that the basin people engage in to obtain the income, food, water, shelter, clothing and other materials needed to satisfy and sustain the well-being of their families and other members of their social groups.
Livelihood involves any choice for making a living, including capacities, material and social assets, and activities carried out independently or as part of a group effort. Livelihoods usually have to do with resources, such as land, forests, crops, cattle, etc. Specific livelihoods are often embedded in particular cultural traditions and are based on specialised skills, technology and knowledge that are passed down from generation to generation.
The cultivation and transformation of maize secures many livelihoods in the Kunene basin.
Source: Tump 2006
( click to enlarge )
Sustainable Livelihoods
In the face of decades of attempts to promote development, developing countries are turning to a new model to reduce and alleviate poverty without compromising the natural assets of the country. These new methods are collectively termed sustainable livelihoods. A livelihood is sustainable when it can cope with and recover from stresses and shocks while maintaining or enhancing its capabilities and assets and not undermining the natural resource base.
Vulnerability plays a significant role in sustainable livelihoods. If a livelihood of individuals or communities is susceptible to adverse effects of environmental change (such as flood, fire, or declining groundwater levels), it can be seen as vulnerable and therefore less sustainable. (UNEP 2005).
The diagram below outlines a commonly used framework for implementing a sustainable livelihoods approach developed by the UK Department for International Development (DFID 1999).
Framework for implementing the sustainable livelihoods approach.
Source: DFID 1999
( click to enlarge )
