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Use
of Sustainable Livelihoods Approaches
Coral reefs around the world provide the basis of a livelihood for many millions
of poor people. Some rely on the reef as a major component of their livelihoods
all year. Others depend on the reef at critical times. Some use it as a safety
net that enable them to survive when life gets really tough. There are many other
people who are kept out of poverty by their close relationship with the reef,
and without it these people would be much worse off.
Little
research has been done to understand the relationship between poverty and reefs,
but what has been done indicates that the relationship is complex and changing
rapidly. IMM's work on the DFID-funded Reef Livelihoods Assessment Project (Nov
2001 - Nov 2002) has demonstrated the degree of this complexity and has shown
the urgency for appropriate action if the livelihoods of many people are to be
protected and if the vulnerability of many more livelihoods is to be decreased.
In
order to facilitate this process IMM has started a Poverty and Reefs Initiative
(PRI) with the broad approach being to place poor people at the centre of reef
debate.
The Initiative has four aims: -
Understanding
of the issues facing the poor in reef-dependent communities increased -
Awareness of the
relationship between poverty and reefs in rural communities increased globally -
Tools and strategies
for assisting the sustainable development of reef-dependent communities identified/developed
and promoted, and uptake supported - Pro-poor
policy guidance for assisting the sustainable development of reef-dependent communities
developed and promoted, and uptake supported
The
Poverty and Reefs Initiative stemmed form the Reefs Livelihoods Assessment (RLA)
project. The aim of RLA was to use a livelihoods approach to assess the wider,
more qualitative, value of coral reefs to vulnerable coastal communities. This
knowledge is intended to contribute to informing DFID’s future policy on
support for reefs and coastal communities as a strategy for poverty eradication.
It is also hoped that the work will contribute to wider global policy development
in the area of coral reefs. This
summary is taken from the IMM Ltd web site: www.ex.ac.uk/imm | 
