 |
The
Sustainable Livelihoods approach is useful in a variety of
ways. It forces a people-centred approach to development.
It also usefully reminds us that there are at least five different
dimensions of poverty. These are reflected in the levels of
five different types of assets which people possess. The pentagon
of assets can be used to show schematically the variation
in people's access to assets. The eradication of poverty is
unlikely to occur by the gradual simultaneous linear increase
in all five capital assets. More likely, there will be a series
of events which induce step-wise increases or decreases in,
or exchanges between, different assets. The key is to identify
which combination of steps is appropriate for which group
of people at which time. Which trajectories are most likely
to lead to poverty eradication?
DFID has stated that, "at a generic level there is no suggestion
that we can - or should - quantify all assets, let alone develop
some kind of common currency that allows direct comparison
between assets" (DFID, 1999). Therein lies the problem. While
it may not be possible to develop a quantitative common currency
for all assets, without some means for direct comparative
measurement between assets the SL approach becomes entirely
inoperable.
The attached article explores concrete options for comparative
valuation methods for the five capital assets that could rescue
the approach.
Duncan MacQueen (NRIL)
Read the article: Word
|
