What Is Sustainable Livelihood?

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Let us have a look at the definition of livelihood and its sustainability. Livelihood is defined as "A livelihood comprises the capabilities, assets (including both material and social resources) and activities required for a means of living." (Source: Chambers, Conway, December 1992) Capabilities of the household to address the needs to be fulfilled to live the dignified life can be enhanced by ensuring sustainable livelihood. Sustainable livelihood can be defined as follows – “A livelihood is sustainable which can cope with and recover from stress and shocks, maintain or enhance capabilities or assets, and provide sustainable livelihood opportunities for next generation”. (Source: Chambers, Conway, December 1992) …show more content…

The Panel elaborated this as “sustainable livelihood security” in the opening pages of its report Food 2000 (WCED 1987a). The Commission itself, in its report, Our Common Future (WCED 1987b), began with older thinking and language with “jobs” (e.g. pages 43, 49), but shifted substantially to the use of “livelihood”. It speaks of “securing the livelihoods of the rural poor” (p.130), maintaining and even enhancing agricultural productivity and “the livelihoods of all rural dwellers” (p.133), and “securing the livelihoods of the rural poor” (p.130). It uses the expressions “adequate livelihood”, “livelihood opportunities”, and “livelihood security” (ibid p.40 and p.129; p.54 and p.142; and p.118 and p.129 respectively). Agriculture “lacks policies to ensure that food is produced where it is needed and in a manner that sustains the livelihoods of the rural poor” (p.118). Sustainable livelihoods are mentioned twice: “Shifting production to food-deficit countries and to the resource-poor farmers within those countries is a way of securing sustainable livelihoods" (p.129) and “Providing sustainable livelihoods for resource-poor farmers presents a special challenge for agricultural research” (p.138

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