Research, part of a Special Feature on Resilience and Vulnerability of Arid and Semi-Arid Social Ecological Systems Resilient or Vulnerable Livelihoods? Assessing Livelihood Dynamics and…

By S. Sallu, Chasca Twyman, Lindsay C. Stringer. 2010

261 citations recorded by the source corpus.

In this paper, we explore the resilience and vulnerability of livelihoods within two different social-ecological dryland contexts of Botswana over the last 30 years. We drew on primary field data sources, including oral histories, livelihood surveys, ecological surveys, as well as documented evidence of environmental, socioeconomic, and institutional dynamics to identify a broad range of activities that combine to create a range of different household livelihood outcomes. We used this information as a starting point to assess the ways in which livelihoods have changed over time, and evaluated whether they have become more resilient or more vulnerable, and considered the factors that have contributed to these outcomes. In the context of dynamic dryland social-ecological systems, we applied a livelihood trajectory approach to explore the shocks and stresses that affect livelihoods and to elucidate the characteristics of livelihood strategies that contribute to increased resilience or vulnerability. We used a vulnerability framework as a means of framing discussion about vulnerability and resilience and as a means of identifying broader insights. The research identified "accumulator", "diversifier", and "dependent" households and the ways in which they move between these categories. More resilient livelihood trajectories can be achieved if the important role of formal and informal institutions is recognized.

Subfields: Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, General Agricultural and Biological Sciences, Soil Science

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/d7d7de64e41bb3b553d135b1f099f2e1f21ebdfa

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

1. A. Dougill
2. P. Antwi‐Agyei
3. Lindsay C. Stringer
4. Christopher B. Barrett
5. Evan D. G. Fraser
6. E. Simelton

In General Agricultural and Biological Sciences

1. A. Dougill
2. Evan D. G. Fraser
3. P. Antwi‐Agyei
4. Lindsay C. Stringer
5. John Hoddinott
6. Christopher B. Barrett
7. Claire H. Quinn
8. E. Simelton

In Soil Science

1. Christopher B. Barrett
2. John Hoddinott
3. A. Dougill
4. J. Upton
5. Kate Ghezzi-Kopel
6. Tong Wu
7. N. Homami
8. E. Tennant

Citations in the corpus

• Characterising the nature of household vulnerability to climate variability: empirical evidence from two regions of Ghana (2013, methodology): “Building on previous research on livelihood diversification (e.g. Chambers and Conway 1992; Ellis 1998; Barrett et al. 2001; Paavola 2008; Sallu et al. 2010), these results provide additional evidence to show how rural households in vulnerable communities employ a range of nonfarm livelihood…”
• Is rainfall really changing? Farmers’ perceptions, meteorological data, and policy implications (2013, background): “Here, the poorest households expected to receive drought relief, while the wealthier households invested in livestock for economic safeguarding (see also Sallu et al., 2010).”
• A scoping review of the development resilience literature: Theory, methods and evidence (2021, methodology): “…indicate that well-adapted livelihoods can contribute to development resilience, but emphasize that these associations are complex and contextual (Ahmed et al. 2016; Bateman et al. 2016; Nuorteva et al. 2010; Cottyn 2018; Duncan et al. 2017; Goulden et al. 2013; Sallu et al. 2010; Tawodzera 2012).”