Using Sustainable Livelihood Framework for Assessing the Natural Capital Assets

The sustainable livelihood framework is a tool that can be used to assess the natural capital assets of a community. This framework is based on the idea that a sustainable livelihood is one that is able to meet the basic needs of a community, while also being resilient to shocks and stresses, and able to adapt to change.

The sustainable livelihood framework consists of five key elements:

Livelihood assets: These are the resources that a community has access to, such as land, water, and natural resources.

Livelihood strategies: These are the ways in which a community uses their assets to make a living, such as farming or fishing.

Livelihood outcomes: These are the results of the community's livelihood strategies, such as food security or income.

Vulnerability context: This includes factors that can make a community more vulnerable to shocks and stresses, such as climate change or economic downturns.

External factors: These are factors outside of the community's control that can affect their livelihoods, such as government policies or global market trends.

When using the sustainable livelihood framework to assess the natural capital assets of a community, it is important to consider all of these elements. For example, a community may have access to a large amount of land and water, but if they do not have the necessary skills or technology to utilize these resources, their livelihood outcomes may be poor. On the other hand, a community with less land and water may be able to use these resources more efficiently, resulting in better livelihood outcomes.

Additionally, it is important to consider the vulnerability context and external factors. For example, a community may be highly dependent on a particular natural resource, such as a fish stock, but if that resource is being over-exploited, the community's livelihoods may be at risk.

By using the sustainable livelihood framework to assess the natural capital assets of a community, it is possible to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different livelihood strategies and to identify potential areas for improvement. This can help to ensure that the community's livelihoods are sustainable in the long-term, and can help to build resilience to shocks and stresses.

In conclusion, the sustainable livelihood framework provides a useful tool for assessing the natural capital assets of a community. It takes into account the community's access to natural resources, how they use those resources, the results of their efforts, the context of vulnerability and the external factors that can affect their livelihoods. It offers a holistic approach to help identify the strengths and weaknesses of different livelihood strategies, and to identify potential areas for improvement, to ensure sustainable livelihoods for the community in the long-term.

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