ACE8004: SUSTAINABLE RURAL LIVELIHOODS ANALYSIS

COURSE NOTICES.


Syllabus and Timetable
Assessment
LAST UPDATE:  9th June, 2009

Sustainable Rural Livelihoods is a framework for understanding and promoting development which is fast becoming the 'framework of choice' amongst development professionals, practitioners and researchers.

This module AIMS to:  provide students with a basic understanding of sustainable rural livelihoods concepts, approaches, frameworks and applications.

OBJECTIVES:  By the end of this module, students should be able to:
It is taught by Professor David Harvey of the School of Agriculture,Food and Rural Development (SAFRD).  
MODUS OPERANDI:  We operate this module largely as a Guided Reading course, since the general approach and illustrations of its application are already well documented, especially on the internet. Students are expected to HAVE READ the references supplied for each componant of the material PRIOR TO THE RELEVANT CLASS. The class session will then typically consist of a brief review of the major points and features of  week's material, followed by a class discussion of this material.

In addition, because of the timetables and teaching arrangements for students following, especially, the applied science MScs,  every attempt will be made to restrict formal teaching classes to the Easter (second) term, and we intend to cease formal teaching by the Easter vacation (eight weeks of formal teaching).
References:
Two key texts (available in the Robinson Library, and from which much of these web-based notes are derived) are:
A further general background reference is available on the net : Chambers, R. and Conway, G., 1992, “Sustainable Rural Livelihoods: Practical Concepts for the 21st. century”, IDS discussion paper, No 296
A principle entry point web site for Livelihood material is the Livelihoods Connect page.

Recent Survey and appraisal of Natural Resource related projects: Livelihoods Synthesis Study: Key Determinants of poor peoples' livelihood strategies and natural resources related management opportunities.  Bianca Ambrose-Oji, DFID, Natural Resources Systems Programme (NRSP), July, 2004. "commisioned to synthesise information on key determinants influencing strategies, documenting 18 NRSP projects, encompassing 8 countries spread over three regions (sub-Saharan Africa, Indian sub-continent, Latin America and the Caribbean)."  The link is to the summary (44 pages, pdf file).  The full report (130 pages).

Further reference sites are shown below.
Assessment & Appraisal: One assignment will be set during the course,  which will account for 60% of the final marks for the course. The remaining 40% of the final marks will be attached to a final summative assessment of your understanding of the course material.  The following is the provisional setting of these two assessments, for discussion and agreement with the class during the first two sessions.

Interim Assessment:  due April 18th, 12.00pm, as an electronically submitted Word document (to Professor David Harvey):  Sustainable Rural Livelihoods - an example.
For an example of your choice, explain how the Rural Livelihoods framework can assist in the development process.
This explanation should be limited to 4,000 words (or 10 pages of A4, single spaced, 12 point, whichever is the greatest), not including figures or references.  You should outline the example you choose, and then explain how the framework can be applied to your example.

Final Assessment: due May 19th, 5.00pm, as an electronically submitted Word document (to Professor David Harvey): For an example of your choice, explain how the Rural Livelihoods framework can assist in the development process.
This explanation should be limited to 4,000 words (or 10 pages of A4, single spaced, 12 point, whichever is the greatest), not including figures or references.  You should outline the example you choose, and then explain how the framework can be applied to your example.

As you will see, these two assessments are identical. The intention is that the interim assessment will be marked and returned with comments and criticisms by Friday 2nd May, and that your final submission will take account of these comments and criticisms. The aim is to encourage you to apply the principles of the framework to a real-world example of your own choice, and to develop your understanding through this route, with feedback and guidance from your lecturing staff.
TIMETABLE AND SYLLABUS


Outline Syllabus (subject to revision)
  1. Background - a brief consideration of "development" as the context for sustainable livelihoods. - taken as read and not class material.
  2. The economic framework: Economic Systems and General Equilibrium Concepts (1 week)
  3. The basic concepts of livelihoods, diversification and rural change, and a framework for livelihoods analysis (2 weeks)
  4. Dimensions and Determinants of Diverse Rural Livelihoods (2 weeks)
    1. Poverty and income distributions
    2. Agriculture and farm productivity
    3. Environment and sustainability
    4. Gender and rural livelihoods
  5. Macro policies and reform agendas, and MacroEconomic Principles (section e of Ellis's Dimensions and determinants) 
  6. What goes Wrong? a consideration of some problems with globalisation and international markets. (1 week with 5)
  7. Investigating livelihoods for policy purposes  (links)
"PRA is a family of continuously evolving approaches, methods, values and behaviours which has turned much that is conventional on its head. It seeks to enable local and marginalised people to share, enhance and analyse their knowledge of life and conditions, and to plan, act, monitor and evaluate. In its philosophy, practice and vocabulary it has come to stress:
  1. Case studies Intro. (1 week) John Lingard:  to be pursued without formal lectures during the summer term, in preparation for the summative assessement.  See, especially, "Evaluation of a Livelihoods Approach in Assessing the Introduction of Poverty-Focused Aquaculture into a Large-Scale Irrigation System in Tamil Nadu, India" by Cecile Brugere and John Lingard, 2001.  See also, powerpoint presentation on "Livelihoods analysis, aquaculture and irrigation in India"

[This syllabus (3 - 7) reproduces the major chapter headings of the Frank Ellis text, though not necessarily in the text order]

Potentially useful reference sites:
Forum for the Future ("recognised as the leading sustainable development charity in the UK")
The Carnegie Commission for rural community development (UK)
Livelihoods Connect page (The DfID and IDS Livelihoods front page)
The Development Gateway (an independent not-for-profit organization. It was conceived by World Bank President James Wolfensohn and initially developed in the World Bank. Operations began in July 2001)
United Nations University: World Institute for Development Economics Research (WIDER)
Global Development Network ("The Global Development Network benefits from the support of many organizations and institutes across the world. These include: regional network partners, global partners and donors.")
International Institute for Environment and Development
International Institute for Sustainable Development:  especially, perhaps, their Measurement & Assessment page, which has links to a 1997 book (available as a pdf file) on Assessing Sustainable Development:  Principles into Practice. (the outcome of their Bellagio project).
World Bank:  Capacity Development Resource Centre:  "The Capacity Development Resource Center provides an overview of case studies, lessons learned, "how to" approaches, and good practices pertaining to capacity development. It also includes links to international and local capacity development agencies and other knowledge sources including working papers, recent books, strategy notes, and diagnostics. The empirical examples captured in this website are primarily intended to support World Bank task teams and other development professionals who are working with countries to design and manage capacity development interventions."
UNESCO:  Management of Social Transformations (MOST) Programme: "designed as a research programme to produce reliable and relevant knowledge for policy makers. The original mandate established a strong commitment to the promotion of research that was comparative, international, interdisciplinary and policy relevant. The programme was also designed to organize and promote international research networks, to give attention to capacity building and to establish a clearing house of knowledge in the social science field. The new focus (2003) is on building efficient bridges between research, policy and practice. The programme will promote a culture of evidence-based policy-making – nationally, regionally and internationally.

Investigation Methods:
Pathways to participation: critical reflections on PRA,  Andrea Cornwall and Garett Pratt, 2002,  IDS Participation Group briefing.
IIED PLA Notes Participatory Learning and Action "the world's leading informal journal on participatory learning and action approaches and methods, reaching over 20,000 readers in 121 countries."

Recent References:
IFPRI:  Assessing Development Strategies and Africa's Food and Nutrition Security - Franz Heidhues, Achi Atsain, Hezron Nyangito, Martine Padilla, Gérard Ghersi, and Jean-Charles Le Vallée  (PDF file)

IFPRI: 2020 AFRICA CONFERENCE BRIEFS, Reforming Land Rights in Africa - Tidiane Ngaido (PDF file)

IFPRI Press briefing TIME TO EMPOWER WOMEN IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD  in advance of the United Nations' 49th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, February 28 to March 11

Charles Kenny:  "Why are we worried about income? Nearly everything that matters is converging."  World Development, 33 (1), 2005, 1- 19.

Theme Issue of Development Policy Review:  Analysing Macro-Poverty Linkages,  Volume 23, Issue 3, May 2005
"The analysis of macro-poverty linkages has emerged as an important yet contentious area of national and international policy-making. Though considerable progress has been made during the past few years in analysing these linkages, as well as in developing tools for such an analysis, the potential contribution macroeconomic policies can make to poverty reduction remains largely unrealised. Based on an international workshop, co-organized by the European Network on Debt and Development (EURODAD), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the New Rules for Global Finance Coalition and Oxfam International, this Theme Issue provides useful insights into methodological issues as well as policy implications."
"Analysing Macro-Poverty Linkages: An Overview" Bernhard G. Gunter, Marc J. Cohen and Hans Lofgren

John Thompson "Participatory Approaches in Government Bureaucracies: Facilitating the Process of Institutional Change", World Development, 1995, 23 (9) 1521 - 1554.  Summary. - This paper examines why a growing number of government bureaucracies are attempting to develop and integrate participatory research and development approaches into their program activities. Using a conceptual model of the institutional learning and training cycle, it analyzes the experiences of
three large public agencies in Sri Lanka, Kenya and the Philippines which have made significant progress toward building internal capacity to employ participatory approaches effectively and facilitate the process of institutional change. The training of agency personnel in participatory principles, concepts and methods has played an important role in these transformations. Both the model and the case studies reveal, however, that to have a lasting impact training must be viewed as part of a broader process of organizational learning. The paper concludes with 10 key elements necessary for institutionalizing participatory approaches within public agencies.

Some ideas about how social systems relate to each other - which may provide some insights into how "Social Capital" and "Transforming Structures and Processes" might be related to the wider issues facing humanity:  "A conjecture on the Nature of Social Systems", D. R. Harvey, 21st Century Society, 2008.

 
Let me know if you find any more useful sites, and I'll add them to the list.

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