Sustainable Livelihoods Objectives

The sustainable livelihoods approach is broad and encompassing. It can, however, be distilled to six core objectives. DFID aims to increase the sustainability of poor people’s livelihoods through promoting:

• Improved access to high-quality education, information, technologies and training and better nutrition and health;

• A more supportive and cohesive social environment;

• More secure access to, and better management of, natural resources;

• Better access to basic and facilitating infrastructure;

• More secure access to financial resources; and

• A policy and institutional environment that supports multiple livelihood strategies and promotes equitable access to competitive markets for all.

These objectives relate directly to the livelihoods framework; they will be explored in greater detail in Section 2 of the Guidance Sheets. Together they define the scope of DFID’s livelihood-promoting activities (though not all objectives will be pursued in any given situation).