Rural livelihoods and development pathways

ICRISAT pioneered an effort to develop a longitudinal panel database, which could be used for tracking development pathways and for testing several theories and policy impacts. The global theme on Institutions, Markets, Policy and Impacts has revitalized the famous panel data on farm households, which is being collected through the village-level surveys (VLS). The VLS data set, which is unique in its structural detail and coverage in the SAT, has immensely contributed to the global understanding of household decision behavior under risk and uncertainty, and in monitoring changes in household welfare and poverty dynamics. The VLS data set is a truly global public good, which addresses vital research questions of a public good nature and constitutes an important asset and outcome of this theme.

The second generation VLS, which commenced in 2002, has been shown to be a powerful tool in providing insights into changes in rural livelihoods over the last 20 years. NARS partners in ICAR and Agricultural Universities in India are now applying the VLS tools, approaches and methods across diverse locations in India. This broadens the coverage of VLS to not only include SAT environments but also other agro-climatic regions in India thus making it a powerful tool for decision making. Similarly, in Africa the VLS that started in Burkina Faso have a potential to be adapted to other African countries like Niger, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya.

The activities in Asia include:

• Micro level surveys on shifting livelihood strategies in the rural SAT using village level studies approach in India
• Salient findings on changes in livelihood, living standards, investment options and coping mechanisms in rural SAT India completed
• Split–off households: tracking survey
• Impact of drought on rural economies
• Social networks and safety nets: village-level perspectives
• Linking VLS with watershed development programs (Linked with GT-AES)
• VLS re-engagement with partners globally

The activities in WCA include:

• Longitudinal Village Level Study Surveys: changes, livelihood strategies and outcomes in WCA

The activities in ESA include:

• Food, livelihoods and HIV/AIDS and VLS in Southern Africa
• Social capital and multi-sectoral strategies for HIV/AIDS impact mitigation (Linked to GT-CI and GT-AES on targeting of technologies/interventions)
• Assessing impacts of HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe and Malawi(linked to GT-CI and GT-AES on technology uptake pathways

Partners