Weaving Livelihoods: A study of the determinants and effects of Livelihood Diversification on Guatemalan weaving households
(2010) MIDM70 20101LUMID International Master programme in applied International Development and Management
- Abstract
- The objective of this study is to explore the rationale behind livelihood diversification behavior of rural Guatemalan households involved in the weaving sector. Livelihood diversification behavior stems from the necessity for rural households to manage risk, accumulate assets, cope with sudden environmental crises or pursue diversification as a natural strategy stemming from a historically social importance. The motivations and impacts of the behavior, however, vary from context to context and are determined by a combination of vulnerabilities, resource constraints and institutions within which households pursue their livelihoods.
This paper thus explores these motivations in the context of Guatemalan artisans to explain what factors... (More) - The objective of this study is to explore the rationale behind livelihood diversification behavior of rural Guatemalan households involved in the weaving sector. Livelihood diversification behavior stems from the necessity for rural households to manage risk, accumulate assets, cope with sudden environmental crises or pursue diversification as a natural strategy stemming from a historically social importance. The motivations and impacts of the behavior, however, vary from context to context and are determined by a combination of vulnerabilities, resource constraints and institutions within which households pursue their livelihoods.
This paper thus explores these motivations in the context of Guatemalan artisans to explain what factors contribute to their livelihood diversification behavior and, given the vulnerabilities in which they exist, what implications diversification has on them in terms of assets invested between on-farm and off-farm activities. The research draws on DFID’s Sustainable Livelihoods framework as the theoretical model through which relevant information is captured on livelihoods by exploring the relationship between assets and diversification. The drawn conclusions suggest that diversification in weaver households stems from a combination of risk management and consumption smoothing needs with human and financial capitals being the driving assets in maintaining income levels. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/1608532
- author
- Anas, Umair Anas LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- MIDM70 20101
- year
- 2010
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Sustainable livelihoods, Livelihood diversification, Guatemala, textile, weaving, household study
- language
- English
- id
- 1608532
- date added to LUP
- 2010-11-15 13:52:50
- date last changed
- 2011-01-21 11:08:51
@misc{1608532,
abstract = {{The objective of this study is to explore the rationale behind livelihood diversification behavior of rural Guatemalan households involved in the weaving sector. Livelihood diversification behavior stems from the necessity for rural households to manage risk, accumulate assets, cope with sudden environmental crises or pursue diversification as a natural strategy stemming from a historically social importance. The motivations and impacts of the behavior, however, vary from context to context and are determined by a combination of vulnerabilities, resource constraints and institutions within which households pursue their livelihoods.
This paper thus explores these motivations in the context of Guatemalan artisans to explain what factors contribute to their livelihood diversification behavior and, given the vulnerabilities in which they exist, what implications diversification has on them in terms of assets invested between on-farm and off-farm activities. The research draws on DFID’s Sustainable Livelihoods framework as the theoretical model through which relevant information is captured on livelihoods by exploring the relationship between assets and diversification. The drawn conclusions suggest that diversification in weaver households stems from a combination of risk management and consumption smoothing needs with human and financial capitals being the driving assets in maintaining income levels.}},
author = {{Anas, Umair Anas}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Weaving Livelihoods: A study of the determinants and effects of Livelihood Diversification on Guatemalan weaving households}},
year = {{2010}},
}