The Sustainable Livelihoods (SL) approach addresses poverty and vulnerability, having emerged from the need to put the poor at the heart of development and humanitarian work.

It also aims to maintain sustainability of natural resources.

Assessments identify poor and vulnerable households, provide understanding of constraints and opportunities, and map the impacts of coping strategies.

Assessments tell stakeholders of the best national and international response and the impact of policy on the livelihoods of these marginalized groups.

SL can be useful in all steps of the emergency response:

• preparedness/early warning: providing information on how people live and cope with crises; increasing understanding of vulnerability; identifying indicators and establishing scenarios; enabling the translation of forecasts and warnings in impact scenarios at the community and farm level

• emergency: rapid assessment of impact of crisis/disaster on assets and livelihood rehabilitation; improving understanding of livelihoods profiles and targeting; promoting livelihood rehabilitation and umbrella programmes

• recovery and rehabilitation and exit strategies: by focusing on assets, livelihoods and local institutions, SL approaches: strengthen and make real the "build back better" and "do no harm" approaches; support better articulation and integration of development and humanitarian projects; and enable exit strategies focused on strengthening resilience of livelihoods

Examples of SL-based FAO emergency and rehabilitation activities

FAO has used the SL approach to frame needs assessment and response planning, aiming to strengthen the link between its short-term and long-term emergency responses in post-earthquake Pakistan and Indonesia.

In both cases, a Rapid Livelihoods Assessment determined the impact of the earthquake on livelihoods. Assessment findings have been used for the design of project profiles and National Livelihoods Rehabilitation Strategies.