Rural Livelihoods Project

Lead Partner: new economics foundation (nef)

Description

Under the title of 'Enterprise Ecology, Multi-strand Livelihoods and Rural Community Development', hereafter shortened to the Rural Livelihoods project, this project set out to explore three research aims:

1. To develop  the concept of 'Enterprise Ecology' as a mechanism to promote local rural economies and inform asset building
2. To develop strategies that rural communities could deploy to revitalise local enterprise and capture money flows.
3. To develop a rural dimension to existing new economics foundation (nef) activities.

'Rural Livelihoods' simply means the ways in which people in rural areas earn a living.

Early in the project two important themes emerged within the enterprise ecology approach which then framed the research carried out in the research sites:

Theme 1. Better understanding how people in rural areas earn a living, with particular attention to the role of multiple job holding (multi-strand livelihoods.)

Theme 2. Exploring 'assets' and how they are understood in rural communities, in community development approaches, and in policy.

The research themes were explored in three research sites: Exmoor, Middleton-in-Teeadale and Alston.

The recommendations from Theme 1: multi-strand livelihoods are:

• There needs to be a review of the taxation system for all those how hold multiple jobs, it needs to be simplified to enable people to maintain a flexible, seasonal and changeable livelihoods pattern.
• Confidential and impartial advice on taxation and welfare needs to be made available for people on low incomes in remote areas. Noting the limited provision of services, coupled with limited access to public transport and low car ownership in the selected areas which means that this advice would beed to ne taken to these areas.  It also means using local networks to build trust in these advice services amongst those who are fearful of taxation penalties.

The two main points to come out of theme 2. Exploring assets are:

1. That what an asset is, is highly dependent on its context.  The most important thing is to understand what resources, skills and experiences are important to local people, and why.
2. That it is important to use terms clearly and to be aware of other uses and interpretations of the terms you are using.  The way in which we use language has direct affects on people's lives (e.g. 'asset ownership' excludes some types of assets.)

 The full research report can be downloaded below.

 

Contact Details

K. A. Riley

Researcher, Rural Livelihoods

nef (the new economics foundation)

3 Jonathan Street

London SE11 5NH

  

tel. +(44) 0207820-6336

kathy.riley@neweconomics.org

Website: http://www.neweconomics.org

Attachment	Size
NEF Rural Livelihood Project Final Report.pdf	2.87 MB