The Livelihoods Integration Unit : uses of the baseline information and analysis

The guide starts by providing a short background on the origins of the LIU, highlighting the consensus building process that led to its creation. It then describes the analytical frameworks that underpin the LIU and describes how the field work that has been so essential to building the LIU"s datasets has been carried out. An overview is then provided of the information available in the livelihood databases. Section 2 provides readers with a menu of products and tools on offer by the LIU. The third section of the guide is devoted to highlighting the various uses of the LIU information and analysis. LIU baseline data, in combination with hazard information from existing monitoring systems (remotely sensed and ground-based) provides a solid foundation for conducting evidence-based early warning. The LIU"s livelihoods database contains the most comprehensive and extensive set of household economy data in the world. In combination with an evolving seasonal hazards monitoring system, it is increasingly possible to provide highly sophisticated and accurate early warning of food and livelihood crises. In addition to early warning applications, there are numerous development, social protection, and emergency planning uses of the data and analysis. A select number of these are highlighted below. Along the way, reference is made to the specific tools used in each of the examples to enable readers to link the kinds of analysis they might find useful to the processes required to achieve these. (Author abstract, modified)