Are Alternative Livelihood Projects Effective at Reducing Local Threats to Specified Elements of Biodiversity and/or Improving or Maintaining the Conservation Status of Those Elements?

Key points in document

• This systematic map and review of alternative livelihood projects aims to assess the impacts these projects have on biodiversity conservation and identify what determines their success or failure.
• Studies were included in the review if they assessed evidence for a change in: 1) attitudes to conservation; 2) the behavior of the people posing a conservation threat; or 3) the status of the biodiversity focal interest. Twenty-one projects met these criteria.
• The 21 projects varied between positive, neutral, and negative conservation outcomes. For each outcome type, the review assesses how the project(s) in the study affect(s) attitudes, behaviors, and conservation.
• The review finds that the wide variation in livelihood projects, lack of data captured on the outcomes of these projects, and lack of post-project monitoring, makes it hard to evaluate success.
• The paper recommends developing a theory of change and a risk assessment for any livelihoods initiative before initiating the project.
• Evidence is lacking on whether livelihood projects effectively achieve their objectives. The paper encourages reporting on both positive and negative experiences with livelihoods initiatives to foster a learning environment.

Information relevant to Learning Questions:

Are enabling conditions in place to support a sustainable enterprise?

• Participants’ Livelihood Needs are Met: stakeholder alignment, diversification
• Market demand, profit potential, access to credit/capital
• Ownership, governance
• Government requirements, policies for enterprises, business alliances
• Financial management capacity, technical capacity
• Inputs, equipment, infrastructure
• Benefit sharing, targeted participants, combined strategic approaches, biodiversity linkage, policies for and enforcement of resource use, planning for external disturbance

Does the enterprise lead to benefits to stakeholders?

• Increased income for participants
• Non-cash benefits

Do the benefits lead to positive changes in attitudes and behavior?

• Attitudes regarding sustainable use of resources
• Behaviors regarding sustainable use of resources

Does a change in stakeholders’ behaviors lead to a reduction to threats to biodiversity (or restoration)?

• Residential and commercial development
• Agriculture and aquaculture
• Energy production and mining
• Transportation and service corridors
• Biological resource use
• Human intrusions and disturbance
• Natural system modifications
• Invasive and other problematic species and genes
• Pollution
• Geological events
• Climate change and severe weather

Does a reduction in threats (or restoration) lead to conservation?

• Forest ecosystems
• Freshwater ecosystems
• Grassland ecosystems
• Marine ecosystems
• Species