This is the report of the “BFAR/NACA-STREAM/FAO Workshop on Livelihoods Approaches and Analysis” that was conducted in Iloilo City, Philippines from 24-28 November 2003. The main purpose of the workshop was to develop and document mechanisms for training in livelihoods approaches and analysis, and to build national capacity to conduct livelihoods analysis. The workshop in Iloilo was the first in a series which will take place in other countries in the region, including India (with Nepal), Lao PDR, Myanmar and Yunnan, China.

The objectives of the workshop were to:

• Gain an understanding of issues of interest to people whose livelihoods include aquatic resources management, particularly those with limited resources.
• Build teams of individuals who could do livelihoods analyses and training.
• Share understandings and experiences of livelihoods approaches and analysis using participatory methods.
• Review current NACA-STREAM livelihoods analysis documentation.
• Commence the drafting of a Guide for Livelihoods Analysis
• Plan activities for carrying out livelihoods analyses.
• Consider how to build capacity in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and “significant change”.

The week was spent exploring the complex nature of the communities and groups with whom we work and sharing understandings about how best to learn about their livelihoods. Additionally, adaptations of the tools for learning and communicating about livelihoods – first developed in the “SPARK-STREAM Languages and Livelihoods Workshops”1 were used to help participants understand livelihoods analysis processes.

A central element of the workshop was the community visit to the Talokgangan at Banate Bay, where participants conducted activities to learn about the community’s livelihoods. In addition to gaining information about the Talokgangan community itself, participants also gained some important insights into how best to conduct livelihoods analyses.

One of the main outputs from the workshop is a draft outline for a Guide for Livelihoods Analysis, which will be modified through the series of “Workshops on Livelihoods Approaches and Analysis” throughout the region. The lessons learnt from the community visit to Talokgangan fed directly into the drafting of this Guide, and participants also drew on their experiences of the workshop activities to consider what kind of Guide should be developed and what further actions should be taken.

It was decided that the Guide should be multi-purpose, multi-audience and practical, providing simple-yet-comprehensive direction for carrying out livelihoods analysis. Its evolution should be documented through monitoring and evaluation.

Follow-up actions from this workshop include the formation of three livelihoods teams, the setting up of a working group coordinated by STREAM Philippines, and further development of the Guide.