SUFFiciENcy EcONOMy ANd GRASSROOtS DEvElOPMENt
SUFFiciENcy EcONOMy ANd GRASSROOtS DEvElOPMENt
SUFFiciENcy EcONOMy ANd GRASSROOtS DEvElOPMENt
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180<br />
The Meaning of Sufficiency Economy <br />
International Conference<br />
With their focus on sustainable livelihoods, both SLA and SE are holistic,<br />
people-centered development approaches. That means people—rather than resources<br />
or governments or economies—are at the heart of development activities, and<br />
priority is placed on people’s own goals and how best to realize them. They are<br />
holistic in that they are non-sectoral, applicable across geographic region and social<br />
group. They are also holistic in that they recognize multiple livelihood outcomes<br />
(such as becoming self-sufficient in food production, limiting labor migration, or<br />
recovering from a tsunami) as well as multiple, diversified livelihood strategies<br />
(such as market and subsistence activities, borrowing, social networking, changing<br />
consumption practices, technical innovation, and so on). This sort of development<br />
approach, endeavoring to enhance people’s multi-dimensional livelihoods, can have<br />
a direct and immediate impact on wellbeing. This is even more needed now that the<br />
development industry is turning its attention to good governance, climate change,<br />
and other macro issues, which, though certainly important, are not amenable to<br />
household- and community-level projects that can respond quickly when survival is<br />
at stake.<br />
These two models diverge, however, in terms of their core characteristics, and<br />
hence, their strengths. SLA is fundamentally an analytical framework. As such, it is<br />
a useful tool for understanding the nature and dynamics of sustainable livelihoods,<br />
especially how they are affected by their larger contexts. In particular, SLA delves<br />
deeply into the vulnerability context: the trends, shocks, and seasonality over which<br />
people have limited or no control. Shocks, such as natural disasters, civil conflict,<br />
crop failure, and other health or economic shocks can destroy assets, force people to<br />
abandon their homes, and otherwise leave them in dire circumstances. Trends are<br />
more predictable changes in population, resources, governance, health, technology,<br />
and so on. Trends may not always be negative—they may create favorable<br />
conditions and opportunities, but livelihoods must be flexible enough and have<br />
sufficient institutional support to be able to adapt to these changes. Finally, seasonal<br />
variation in prices, employment opportunities, food availability, and the like can be a<br />
tremendous source of hardship for those struggling to achieve livelihood security.<br />
SE draws attention to these dynamics with its condition of self-immunity; however,<br />
it could go much further in terms of urging analysis of specific contexts.<br />
Understanding these vulnerabilities as well as the resources necessary to address<br />
them is vital to ensuring wellbeing for individuals and society as a whole, and it is in<br />
this area that SLA excels. <br />
In contrast, SE is essentially a philosophical framework that finds its strength<br />
in the mental and moral conditions necessary to create sustainable livelihoods. All<br />
the analysis in the world will make no difference if individuals cannot commit to a<br />
change in thinking about what will bring true wellbeing. Dominating the global<br />
economy is the belief that a high material living standard indicates a high quality of<br />
life, and material possessions have quickly become global symbols of success. This<br />
trend is most evident in Bangkok, but it is also apparent in rural areas where TVs,<br />
cell phones, and other modern trappings are privileged over building materials, fish