Income-Generating Activities - Action Against Hunger

Field handbook • Scientific and Technical Department
This scheme can be applied to any type of activity, whether it be agricultural, processing
or services, as it helps to understand the links, the potential and the dysfunctions
of the system. Also, it is compatible with other types of studies, such as an
agricultural study (the “Agricultural Programmes” book presents the further details of
these types of studies).
We will find ourselves looking at a system in which certain factors inhibit the
proper functioning of the market or reduce opportunities. The existing dysfunction
may be found in some of the dimensions or in relationships between the dimensions.
The origin could be structural, for example the lack of financial services for the vulnerable
population, or occasional, such as the destruction of the communication infrastructure
after a natural disaster. It is important to understand the evolution of the
system, how the current situation came about and what the events were that took
place and their consequences at this level.
The information will provide a vision of the market networks surrounding a specific
product and all the actors and factors that are involved in it; the compilation of this
information is considered the value chain of the product. Interviews with medium
sized producers, intermediaries and businesses dedicated to the sector will help verify
the information and determine if the vulnerable population has a possible role to
play within the value chain.
II.II. The production units, the IGA
We call IGA “production units”, taking into account that processing activities or
services are included within this concept, as all these activities produce value that is
translated into income. To better understand the functioning and classification of the
production units, the following should be analyzed:
• Type of activity carried out: primary production (agricultural, livestock, fishing),
processing or services.
• Factors that can limit or increase the output of the activity:
– Different types of capital available: productive goods, labour, natural resources,
etc.
– Technology used.
– Technical knowledge.
– Type and characteristics of demand (local, national, international).
– Connection with commercial channels.
• Organisation of the IGA:
– Activity developed by a household or by an individual.
INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITIES: A KEY CONCEPT IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURTIY
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