Income-Generating Activities - Action Against Hunger

CHAPTER 6: LESSONS LEARNED
Some of the lessons learned that could help improve the impact of IGA
programmes are:
• The promotion of IGA is not a usually a suitable strategy for the most vulnerable
people, especially those who:
— Cannot work because of certain handicaps, chronic illness or very old age. In
some cases it is possible to find mechanisms to include these sectors of the
population, for example the formation of groups in which some of the members
have certain incapacities is a solution that can be considered.
— Prefer to be employed by someone and receive a regular salary, given that
they do not have the necessary assets to start and develop an independent
IGA. The few that have the financial capacity prefer to use it in more urgent
necessities such as food, medicine, housing, etc.
— Want to avoid any risks.
— Do not have knowledge and/or minimum capacity on which to base the initiation
of an IGA.
• Market opportunities must guide the IGA.
• In those zones where commercial exchanges are scarce because movement is
difficult due to conflict, insecurity or isolation, IGA have a low possibility of success.
• Training and technical support is fundamental for the creation of new IGA.
• Incomes from IGA will very rarely cover 100% of the families’ needs. They must
simply be considered as an extra source of income that contributes to covering
their total needs and the lessening of risk through the diversification of activities.
• It is always better to start with activities of which the population has cultural
knowledge and previous experience.
• When the level of vulnerability is higher, the initial capital and the technical
ability required from the population for development of the IGA should be lower.
• The potential of handicraft activities is systematically overestimated.
• In many cases the population is already developing IGA and the best direction is
to support them in these IGA, helping to reduce the obstacles encountered.
• Connections between different IGA or with other types of initiatives can bring
very positive results.
INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITIES: A KEY CONCEPT IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURTIY
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