Inception Workshop

The workshop and report brought together all the key research partners for three days during which different methodological approaches were explored—their relative strength and weaknesses discussed in order to identify both areas of overlap and complementarity and gaps in understanding—and an effective team relationship was a developed between country researchers, and with UK based institutions.

Methodological approaches examined:

• Demand Responsive Approaches
• Sustainable Livelihoods Approaches
• Policy Analysis for Sustainable Livelihoods
• Demand Assessment and Willingness to Pay Surveys
• Household Economy Approaches

In summary:

Demand assessment is useful but generally doesn't go far enough. CVM for example gives a picture of demand but not the reason why.

Household Economy Approaches add value by providing information on the household and subhousehold dynamics. HEA provides very valuable detail enabling a more coherent understanding of the social and economic complexities of demand at the household level.

Discussions suggest HEA and SL are highly complementary. The capacity of SL to provide a common language for analysts and policy maker from different sectors is of significant practical value.

Expressions of willingness to pay are rather crude , often unrealistic and may be contingent on external factors. There is therefore scope for redefining demand to make it more sensitive to poor people's reality.

A recurring theme was the issue of water rights. It is noted that right-based approaches are highly problematic, not least in terms of financing. It is arguable that SL offers a way to understand how to convert theoretical rights in actual opportunities.

For more details, please see the Inception Workshop report summary in pdf format (132Kb)