SL may help in arriving at an holistic appreciation of the factors influencing livelihoods of the poor, but does it offer anything new in suggesting how they may be addressed?
A major strength of the SL approach is its practical orientation: from the breadth of analysis, it allows not only priorities and entry points to be identified, but also the most appropriate sequences of activities. In this way, for instance, it has been possible to identify activities which not only address the needs and opportunities of the poor, but also are unlikely to be prone to take-over by elites. Sequencing is particularly important where, for instance, the capacity of lower income groups needs to be built up in order for them to have a stronger say in their livelihood futures. Depending on the context, this may involve enhanced capacity for joint action in managing common pool resources; enhanced ability to negotiate development plans with the better off (such as defending their interests in the planning of micro-watershed rehabilitation); enhanced capacity to undertake savings, credit and micro-enterprise activities in which there may have been little earlier experience; enh
