11
cipal focus of the livelihood assets box. Although the standard SLF normally comprises five forms of asset (or capital), this research focuses only on human capital in
order to reduce the potential complexity of the analysis. The modified SLF constituted a guide to organise the research reported in this paper and also served as a means
to review existing activities, understand cause and effect relationships, and provide a
structure for analysis and a checklist of ideas (Rakodi and Lloyd-Jones 2002).
2.3 Discussion
2.3.1 SLF Application and Research Findings
This section provides a brief explanation of the elements of the SLF that were modified to enable it to be applied to the mine-based communities in Colombia. It also
presents the major research findings derived from this application. The main modifications are shown in the boxes labelled ‘Context’, ‘Governance’ and ‘Livelihood
assets’ in Fig. 2.2.
2.3.1.1 Context SLF Component
The broader term ‘Context’ is used here rather than the original term ‘Vulnerability
context’ found in the SLF literature. Trends are the principal contextual factor for
mining in Colombia. Colombian settlements and communities are diverse. Hence,
mining impacts on local communities and the benefit they get from the industry are
quite different across its various regions. There are some locations where the compensation for natural resource extraction has positively impacted on communities
(Warhust 2001); therefore, they cannot always be categorised as vulnerable.
According to the SLF literature, the trends can be positive or negative or national
or international and have a strong influence on community livelihoods. Trends in
mining activities include increased globalisation of production and sales, greater
need for highly capitalised production as easily exploited reserves are depleted and
changes in consumption patterns that are built on particular mineral resources, such
as demand for gold in India and increasing energy demand in the developing world
(Surborg 2012). On the other hand, cycles (referred to as ‘seasonality’ in the classic
SLF literature, such as Rakodi and Lloyd-Jones 2002, p. 14) pertain to recurrent
economic shifts and employment opportunities. In a mining context, they also refer
to the stages of the mine life cycle (Hitch et al. 2014). The current mining boom is
fostering important global mining and exploration projects across Colombia which
have aspects of both longer-term trends and short-term cycles. These resource fluctuations have had implications for the domestic economy and local communities’
livelihoods, particularly in terms of regular fluctuations in the value of minerals and
livelihood and employment opportunities.
2 SDG 1 No Poverty
cipal focus of the livelihood assets box. Although the standard SLF normally comprises five forms of asset (or capital), this research focuses only on human capital in
order to reduce the potential complexity of the analysis. The modified SLF constituted a guide to organise the research reported in this paper and also served as a means
to review existing activities, understand cause and effect relationships, and provide a
structure for analysis and a checklist of ideas (Rakodi and Lloyd-Jones 2002).
2.3 Discussion
2.3.1 SLF Application and Research Findings
This section provides a brief explanation of the elements of the SLF that were modified to enable it to be applied to the mine-based communities in Colombia. It also
presents the major research findings derived from this application. The main modifications are shown in the boxes labelled ‘Context’, ‘Governance’ and ‘Livelihood
assets’ in Fig. 2.2.
2.3.1.1 Context SLF Component
The broader term ‘Context’ is used here rather than the original term ‘Vulnerability
context’ found in the SLF literature. Trends are the principal contextual factor for
mining in Colombia. Colombian settlements and communities are diverse. Hence,
mining impacts on local communities and the benefit they get from the industry are
quite different across its various regions. There are some locations where the compensation for natural resource extraction has positively impacted on communities
(Warhust 2001); therefore, they cannot always be categorised as vulnerable.
According to the SLF literature, the trends can be positive or negative or national
or international and have a strong influence on community livelihoods. Trends in
mining activities include increased globalisation of production and sales, greater
need for highly capitalised production as easily exploited reserves are depleted and
changes in consumption patterns that are built on particular mineral resources, such
as demand for gold in India and increasing energy demand in the developing world
(Surborg 2012). On the other hand, cycles (referred to as ‘seasonality’ in the classic
SLF literature, such as Rakodi and Lloyd-Jones 2002, p. 14) pertain to recurrent
economic shifts and employment opportunities. In a mining context, they also refer
to the stages of the mine life cycle (Hitch et al. 2014). The current mining boom is
fostering important global mining and exploration projects across Colombia which
have aspects of both longer-term trends and short-term cycles. These resource fluctuations have had implications for the domestic economy and local communities’
livelihoods, particularly in terms of regular fluctuations in the value of minerals and
livelihood and employment opportunities.
2 SDG 1 No Poverty