Modelling household well-being and poverty trajectories: An application to coastal Bangladesh

Lázár, Attila N., Adams, Helen, Adger, W. Neil and Nicholls, Robert J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9715-1109 (2020) Modelling household well-being and poverty trajectories: An application to coastal Bangladesh. PLoS One, 15 (9). ISSN 1932-6203

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Abstract

Resource-based livelihoods are uncertain and potentially unstable due to variability over time, including seasonal variation: this instability threatens marginalised populations who may fall into poverty. However, empirical understanding of trajectories of household well-being and poverty is limited. Here, we present a new household-level model of poverty dynamics based on agents and coping strategies–the Household Economy And Poverty trajectory (HEAP) model. HEAP is based on established economic and social insights into poverty dynamics, with a demonstration of the model calibrated with a qualitative and quantitative household survey in coastal Bangladesh. Economic activity in Bangladesh is highly dependent on natural resources; poverty is widespread; and there is high variability in ecosystem services at multiple temporal scales. The results show that long-term decreases in poverty are predicated more on the stability of, and returns from, livelihoods rather than their diversification. Access to natural resources and ecosystem service benefits are positively correlated with stable income and multidimensional well-being. Households that remain in poverty are those who experience high seasonality of income and are involved in small scale enterprises. Hence, seasonal variability in income places significant limits on natural resources providing routes out of poverty. Further, projected economic trends to 2030 lead to an increase in well-being and a reduction in poverty for most simulated household types.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology(all),agricultural and biological sciences(all),general ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1300
Faculty \ School: University of East Anglia Research Groups/Centres > Theme - ClimateUEA
UEA Research Groups: University of East Anglia Schools > Faculty of Science > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Collaborative Centre for Sustainable Use of the Seas
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Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 09 Sep 2020 00:03
Last Modified: 22 Oct 2022 06:55
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/76803
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238621

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