The data in the Livelihoods Explorer (LEX) is derived from data collected and stored in Livelihood Baseline Storage Sheets (BSS) created using the Household Economy Approach (HEA) as laid out in the Practitioner’s Guide to HEA. These Baselines may or may not have been conducted by FEWS NET staff and the BSSs included in LEX may or may not be owned by FEWS NET.
The information available in this section relates to FEWS NET’s Baseline data collection activities since 2025. Baseline data collection includes the first three steps of the six-step HEA framework, including:
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Establishing a data collection sampling frame through Livelihood Zoning
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Documenting the drivers of differences in wealth (Wealth Breakdown)
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Documenting typical livelihood activities as patterns of food and cash income and patterns of expenditure over a defined reference period (Analysis of Livelihood Strategies)
The HEA process is still underway in some of these countries, in which case a Baseline is not yet available in LEX but will most likely be available in the future.
Choose a country page to learn more about the context and methods used to complete these steps.