Survival and Livelihood Protection Thresholds

The Survival Protection Threshold (SPT) and Livelihood Protection Threshold (LPT) represent the income required for households in a Wealth Group to survive and sustain their livelihoods, respectively. The Survival Threshold is the line below which intervention is required to save lives. The Livelihoods Protection Threshold is the line below which an intervention is required in order to maintain existing livelihood assets and strategies. These thresholds are included in Livelihood Explorer graphs so they can be compared to total income (food + cash). This can provide information about the magnitude of a required response and what kind of response might be most appropriate.

These thresholds are determined using categories of products called baskets. Each Product associated with a Livelihood Activity in a BSS is assigned to one of the following baskets for each Wealth Group:

Main staple crop
Other survival food purchases (e.g., Cooking Oil, Flour, Salt)
Survival non-food purchases (e.g., Soap, Cooking Fuel, Lighting, Tea)
Livelihoods protection purchases (e.g., Seeds, Fertilizer, Animal Drugs)

The total usage of a livelihood product may not be 100% in a single basket. For example, OtherPurchase of kerosene may be allocated as 75% in the survival non-food purchases basket. Because LEX only stores one category per product, the remaining 25% would implicitly be part of an “other” basket of discretionary spending.

Allocation can vary by Wealth Group. For example, cooking needs may require 75% of the total for very poor households, but only 50% for medium and better off households.

The definition and calculation for each Threshold is described in the following chart.

Threshold	Definition	Calculation
Survival	Total food and cash income required to cover the food and non-food items necessary for survival in the short term. It includes: 100% of minimum food energy needs (calculated as 2100 calories/person/day) The costs associated with food preparation and consumption Where applicable, the cost of water for human consumption The Survival Threshold is the line below which intervention is required to save lives.	Sum of the following baskets for the Poor Wealth Group: Main staple Other survival food Survival non-food This threshold is the same across all Wealth Groups in a Livelihood Zone.
Livelihoods Protection	Total income required to sustain local livelihoods. It includes: All items covered in the Survival Threshold Access to basic services, like health care Items needed to sustain livelihoods in the medium to longer term, like seeds Items needed to achieve a minimum locally acceptable standard of living, like basic clothing or tea The Livelihoods Protection Threshold is the line below which an intervention is required in order to maintain existing livelihood assets and strategies.	This threshold is calculated per Wealth Group by adding the livelihoods protection purchases basket to the Survival Threshold.

Threshold

Definition

Calculation

Survival

Total food and cash income required to cover the food and non-food items necessary for survival in the short term. It includes:

100% of minimum food energy needs (calculated as 2100 calories/person/day)
The costs associated with food preparation and consumption
Where applicable, the cost of water for human consumption

The Survival Threshold is the line below which intervention is required to save lives.

Sum of the following baskets for the Poor Wealth Group:

Main staple
Other survival food
Survival non-food

This threshold is the same across all Wealth Groups in a Livelihood Zone.

Livelihoods Protection

Total income required to sustain local livelihoods. It includes:

All items covered in the Survival Threshold
Access to basic services, like health care
Items needed to sustain livelihoods in the medium to longer term, like seeds
Items needed to achieve a minimum locally acceptable standard of living, like basic clothing or tea

The Livelihoods Protection Threshold is the line below which an intervention is required in order to maintain existing livelihood assets and strategies.

This threshold is calculated per Wealth Group by adding the livelihoods protection purchases basket to the Survival Threshold.