The Sustainable Livelihoods Approach and the Value Chain Approach are both tools available to development practitioners seeking to improve the economic situation and overall well-being of youth, though proponents of each methodology have tended to not understand the benefits of the other. In February 2009, the CYES Network and the Washington Network for Children in Armed Conflict continued this discussion, in an event addressing how these two approaches might be of use in promoting youth employment in crisis-affected areas. At the event, Radha Rajkotia of IRC and Jason Wolfe of USAID gave the following presentations on, respectively, the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach and the Value Chain Approach.

1. Value Chains & Livelihoods What’s the difference and why should we care? Jason Wolfe, Enterprise Development Advisor USAID Microenterprise Development office