Vulnérabilité et Stratégies durables de gestion des risques : Une étude appliquée aux ménages ruraux de Madagascar

Abstract

The goal of this article is to understand the way people living in a risky environment find durable strategies to handle these risks. Generally the definition of vulnerability is the probability of having his/her situation or standards of living worsen facing shocks or risks whatever his/her level of economic strength. To analyse vulnerability not only has the potential global risk one household or one person may encounter in a given time and a given space to be identified, but also the capability of reaction, that is to say all the capabilities which will make them able to react positively and to get back to one’s feet. This resistance is the asset households have facing adversity. Thus, a man, as a responsible person develops strategies to protect himself against risks and to improve his standards of living. The agent is therefore a person aware of the risks he/she may run and of his/her ability to act on his/her endowment with preventive and offensive measures. In this context, Sen’s analysis of capability is the basic reference. It highlights the most efficient way to reduce poverty by improving men’s capabilities in the long term. Besides, at this theoretical approach will be added a comprehensive analysis of the strategies taken by rural households in Madagascar. This survey took place during the 2003 spring by the Rural Observatories Networks (ROR), with the information system on Malagasy countries established by the MADIO project.

Keywords

• Madagascar
• vulnerability
• capability
• risk
• resilience
• households strategies