Poverty and vulnerability assessment: a survey instrument for the Hindu Kush Himalayas
ICIMOD’s Poverty and Vulnerability Assessment (PVA) is a household survey tool designed to capture key elements of poverty, vulnerability, and adaptive capacity in mountain contexts for the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region. The PVA combines general predictors of poverty with indicators that are particularly relevant in mountain contexts, where factors such as physical accessibility and a lack of access to basic facilities often exacerbate poverty and vulnerability to stresses such as those related to climate variability and change. The inclusion of indicators of adaptive capacity acknowledges that, while mountain households in the HKH region may experience poverty and vulnerability, the communities they represent are also repositories of experience and knowledge that can help people cope with stress and adapt to change.