the simplified large area data set
countries are divided into livelihood zones (LZs), defined as areas in which household obtain their income bu largely the same combination of means, both in good and bad years. as patterns of income vary within livelihood zones the size of a zone depends on the use to which the data is to be put. In national use where the model is used to make preliminary estimates which will be followed up on the ground, larger livelihood zones are used to reduce the cost of data collection. Within each LZ data is collected at purposive sample locations selected to maximize the variation between sites. Standard participative techniques are use to collect information from key information at community level; in groups representing each wealth group recongnised at that location. the result is an approximation of the income distribution, income sources, pattern of expenditure, assets and other reserves and access to alternative income sources for a locally defined asset based wealth distribution.
information is also collected on the experience of past hazards and the way in which people responded to these and a great deal of social, market and other incidental information is also obtained