Stephen Devereux, one of the editors of the book Seasonality, Rural Livelihoods and Development, explains why seasonality has been neglected and why it is important for policy.

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Edited by Stephen Devereux, Rachel Sabates-Wheeler & Richard Longhurst

A systematic study of seasonality for over 20 years, this book aims to revive academic interest and policy awareness of this crucial but neglected issue.

• Buy the book from Earthscan Publishing
• Book review (New Agriculturalist, March 2012)

The Seasonality Revisited international conference, recently held at the Institute of Development Studies, concluded that the costs of ignoring the seasonal dimensions of poverty are enormous, despite seasonality being rarely reflected in agricultural investment and social protection policies.

The conference was organised by the Future Agricultures Consortium and the Centre for Social Protection to help put the ‘seasonality of poverty’ back in the policy agenda.

Read more about the conference on this web site by accessing

• conference presentations
• background reports
• conference posters
• press release
• image gallery
• participant bios

Media Release

(with embargo date of 1 July 2009) – contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

'Seasonal poverty’ is worsening. Climate Change, AIDS and heightened vulnerability identified as main culprits.As seasons across the world appear to become more unpredictable, the impacts of seasonal shocks and stresses on poor people are increasing. Conclusions from the recent ‘Seasonality Revisited’ conference call for efforts to deal with adaptation to climate change and other issues contributing to poverty to take into account the importance of seasonal poverty. The conference was organised by the Future Agriculture Consortium and the Centre for Social Protection.