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Achieving sustainable livelihood is the ultimate goal of poverty alleviation efforts in mountainous areas, and selecting an optimal livelihood strategy for different poverty-type farmers greatly improves farmers’ livelihood capital, resists livelihood risks, and promotes sustainable development. For farmers, optimal livelihood strategy means better employment opportunities, higher family income (or better income structure), and stronger employability or development potential. This paper classifies different types of farmers’ poverty on the basis of a quantitative evaluation of farmers’ livelihood capital in the Qin-ba Mountain Area in South-Shaanxi by using the k-means clustering method and subsequently the fuzzy evaluation method to evaluate the effectiveness of farmers’ livelihood strategies. Then, the multi-attribute decision-making model is used to analyze the selection of optimal livelihood strategies for different poverty-type farmers. The results suggest a significant difference in the selection of the optimal livelihood strategy for different poverty-type farmers. Farmers without financial and human capital choose to “go out to work,” farmers lacking natural capital choose to “acquire social insurance and government relief,” farmers without physical capital choose to “use loans,” and farmers lacking social capital choose to “use savings.” Studying the selection of optimal livelihood strategies for different poverty-type farmers can help to propose targeted sustainable livelihood optimization programs for farmers and accelerate efforts to overcome poverty in mountainous areas.
Fang Su; Ya-Juan Yin. Optimal livelihood strategy for different poverty groups among farmers: a case study of the Qin-Ba Mountain area in South-Shaanxi, China. Journal of Mountain Science 2020, 17, 1206 -1220.
AMA StyleFang Su, Ya-Juan Yin. Optimal livelihood strategy for different poverty groups among farmers: a case study of the Qin-Ba Mountain area in South-Shaanxi, China. Journal of Mountain Science. 2020; 17 (5):1206-1220.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFang Su; Ya-Juan Yin. 2020. "Optimal livelihood strategy for different poverty groups among farmers: a case study of the Qin-Ba Mountain area in South-Shaanxi, China." Journal of Mountain Science 17, no. 5: 1206-1220.
Using data collected from semi-structured interviews with 485 households, this research evaluates the effect of perceived livelihood risk on livelihood strategies within farming households in China’s Shiyang River Basin. Perceived livelihood risk was evaluated by establishing an index system of livelihood risk (health, environmental, financial, social, and information and connectivity risks). Different livelihood strategies were identified, including reducing consumption, seeking help from relatives and friends, securing loans, seeking employment, and converting assets into cash. The effect of perceived livelihood risk on livelihood strategies was measured and evaluated using multinomial logistic regression. The results indicate that the effect of different perceived livelihood risk on livelihood strategies varies. Personality traits, as well as perceived health risk, financial risk, social risk, and environmental risk influence livelihood strategies, while perceived information risk and connectivity risk do not appear to have obvious relationships to livelihood strategies. Finally, we present proposals for ensuring farmers’ livelihood strategies are more effective.
Fang Su; Udoy Saikia; Iain Hay. Impact of Perceived Livelihood Risk on Livelihood Strategies: A Case Study in Shiyang River Basin, China. Sustainability 2019, 11, 3349 .
AMA StyleFang Su, Udoy Saikia, Iain Hay. Impact of Perceived Livelihood Risk on Livelihood Strategies: A Case Study in Shiyang River Basin, China. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (12):3349.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFang Su; Udoy Saikia; Iain Hay. 2019. "Impact of Perceived Livelihood Risk on Livelihood Strategies: A Case Study in Shiyang River Basin, China." Sustainability 11, no. 12: 3349.
Using information collected through semi-structured questionnaires in 483 households, this paper examines the relationships between livelihood risks and livelihood capitals amongst rural farming communities in China’s Shiyang River Basin. Based on an index system of livelihood risks (health, environmental, financial, social, information and connectivity risks) and livelihood capitals (human, physical and natural, financial and social capitals), relationships are measured and evaluated through a linear regression model. Results suggest that health risk and social risk have clear negative effects on livelihood capitals. This finding may support evidence-based policies intended to reduce health risk and social risk threats as well as underpinning improvements in rural farmers’ capacities to withstand livelihood risk and to enhance well-being.
Fang Su; Udoy Saikia; Iain Hay. Relationships between Livelihood Risks and Livelihood Capitals: A Case Study in Shiyang River Basin, China. Sustainability 2018, 10, 509 .
AMA StyleFang Su, Udoy Saikia, Iain Hay. Relationships between Livelihood Risks and Livelihood Capitals: A Case Study in Shiyang River Basin, China. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (2):509.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFang Su; Udoy Saikia; Iain Hay. 2018. "Relationships between Livelihood Risks and Livelihood Capitals: A Case Study in Shiyang River Basin, China." Sustainability 10, no. 2: 509.