Livelihood Challenges Research Articles

How does handwashing behaviour change in response to a cholera outbreak? A qualitative case study in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Handwashing with soap has the potential to curb cholera transmission. This research explores how populations experienced and responded to the 2017 cholera outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and how this affected their handwashing behaviour. Cholera cases were identified through local cholera treatment centre records. Comparison individuals were recruited from the same neighbourhoods by identifying households with no recent confirmed or suspected cholera cases. Multiple qualitative methods were employed to understand hand hygiene practices and their determinants, including unstructured observations, interviews and focus group discussions. The data collection tools and analysis were informed by the Behaviour Centred Design Framework. Comparisons were made between the experiences and practices of people from case households and participants from comparison households. Cholera was well understood by the population and viewed as a persistent and common health challenge. Handwashing with soap was generally observed to be rare during the outbreak despite self-reported increases in behaviour. Across case and comparison groups, individuals were unable to prioritise handwashing due to competing food-scarcity and livelihood challenges and there was little in the physical or social environments to cue handwashing or make it a convenient, rewarding or desirable to practice. The ability of people from case households to practice handwashing was further constrained by their exposure to cholera which in addition to illness, caused profound non-health impacts to household income, productivity, social status, and their sense of control. Even though cholera outbreaks can cause disruptions to many determinants of behaviour, these shifts do not automatically facilitate an increase in preventative behaviours like handwashing with soap. Hygiene programmes targeting outbreaks within complex crises could be strengthened by acknowledging the emic experiences of the disease and adopting sustainable solutions which build upon local disease coping mechanisms.

An investigation into the livelihoods strategies of informal women traders in Zimbabwe

This article investigated varieties of livelihoods strategies employed by some informal women traders doing business at flea markets in the Harare Business Districts of the Harare Province. The study was informed by the Sustainable Livelihood Approach proffered by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency Division (SIDA 2001) for Policy and Socio-Economic Analysis. A quantitative and qualitative research design was developed and data was gathered through questionnaires, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and direct observations during transect walks. The objectives of the study were to; identify micro-credit schemes used by the informal women traders doing business at flea markets, explore the livelihoods of microcredit schemes as pathways to poverty eradication and finally determine interventions and sustainable strategies that could be used for the informal women traders. The study discovered that women informal traders engaged in diverse activities for sustainable livelihoods strategies that eradicate poverty. The bulk of informal women traders face staid livelihoods challenges, resulting in them living in poverty. The study thus calls on Government and financing institutions to finance them for local empowerment, gain access and control of available livelihoods resources in a meaningful way. A range of policy interventions and sustainable strategies could be developed that enable informal women traders to eradicate poverty in Zimbabwe,

Empowering rural society through non-formal environmental education: An empirical study of environment and forest development community projects in Ethiopia

The study examined how non-formal Environmental Education (EE) is used in interventions aimed at empowering rural society in Ethiopia. The study focused on a relatively less explored area of how non-formal EE in the form of project-based learning was used to equip the community with skills and knowledge. Using qualitative data collection methods and thematic analysis as an analytical strategy, the study produced evidence of the importance of community programs for out-of-school youth and adults in the acquisition of fundamental skills and knowledge. Green campaigns were found to be essential to sustain the lives of rural communities. As demonstrated in the study, community projects designed to enhance learning are in sync with the relevant theory of project-based learning. Assisted by relevant conceptualization, the organization which motivated this study, develops insights for knowledge management for further implementation strategies. Its main objective is to empower poor communities and their institutions by ensuring environmental security and livelihoods. As crucial stakeholders, communities received knowledge and technical skills through experience sharing, training, and workshops. The findings also indicated that most of the members of the project community were illiterate prior to participating in the project activities demonstrating that they needed to acquire basic knowledge and skills to act. Many community members became part of the project due to the mobilization and awareness-creation campaign by the local development organization. However, there have been several roadblocks to the implementation of community projects. But most importantly, the study shows that the skills and knowledge imparted through EE were important for implementing community projects, helping to improve community participation in raising environmental quality, thus improving environmental performance, farming methods, and livelihood situations. We suggest that project-based learning could be used as a tool for community empowerment initiatives aimed at responding to and improving environmental and livelihood challenges.

Community institutions in water governance for sustainable livelihoods

Successful community institutions in the global South, which are contributing to livelihoods’ improvement while conserving water and other natural resources, can sustainably build the resilience that policy makers at different tiers are seeking. This article assesses different models of community institutions in Nepal in governing water resources from various lenses, based on Ostrom’s and others’ design principles, including bricolage. Illustrated by three empirical cases, it analyses key features of community institutions in integrated water governance, their contributions to health, nutrition, food security, and environmental conservation, and ways for empowering these institutions as viable and sustainable solutions to address various livelihood challenges. However, inequalities along gender, caste, and ethnicity lines persist. We argue that the recently established local governments under the federal system in Nepal provide new opportunities for gender and social inclusion.

Livelihood opportunities and challenges: A study of Rohingya refugees staying in Jammu and Kashmir

For a long time, Rohingyas have been the most persecuted minority in Myanmar. Recently, the Rohingya issue attracted the attention of nations and international organizations when millions of Rohingya were forced to leave Myanmar and take shelter in other nations. They took refuge in various countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Bangladesh, and India etc; about 40 thousand Rohingya people are staying in India with the status of refugees. Most of them, which is 5600, is staying in Jammu and Kashmir. It is very difficult to survive as a refugee in a different location and earn a livelihood. Therefore, this paper is an attempt to highlight how they are earning their livelihood in Jammu city and to understand their various livelihood challenges. The author conducted interviews with Rohingya in Jammu city to collect data. In addition to that, secondary data are also used from newspapers, magazines, articles, and papers to write this paper. This paper highlighted that most of the respondents are earning their livelihood through unskilled labor. They are also facing various kind of challenges related to livelihood like, availability of work, salary issues, language etc.

Supermarket contracts, opportunity cost and trade-offs, and farm household welfare: Panel data evidence from Kenya

• Panel data models of the effects of supermarket contracting on farmers’ welfare. • Supermarket suppliers have higher income and dietary diversity than traditional channel suppliers. • Supermarket channel stayers sustain higher income gains than dropouts or newcomers. • Positive spill-over effects of supplying supermarkets on other sources of income. • Wider supermarket participation can improve household nutrition. While previous studies analyzed the welfare effects of smallholder participation in supermarket channels, little is known about the effects over time of supplying supermarkets on farm household incomes and diets, possible trade-offs, and opportunity costs of supermarkets on different income sources. We use panel data from smallholder vegetable farmers in Kenya to address these research gaps. The results show that supermarket contracts increase overall income by 61% and the dietary diversity score of nutritious foods by 4%, on average. Supermarket contracts also increase farm income without sacrificing income from other sources. In terms of participation dynamics, supermarket stayers and dropouts achieve overall income gains, but newcomers do not immediately benefit, due to their huge initial capital investment. Supermarket participation is not a panacea for all smallholder marketing and livelihood challenges but benefits farmers who can meet contractual requirements.

Securing National identity: The Risk of Statelessness and Livelihood Challenges Among Former Refugees in Zambia

Among migrant populations, refugees form one group that is at high risk of becoming stateless. As those responsible for their wellbeing seek to find durable solutions to their plight, identity documents play a critical role. Without proper identity documents, former refugees are at risk of becoming stateless and face many difficulties in accessing various livelihood opportunities including employment, and services such as health care and education. However, acquiring these documents is sometimes wrought with many challenges including administrative, financial and legal challenges. Legal challenges largely arise from the lack of a comprehensive and coordinated approach of how to deal with such cases especially in states that operate outside the UN Conventions on statelessness. Using case studies of former Angolan and Rwandan refugees in Zambia, I argue that in the absence of a clear guiding framework as provided under the UN Conventions provide, former refugees are at risk of becoming stateless even when they are hosted under very hospitable conditions.

Fighting for the Future: A Just Transition in Intensive Livestock Production?

Fighting for the Future:A Just Transition in Intensive Livestock Production? Georgia Montague-Nelson (bio) The planet is in crisis. Climate change is threatening the world and is affecting all workers. The global food system has a huge impact on the climate crisis, and globally is estimated to be responsible for over one-third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. The intensive production of meat and dairy is the most emissions intensive sector in agriculture and is responsible for 14.5 percent of emissions1. Emissions from manure, the production of animal feed, clearance of land, production and use of agrochemicals, and fossil fuels used across the supply chain, pollute the air and the water2. Population growth, the growth of the middle class, and shifts to diets, alongside neoliberalism and globalisation have all increased demand for and consumption of livestock products globally. This has contributed to huge scaling up of climate damaging production methods, and an export-driven system of global food production. Financialisation across the industry has consolidated power in the hands of a small number of TNCs. These corporations prioritise profits at the expense of the climate and the rights and wellbeing of workers. Globally, 70 percent of emissions are the result of corporate activity3, but these corporates brandish their vast economic power to lobby governments and international institutions to liberalise trade and influence climate change policy4. Production of huge quantities of cheap food contribute to the global obesity crisis, agrochemical and pharmaceutical use threaten the health of workers, and the COVID-19 crisis has underlined the potential of our food system to facilitate global pandemics5. The global food system is also negatively impacted by the climate crisis, causing loss of nature, biodiversity and arable land, water shortages and reduced yields6. This is devastating food production, threatening global food security and harming the human right to food which is hitting groups in situations of vulnerability hardest. Of the 690 million who face food insecurity right now, 60 percent are women and girls7. Millions are workers' who produce the world's food. But food scarcity is not the cause of food insecurity. The global food system is failing to deliver food security because the system is devastated by inequality of access and food waste. Why is the climate crisis a trade union issue? The climate crisis is already destroying the livelihoods of millions of workers across the world. The impacts are disproportionately felt by certain groups–agriculture and food production workers whose livelihoods are dependent on the climate, and groups in situations of vulnerability (women, migrants, youth, precarious and informal workers) who are overrepresented in the sector. These workers often face insecurity and discrimination at work, have weak rights and representation and are regarded as disposable by corporates. The food system is maintained by workers whose labour is exploited in the name of economic growth. Workers in intensive livestock production face relentless drives to cut costs, which results in stagnating wages, undermining of rights, and insecure and dangerous working conditions. Workers also face unique occupational health and safety issues because of the changing climate. Workers who are exposed to the elements or working without ventilation or air conditioning experience heat stress, with potential deadly impacts8. It is estimated that 2.2 percent of working hours worldwide will be lost to high temperatures by 20309, contributing to lost wages and more precarious working situations. Trade unions have a long history of fighting for a safer world where the rights of workers are protected. The climate crisis is no different. Principles for a Just Transition in Livestock Production Intensive livestock production is unsustainable and is threatening global food security. But food systems are essential for tackling the climate crisis. A radical transformation of the food system is urgently needed. But shifts to production will bring challenges for workers' livelihoods and workers and unions have historically been excluded from decision-making about transitions. But the climate crisis has ultimately been caused by the failure of the capitalist system to provide equality, respect for rights, and sustainability. So, for unions the fight for a just transition also means the fight for socio-economic transformation...

Institutional Structures and Sustainability of Projects in Nyangores River Sub-Catchment Basin in Bomet County, Kenya

Integrated basin management approach has been applied in Nyangores River sub-catchment basin, since the year 2009 but with minimal success. Sub catchment degradation, organizational weakness, the flow and quality of water had started to diminish, creating challenges for local livelihoods, wildlife in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, and in maintaining biodiversity and healthy ecosystem functioning. Water resources can be successfully managed only if the natural, social, economic and political environments, in which water occurs and used, are taken fully into consideration. The aim of this study is to determine the influence of institutional structures influence on sustainability of projects in Nyagores river sub-catchment basin in Bomet County, Kenya. The research designs used were descriptive survey and correlational research design. Stepwise and purposive sampling formed the sampling procedure. The results are presented descriptively using Tables while for qualitative data, narrative statements were used. Questionnaires, Interview guide and document analysis were used for data collection. The sample size was 371, from a targeted a population of 56,508 household heads and 10 informants, purposively selected from the water concerned institutions and ministries of Water and Agriculture. Total of 371 questionnaires were given out to the respondents and only 321, were duly filled and returned representing (86.5%). The objective was to establish the extent to which institutional structures influence sustainability of projects in Nyangores River sub-catchment Basin. The results indicated that there was a positive correlation r = 0.552, (p is was rejected and concluded that there is a significant relationship between the institutional structures and sustainability of projects in Nyangores river sub-catchment basin. R2 was 0.304; hence, 30.4% of changes in sustainability of projects are explained by institutional structures. Recommendations are; ensure a stringent policy for robust planning and management, and more robust forum for the stakeholders to complement the efforts of WRUA. It is suggested for further research, similar studies are done for the other adjacent river basins and to investigate ways of raising the level of community participation in the basin.

Governance Challenges for Natural Resources and Livelihoods in Coastal Zone Communities in Campeche, Mexico

Governance Challenges for Natural Resources and Livelihoods in Coastal Zone Communities in Campeche, Mexico

Food security and livelihood challenges of extensive goat production systems in desertification areas

Abstract Undernourishment and food insecurity are still challenges threatening poor urban and rural communities. Approximately 12% of the global population faced severe food insecurity in 2020, representing 928 million people. A significant fraction of the world’s land surface is covered by drylands, and this proportion is expected to increase in the future, affecting the food security and livelihood of 2 billion people due to climate change. Goats have traditionally been a significant asset and source of protein for rural communities inhabiting arid and semiarid regions of the world. We hypothesize that goats were intentionally selected by communities in dry environments and might be the optimal animal to breed in the future due to their capability to survive in dry environments and to utilize less water than other livestock production systems. However, it must be considered that only a small fraction (1%–2%) of the total water consumed by goats is drunk or utilized directly by the animals. Most of the water consumed is utilized to grow the feed that livestock such as goats consumes. Which in most regions of the world is green water due to goats feed on the vegetation that grows in rainfed rangelands. Increasing water efficiency in goat production is thus critical in the context of increasing water scarcity and desertification. However, there is little research on goat water productivity and the impact of decreasing water security on the sustainability of goat production and, hence, on the livelihoods in small communities in developing countries. Therefore, the impact AQ: Please restrict the word count of “Abstract” to 250 words as is the style requirement--> of increasing water scarcity and desertification on goat production in rainfed lands should be a research priority.

COVID-19 PANDEMIC LOCKDOWN: LIVELIHOOD STRUGGLES AND COPING EXPERIENCES OF PRECARIOUS MIGRANT CONSTRUCTION AND TRANSPORT WORKERS IN AWKA, ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

COVID-19 Pandemic has affected different categories of workers in diverse ways. The paper seeks to interrogate the livelihood challenges of those in precarious employment with a focus on migrant construction and transport workers in Awka during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. The paper explores the coping strategies adopted by these urban poor in the face of the severe shutdown and abrupt termination of their marginal means of livelihood by the State and National governments. The paper also sought to find out the forms of assistance, or palliatives, if any from governmental, non-governmental organizations, corporate bodies and individuals. The paper is an in-depth study of select construction and transport workers who are not indigenes of Anambra State, using In-depth Interview Method and Focus Group Discussion. The study revealed, that trapped in precariousness, the daily paid workers in the construction and transport sub sectors of the informal economy faced double jeopardy, not only in terms of the starvation earnings that are irregular, and uncertain, but in its total stoppage, with no safety nets, nor savings to fall back on. It also provides insights into the nature of the relationship that these masons, bricklayers and transport operators have with their ad hoc employers and the State

Mangrove dependency and livelihood challenges — A study on Sundarbans, India

The study assessed the role of mangrove to the livelihood of people living in world’s largest mangrove forest. Analysis has also been done on the livelihood assets and major stresses over the livelihood. A survey was conducted over 254 households (HHs) from 22 villages located at the fringe areas of Indian Sundarbans. The result shows that more than 81% HHs has made a regular visit to the forest and >46% earned half of their income from the forest areas. More than 21% HHs were entirely depends on mangrove for their livelihood. A large variation in total livelihood assets was observed. Hamilton Abad has the highest total assets value (2.97) among 22 selected villages. Overexploitation was stated to be key factor responsible for the decrease of both quantity and quality of fishes and crabs. Govt. regulation and difficulty in receiving passes are the major problems associated with firewood and honey collections.

Building Climate Resilience in Rainfed Landscapes Needs More Than Good Will

Rainfed smallholder farming is particularly vulnerable to climate change, which can greatly exacerbate existing poverty and livelihood challenges. Understanding the complexity of the systems that connect the environment, society and people can help us to reduce this vulnerability and increase the resilience of communities and households to climate perturbations. In recent years, resilience theory has proven a useful approach for exploring the complexity of development challenges. As a result, there has been an increase in the development of tools and frameworks for assessing resilience. Despite this increased focus, there is no consistent use of the resilience concept in development practice and little evidence as to the benefits of using the tools. This paper aims to bridge theory and practice by coupling research on resilience with its application in the international development field. The specific hypothesis we explore is if and how rural livelihoods build resilience toward increased climatic variability in already degraded agro-ecological landscapes? We present a resilience framework with indicators to assess the extent of community resilience to climate change through improved local agricultural production and natural resources management. Primary and secondary landscape and community data, together with development of participatory watershed action plans were used to populate 16 indicators in a resilience framework baseline for the two rainfed dominated watersheds in Ethiopia and Ghana respectively. Given community awareness of the challenges related to the watershed natural resources, local agriculture and extreme weather, the communities were very willing to develop action plans to improve their management of natural resources and build climate resilience. Nevertheless, our analysis of the watershed action plans revealed that strengthening resilience through local action alone, would likely not be sufficient to meet all climate -livelihood challenges identified. To address severity and recurrence of climate change related disturbances, such as droughts, floods and disease in poverty-affected rural communities, the capacity to improve resilience will depend on external factors, in addition to inherent action. New knowledge, infrastructure and social security mechanisms, including insurance and emergency assistance need to added to build resilience for poverty-affected communities in degraded watersheds. We conclude there are also challenges in the use of resilience framework for development and climate-action related to rural poverty affected and degraded livelihood systems. Populating complex social–environmental systems will also need further development, to understand progress in resilience building under changing climate. Special attention to systemic indicators that describe the coupling and interdependencies of social-ecosystem factors will be critical to take action.

Livelihood Challenges and Mitigation Strategies Adopted During COVID-19 Lockdown Period

Over the past century, apart from COVID-19, human civilization has seen five other significant pandemics such as the H1N1 outbreak in 2009, Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014, and subsequent outbreak in Congo in 2019, Zika outbreak in 2016, etc. However, of all these outbreaks, perhaps the COVID-19 pandemic is unparalleled due to the global proportions that it has assumed. The severity of the epidemic can be seen in terms of the number of lives lost and the multi-dimensional impact that COVID-19 has had upon the economies of nations and lives of people. Beyond the physical sphere of human life, COVID-19 has also impacted human life's social, mental, and economic aspects.
 This study was conducted to understand the livelihood challenges faced by the residents of 5 villages in Mulshi taluka during the lockdown period. In-depth interviews were conducted with three respondents from each village (15 respondents). The study drew upon the insights given by key opinion leaders in the towns such as Sarpanch and elected members of the gram panchayat, ASHA workers, ration shop owners etc. Identify the livelihood challenges faced by the people during the lockdown imposed due to COVID-19. Describe the strategies adopted by the people to overcome the challenges to livelihood faced by the people.
 The residents of the village's studies faced various challenges related to agriculture such as lack of manpower to harvest produce, lack of transportation facilities to transport produce to markets, lack of storage facilities to store agricultural produce etc, loss of employment faced by daily wage laborers due to non-operational status of small businesses during the lockdown period and challenges due to reverse migration.

Revisiting the ‘silent’ voice of teenagers in Lagos 1940 – 1950

Some of the most remarkable features of archival records in Ibadan Nigeria are the written expressions of teenagers to supposed European benefactors. These writings reflect the wholesome acceptance of the European value system that the teenagers had been significantly accustomed to and which had become entrenched in their worldview and mindset. This speaks to the significant reformations that had occurred in the psyche of individuals in their generation – old and young alike. This paper presents these expressions, leaving them as they are, to allow the words „speak for themselves‟. Particular attention is given to personal experiences as regards livelihood challenges, as they were written in correspondences to colonial authorities with the aim to give readers access to the uncensored „comments‟ of youngsters on general livelihood in colonial Lagos. Earlier sources exist, which provide significant discourses and perspectives on the experiences of a good number of these teenagers. However, there is more room for engagement with their texts. One way of making the texts available for a more expansive interrogation is to present them in the teenagers‟ own language, in full view of its „disorganisation‟, „lack of finesse‟, „bad grammar‟, „errors‟, „vagueness‟, and in certain cases, „outright inconsistency‟. Hence, this article makes no pretence about trying to „elevate‟ the status of the texts, but rather treats them as a kind of picaresque that discusses colonial urban livelihood realities.

COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown: Livelihood Struggles and Coping Experiences of Precarious Migrant Construction and Transport Workers in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria

COVID-19 Pandemic has affected different categories of workers in diverse ways. The paper seeks to interrogate the livelihood challenges of those in precarious employment with a focus on migrant construction and transport workers in Awka during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. The paper explores the coping strategies adopted by these urban poor in the face of the severe shutdown and abrupt termination of their marginal means of livelihood by the State and National governments. The paper also sought to find out the forms of assistance, or palliatives, if any from governmental, non-governmental organizations, corporate bodies and individuals. The paper is an indepth study of select construction and transport workers who are not indigenes of Anambra State, using In-depth Interview Method and Focus Group Discussion. The study revealed, that trapped in precariousness, the daily paid workers in the construction and transport sub sectors of the informal economy faced double jeopardy, not only in terms of the starvation earnings that are irregular, and uncertain, but in its total stoppage, with no safety nets, nor savings to fall back on. It also provides insights into the nature of the relationship that these masons, bricklayers and transport operators have with their ad hoc employers and the State.

Livelihood challenges of 'double strike' disasters: Evidence from rural communities of southwest coastal Bangladesh during the Covid-19 pandemic and cyclone Amphan

Livelihood challenges of 'double strike' disasters: Evidence from rural communities of southwest coastal Bangladesh during the Covid-19 pandemic and cyclone Amphan

Effect of COVID-19 lockdown on the livelihood of street vendors in Maharashtra, India

Background: As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, the lockdown was implemented as the main preventive measure to contain the spread of the virus across the world. India also went under one of the most stringent nationwide lockdowns which affected the workers of the informal sector the most. This study aims to explore the impact of the COVID-19 and lockdown on the livelihood of street vendors in the Maharashtra state, one of the severely affected states, of India.Methods: Telephonic in-depth interviews were conducted from 16th May to 1st June 2020 with 20 street vendors who sold perishable goods for their livelihood. Interviews were transcribed and thematic analysis was used in analysing the data.Results: There were a total of twelve food vendors and eight fruits and vegetable vendors in the study sample. The mean age of food vendors recorded was 36.91 years, the average years of working recorded were 12.25, the mean education level was 7.83, and the average household size recorded was 5.25 (Table 1). Out of the total food vendors, 10 were male and two were females. The majority of the food vendors belong to the Vidarbha region, followed by Khandesh and Western Maharashtra.Conclusions: Findings of the study show that lockdown affected street vendors multidimensionally. Street vendors had to stop working and many had to change their profession to selling fruits and vegetables within a limited time zone with greater livelihood challenges and financial hardships.

Rejuvenating ecosystem services through reclaiming degraded land for sustainable societal development: Implications for conservation and human wellbeing

The Himalayan ecosystem has global significance for supporting unique and rich ecological and socio-cultural diversity as well as a range of ecosystem services important for the very survival of human beings. However, constant anthropogenic pressure, unsustainable developmental practices and climate change led to the transformation of irrational land-use practices that have seriously compromised the ecosystem productivity and livelihood of the mountain communities. Considering the above, integrated land use planning, effective land use policy and legislation is a key element to address unsustainable land-use practices in the Himalayan ecosystem. Realising the increasing trend of degradation of natural resources and associated livelihood challenges for rural communities, a comprehensive scientific framework was developed for improving the functionality of marginal degraded land. A total of twelve tree species used for a variety of purposes prioritised by local communities based on ecological, social and economic value were selected for plantation on marginal degraded land belonging to the village community. Significant improvement in survival rate, growth, and circumference of planted tree species was observed across the sites after ten years of the plantation. The plantation activities enhanced the net productivity of degraded landscape while increasing characteristics of soil leading to increment in water percolation, improve soil moisture and decreased runoff. Total biomass accumulated by tree species planted in three selected sites within the period significantly contributed to carbon sequestration thus reducing the adverse impact of changing climate. The provisioning services in the form of fuel, fodder, and grasses obtained from developed landscapes reduced the drudgery and workload of marginal communities. The study advocates interdisciplinary knowledge production, enrich social learning among stakeholders, improved understanding of current and future challenges associated with land-use practices and relevant policy implications for sustainable land management in the region.