Livelihood Improvement Research Articles

Multipurpose, climate-resilient agroforestry in the Eastern Himalayas

Traditional, small-scale agroforestry systems offer a range of socioecological, sociocultural, and socioeconomic benefits for communities in the Eastern Himalayan region. Successfully managed by Indigenous farmers for generations, these systems involve intricate farming practices that integrate trees, shrubs, crops, and livestock, while avoiding any dependence on modern agricultural technologies like mechanisation or chemical inputs. The Eastern Himalayan region is home to seven agroforestry practices: farm-based, forest-based, large cardamom-based, mandarin-based, crops/mixed trees-based, slash-and-burn based, and tea-garden-based. The output-to-input ratio is highest for tea-based agroforestry and lowest for farm-based agroforestry. Farmers should carefully consider their choice of agroforestry system to suit their circumstances, but each system contributes to livelihood improvement, biodiversity conservation, and ecological sustainability. Several of the systems support high-value cash crops and they all provide a variety of functions and services, including maintaining soil fertility, conserving resources, enhancing productivity, and reducing erosion. They also support a remarkable level of crop diversity and preserve genetic resources, contributing to agrobiodiversity conservation. These traditional agroforestry systems, therefore, offer a sustainable approach to agriculture, balancing short-term food and livelihood needs with long-term environmental conservation. Research is now needed to assess gaps, especially related to multipurpose trees, to ensure the resilience and sustainability of these systems in the face of socioeconomic shifts.

Community development programs in Rural Africa: An effectiveness review

Community Development Programs (CDPs) play a pivotal role in fostering positive change and sustainable development in rural Africa. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the effectiveness of such programs, shedding light on their impact, challenges, and potential avenues for improvement. In recent decades, numerous CDPs have been implemented across rural Africa, aiming to address a myriad of socio-economic challenges faced by local communities. These programs typically encompass a range of initiatives, including infrastructure development, healthcare services, education, and livelihood improvement. The overarching goal is to empower communities, enhance their resilience, and foster long-term growth. The effectiveness of CDPs in rural Africa is a multifaceted subject, influenced by various factors. One key aspect is the context-specific nature of each community, necessitating tailored approaches that consider local cultures, traditions, and needs. Successful programs often demonstrate a deep understanding of these contextual nuances, fostering community engagement and ownership. While some CDPs have shown remarkable success in achieving their intended outcomes, challenges persist. Limited financial resources, inadequate infrastructure, and political instability can hinder the implementation of these programs. Additionally, the top-down approach adopted by some initiatives may result in a lack of community participation and, consequently, suboptimal outcomes. It is imperative to adopt a participatory and inclusive approach that involves local stakeholders in the decision-making process, ensuring sustainability and long-term impact. This review also highlights the importance of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms in assessing the effectiveness of CDPs. Rigorous data collection and analysis are essential for understanding the real impact of these programs on key indicators such as poverty reduction, healthcare access, and educational attainment. In conclusion, while Community Development Programs have made significant strides in rural Africa, there is room for improvement. Tailoring interventions to the specific needs of each community, fostering community participation, and implementing robust monitoring and evaluation processes are crucial steps toward enhancing the effectiveness of these programs. The findings of this review contribute to the ongoing discourse on community development in rural Africa, providing insights for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers alike.

Study on Soil Fertility Variations, Distribution of Soil Health Report and Key Suggestions for Problems Identified for Improvement of Livelihoods in Adopted Village Narsimhulapalle, Telangana, India

The Agricultural College, Sircilla of Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, as the sixth and youngest college of the University, started during the academic year 2018-19. One of the mandatory activities of the college in addition to academics is adoption of village and disseminating need based relevant technologies of the University for improvement of livelihoods of the villagers. Hence, a village by name Narsimhulapalle of Thangallapalli Mandal, Rajanna Sircilla district was adopted as part of extension activities of the college which is about 19 km from the college. Prior to the dissemination of improved technologies, the identification of existing scenario in the village with regards to soils, fertility status, crops, varieties, package of production technologies followed were taken up. Soil samples were collected with geo-positions from every farmer’s field i.e., 114 farm holds of the village, processed and tested for fertility status. Action plan was prepared based on crop grown to alleviate the livelihoods of the village. A systematic collection of demographic, socio economic conditions and livelihoods of the villagers from primary and secondary sources along with prevailing farming practices were documented. All the 114 soils of the village were deficient in N, while majority of soils were medium to high with respect to available P and K. The Soil fertility based fertilizer recommendations were advocated to every individual farmer based on their soil test report for the crop grown. Soil fertility maps were prepared and displayed in the village Panchayat. Bridging of the identified extension and research gaps was planned by proposing relevant technological interventions for the enhancement of livelihoods.

Irish Potato Value Addition Innovations and Utilization of Value Added Products on Livelihood Improvement Among Utilizers in Kitumba and Bubare Sub-Counties, Kabale District

Irish Potato Value Addition Innovations and Utilization of Value Added Products on Livelihood Improvement Among Utilizers in Kitumba and Bubare Sub-Counties, Kabale District

Integrating carbon mitigation, PM2.5 reduction, and livelihood improvement: A non-equilibrium dynamic urban analysis in Beijing

Cities that are characterized by high populations and economic activities are carbon-intensive and highly susceptible to the effects of climate change. The majority of existing research on urban low-carbon development employs macro models to analyze influencing factors and emission pathways; however, such studies do not derive detailed descriptions about urban structure, commuting mode and residential characteristics, or capture cities’ dynamic evolution. This study develops a non-equilibrium dynamic urban model specifically for Beijing (NEDUM-Beijing) that is based on existing NEDUM-2D to capture housing construction, residential housing, and commuting patterns specific to Beijing. Using the model, this study simulates and analyzes the impacts of low-carbon development policies on urban expansion, pollution reduction, carbon mitigation, and residents’ livelihood (2025–2060). Results show that carbon tax and new energy vehicle policies have limited effect on urban form and do not substantially cause urban sprawl. A carbon tax of 100 yuan/ton appears insufficient to achieve considerable reduction in CO2 and PM2.5 emissions. The promotion of new energy vehicles can reduce transportation emissions slightly, with a long-term reduction ratio of 0.54%–2.62%. Restricting the residential land and floor area ratio may reduce overall housing supply, cause lower average dwelling size, and encourage suburban relocation.

Does Equity Matter in Natural Resource and Livelihood Benefits? Revenue Sharing Policy Implementation at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda

This paper presents and interprets key parameters within Revenue Sharing policy implementation framework and links them to people’s livelihood improvement and conservation. This study creates a linkage between equitable distribution of Revenue Sharing projects, people’s livelihood improvement and conservation support. The paper further presents the distribution of projects across various sections of people boardering with Bwindi. Data was analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively to generate frequencies and percentages in order to illustrate the differences. Not all the variables to explain benefit distribution were significant for both livelihood improvement and conservation support. Significant variables included; resource users, ethnicity, gender, proximity from park boundary and homestead distance to vehicle roads and village centres. Results further indicate that projects are not well targeted and there is no equity during implementation. Those who bear the most conservation costs are not well targeted by resource benefits. The paper recommends a Revenue Sharing Equitable Framework and Community Based Monitoring approach in order to improve the policy implementation practice.

Nature-based Solution for Local Watershed and Coastal Flood Mitigation in Indonesia

This study evaluates the effectiveness of program implementation that combines Integrated Community-based Risk Reduction (ICBRR) with Nature-based Solution (NbS) in Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara and Tanggamus, Regency of Lampung Province. The method used is qualitative measurement using indicators of NbS achievement by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the International Union for Conservation and Nature (IUCN), and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Data were collected from quarterly evaluation reports by program implementers: the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and American Red Cross (Amcross) and interviews with program implementers. The results showed that the broad concept of NbS is difficult to apply and measure in short-duration programs because it takes a longer time to see significant and balanced changes in each variable, especially in the variables of net gain biodiversity, livelihood improvement, and regional policy integration. However, the program that has been implemented has been able to initiate an implementation framework that is easily understood at the local level and brings NbS to the context of community needs and capabilities.

Evaluating local perceptions of sustainable utilisation of non-timber forest products and their potential to improve livelihoods in Ghana's forest fringe communities

The sustainable utilisation of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) holds significant promise for livelihood improvement within forest fringe communities in Ghana. While local communities benefit from NTFPs, there is limited understanding of the locals' perceptions with regard to the potential of NTFPs to alleviate poverty. This research evaluated the intricate interplay of local perceptions with regard to climate change, value addition and the multiple uses of NTFPs, and their influence on livelihood improvement. The study employed a multidimensional approach, incorporating quantitative, qualitative and systematic review methodologies. Surveys and interviews were conducted to gather data on the perceptions of local communities of climate change, value addition to NTFPs and the multiple uses of NTFPs, as well as social factors that influence their perception. In addition, a systematic review using the PRISMA method was used to assess the potential of NTFPs to alleviate poverty. The findings underscored the significance of education, religion and gender, which are pivotal in shaping local perceptions of NTFPs and their potential to improve livelihoods. The systematic review showed the potential of NTFPs to alleviate poverty in Ghana and in other parts of the world. Initiatives that enhance market accessibility and create value-addition opportunities should be considered to uplift communities economically. Furthermore, policy frameworks and institutional support can emerge as essential elements in shaping local perceptions. In conclusion, this research elucidated the vital role of local perceptions for the sustainable utilisation of NTFPs to improve livelihoods within Ghana's forest fringe communities.

Measurement of Sustainable Development Implementation in Coastal and Ocean Bontang City through State of the Coast Measurement Processes

Development of a coastal area in a sustainable manner, it is necessary to integrate both governance aspects and sustainable development aspects through an integrated coastal management framework approach, starting from preparation, initiation, development, adoption, implementation, refining, and consolidation. At the preparation stage, basic data are compiled in comprehensive and integrated measures of government policies in overcoming environmental problems as outlined in the State of the Coast (SOC) report. The purpose of SOC report development is to identify gaps and review from the aspect of Governance and Sustainability with 11 elements and 36 indicators based on the SDG’s and SDS SEA Programs in a coastal area. The results of the SOC report are used as a basis for local governments to formulate policies for decision-making. Based on an assessment in Bontang City, aspects of governance, elements of policy, strategy, and planning are still relatively lacking. From the sustainable development aspect, elements of food security and livelihood improvement, management and reduction of pollution, utilization, and management of water resources and their recovery still need to be improved.

Use of Plantation Establishment and Livelihood Improvement Scheme (Pelis) in the Rehabilitation of Nyamweru Forest Reserve, Kiambu County, Kenya.

PELIS is a program globally known as the Taungya system, which involves the allocation of parcels of land to forest-adjacent communities to grow tree seedlings as well as carry out cultivation of crops during the early stages of tree seedlings growth until they form canopies, with the aim of increasing forest cover. The program has been successful in some countries, but it has failed in other countries, especially developing countries. This study investigated the impeding factors to the realization of the PELIS program, using a case study of the Nyamweru forest reserve in Kiambu County, Lari sub-county, Kenya. Descriptive research design was employed, with a sample size of 40 respondents. About 80% of the results showed an apparent weakness of the institutions mandated in the governance of the forest to effectively manage PELIS program. The study concluded that all the challenges experienced under the PELIS program can be linked to poor forest governance practices. The study recommended, that an integrated watershed resource management, adoption of a bottom-up approach in order to achieve participatory forest management in all aspects of the PELIS program, and development of a platform for awareness creation, such training and use of current technologies, to strengthen and enhance social capital in PELIS program Management in order to, rejuvenate and achieve the constitutional recommended 10% of forest cover in Kenya.

Commercial Motorcycle Operations in Tanzania: An Analysis on Youth Livelihood Improvement in Dar es Salaam City

The commercial motorcycle industry is growing rapidly in many developing countries, including Tanzania, where there are 589,936 registered commercial motorcycle taxis, with approximately 35,000 operating in Dar es Salaam City. While existing literature explores the role of the motorcycle business in creating employment opportunities in Africa and Tanzania, there is a lack of substantial evidence regarding its contribution to the livelihoods of young operators in Dar es Salaam. To bridge this gap, this study engaged 138 participants from five municipalities in the Dar es Salaam Region, utilizing a mixed research approach with data collected through structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics with IBM SPSS Statistics (24), presented in tabular format, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. The study found that motorcycle business significantly contributed to youth's livelihood and had multiplier effects. It recommends empowering youth to own motorcycles and conducting more research on the business's contribution to the GDP. The study also suggests empowering females to engage in business operations since the business is mainly dominated by male.

Factors influencing fish farmers’ decision in selecting the right market outlet: empirical evidence from Bangladesh

ABSTRACT Aquaculture contributes significantly to the sustainable livelihood improvement of a considerable portion of Bangladesh’s population. However, fish farmers often encounter the challenge of receiving lower market prices, necessitating the exploration of market choice options to mitigate economic losses. Using cross-sectional data collected from 200 fish farmers, this study applied the multinomial logit (MNL) model to identify the factors influencing fish farmers’ decision to select a fish market. Results indicate that the bargaining power of the fish farmers can increase the probability of selling their fish at the upazila and district markets by 44% and 36%, respectively. Conversely, education, age and distance from the market display a negative association with market choices. The findings suggest several interventions to facilitate fish sales through alternative marketing outlets, including financial assistance for fish production, promoting collective marketing, strengthening extension services, and investing in logistics services, particularly improving the dissemination of market information.

Binga's VaTonga communities involvement in Zambezi river fishery resource harvesting and management

Fishing dependent rural communities in developing countries are poor despite staying close to resources which can improve their lives. This motivated this study to assess the participation of Binga District communities in exploitation and management of fishery resources. A descriptive research design supported by both qualitative and quantitative research methods was employed. Questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions and observations were used to collect data, and Microsoft excel 2016 was used for data analysis. Findings indicate that the VaTonga Communities of Binga (Basilwizi) District are not exercising their full fishing rights as expected because of a combination of lack of knowledge, failure of local authorities to represent local people in development policy designing, poverty and lack of transparency on expected management and exploitation rights of fishery resources. It was confirmed that all people wish to participate in fishing but strict access rights and poverty are major constraints. Main challenges faced by fishers include disruption of activities by crocodiles and hippos, poaching by foreign people and fish markets. Results showed that there is potential of livelihood improvement for people if their access rights are revised and if they are fully capacitated to exploit and protect their resources through community based natural resource management program. Unlike other studies in the same research domain, a framework for sustainable exploitation of fishery resources was developed as way forward. The framework recommends revision of access rights for local people and donor support to capacitate them with fishing resources amongst other aspects that need attention to improve socio-economic development and ecological integrity in the national thrust of leaving no one and no place behind towards achievement of global sustainable development goals. These findings will be an eye opener to policy makers with regards to the consequences of neglecting local people of ignoring them in decision making.

Role of field level extension officers in development interventions: Evidence from Sabaragamuwa Province in Sri Lanka

The government of Sri Lanka implemented a range of developmental interventions to eliminate poverty by enhancing agricultural productivity, income diversification and economic growth in rural areas. The "Divineguma" (Livelihood upliftment) program was one such massive-scale livelihood improvement program that had multiple interventions at different levels. The intermediaries who link the government and the beneficiaries are the field-level extension officers (EOs). The beneficiaries have severely criticized the field-level extension service, especially the assistance on agricultural interventions. This study was done to examine the roles of the field-level EOs and beneficiaries’ perceptions regarding the knowledge, skills, and personal qualities of the EOs in the implementation of this rural development program, with special relevance to home gardens. A survey study was carried out in the Elapata Divisional Secretary division in Ratnapura district with a sample size of 150 beneficiaries. Beneficiaries perceived that the EO’s were influential in the startup motives of the participants but in follow-up roles, which are the most important roles for the success of the home garden program, were not fulfilled by these EOs. The participants also perceived that the field-level EOs were not well prepared when communicating with the participants and always neglected the importance of feedback in the communication process and they were not fully committed to the activities related to the home garden program. This study reveals that policymakers should constantly review the performance of the EOs and assess their training requirements.

Impact of adoption of better management practices and nutrition-sensitive training on the productivity, livelihoods and food security of small-scale aquaculture producers in Myanmar

Small-scale aquaculture is a major source of food in Myanmar. Beyond its importance for food security and nutrition, small-scale aquaculture contributes to the livelihoods of many rural households and is a potentially valuable strategy for rural development. However, small-scale aquaculture producers have limited access to improved production technologies and information, which hampers the productivity and socioeconomic performance of small-scale aquaculture systems. In this study we assessed the impact of the adoption of better management practices and exposure to nutrition-sensitive training by 379 small-scale aquaculture producers in the Sagaing and Shan regions of Myanmar. We focused on whether and how the exposure to these interventions affected household food security through improvements in productivity and livelihoods. We used Propensity Score Matching to compare the performance of groups that were exposed to the intervention for one or two years, for seven impact variables. Exposure to the intervention had a positive effect for most impact variables, with differentiated effects among variables, group comparisons and regions. In terms of food security, beneficiaries had significantly higher dietary diversity (measured as the Food Consumption Score, FCS), but there were no significant differences for fish self-consumption (measured in kg/week). Longer exposure to the interventions produced significantly higher positive effects across most impact variables for the 2-year beneficiaries compared to 1-year beneficiaries and control groups. Our study suggests that the length of exposure to such interventions can be important in mediating the actual impact of small-scale aquaculture systems on household food security and livelihoods. Sustained help to small-scale producers should be considered in initiatives and development projects seeking to enhance the food security and rural development of small-scale aquaculture systems in Myanmar, and beyond.

Financial Performance and Potential Feasibility of Black Rice (Oryza sativa L. Indica) Cultivation in Assam: An Empirical Study

"This paper explores the economic and financial performance of black rice production in the upper Brahmaputra valley region of Assam. Black rice, known for its rich nutritional value and cultural significance, has gained attention from agri-entrepreneurs and development projects aiming to promote its cultivation. The study employs various accounting ratios, such as gross profit ratio, profit-volume ratio, and expenses ratio, to assess the profitability and financial health of black rice farmers in three different categories based on farm size. Through a comprehensive analysis of primary data collected from 170 farmers, the study reveals that category C farmers, with the largest farm size, achieve the highest average gross profit and gross profit ratio, followed by category B and category A. Similarly, category C farmers incur higher expenses on machinery and fertilizers but maintain the lowest expense ratio. Conversely, category A farmers have the highest expense ratio but achieve the lowest average gross profit and profit volume ratio. Break-even analysis and margin of safety are employed to understand the profitability and financial strength of black rice farmers. The study finds that category C farmers have the highest break-even point and the highest margin of safety ratio, followed by category B and category A. The research concludes that black rice cultivation holds immense potential for economic growth and livelihood improvement in Assam. However, despite favorable agro-climatic conditions, commercial production remains limited. Further research is needed to understand the barriers to scale up production and promote the systematic adoption of black rice cultivation to achieve nutritional security and enhance livelihoods in the region."

Interconnection Between Ecosystem Services and Local Communities: Knowledge Gap Identification in the Area of Kakamega Forest

The potential for accelerate loss of ecosystem services exists when the livelihood of the rural poor is heavily reliant on local ecosystems. For an improvement in livelihood of the rural poor there is need for assessment of key elements of the livelihood framework. This is especially important to Kakamega forest, the last remaining tropical rainforest in Kenya. This paper is a comprehensive literature review aimed at identifyed the research gaps in the area of the relationships between local communities and Kakamega forest ecosystem services. We derived the 42 case studies using ROSES framework and used descriptive statistics to analysis the data set. 93% of the case studies analyse provisional ecosystem, 83% cultural, 55% regulating and 31% supporting ecosystem. We identified r research gaps in our interest area. Most used research methodology is the participatory rural methods which involved interviews, key informant interviews, and focus group discussion. The identified research gaps will enable us to develop tools that can be used to assess the livelihood improvement of local forest communities in Kakamega. The comprehensive review is also useful for planning the research in other parts of Kenya and beyond, in order to improve livelihoods of local forest communities.

Contribution of participatory forest management to livelihood improvement in Metema district, northwestern Ethiopia

Contribution of participatory forest management to livelihood improvement in Metema district, northwestern Ethiopia

The Taymate Cooperative: A Women-led Empowerment Story

When success stories from agricultural cooperatives are identified they deserve to be studied and told to inform actions for scaling out best management. We explore how cooperatives encourage strategies for livelihood improvement and support economic and social innovations to foster community adaptation to climate change. Lessons from the Taymate Olive Cooperative inform the design and implementation of effective policies and programs supporting the growth and sustainability of gender-sensitive agricultural cooperatives in Morocco and contribute to the socioeconomic development of rural communities.

Codification and description of phenological growth stages of taro (Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum) according to the extended BBCH Scale

AbstractTaro [Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott var. antiquorum] is an important tuber crop widely cultivated in tropical and sub‐tropical regions, for its corms, leaves, and petioles. Millions of people living in developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Central America, utilise taro as a staple or subsistence food and it plays a very crucial role there for food security, nutritional security, livelihood improvement, and employment generation. It exhibits a capacious range of diversity worldwide regarding plant characteristics. However, its phenology has not yet been described systematically. The present study defines codes and phenological growth stages of taro according to the extended Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamnt, and Chemische Industrie (BBCH) scale using a three‐digit numerical coding system for its description. A total of nine principal growth stages were described such as germination (0), leaf development (1), elongation of shoot/stem (2), tuber formation (3), development of inflorescence/spadix (5), flowering (6), development of berries/fruiting (7), ripening of berries and seed development (8) and senescence and beginning of dormancy (9) and further, each of the principal development stages has been partitioned into optional developmental growth stages. Under remarkable circumstances, it is valuable to use mesostages with three‐digit codes for description. The study of extended BBCH scale for taro has immense importance in crop management, crop improvement, germplasm characterisation, and assessment of impact of the climate on phenology under different agro‐climatic conditions for the selection of suitable genotypes.