Livelihood Improvement Research Articles

Improved representation of cattle herd dynamics for bio-physical modelling of pathways to a climate neutral land sector

CONTEXTLivestock production contributes to food security and livelihood improvement globally but places a significant burden on the environment. In Ireland, an ongoing transition towards highly profitable dairy production after the phasing out of EU milk quotas has changed the composition of the national cattle herd with more dairy and fewer beef cows. This shift impacts greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting across different cattle cohorts, e.g. increasing the proportion of calves from the dairy herd. Dairy x beef crossbreeds (DxB) increasingly contribute to national beef output, leveraging larger average daily liveweight gain (ADG) traits from beef breeding bulls. OBJECTIVEProspective modelling of climate and land consequences arising from alternative cattle production strategies requires more accurate simulation of cohort-specific ADG and associated feed requirements and GHG emissions. METHODSA new COHORTS model was developed to improve national climate scenario mitigation modelling. COHORTS is capable of simulating 21 genetics-gender-age cohorts calibrated to Irish performance, using just a few basic input parameters (at minimum dairy- and beef-cow numbers). A cohort specific ADG and average standing liveweight is estimated for each genetic (pure dairy calves, DxB and pure beef calves), gender and age combination, enabling more accurate calculation of energy requirements and enteric fermentation emissions based on IPCC Tier 2 calculations. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSNational simulation of cattle numbers, enteric fermentation emissions and beef outputs were validated against relevant Irish inventories. For the period between 2006 and 2020, simulations resulted in total cattle numbers, emissions and beef production within 4%, 1.8% and 0.5%, respectively, of officially reported data. Our results indicate that climate projections based on average emission factors for pre-adult cattle cohorts may overestimate emissions in scenarios with projected growing dairy calf numbers and declining beef calf numbers. SIGNIFICANCEValidation using a 15-year data time series provides a high degree of confidence that COHORTS can be used to represent future herd dynamics in a wide range of scenarios, supporting robust policy regarding GHG mitigation, livestock production and land use – distinguishing between different levels of dairy or beef specialisation and across different levels of performance to predict forage (land) requirements and GHG emissions more accurately. COHORTS can be easily adapted for other countries, even when limited data are available.

Socio-economic analysis of edible insect species collectors and vendors in Nagaland, North-East India

Abstract In Nagaland insects like the Eri silkworm Samia cynthia ricini and the Indian honey bee Apis cerana indica are reared for commercial purposes rather than just household uses. Of the marketed edible insects in India, Hymenoptera contribute 34% followed by Orthoptera (25%), Coleoptera (16%), Hemiptera (12%), and Lepidoptera (9%) while Odonata and Blattodea contribute 2% each. The present study estimates that an insect seller may earn Rs. 600-800 (US $7.51-10.01) per kg from various types of insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, katydid, water and diving beetles, ants, stink bugs and tent caterpillars. For 1 litre of honey an insect seller may earn Rs. 532-1600 (US $6.66-20.02) and for 1 kg of wood larvae (largely beetle larvae), carpenter “worms” (= Cossus spp. moth larvae) and hornets the vendor can demand Rs. 3,300-3,750 (US $41.29-56.31). The contribution of the edible insect sector towards the socio-economy and livelihood improvement of the people in both rural and urban communities is highlighted and discussed. Given the insect bio-resource in the region, the consumption of edible insects, coupled with mass production, processing, and marketing (as successfully implemented in countries like Thailand, Vietnam, and some African countries like Cameroon and Nigeria), can be a boon to Nagaland.

Large-scale agricultural land investments and food security in Nigeria

The study examines how large-scale agricultural land investments (LIs) affect household food security in Nigeria. It is one of the few studies in Nigeria that offers new empirical insights into household food security. Precisely, it unravels how LIs affect the livelihood outcomes of households in communities where LIs operate compared to households in communities without such LIs. This study engages the mixed methods of analysis involving quantitative and qualitative techniques. The quantitative data is drawn from the Living Standards Measurement Study-Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS-ISA) utilising the Logistic regression technique. The qualitative aspect of this study involved fieldwork conducted in two distinct Nigerian states: Kwara State, situated in the North-Central region, and Ogun State, located in the South-West region. The qualitative findings further enrich the quantitative findings. It also helped to investigate the nature of jobs households engaged in and also the employment density of the investors’ farms which could not be done using the national representative data (LSMS). The results indicate that households in communities without land investments have 0.2% higher likelihood of being more food secure than households in communities with land investments and it is significant at 5%. The qualitative analysis reveals several key insights, including the observation that female headed households in communities with LIs are less likely to be food secure, receive less wages, and spend more time in communities with LIs. Government should put in place policies (for example, compensation policies) that will ensure that land deals are properly monitored and structured to benefit and protect the host communities. If the government fails to properly regulate land deals, rural people will always suffer. Also, they should monitor and control the activities, and the type of crops grown in investment farms so that land investments can bring about the desired benefits such as improvement in household livelihood and enhance food security in the communities where they exist.

Assessing the Determinants of Adopting Urban Tree Planting as Climate Change Mitigation Strategy in Enugu Metropolis, Nigeria

This study sought to explore the determinants of adopting urban tree planting as a method of reducing climate change in the metropolis of Enugu. The 823 respondents were chosen using a multistage random selection process. Logistic regression and descriptive statistics were employed in analysing the data. The study results indicated that the majority (53%) of the respondents were male, with an average age of 36 years. The majority of the households were aware of climate change, since they perceived extreme weather events like drought, a decrease in rainfall, and a rise in temperature. Moreover, the majority of the households experienced a decline in agricultural productivity, a reduction in farm returns, and a rise in unemployment during peak seasons. The mitigation strategy adopted by households for climate change is urban tree planting, and this contributes positively to livelihood improvement. Furthermore, the study results showed that the price of the tree, access to information on the changing climate, access to water, use and access of trees, and occupation positively influenced households’ decisions in adopting urban tree planting. Therefore, we recommend that stakeholders such as governments must promote the delivery of agricultural extension and advisory services by improving their climate information systems, among other strategies to boost their all-inclusive adaptation to the effects of climate change.

Assessment of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Assisted Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) project in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

This study assessed the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Assisted Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) Project in Bayelsa State. Specifically, the objectives were to: identify the socio-economic characteristics of LIFE-ND incubatees; assess the agricultural economic opportunities in LIFE-ND for program incubatees; assess the production and marketing infrastructure that support LIFE-ND; ascertain the effect of the programme on the livelihood of the incubatees and identify the constraints confronting incubatees’ in the LIFE-ND programme. Using a questionnaire, information was gathered. A total of two hundred and fifty (250) incubatees were interviewed. Data collected were analysed with the use of percentage, mean scores and regression analysis. Findings showed that majority of the incubatees (53.2% ) were females between the ages of 31 – 40 years (43.6%), were married (53.2%), had tertiary education (37.2%), household size of 1-4 persons (43.2%). Results of the effect of the programme on the livelihood of the incubatees were: increased income (x ̅=3.29), provision of source of livelihood (x ̅=3.11), provision of source of livelihood and employment (x ̅=3.04). The result of the socio-economic factors influencing participation showed that sex, educational level, household size, income and major occupation were the significant factors that influenced the level of participation in LIFE-ND project at P≤0.05. The major constraints confronting incubatees were: inadequate funding (x ̅=2.91), long distance to training centres (x ̅=2.90), inadequate inputs (x ̅=2.88), untimely release of funds (x ̅=2.84), corruption (x ̅=2.82) etc. The study recommends that adequate inpus should be made available for incubatees to fast track the learning and practical process.

Towards Decent Employment or a Destitute Livelihood? The Dynamics of the Agrarian Question of Labor in Ethiopia

ABSTRACT This paper examines the demand for industrial labor among dispossessed peasants and how the non-absorption of peasants’ labor into industrial production intertwined in and around the Bole Lemi industrial park (BLIP) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The scores of peasants who were dispossessed to enable the establishment of BLIP were promised to get compensatory jobs. The park's expansion ensures capital accumulation for the companies but produces a ‘pile of pain’ for the dispossessed peasants. Drawing on fieldwork in Addis Ababa, this article illustrates that the promised transformation of dispossessed peasants’ lives from farm to factory and rural to urban lifestyle did not happen. This is due to companies’ ignorance of dispossessed peasants’ labor because they are illiterate, ‘unskilled’ and beyond the productive capitalist age as well as companies’ preference for employing young women. While rural women migrate to the city for industrial labor, on the contrary, the dispossessed peasants living in Addis Ababa are seasonally ‘returning to the farm’ as daily laborers in rural areas known for their labor shortages. The peasants become surplus to industrial production due to capitalists’ 2 preference for employing young women of ‘productive age’ (roughly between 15-30). As a result, a new precarious peasant class of ‘three nos’ – no land, no work, and no hope – is emerging. The aspiration, hope and expectation of modernity – city lifestyle, proletarianization and improvement in livelihoods turned into the reality of under/unemployment and migration.

Promoting sustainable fisheries and aquaculture – Enabling policies, innovation and challenges for achieving sustainable blue economies in Ambon, Maluku Province, Indonesia

Sustainable blue economies have become a priority policy for coastal and island countries. It is also the case for Indonesia as it is an archipelago country endowed with a wide-spreading ocean. It must be sustained by key guiding policy principles such as environmental conservation, sustainable management of natural resources, and livelihood improvement. These policy objectives must be pursued in an integrated and coherent manner. Yet, Indonesia faces multiple governance challenges to achieve such goals. Multi-stakeholder and cross-sectoral collaborations are indispensable. Innovation is also needed for policy development, technological advancement, and social partnership. Capacity development is a policy imperative at the local, sub-national, and national levels. International partnership is also important to promote transboundary and sub-regional ecosystem-based and collective marine resource management in the context of achieving sustainable blue economies particularly, through sustainable fisheries and eliminating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Multifaceted and interdisciplinary approaches need to be reinforced to overcome composite challenges.

The impacts of industrialization on welfare of expropriated households in Sabata Town of Ethiopia

Land acquisitions for expansion of industries through expropriation have affected means of income generation of evicted people in Ethiopia. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and endogenous switching regression. Results showed that the expropriated households have lower total income and higher personal expenditures than the non-expropriated household’s. Besides, the total income of the expropriated households was significantly lower than that of the non-expropriated households. Thus, there should be a restoration mechanisms through the implementation of livelihood improvement fund; provision of share stock from company; training of expropriated people at financial accounting and management system, provision of infrastructure and service facilities, and creation of safe environment for the society.

Assessment of the Role of Leasehold Forest in Livelihood Improvement in Gorkha District, Nepal

The leasehold forestry aims to free the poor from a complicated cycle of poverty by institutionalizing and manipulating the local resources. This study is based on the structured and semi-structured questionnaire and an examination of both published and unpublished records. The study was carried out in 283 Leasehold Forest User Groups (LHFUGs) of the Gorkha district representing 8 different clusters. This study makes a clear effort to identify livelihood improvement in the Gorkha district through leasehold forest by taking into consideration livelihood assets (natural, physical, human, financial, and social). The condition of livelihood capitals in the study area was examined using a judgmental scoring technique that looked at the changes that occurred in five different capitals. Three indicators have been used for each of the assets and scores; +1, -1, and 0 were given to represent improved, degraded, and remained unchanged respectively. A spider web diagram was used to express the change. The results depicted that Chepang, Gurung, and Magar are the predominant indigenous peoples who benefited from the LHF. The result showed the constructive impact of the leasehold forestry program on each asset. The social, physical, human, natural and financial capital received an average total score of 0.778, 0.951, 0.748, 0.589, and 0.722 respectively. The most notable accomplishments were construction and access to the physical capitals including the effectiveness of constructions and advancement of knowledge about community development. Better-managed natural resources can help achieve both conservation and livelihood options.

Microfinance Intervention and Health Outcomes of Marginalized People: A Systematic Literature Review

INTRODUCTION: People from developing countries may have poor health due to economic constraints. Microfinance institutions provide collateral-free microcredit to the unbanked people for their livelihood improvement. This study aims to assess the impact of microfinance services on the health outcomes of marginalized people. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The research is based on a review of empirical studies, reports, and data. The PubMed search engine was used to locate research publications on microfinance and health. The PubMed Open Database was applied to find the publications using the keywords "microfinance" and "health." All papers that were published from January 1, 2010, to April 15, 2023, were checked for the study. 71 research papers were discovered during the initial inquiry; nine duplicate articles were eliminated, and 13 were irrelevant to the study. Finally, 50 research papers and reports were selected for evaluation. RESULTS: Health outcomes and microfinance intervention are related. Microfinance services are useful to improve access to healthcare, health initiatives/awareness, and funding for healthcare services. When financial services are integrated with health care services, the poor and marginalized people benefit from the microfinance intervention in the diverse areas of health care services such as communicable and non-communicable diseases, food security and nutrition, contraceptives, and mental health risks of intimate partner violence, as well as health awareness, quality of life, social integration, and economic wellbeing. CONCLUSIONS: Financial accessibility is important for promoting the health of the underprivileged. The poor and marginalized individuals gain from the microfinance intervention in the broad spectrum of health care services when financial services are linked with health care services.

The Effect of Rural Road Access on Rural Households Livelihood Improvement: Evidence from Selected Weredas in Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia

The development of appropriate road infrastructure is fundamental to economic growth and poverty reduction. Rural roads, especially, are especially important for economic development in rural areas. Against this background, this study aims at investigating the effect of rural road access on rural households’ livelihood improvement. Concerning the methodology, mixed research approach involving descriptive and explanatory designs was used. This study compares (using propensity score matching techniques) households located in Keble’s with road access to suitable controls. The descriptive analysis reveals that rural roads provide enhanced access to markets for inputs such as fertilizers and improved seeds, enable households to sell their produce to nearby markets, and allow to achieve additional non-farm employment opportunities, leading to a rise in income and reduce poverty. The results from econometrics analysis shows that road access positively and significantly improved the livelihood of households as measured by the livelihoods asset capital index. On the basis of their propensity score, the mean difference in the livelihood assets index between households located in Keble’s with road access and non-accessible household’s ranges up to 6% after matching. The results also indicated that women who are employed during road construction, on average, have 25% to 37% higher empowerment level than those who are not employed. This strengthens the argument for making efforts towards gender mainstreaming during rural road construction and greater engagement of women in road planning and implementation.

The spatial effects of rural toilet retrofitting investment on farmers' medical and health expenditure in China.

China stretches across a vast area, and different geographical environments and economic and social development conditions, along with learning imitation and factor flow among participants can lead to two major spatial characteristics of toilet retrofitting investment: spatial heterogeneity and spatial correlation. This study contributes to explore this topic by assessing the spatial heterogeneity and spatial correlation of toilet retrofitting investment on farmers' medical and health expenditure based on the spatial econometric model. (1) There are significant spatial agglomeration characteristics of both the toilet retrofitting investment and farmers' medical and health expenditure in China. (2) At the national level, the rural toilet retrofitting investment will influence the farmers' medical and health expenditure, and the effect on the local area is greater than on the surrounding areas. (3) After taking into account the differences in natural geographical environment and social and economic development, China is divided into four regions: east, central, west and northeast. In terms of spatial effects within different regions, the intensity of the impact of toilet retrofitting investment on local farmers' medical and health expenditure is in the order of central > eastern > western > northeast. The improvement of people's livelihood in the eastern and central regions by toilet retrofitting investment would lead to imitation by surrounding regions, thus reflecting spillover effects, while in the western region, toilet retrofitting investment would trigger fierce competition in related industries and factor markets, manifesting the competition effect. (4) As for the spatial effects across different regions, the toilet retrofitting investment produces spillover effects in all four regions, among which the intensity of the influence effect is the greatest in the central-western region, followed by the west-northeast, and the influence effect in the east-west is not significant. The comprehensive promotion of rural toilet retrofitting should not only focus on investment in the western and northeastern regions, but also strengthen regional communication and cooperation to improve rural residents' health and quality of life.

Perceived Impact of Microfinance on Livelihood Improvement in Kaski District of Nepal

This paper examines the perceived impact of microfinance on livelihood improvement in Kaski district of Nepal. The study is based on a primary survey limited to five MFIs working in rural parts of Kaski district. The impact of microfinance services on people's livelihoods was examined using a descriptive and explanatory research including paired sample t-test, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test The livelihood status of the clients has been measured in terms of economic (microbusiness creation, income level, saving habits, productive investment, consumption, and capital expenditures) and social condition (educational status, health status, women empowerment, and social networking) of the clients after microfinance intervention. The researcher randomly selected 150 clients involved in microfinance institutions for the last three or more years. Microfinance significantly affects the livelihood and raises standards of living. The study finds a significant impact of microfinance on the livelihood improvement of poor and marginalized people. Microfinance interventions have significantly improved clients' economic condition, including microbusiness creation, income level, saving habits, productive investment, consumption, and capital expenditures. The social conditions, particularly educational status, health status, women empowerment, and social networking of clients, have significantly improved. Microfinance can be useful for fostering economic growth and enhancing the lives of low-income people and communities, even though its efficacy is disputed. The regulatory authority should develop sound financial and social outreach efficiencies of microfinance institutions to ensure both the welfare of clients and the sustainability of micro institutions.

Effect of Village Alive Development Initiative on the livelihood of its beneficiaries in some selected states of Nigeria

The study examined the effect of Village Alive Development Initiative (VADI) on the livelihood of its beneficiaries in some selected states of Nigeria. Data for the study were sourced primarily from 408 beneficiaries of the programme, while secondary sourced data were obtained from VADI reports. Data analyses were carried out using Descriptive Statistics and a five point likert type scale, household livelihood security index and t-test. Result of socioeconomic characteristics revealed a mean age of 46±13 years, mean years of education of 8.6±5.7 and household sizes of 7±3.6 with 85.5% of them being married. Level of support derived from the programme indicated that 50.5% of the beneficiaries had enjoyed high level of support while 49.5% of them enjoyed low level of support. Result of household livelihood security index revealed that 65.2% of the beneficiaries were classified as low level of livelihood while 34.8% of them enjoyed high level of livelihood. Further analyses revealed a statistically significant mean difference between the high and low livelihood status which implies that the livelihood improvement did not come by accident, but as a result of the support enjoyed from the intervention. The need to replicate the programme in other states was advocated for

FACTORS INFLUENCING ADOPTION OF AGROFORESTRY FARMING SYSTEM AS A MEANS FOR SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION METHOD IN JERE LGA, BORNO STATE, NIGERIA

Farmers were exposed to agroforestry but did not adopt the system due to some perceived factors. However, unless they adopt agroforestry farming system, the potential benefits of the technology for livelihood improvement and sustainable environmental management will not be realized. Thus, this study was carried out to assess the factors influencing adoption of agroforestry farming systems as a means for sustainable environmental conservation method in Jere L.G.A of Borno State. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select the respondents for this study. A total of one hundred and twenty (120) respondents interviewed for the study. Data were collected using structured questionnaires. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics which include fre­quency distributions, means, and percentages. The ordered logistic regression was used to estimate the factors influencing the adoption of agroforestry as a means of sustainable conservation practices by farmers in the study area. The result revealed that majority of the farmers were aware of agroforestry mostly through their farmers’ association. The major factors that positively influenced adoption of agroforestry include gender, household size, extension services and farming experience. Despite the numerous benefits of agroforestry to environmental conservation, farmers were constrained by land fragmentation possibly due to inheritance, inadequate nurseries where seeds/seedlings can be accessed, inadequate incentives and poor government policies, poor access to extension services, inadequate capital, long gestation period of trees, damage caused by animals/humans, limited use of machineries and unavailability of labour. It was recommended that land fragmentation should be discouraged, extension services, seedlings and incentives should also be provided to farmers in the study area to encourage and motivate them to go into agroforestry farming to sustain environmental conservation in the area.

Assessment of Households’ Perception Towards Participatory Forest Management the Case of Heban Arsi Woreda, Ethiopia

Understanding the perceptions of local communities towards participatory forest management (PFM) is essential for successful improvements of PFM regarding forest conservation and livelihood improvement. However, there is a lack of research evidence on the perception of local communities for PFM intervention. To better understand the local communities’ perception of PFM, 131 households were surveyed. Data were collected through the household survey; key informant interviews (KIIs), focus group discussion (FGD), and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results show that the households perceived that there is no deforestation due to the intervention of PFM which leads increment of species diversity, increasing of forest coverage, increased productivity of the forest, and increase valuable species. Respondents also perceived that the PFM has opportunities to change a negative attitude to a positive through giving of power to the local community, enables bounded members, bringing the right to exclude non-PFM members, creates a sense of belongingness, and encourage the right to use the forest products. The finding demonstrated forest income was second contributor of household income among income sources. Actions such as better protection of existing forests to avoid overuse, access to alternative livelihood diversification, better access to market, access to better skills and knowledge on the collection and use of forest products and reforestation were suggested to increase the existing benefits and management of PFM. The finding of the study suggests further improvement of local communities’ perception and attitudes as well as providing alternatives to improve forest conditions and livelihood.

Smallholder rice farmers profitability in Agricultural Marketing Co-operative Societies in Tanzania: A case of Mvomero and Mbarali districts

Smallholder rice farming in Tanzania is an important economic activity that has the potential to livelihood improvement of smallholder farmers, yet their profitability remains low due to several challenges they face. This study analyzed costs and benefits associated with smallholder rice farming, determined profit distribution among farmers and assessed risk bearing ability of smallholder rice farmers under changing circumstances of total variable costs, price and yields. The study was conducted in Mvomero and Mbarali districts and adopted a cross-sectional research design, the sample size was 382 smallholder rice farmers selected from three Agricultural Marketing Co-operative Societies during 2021 cropping season. Data were collected through a questionnaire-based survey and key informant interviews. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and excel whereby Enterprise Budgetary Technique and Sensitivity Analysis were performed. The study found an average Return on Investment of 0.42, Benefit Cost Ratio of 1.42 and Profit Margin of 24%. The level of profitability differed among co-operatives where ‘Umoja wa Wakulima Dakawa’ (UWAWAKUDA) had the highest return per acre (524 417 TZS) followed by Kapunga (414 111 TZS) and Madibira (316 638 TZS). Furthermore, smallholder rice farmers' Gross Margins were significantly affected by changes in Total Variable Costs, output price and yield per acre. The study concludes that rice production is a profitable business in the study area. Therefore, the local government, co-operatives and other stakeholders should improve drivers that lead to increased profitability such as the water infrastructures, organize markets and build farmers’ capacities to improve yields and profitability among smallholder rice farmers.

Impact of Native Date Palm (Phoenix sylvestris) Based Agroforestry Practice for Livelihood Improvement and Biodiversity Conservation: Insights from South-Western Zone of Bangladesh

This study aims to explore the impacts of native date palm (Phoenix sylvestris) based agroforestry practices on the livelihood status and biodiversity conservation practices in south-western zone of Bangladesh. To conduct this exploratory study, data were collected from 70 farmers of Chaugachha upazila (sub-district) under Jessore district of Bangladesh using a pre-tested structured questionnaire during the period of May to June 2022. Findings of the study revealed that a wide range of plant species were available in the study area. Among these plant species, palms comprised the highest proportion (42%) while native date palm (Phoenix sylvestris) is the most dominant (38%) among the palm species. It is evident that native date palm based agroforestry practice has significant contributions to improve the livelihood of rural farmers, as majority of the farmers (47%) had moderate status of livelihood improvement while 32% of the farmers had high status of livelihood improvement. Despite facing a variety of challenges, the farmers are willing to continue this agroforestry practice in order to receive benefits from a wide range of aspects (human, social, natural, physical and financial). Most of the farmers of the study area depends on traditional knowledge and practices to manage their agroforestry system. So, proper initiatives need to be taken by the policy makers with provision to participatory training on improved agroforestry management practices and input support services (e.g. planting material, fertilizer, irrigation facility, farm equipment etc.). Priority should be given to ensure easy access to marketing and value chain system for the farmers to make this agroforestry practice economically profitable and a viable option for the rural farmers. This will also lead to develop a sustainable biodiversity management system in Bangladesh.

Female leadership, internet use, and performance of agricultural cooperatives in Vietnam

AbstractSupporting agricultural cooperatives might contribute to the livelihood improvement of many small‐scale farmers in developing countries. This research examines the factors affecting the internet use of agricultural cooperatives with a focus on female leadership, its effects on cooperatives’ economic, social, and innovative performance, and the distributional effects of internet use on economic performance. Our analysis relied on the data of 3,512 agricultural cooperatives collected in 2021 from Vietnam. We addressed the endogeneity issue of internet use in impact assessment by employing an instrumental variable approach. Our results show that female leadership was positively and significantly associated with internet use and that internet use had a positive and significant effect on returns on assets, returns on equity, labor productivity, payment per laborer, contribution to labor union and insurance per laborer, and innovation in products of agricultural cooperatives. In addition, unconditional quantile regressions show that internet use in agricultural cooperatives exacerbated income inequality. Enhancing female leadership and promoting rural education were recommended to improve agricultural cooperatives’ performance.

Golden Camellia as a Driver of Forest Regeneration and Conservation: A Case Study of Value-Chain Forestry with Camellia quephongensis in Que Phong, Nghe An, North-Central Vietnam

Golden camellia is a highly valued commercial plant owing to its flowers’ medicinal substances. One species of golden camellia, Camellia quephongensis Hakoda et Ninh, is used as a non-timber forest product for value-chain forestry (VCF) in Que Phong District, Nghe An Province, North-Central Vietnam; its production and sale is an important business activity which contributes substantially to local livelihood improvement. According to previous studies and in situ observation, golden camellias, including C. quephongensis, inhabit regenerated forests, especially along streams and rivers. This encourages VCF with C. quephongensis to function as a driver of forest regeneration and conservation. However, the ecological aspect of this species in regenerated forests is poorly understood. Thus, this study aimed to determine this species’ growth patterns and population expansion during forest regeneration. We surveyed the morphological characteristics of this species at different ages in several populations, and revealed that the plants reached a tree height of 150 cm and started blooming eight years after germination. Comparing C. quephongensis-populations inhabiting different succession-staged forests, we observed that the population in long-term regenerated forests was significantly larger and had a pyramid-shaped age distribution pattern to possibly expand its population size. Based on this, we conclude that C. quephongensis is a good indicator of forest regeneration and contributes to local livelihoods and forest regeneration and conservation.