Livelihood Strategies Research Articles

Household resilience of women migrant worker sellers of Jamu Gendong

Background The selling of Jamu Gendong (an Indonesian traditional herbal medicine), is closely associated with the informal work of women who migrate to different regions. In Sukoharjo Regency and Wonogiri Regency, Central Java Province, the pressing need to meet household necessities in their places of origin compels women to assume the role of breadwinners. Therefore, this research aimed to identify the livelihood capital and resilience of migrant women selling jamu gendong. Methods The study was conducted in Ciamis Regency, West Java Province, Indonesia, in November 2022, using quantitative and qualitative methods. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The sample comprised 51 women selected through snowball sampling and actively involved in selling Jamu Gendong, along with six key individuals from relevant agencies. Results The research findings indicate that the households of migrant women who sell jamu gendong can survive and adapt during their migration to prevent poverty by implementing diverse livelihood strategies. They are the only ones who move without their family members renting a place to live with them. This research has identified various capital sources, including productive age and skills in preparing jamu gendong; physical capital, including road infrastructure, markets, and access to health and education facilities; and natural, social, and financial capital. This research provides an in-depth understanding of women’s roles in family economic resilience, diversification of life strategies, the importance of social capital in migrant networks, economic empowerment through migration, and the influence of cultural values on livelihood strategies. Conclusions The findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the resilience demonstrated by migrant women selling jamu gendong. However, further research should be conducted in areas beyond the city center to obtain a holistic view of their resilience.

Influence of Livelihood Capitals on Landscape Service Cognition and Behavioral Intentions in Rural Heritage Sites

Farmers’ livelihoods are critical for global sustainable development and the conservation and transmission of rural heritage. However, neglecting farmers’ livelihoods increases the risks to living heritage conservation. Therefore, it is essential to explore the impact of livelihood capital on farmers’ landscape services cognition and their behavioral intentions. Based on the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach, this study examines the rural areas of Mulanbei irrigation district, which was recognized as a World Heritage Irrigation Structure in 2014, and uses a structural equation model to investigate the relationships between farmers’ livelihood capital, landscape services cognition and behavioral intentions. The study’s key findings include the following: (1) The levels of human capital (0.541), social capital (0.671), and cultural capital (0.645) are relatively high, while the levels of natural, physical, and financial capital are comparatively low. (2) There are significant differences in landscape service cognition and behavioral intentions among farmers of different livelihood strategies, with diversified livelihood farmers demonstrating the highest levels of both cognition and intentions, while subsidy-dependent farmers show the lowest levels. (3) Natural, cultural and financial capital play a crucial role in influencing farmers’ landscape services cognition and their behavioral intentions. Landscape service cognition mediates the relationship between livelihood capital and behavioral intentions. (4) To increase farmers’ willingness to protect and promote rural heritage, efforts should focus on enhancing natural, physical, and financial capital while fostering cultural capital to promote advocacy.

The shifting forms of livelihood strategies of platform workers in China

ABSTRACT Empirical research has found that platform workers have adopted both collective actions and informal practices to address unfavorable working conditions. However, the “small-scale geographies” of platform work as well as the inter-linkage of shifting forms of resistance is under-explored. This paper aims to broaden and deepen our understanding of resistance from platform workers, through a case study of app-based delivery drivers in Shanghai, China. As responses to precarity, drivers have resorted to both open, collective actions and more hidden everyday practices. Because of surveillance by the Chinese state and the close managerial control of workers, collective protests have been rarely seen and of limited effectiveness; more individual and quiet practices such as dissimulating data are favored by drivers in their everyday resistance. We argue that the intention to resist on the part of drivers echoes and expands Bayat’s observations on the survival techniques of the urban poor, and differs from the “political act” argued by Scott. It is hard to conclude that the drivers’ everyday resistance can provoke dramatic confrontation in China as Scott’s arguments would lead us to suppose. Our study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the platform economy by highlighting the unique modalities and strategies of delivery drivers in China, which differs significantly from those in Western contexts that are often addressed in the existing literature. It sheds light on the specific forms of struggle against the asymmetric power of platforms and provides new insights into the mechanisms of resistance.

Urban Poverty Alleviation through Better Microfinancing and Urban Livelihood Strategies

Urban Poverty Alleviation through Better Microfinancing and Urban Livelihood Strategies

Impact Assessment of Forest Degradation on Peoples Livelihood: The Case of Harena Buluq Woreda Bale Eco Region, Southeast Ethiopia

In developing countries like Ethiopia, forest degradation, characterized by the decline in forest cover and diminished capacity to provide essential goods and services, presents significant environmental, social, and economic challenges. The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of forest degradation on the way of life for the people living in the southeast Ethiopian woreda of Harena Buluq. Examining how forest degradation affects local livelihoods with a particular emphasis on livelihood strategies and the degree of reliance on forest resources is the main goal. In order to obtain qualitative insights, data was gathered by means of a combination of secondary sources and key informant interviews, which were complemented by on-site observations of the consequences of forest degradation. After gathering, the data was examined and shown. The findings underscore the multifaceted impact of forest degradation on the socio-economic fabric of communities in Harena Buluq, highlighting the urgent need for targeted interventions to mitigate its adverse effects and promote sustainable livelihood practices.

Impacts of Closed Season on Operations, Livelihood and Coping Strategies of Fishers

Impacts of Closed Season on Operations, Livelihood and Coping Strategies of Fishers

Land struggles, livelihoods, and trajectories of agrarian change in the Polochic valley, Guatemala

ABSTRACT This article assesses the impact of political contestation on trajectories of agrarian change in the Polochic valley, Guatemala. Livelihood surveys were carried out in four Indigenous Maya-Q’eqchi’ agrarian communities, two of which obtained access to land as a direct outcome of grassroots resistance to land grabbing. By situating livelihood strategies within the broader political economy, I argue that political contestation has inadvertently reproduced a functionally dualist agrarian structure that sustains the agroexport plantation economy while leaving little potential for expanded reproduction among campesino households. Agrarian social movements must look beyond land access alone to achieve the transformative change they seek.

Livelihood Resilience Strategies to Climate Variability among Pastoralists in Longido District, Tanzania

This paper assessed the level of livelihood strategies practiced by Maasai pastoralists in Longido district, Tanzania. It focused on their resilience to climate variability. The main question that this sought to address was: How resilient are livelihood strategies to climate change and variability among the Maasai pastoralists in response to climate variability? This study employed the resilient theory by Holling and the DFID Livelihood Framework. The study used a mixed-method design, also known as a convergent parallel design. A multistage sampling technique was used to purposefully select wards, then villages, and then a simple random selection of the 373 households for the survey. This study purposively selected 21 key informants from traditional leaders, ward and village leaders, NGO officials, and livestock officers. While data gathered through interviews, observation and focus group discussions was analysed qualitatively. Data obtained through questionnaires was analysed quantitatively using IBM SPSS (version 20). The chi-square was used to test the association of the variables. Findings revealed that key strategies such as mobility, communal pooling, causal labour, livestock management, and others. Also, the role of education and sources of income were crucial in shaping resilience strategies. Household with more education were more likely to have reliable resilience strategies. The main challenge faced by Maasai pastoralists in building climate resilience strategies is increased variability in climate, in the form of frequent drought and unreliable rainfall. This paper recommends more efforts to understand and support these communities by blending their traditional strategies with technical ones for sustainable livelihoods

Comparative analysis of income level in matched small farms with and without eucalyptus plantations in Senan, Ethiopia

The cultivation of eucalyptus trees is a widely practiced economic activity in the highlands of the Amhara region, Ethiopia. This study investigates the causal impact of eucalyptus plantation ownership on household income within the Senan District of Ethiopia. Using cross-sectional data from 332 rural households, comprising 166 households with eucalyptus plantations and 166 without, the study employed a two-sample t-test comparison to compare the income level of households in the two groups. To identify the key factors influencing household income, the study conducted a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Propensity Score Matching (PSM) to isolate the causal impact of eucalyptus plantations on household income. This involved estimating propensity scores using a binary logistic regression model. The Average Treatment Effect on the Treated (ATT) analysis revealed that households that plant eucalyptus trees had 40.2 % higher total household income than those that did not participate in such activities. Therefore, considering potential demand and market fluctuations, eucalyptus tree growers need to diversify their livelihood strategies by utilizing the income generated from their plantations.

Moringa Leaf Cookies: A Nutritious Snack to Prevent Stunting in Sawocangkring Village

Stunting is a global health issue that significantly impacts the growth and development of children, particularly in regions facing nutritional deficiencies. In Sawocangkring Village, there is a pressing need for innovative nutritional interventions. This study aims to utilize moringa leaves in the production of cookies as a nutritious snack solution to combat stunting. The community service program was designed with distinct stages, including preparation, implementation, and evaluation, employing observation techniques to assess community engagement. The activity centered on developing moringa leaf cookies while monitoring the community's acceptance of the product. The findings indicate that these cookies not only enhance the nutritional value of snacks but are also positively received by the local population. The novelty of this initiative lies in integrating moringa leaves into a familiar food product, thereby promoting both health benefits and local agricultural resources. The implications of this program suggest that the sustainable production of moringa leaf cookies could serve as a viable livelihood strategy for the community, while also contributing to the broader effort of reducing stunting through improved nutrition. Highlights: Moringa leaf cookies enhance nutritional value, addressing stunting in children. The community service program involved preparation, implementation, and evaluation stages, fostering local engagement. Positive community acceptance suggests potential for sustainable production as a livelihood strategy. Keywords: Stunting, moringa leaves, cookies, nutrition, community service.

Rural transformation and sustainable livelihood approaches under regional environmental policies: Evidence from two villages in the Yangtze River Delta metropolitan region, China

AbstractHasty and often uncontrolled urbanization and industrialization in metropolitan regions have pressured fragile rural ecosystems and large‐scale rural livelihoods in China. Through in‐depth observation and face‐to‐face interviews with key insiders in the villages of China's largest metropolitan region, the Yangtze River Delta, findings show that environmental policies in this region have profoundly influenced the local institutional processes and rural transformation. Through the lens of a modified sustainable livelihoods approach (MSLA), two institutional processes in formulating livelihoods strategies have stood out from case villages—state sponsorship exemplified by Yu village and grassroots entrepreneurship exemplified by Daxi village—and achieved sustainable livelihood outcomes in both collective level and household level. In particular, state‐sponsored development in Yu village was strongly supported by local leadership and trust between local cadres and villagers. In contrast, grassroots entrepreneurial development in Daxi village emphasized rural entrepreneurs' self‐learning and self‐governance capacities. As such, we argue that making sustainable livelihood strategies is not a unidirectional process like top‐down or bottom‐up, albeit multifaceted alternatives intertwined with dynamic institutional processes for collectives and households in rural areas. Ultimately, we call for more vivid and in‐depth case studies to nuance regional geography and its contextual attributes in further sustainable livelihood research in rural areas.

Implications of COVID-19 relief packages on livelihoods of rural dwellers in border towns along Southwestern Ghana

The global efforts to curtail the livelihood crises brought about by the eruption of the COVID-19 pandemic witnessed the adoption of livelihood strategies in the form of relief packages. Using a quantitative analytic framework, the article sheds light on recipients’ perspectives on the various government interventions in Ghana, focusing on how socio-economic and political inequalities in Ghana shaped access to pandemic relief support for rural dwellers in border towns in Southwestern Ghana. The findings suggest that, despite the partisan twist, the relief packages positively impacted intended beneficiaries in their short-term income-generation activities. Furthermore, it reduced the vulnerability of rural start-up businesses and brought the establishment of new health facilities to augment the infrastructural development of the area. The article concludes that the pandemic provided insight into how rural communities can better leverage relief packages to improve their livelihood conditions.

Assessing climate change vulnerability and livelihood strategies in Burkina Faso including insecurity paradigm: a focus on rain-fed agriculture households

Assessing climate change vulnerability and livelihood strategies in Burkina Faso including insecurity paradigm: a focus on rain-fed agriculture households

Regional Heterogeneity in Livelihood Strategies and Its Implications for Household Welfare: A Panel Data Analysis of Rural Vietnam

This study undertakes a meticulous examination of the Livelihood Strategy Diversity Index (LSDI) and its nuanced implications on household welfare in heterogeneous regions of rural Vietnam. Employing a unique panel dataset derived from the Vietnam Access to Resources Household Survey (VARHS) spanning from 2010 to 2018, the study employs both Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and instrumental variable (IV) methods to investigate the intricate relationship between LSDI and household welfare, with a specific focus on income and dietary diversity. The empirical findings reveal compelling evidence of pronounced regional heterogeneity, highlighting the distinctive impacts of the LSDI on household welfare across diverse geographical areas. This study underscores the importance of region-specific strategies, advocating for a tailored and diversified approach to agricultural activities aligned with the unique context of each region. Furthermore, the findings emphasize the pivotal role of consolidating small plots as a strategic measure to alleviate agricultural land fragmentation, offering valuable insights into region-specific interventions for the enhancement of household well-being, encompassing both income and nutritional diversity.

Influence of livelihood functional diversity on agro-food systems in rural communities from different macro regions of Brazil

Urbanization has changed the livelihood diversity of rural communities worldwide. This study aimed to fit an indicator of the functional diversity of livelihood activities to assess the heterogeneity of socioeconomic conditions and their influence on agro-food changes in rural communities in Brazil. This study was conducted in three macro regions of Brazil, through semi-structured questionnaire interviews conducted in 1012 households to verify details about food patterns, self-consumption farms, and socioeconomic conditions. Data from questionnaires were analyzed using multivariate statistical models to appraise similarities among communities and determine the relative influence of socioeconomic factors on agro-food patterns. Specific socioeconomic status and use of natural resource data were analyzed while adjusting for Petchey and Gaston's indicator of functional diversity to evaluate the heterogeneity of local livelihood activities and socioeconomic conditions. This indicator summarizes the proportional livelihood richness in all sampled places, as better conditions for survival were found in specific localities of the central-west and eastern Amazon regions of Brazil. We also verified that the remote areas of the Goiás and Pará states were regions with the most significant maintenance of traditional food habits and use of natural resources. Although these results do not allow us to establish that all of these areas are undergoing an agro-food transition process, some localities are more likely than others to adjust their livelihood strategies to face global food changes. This interdisciplinary approach facilitated the identification of the most similar groups regarding their livelihoods and socioeconomic conditions that influenced the agro-food transition process in rural regions.

Designing a framework to analyze the impact of watershed development on socioeconomic development: integrating literature, theory, and practice

Watershed development initiatives have emerged as key tools for achieving sustainable rural development, especially in countries experiencing environmental degradation and resource constraints. Despite the increasing acknowledgment of the significance of watershed development interventions, there remains a dearth of comprehensive frameworks for evaluating their effects on the socioeconomic progress of communities, particularly concerning rural livelihoods and household food security outcomes. Hence, this study addresses this gap by developing a comprehensive impact analysis conceptual framework tailored to assess the impact of watershed development on socioeconomic aspects. This study designed the framework by incorporating existing theoretical perspectives (the sustainable livelihoods framework, political ecology, theory of change, and community-based natural resource management) and making essential adjustments. This novel conceptual framework offers a multifaceted approach to assess the socioeconomic impacts of watershed development projects, particularly on rural livelihoods and household food security. Employing a mixed methods approach, the framework sheds light on how interventions affect the livelihood assets and strategies of rural communities, ultimately influencing their food security and well-being. Furthermore, it examines how community involvement and national policy affect these efforts. By providing a holistic understanding of watershed development dynamics, this framework allows researchers and practitioners to assess impacts, identify trade-offs, and evaluate interventions. This informs policymakers about evidence-based interventions to promote sustainable socioeconomic development in rural communities.

Research on the Impact of Rural Tourism on Farmer’s Sustainable Livelihood and Coordinated Development (Case Study Jiwodu Village in Yangshuo, Guangxi)

Rural tourism is considered a viable strategy for achieving sustainable rural economic development and poverty reduction, offering significant economic, social, cultural, and ecological benefits. However, as an external force, rural tourism disrupts the livelihood capital and strategies of farmers, significantly influencing their sustainable livelihoods. This paper uses the sustainable livelihood analysis framework from a micro perspective to assess rural tourism's impact on farmers' livelihoods, particularly in Jiwodu Village, Guangxi, China. By categorizing farmers based on the proportion of rural tourism income in their total household income—Tourism-related, Tourism-dominated, and Tourism-exclusive livelihoods—the study constructs a farmer livelihood capital scale, employs a participatory assessment method, and compares changes in the five major livelihood capitals before and after rural tourism development, exploring farmers' perceptions of its impact.

Farmer adaptation strategies through local farming systems in Enrekang, Indonesia

Farmers in tropical Indonesia who manage agroecological systems face multiple challenges related to food security. Despite the conditions caused by climate change, these farming households have effectively utilized agroforestry to build food security. However, prolonged dry seasons pose new constraints to their livelihood strategies. This study uses a qualitative methodology and a rural farmer livelihood framework to analyze and evaluate household livelihood strategies, attitudes, and reactions to climate change. The findings show that farmers constantly modify their management techniques using flexible and adaptive decision-making processes to cope with and minimize climate change challenges. Moreover, the role of climate variation as a significant catalyst for change in farming practices is challenging to distinguish from some of the routine problems that farmers face each year. Through knowledge accumulation and adaptive management, farmers in Enrekang utilize several livelihood adaptation strategies to reduce risks in the face of changing climate conditions. In addition, farmers utilize on-farm crops to obtain various ecosystem services that provide services such as food, nutrition, and medicine and improve ecology, nutrient cycling, and climate regulation. Further research is needed to understand how on-farm tree inclusion affects various biophysical properties and the rationale behind species selection.

Livelihood diversification and household economic well-being in rural Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India

ABSTRACT This study attempted to measure the impact of livelihood diversification on household economic well-being and to examine the socioeconomic determinants of various livelihood strategies. The study utilised primary data collected through a structured interview schedule as well as key informant interviews (KIIs) and focused group discussions (FGDs). Stepwise linear regression was used to find the contribution of livelihood strategies in household economic well-being, while logistic regression was applied to examine the determinants of livelihood diversification. The study concluded that diversification towards sectors with high returns was the most instrumental in enhancing household economic well-being. The other social group, large, highly educated, and landless households were more likely to adopt sectors with high returns. Women’s participation in the labour force was positively associated with household economic well-being. This study highlighted the need for immediate policy interventions by filling educational gaps and equalising economic opportunities in rural areas in Madhya Pradesh.

One Livelihood Risk Factor Too Many? How Unintended Impacts of Conservation Contribute to Food Insecurity in Kavango Zambezi, Southern Africa

Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) is the world’s largest terrestrial Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA), covering vast regions of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Elephants and other species traverse KAZA across national borders through both protected and inhabited landscapes along wildlife migration corridors. Zimbabwe’s Simangani ward is located within such a corridor. As in most rural areas of KAZA, subsistence farming constitutes the predominant livelihood strategy in Simangani. Research across KAZA has mostly focused either on climate- or wildlife-induced impacts on farming communities. This paper combines findings from in-depth, qualitative fieldwork with quantitative livelihood survey data and provides a detailed assessment from a farming-household perspective of on-farm and off-farm income sources, which are mobilised in order to mitigate grain harvest shortfalls resulting from climatic fluctuations and wildlife depredation. This study concludes that drought and other stressors have a considerably higher impact on food insecurity than unintended conservation impacts. However, it also confirms that the impacts of crop raiding and livestock depredation caused by wildlife do indeed trigger additional food security risk factors for farming households whose livelihoods are already under pressure.