Livelihood Support Research Articles

A Study of Traditionally Managed Khazan Ecosystems of Ponda Taluka, Goa

Khazan lands are reclaimed mangrove areas found in the state of Goa where eco -friendly farming, aquaculture features were practiced by villagers more than work thousands of years. Present study related to khazan ecosystems was carried out by selecting five villages that aims to document the ethnobotanical knowledge involved structure; management strategies; ecological and economical activities; livelihood support received by local people; community participation in protecting khazan ecosystems. Surveys and interviews were carried in five villages from Ponda taluka , from the state Goa . Data were collected through open semi structured interviews with the informants. It was recorded that the structure of khazan ecosystem comprise of estuaries, backwaters, mangrove areas, outer and inner embankments, sluice gates and poiem (depression). This Primitive khazan technology comprises of sluice gates made from wood of Terminalia tomentosa, canoes used in fishing are crafted from wood of Mangifera indica. Villagers managed khazans by forming associations called Bous , by growing traditional salt tolerant rice varieties like korgut , by protecting mangroves, following rituals like offering choru and bali , Mange Thapni (unique way crocodile conservation) for protecting khazans. In all 15 different types of crop plants, 11 true mangroves and 6 mangrove associates were recovered from study sites. Khazan lands have been traditionally source of livelihood for locals. They grow salt tolerant rice varieties, carry out aquaculture activities by equitably sharing the resources. This age old technology needs to be preserved as environmental degradation, change in land-use patterns, tourism, and overexploitation have left many khazans marshy and fallow. This study represents a useful inventory of how these endemic ecosystems were managed and to spread this knowledge.

Temitomyces heimii– A Nutritious and Medicinally Important Wild Edible Mushroom of Similipal Forests, Odisha Boosting Tribal Health and Economy

Mushrooms are consumed worldwide because of their nutritional, medicinal values as well as pleasant taste and flavour. Wild edible mushrooms are source of livelihood for poor and landless people which they consume and sell the surplus mushrooms in the nearby market. Many people are not aware about the edibility of wild mushrooms which are generally confined to the tribal areas. However, tribals are aware of the edible mushrooms due to their age-old traditional uses and fond of hunting mushrooms during rainy season. The present paper deals with availability, collection, consumption pattern of wild edible mushrooms by tribals communities, along with preservation and economical contribution of Termitomyces heimii, a popular wild edible mushrooms profusely growing during rainy season of the Similipal, state of Odisha, India.
 Similipal has a greater diversity of mushrooms throughout the length and breadth due to its varying soil and climate conditions. T. heimii collected the tribal people from near forest area in 4-5 different times in huge quantities during July to October. It partly consumed and rest of the mushroom are sold in the market at a price of Rupees 300/- to 400/-. Termitomyces were more frequently available in Sal (Shorea robusta) forests. Many traders visit forest fringe villages and collect this mushroom from local collector’s and sell it in the marker with profit. Due to its taste, the mushroom has got very high demand in this locality that, it is sold within 5-6 hours after reaching to market. It is assessed that mushrooms worth 14 lakhs are sold in Baripada alone a nearly town of Similipal. The valuation T. heimii alone made by the authors during the field assessment showed that, the entire of Similipal is contributing economically nearly 1.2 crore value of mushrooms as contribution towards livelihood of tribal people. In interior areas tribal people preserve the mushrooms after drying it and consume later during after the season is end. During the study, a survey was conducted in villages adjoining to the forests and local markets to assess the quantities of mushrooms collected from forest and the value of selling valve on the market. Exercise was conducted to know the traditional preservation practice of this mushroom by tribals. From the present investigation, it is concluded that T. heimii is an important wild edible mushroom from Similipal which provides, nutrition and economic boost to the tribals in Similipal region. This promising species can be explored for its domestication in view of its preferred food value as well as a livelihood support of the rural poor people.

A Study on Postharvest Losses in Fisheries Owing to Changes in Market Supply and Demand in the Philippines

Market patterns and conditions can affect the economic value of fishery commodities; hence, they can contribute to postharvest losses. This paper primarily aims to provide information on the magnitude of losses incurred from changes in market supply and demand of economically important fishery commodities. Assessed capture commodities in selected landing sites and wet markets recorded an estimated loss of 3.98% and 0.44%, respectively. The total financial loss incurred in both supply chains amounted to PHP 480,160. Estimation of losses per commodity showed that landed sardines obtained the highest loss at 6.86%. This can be attributed to the oversupply of catch at the end of the closure period, leading to a drastic decrease in market prices. Minimal losses were documented in aquaculture at 0.33% and 0.23% for landing and trading, respectively, amounting to PHP 26,541. While lower retail prices could be beneficial to consumers, it could lead to a loss of revenue for fisherfolk. The government should, therefore, take measures to curb price collapses associated with market dynamics through Value Chain Analysis, the establishment of market linkages between producers and consumers, price regulating mechanisms such as the suggested retail price that should be area and species-specific, the establishment of cold storage and commercial-scale ice production facilities in strategic places, utilization of fish and fishery resources through the application of low-cost processing technologies, and provision of livelihood support to small-scale fisherfolk. These initiatives will ensure equitable benefit sharing from the fisheries industry and reduce postharvest losses and wastes across the supply chain in pursuit of food security.

Can recognition and respect of forest resource rights save Echuya Central Forest Reserve? A precursor for appropriate collaborative forest management

Recognition and respect for tenure and forest resource rights has long been considered essential for policy makers in order to promote forest conservation, and several initiatives have been undertaken to promote recognition and respect for such rights. One such initiative was the introduction of Collaborative Forest Management (CFM) in Echuya Central Forest Reserve in south-western Uganda. This study used cross sectional and explanatory research designs to assess the influence of recognition and respect for resource rights under CFM for the conservation of Echuya. Results showed that community members' resource access rights are generally respected by the National Forestry Authority (NFA). Recognition and respect for tenure and forest resource rights have a significant positive influence on forest conservation. However, conspiracy between community members and Government forestry officials undermined the essence of collaboration. Poverty exhibited by inadequate access to food compelled local community members to violate CFM agreements. Strengthening alternative livelihood support projects among forest adjacent communities is vital in order to support forest conservation.

Forest Degradation Index: A Tool for Forest Vulnerability Assessment in Indian Western Himalaya

The global climate is showing altered temperatures and precipitation levels. Forests can be a stabilizing force in climate change. They regulate the nutrient cycle, protect species and diversity, and support livelihoods that drive holistic growth. Presently, the forest ecosystem’s capacity to withstand change is being undermined by the rate of change, along with anthropogenic pressures and the specificities of mountainous regions. Here, we attempted to design a ‘forest vulnerability index’ using field measurements and household surveys. A total of 71 quadrants were laid out, and 545 respondents were interviewed in 91 villages along the altitudinal gradient (altitude < 1200 m asl (Zone A), 1200–1800 m asl (Zone B), and >1800 m asl (Zone C)) of the Pauri district of Uttarakhand, India. The village-level data were normalized and combined to represent climate change impacts and the dimension of vulnerability. The IPCC (2014) protocol was used to assess forest vulnerability. The highest vulnerability was recorded in Zone ‘B’, and higher sensitivity, higher climate change impacts, and lower adaptive capacities were recorded in Zone ‘B’ and ‘C’. The approach is comparable within the district and between the states. In enhancing our shared understanding of forest degradation, the results are of value to policy/decision-makers, implementers, and adaptation funding agencies, who can use them to assess the scale, cause, and actions for adaptation.

Challenges and Opportunities for Women and Girls in Adaptation to the Climate Change Action Plan 2021-2030: A Case Study in Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Vietnam is one of many countries heavily impacted by climate change in recent decades. The Mekong Delta region has been a prominent example of the severity of climate change on agriculture and ecosystems. Many studies have been conducted to assess the impacts of climate change on different sectors in Vietnam, however, there are gaps in understanding climate effects from a gender perspective and the important role gender plays in climate response and adaptation. This paper aims to use a gender-specific perspective to examine effects of climate change on women’s and girls’ livelihoods, water and food security, labor and income, migration and education in Hoa An commune, Hau Giang province in Mekong Delta. Particularly, this paper addresses challenges that women and girls face amidst impacts of climate change. It also discusses opportunities to empower women and young girls in which education and training on raising awareness of climate change and taking appropriate adaptation measures, play a significant role. The paper is structured through the discussion of the theoretical background that employs a gender lens to frame climate change within the context of Mekong Delta in Vietnam. The methodology section describes the study site in Hoa An commune of Hau Giang province in the delta. Mixed qualitative and quantitative methods were adopted during the data collection process. The results report on (1) gender roles and gender power at family and at work (2) vulnerability perceived by women and girls, (3) impacts caused by climate change (4) livelihood support from central and local governments, adaptation, and role of education.

The dynamics and livelihood implications of illegal mining in Ghana: A critical assessment

AbstractDiscourses on “illegal” or informal small‐scale mining (galamsey) have presented it largely as a menace. Using Ghana as the focus of our study, we present a counter‐narrative to the predominant discourse. Employing qualitative in‐depth interviews with 193 local galamsey operators, the study found that economic factors coupled with the combative posture of state regulatory agencies explain the persistence of illegal activity. Although galamsey is not problem‐free, the study revealed it is the livelihood support base of such communities, providing jobs and incomes to many households. Since mineral‐rich local communities, at least, in part, depend on galamsey, the state and its regulatory agencies could collaboratively work with local agencies and mineral‐rich communities to fully exploit the hidden treasures in galamsey while reducing the proximate negative effects.

Research Status and Trends of Agrobiodiversity and Traditional Knowledge Based on Bibliometric Analysis (1992–Mid-2022)

Traditional knowledge is a favored research area in agrobiodiversity conservation at home and abroad, and plays a vital role in the sustainable use of ecosystems, livelihood support, and food security. In this paper, the WoS Core Collection was used as the data source to statistically analyze the literature on the topic of agrobiodiversity and traditional knowledge research. The results show the following: (1) The number of articles published in agrobiodiversity and traditional knowledge research has been increasing annually. (2) The United States is the most influential country in this field of research, and other leading countries include India, Mexico, Germany, and Italy. (3) The existing research is mainly in the field of natural science, and the Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine is the most crucial journal in terms of the number of articles published. (4) Neither authors nor institutional collaboration networks have formed a close transnational collaboration network. (5) Popular research in this area includes the conservation of local varieties, agricultural landscape changes, livelihood support, and agroforestry systems. (6) In addition to the ongoing focus on natural ecological aspects of research, future research will focus more on cultural and social benefits. Finally, we propose to enhance the exploration of quantitative analysis research methods, strengthen interdisciplinary research exchanges, expand the breadth of disciplinary research, strengthen stakeholder cooperation, and promote the construction of relevant policies and regulations.

Evolving farm-level adaptation to climate variability and change risks in the forest-savanna transitional zone of Ghana

The study explores evolving farm-level adaptations of smallholder farmers to climate variability and change (CVC), their determinants and barriers in the forest-savanna transitional zone of Ghana. Using a mixed-method approach, the study obtained primary data from 300 sampled farm household heads, and other selected lead farmers across six rural communities in the Offinso Municipality of Ghana. The survey results show that smallholder rural farmers have observed climate variability and change including reductions in frequency and intensity of rainfall and floods, increased temperatures and intensified drought events in their local environment. While rising temperatures corroborated the available scientific evidence, farmers’ perceptions of rainfall slightly varied from the meteorological data. Also, respondents reported livelihood disruptions, food insecurity risks and reduction in incomes as impacts they are facing in their farming activities. From the focus group discussions, farmers' adaptation strategies are evolving through an integration of modern and local knowledge systems and technologies to facilitate, for example, irrigation, agro-chemical application and drought resistant varieties. Estimated results from the multinomial logit regression support established hypotheses that socioeconomic factors such as gender, age, education, household size, frequency of income and marital status influence farmers’ choices of adaptation at the farm level. Findings highlight high-cost of agricultural inputs, lack of adequate climate information and communication, lack of access to water and absence of alternative livelihood support as key inhibiting factors of farmers’ adaptation strategies. The study emphasises that a blended knowledge system is indispensable in policy formulation and implementation for effective adaptation and food security.

Fish functional diversity is modulated by small-scale habitat complexity in a temperate ecosystem

Rocky reefs and kelp forests form conspicuous habitats that promote species diversity and support livelihoods in coastal communities. However, taxonomic approaches often disregard biological identity and differences between species. In this study, we explore the relationship between functional diversity of fish communities and habitat complexity in temperate reefs and test if greater habitat complexity, such as rugosity or kelp three-dimensional structure, would result in higher functional diversity. We conducted fish surveys using SCUBA in four kelp forest sites and rocky reef sites. Although the rocky reef and kelp forest sites showed differences in habitat complexity, no significant differences in fish taxonomic or functional diversity were found between the two habitat types. However, we did find differences at smaller spatial scales for the kelp forest sites, where number of stipes, stipe bundle diameter, and kelp density influenced functional richness, but not species richness, highlighting the importance of functional approaches in certain ecosystems. The differences found among kelp forest sites may be linked with small-scale spatiotemporal oceanographic drivers of productivity such as upwelling exposure or nutrient availability. We recommend considering small-scale spatial drivers when aiming to understand how habitat characteristics link with functional diversity.

Corporate support for sustainable livelihoods

In 2021, Fuzhou, China successfully hosted the extended 44th session of the World Heritage Committee. This milestone event not only raised the profile of the nation’s World Heritage monuments, buildings and landscapes, it also highlighted the real benefits they provide for China and its communities.

Assessing climate change vulnerability of smallholder farmers in northwest Ethiopia: application of a household intrinsic vulnerability index

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to identify the most vulnerable households and districts in Northwest Ethiopia and help decision-makers in developing and prioritising effective adaptive strategies and actions.Design/methodology/approachA multi-scale analytical tool and hazard-generic socio-economic indicators were developed to identify and prioritise the most vulnerable households and districts in Northwest Ethiopia. Categorical principal component analysis with 36 indicators was used to develop weights for different indicators and construct a household intrinsic vulnerability index. Data were collected through key information interviews, focus group discussions and a household survey with 1,602 randomly selected households in three districts of Northwest Ethiopia.FindingsDrawing on intrinsic vulnerability index computation, this study highlights that low levels of education, low access to climate information and credit services, long distance travelled to fetch water and frequent food shortages are the dominant factors contributing to high levels of intrinsic vulnerability at district level, while lack of livelihood support and income diversification are the key drivers of vulnerability at household level. The findings of this study further show that the majority of households (78.01%) falls within the very high to moderately high vulnerable category. Disaggregating the data according to agro-climatic zones highlights that the prevalence of high intrinsic vulnerability is most widespread in the lowland agro-climatic zone (82.64%), followed by the highland (81.97%) and midland zones (69.40%).Practical implicationsFrom a policy intervention vantage point, addressing the drivers of vulnerability provides a reliable approach to reduce the current vulnerability level and manage potential climate change-induced risks of a system. Specifically, reliable information on inherent vulnerability will assist policymakers in developing policies and prioritising actions aimed at reducing vulnerability and assisting in the rational distribution of resources among households at a local level.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the existing vulnerability literature by showing how hazard-generic socio-economic indicators in the vulnerability assessment adopted by the IPCC (2014) are important to identify drives of vulnerability which ultimately may feed into a more fundamental treatment of vulnerability.

MENCAPAI PRODUKSI KAKAO BERKELANJUTAN DI INDONESIA

Indonesia has the potential to become a major exporter of cocoa in the world as well as to meet the needs of the domestic cocoa industry. However, the lack of availability of raw materials (cocoa beans) causes the processing industry to import cocoa beans from other countries. Indonesia has even been included in the five largest cocoa importing countries in the world. This raises questions about the sustainability of cocoa production in Indonesia. This research has two objectives. First, predicting the sustainability of cocoa production in Indonesia. Second, identify strategies or efforts that need to be done so that cocoa production in Indonesia can achieve a better level of sustainability. The first objective of the research was achieved by using quantitative methods, namely by analyzing trends in secondary data (from FAOSTAT) related to cocoa production, planted area, and cocoa productivity as well as cocoa exports and imports. The second objective of the research is achieved by reviewing the literature, especially reviewing the results of empirical research (and various publications by cocoa-related institutions) to identify potential strategies in order to improve the sustainability of Indonesian cocoa production. The results showed that productivity problems have a high level of urgency to be overcome. If not addressed, there is a possibility that Indonesia will become a net cocoa importer in the future (imports are greater than exports). Strategies to increase the sustainability of Indonesian cocoa production need to focus on increasing productivity through the use of superior cocoa seeds, focus on specific support for farmers' livelihoods, focus on improving the supporting environmental instruments that are still lacking (such as access to finance and inputs, facilities and infrastructure) rural areas, capacity building of farmer organizations, and extension services) and focus on the existence of strong institutions to ensure the functioning of partnerships between farmers/farmers' organizations and other parties.

Accounting of Ecosystem Services of Wetlands in Karnataka State, India

Wetlands are productive ecosystems, providing an array of services that sustain the well-being of dependent biota. Post industrialization and globalization era witnessed a spurt in the anthropogenic activities, leading to the degradation and decline of fragile ecosystems. This necessitates the conservation of vital ecosystems through sustainable management tenets, this requires an understanding of the livelihood support of ecosystems. The focus of the study, discussed in this article, is to understand the worth of wetlands through the accounting of provisioning, regulating, and cultural services. The provisioning services through accounting of tangible benefits (fish, fodder, water, etc.) considering residual values indicate an annual revenue of INR49.70 billion. Similarly, accounting of non-use values of ecosystems through the benefit transfer method indicates regulating and cultural services support of INR196.89 billion and INR37.93 billion per year, respectively. The annual flow of the total ecosystem supply value accounts for INR284.52 billion per year and the net present value (NPV) amounts to INR7320.6 billion, signifying the ecological, socio-cultural, and environmental support wetland provides to ecosystems in Karnataka. Appraisal of ecosystem services allows for adjusted national accounts, which reflect the output of ecosystem services as well as the depletion of natural resources and the degradation costs (externalized costs of the loss of ecosystem services) of ecosystems in economic terms, which will help raise awareness and provide a quantitative tool to evaluate the sustainability of policies towards prudent management and conservation of fragile livelihood-supporting ecosystems. The monetary valuation of ecosystem services can help in building a better understanding of their influence on well-being and can further facilitate information-driven decisions and policy reforms that align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the judicious use of natural resources.

Dynamics of land use/land cover: implications on environmental resources and human livelihoods in the Middle Awash Valley of Ethiopia.

Quantifying the recent LULC changes and associated impacts on pastoral and agro-pastoral livelihood systems is important since the effects of LULC changes on environmental resources and human livelihood are not fully understood in our study area. This paper analysed the trend of land use/land cover (LULC) dynamics and its implications on natural resources and human livelihood in the Middle Awash Valley, Central Ethiopian Rift Valley. For the purpose, Landsat imageries of thematic mapper (1987), enhanced thematic mapper (2002) and operational land imager and thermal infrared sensor (2016) were employed and analysed using Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) software and techniques, and qualitative data analysis had been performed as well. The results showed that cultivated land expanded at a rate of 2.6% year-1, whereas forestland and grassland shrunk at a rate of 1.2% year-1 and 2.4% year-1, respectively. The invasive Prosopis juliflora has been expanded from 3.7% in 1987 to 37.9% in 2016 at a rate of 1.2% year-1. The introduction of both small- and large-scale commercial irrigation farming and the implementation of villagization programme focused on transforming pastoralists into sedentary lifestyles. Consequently, irrigation farming, launching of villagization, climate variability as in series of droughts, construction of water dam and the rapid expansion of Prosopis juliflora were the major drivers of LULC changes in the study area. Although we found some positive developments such as improvement on infrastructural and social services (e.g. school and domestic water supply), income diversification and ecological benefits from Prosopis juliflora (e.g. saline soil treatment, carbon sequestration and soil erosion control), there were a range of negative impacts resulting from LULC changes in the study area. LULC changes reduced quality of rangeland resources as the ecologically and economically valuable indigenous tree and grass varieties were significantly degraded. As a result, the traditional pastoral livelihood system has been much vulnerable with the LULC dynamism of the study area. Furthermore, the implementation of the villagization programme has brought socioeconomic impacts on the community and challenges on the ecology, e.g. changing productive rangeland to irrigation crop farms. Our research results, thus, suggest the urgent need for relevant policy interventions in support of the pastoral livelihoods and landscapes with the modification in the implementation of villagization as well as irrigation farming programmes and its better management and controlling Prosopis juliflora expansion in the study area.

Heterogeneous Effects of Skill Training on Rural Livelihoods around Four Biosphere Reserves in China.

The growing contradiction between protection and livelihood is a common challenge for most protected areas in developing countries. Skill training is an important way to increase household income and alleviate the dilemma between conservation and development. However, its effects on household income around protected areas have rarely been explored. This paper aims to evaluate the effect of skill training on the income of households around four Biosphere Reserves in China and explore its mechanism. Based on the information collected from 381 households through face-to-face interviews, this study adopted descriptive analysis and multiple regression to yield consistent results. The results showed that agricultural and off-farm skill training had no impact on the total household income. The results from the mechanism analysis found that participation in off-farm skill training had a significant and positive effect on the total income of the households outside protected areas and participation in agricultural training had a positive effect on agricultural income. The findings indicate that the local government and protected area administration should increase the publicity for skill training, enrich the types training, appropriately supply livelihood support projects that reconcile conservation and development, and strengthen the infrastructure development around protected areas to promote off-farm employment and the circulation and sale of agricultural products. However, the impacts of any associated intensification should be carefully monitored.

Solutions to Perfect the Policy of Supporting Livelihoods for Farmers in Thai Nguyen Province, Viet Nam

Solutions to Perfect the Policy of Supporting Livelihoods for Farmers in Thai Nguyen Province, Viet Nam

UNDERSTANDING THE EXPERIENCE OF MULTI-SECTORAL PARTNERSHIPS IN RIVER MANAGEMENT FOR A HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE CITY IN BANJARMASIN, INDONESIA

A sustainable city is one of the programs required to achieve the 2030 SDGs. Although Banjarmasin contains a thousand rivers along which a large population resides for livelihood support, they are still polluted by some people that fail to perform proper subsequent maintenance. The problem of river waste will have an impact on public health. A study on river waste management in Banjarmasin City is essential, specifically in multi-sectoral partnerships. It plays an integral role in organizing a Healthy City. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the experience of multi-sectoral partnerships in river management in Banjarmasin to create a healthy and sustainable city. A phenomenological descriptive method was carried out through in-depth interviews with 16 participants, followed by a survey, and documentation. Data collection through in-depth interviews was conducted from August 2020 to June 2021 following certain guidelines. To ensure the rigor of data (trustworthiness), triangulation and comparison to existing documents were performed. Furthermore, partnership activities were observed, then the data were analyzed by identifying all the statements relevant to the phenomenon or horizontalization. In this study, it was showed that the reasons to join the partnership include: first, community awareness and responsibility due to job description. Second, the factors associated with partnership effectiveness, namely commitment, communication, and control among various sectors. Empowerment of local communities and effectiveness of partnership are needed for river maintenance. It was concluded that multi-sectoral partnerships are important in addressing river management for sustainable healthy cities.

Ethnomedicinal and biological activities of tropical mahua (Madhuca species) – A comprehensive review

The genus Madhuca, of the family Sapotaceae is a multi-functional tropical tree with the species, Madhuca indica (latifolia), M. longifolia, and M. butyracea being the most prevalent. The nutritional and health benefits of mahua are due to the richness of its anti-oxidant, vitamin, mineral, and biochemical composition. Mahua plant (flowers, fruits, roots, bark, seeds, and leaves) extracts have a variety of bioactivities and ethnomedicinal applications (antidiabetic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, etc.). They are traditionally well-known for their ability to prevent/treat various ailments. The phytochemical constituents have a defense mechanism and therapeutic role in the treatment of disease. Madhuca spp. has built the linkage between ethnic people, traditional knowledge, and livelihood support of the resources. This study/literature review has been undertaken to investigate the mahua as a forest resource that can be used for building livelihood resilience among ethnic communities. This review gives an extensive overview of the scientifically evaluated mahua plant extract bioactive molecules and a possible mechanism for the therapeutic potential for treating various diseases. Further, analyses of the opportunities and scope with future openings for the development of health-giving properties/abilities are extensively summarized.

Politics, policies and rural poverty alleviation outcomes: Evidence from Lankao County, China

China's anti-poverty approach featuring a targeted poverty alleviation strategy has provided a model for global poverty reduction governance. This paper builds a conceptual framework that includes political contexts, policies and rural poverty alleviation outcomes, and emphasizes the response of rural households as micro subjects to the macro political and policy environment, aiming to explore the micro mechanisms of rural poverty reduction governance at the county and rural household levels. The results are as follows: (i) The poverty alleviation outcomes are produced by the stimulation of political and policy resources on rural households' own conditions. (ii) The individual differences in poverty alleviation outcome scores are obvious. The poverty alleviation collaboration mechanism, grassroots mobilization, life improvement, livelihood support, resource conditions and livelihood capacity are the leading factors affecting the poverty alleviation outcomes. (iii) The organic combination of political guidance, policy support and rural households' development conditions has made the poverty alleviation outcomes more remarkable. This study provides case support for the formation of an anti-poverty theory with Chinese characteristics, and serves as a reference for poverty reduction governance in developing countries.