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1 – 10 of over 3000
Article
Publication date: 2 October 2023

Andi Irawan

This study aims to reconstruct how smallholder farmers implement livelihood adaptation strategies to survive and escape poverty, thereby mitigating or eliminating potential…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to reconstruct how smallholder farmers implement livelihood adaptation strategies to survive and escape poverty, thereby mitigating or eliminating potential livelihood risks by utilizing their available assets.

Design/methodology/approach

This research employed a qualitative approach. For the collection of primary data, the researcher conducted observations and in-depth interviews and engaged with the lives of smallholder farmers during the data collection period.

Findings

Among the various livelihood adaptation strategies, only migration and profit-sharing strategies enable smallholder farmers to escape poverty. However, migration is an unsustainable adaptation strategy. When farmers move to new locations, they often resort to slash-and-burn methods for clearing land, which can lead to forest degradation and deforestation. Profit sharing is a sustainable livelihood adaptation strategy that falls into a different category. This approach can lift farmers out of poverty, increase their income and have no negative environmental impact. Other adaptation strategies include adjustments to traditional agriculture, both on and off-farm diversification, involving the family in income generation, reducing farming costs, practicing frugality in post-harvest processes, converting land from coffee cultivation to other crops and borrowing money and selling owned assets. Smallholder farmers implement these strategies to survive the existing economic conditions.

Originality/value

The profit-sharing strategy was a novel livelihood adaptation approach that previous studies had yet to uncover at the research site. In this strategy, farmers assume the roles of both managers and laborers simultaneously during farming, while toke (the capital owners) play the role of farming funders. The generated profit is then shared between farmers and toke based on the agreement established at the outset of their collaboration.

Details

Journal of Strategy and Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1755-425X

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 23 October 2023

Jiaxin Wu, Jigang Zhang and Hongjuan Yang

This study aims to construct an evaluation system for farmerslivelihood capital in minority areas and evaluate the impact of relocation in response to climate change on farmers’…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to construct an evaluation system for farmerslivelihood capital in minority areas and evaluate the impact of relocation in response to climate change on farmerslivelihood capital.

Design/methodology/approach

According to the characteristics of Yunnan minority areas, the livelihood capital of farmers in minority areas is divided into natural, physical, financial, social, human and cultural capital. The improved livelihood capital evaluation system measures farmerslivelihood capital from 2015 to 2021. The net impact of relocation on farmerslivelihood capital was separated using propensity score matching and the difference-in-difference (PSM-DID) method.

Findings

The shortage of livelihood capital makes it difficult for farmers to resist climate change, and the negative impacts of climate change further aggravate their livelihood vulnerability and reduce their livelihood capital. Relocation has dramatically increased the livelihood capital of farmers living in areas with poor natural conditions by 15.67% and has enhanced their ability to cope with climate change and realise sustainable livelihoods.

Originality/value

An improved livelihood capital evaluation system is constructed to realise the future localisation and development of livelihood capital research. The PSM-DID method was used to overcome endogeneity problems and sample selection bias of the policy evaluation methods. This study provides new ideas for academic research and policy formulation by integrating climate change, poverty governance and sustainable livelihoods.

Details

International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, vol. 15 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-8692

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 January 2022

Thu Trang Thi Ngo, Hong Quan Nguyen, Timothy Gorman, Quang Ngo Xuan, Phuong Lan Thi Ngo and Ann Vanreusel

Drought and salinity intrusion aggravated by climate change threaten agricultural livelihoods in Viet Nan's Mekong Delta. In response, authorities have built water management…

Abstract

Purpose

Drought and salinity intrusion aggravated by climate change threaten agricultural livelihoods in Viet Nan's Mekong Delta. In response, authorities have built water management infrastructure for irrigation and salinity protection. This study assessed the impact of one such project, the Ba Lai dam in Ben Tre province, on the livelihoods of aquaculture farmers.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework to assess the impact of the Ba Lai dam on the livelihood capitals of 18 farming households in four communes, located both upstream and downstream of the dam.

Findings

The authors find that, apart from some positive effects, the dam has also brought negative environmental consequences, such as increased water pollution. The authors also find that farmers have responded to the changes by adapting their livelihood practices.

Research limitations/implications

The samples were relatively small, encompassing four communes in Ben Tre province. On the other hand, this case study is instructive to the many ongoing infrastructure projects in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta.

Social implications

The project have caused an increase in water-related social conflict.

Originality/value

The case of the Ba Lai dam provides a cautionary example for infrastructure-based water management plans, both in Viet Nam and more broadly. The study suggests the need to strengthen community participation and prioritize impacts of farmers' capital assets when constructing water management infrastructure for climate change adaptation.

Details

Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, vol. 13 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-0839

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 March 2022

Rulia Akhtar, Muhammad Mehedi Masud and Muhammad Khalilur Rahman

The purpose of this study is to analyze the economic, social and environmental impacts of climate change on farmers' livelihoods and adaptive capacity while highlighting specific…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze the economic, social and environmental impacts of climate change on farmers' livelihoods and adaptive capacity while highlighting specific adaptation strategies in the local climate context.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected using a survey questionnaire and analyzed using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Respondents were selected from seven farmer organizations (Pertubuhan Peladang Kawasan) located in Kedah, Malaysia.

Findings

The study revealed that farmers perceive the economic, social and environmental impacts of climate change. These adverse effects of climate change have an impact on their livelihoods as well as their adaptive capacity. The findings also demonstrated that farmers' livelihoods mediate the relationship between economic and environmental impacts of climate change as well as the adaptive capacity of farmers.

Originality/value

Climate change severely affects the agricultural sector as well as farmers' livelihoods. To minimize its effect, scientists and policymakers emphasize the improvement of farmers' adaptive capacity as well as appropriate adaptation methods. However, there is little research on how climate change affects the livelihoods of farmers in the context of Malaysia. Therefore, the results of the study will provide a new perspective for policymakers to formulate a better adaptation policy framework as well as select appropriate adaptation strategies for sustainable agricultural development.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 49 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 June 2023

Wenjing Han, Zhengfeng Zhang and Xiaoling Zhang

Farmland transfer choice is strongly associated with the livelihood strategies of rural households. The 2014 Three Property Rights Separation (TPRS) reform has legalized farmland…

Abstract

Purpose

Farmland transfer choice is strongly associated with the livelihood strategies of rural households. The 2014 Three Property Rights Separation (TPRS) reform has legalized farmland transfer practices in rural China, hence stimulating the farmland transfer market at the national scale. This paper aims to determine the extent to which rural family livelihood strategies are influenced by their participation decision in farmland transfer practices. Further, the authors examined the effectiveness of the TPRS reform on the impact of farmland transfer participation on rural household livelihood strategy choices.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the sustainable livelihood approach (SLA) using data from a national rural household survey, the authors employ the logit model and the propensity score matching (PSM) method to estimate the impact of household farmland transfer participation. Its interaction effects with household livelihood capital on their livelihood strategy choices and diversification level are also investigated. The difference-in-difference (DID) model is employed to assess the effectiveness of the TPRS reform.

Findings

The results indicate that the participation in transferred-out farmland could improve rural households' non-agricultural livelihood strategies. While the participation in transferred-in farmland could improve the probability of rural families' engaging in pure-agricultural (PA) or agricultural-dependent (AD) livelihood strategies, the TPRS reform can attract specialized farmers to increase their farm size through the market solutions and encourage small farmers to leave their farmland to engage in more off-farm work.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on farmers' livelihood by exploring the role of farmland transfer decision and the effectiveness of 2014 TPRS reform through the SLA approach.

Article
Publication date: 18 October 2011

M.A. Akudugu

The purpose of this paper is to find out how financial capital from rural banks is contributing to the livelihoods development of women farmers who constitute the most vulnerable…

1094

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to find out how financial capital from rural banks is contributing to the livelihoods development of women farmers who constitute the most vulnerable and disadvantaged group in Ghana and other developing countries.

Design/methodology/approach

Women farmers were randomly sampled, resulting in 100 beneficiary and 100 non‐beneficiary women farmers who were used for the study. The incomes of women farmers were compared and the factors influencing income earnings estimated using simple regressing analysis.

Findings

Financial capital from rural banks was found to have positive contributions to the livelihood development of the women farmers and the poor in general. Whereas, the beneficiary women farmers had significant improvement in their access to health care, education and increased income among others, the non‐beneficiaries only had marginal improvements.

Research limitations/implications

Women farmers do not keep accurate records on their production activities and had to rely on their memories to give costs of production and outputs obtained. This might have slightly affected the results.

Practical implications

Governments and development partners in third world countries should integrate the provision of financial capital in their development policy formulations. This is critical for the attainment of the millennium development goals (MDGs), especially on the reduction of extreme poverty and hunger as well as gender equality and empowerment.

Originality/value

This research paper brings to light the fact that financial capital is an important tool that can be used to turn life around for poor families and individuals in developing countries in Africa and elsewhere. It demonstrates how financial capital is critical for the attainment of the MDGs.

Details

Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, vol. 5 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6204

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 June 2021

Bismark Amfo, James Osei Mensah, Ernest Baba Ali, Gilbert Dagunga, Seth Etuah and Robert Aidoo

This study investigates implications of crop and income diversifications on consumption expenditure (welfare) of rice-producing households in Ghana. It further compares…

Abstract

Purpose

This study investigates implications of crop and income diversifications on consumption expenditure (welfare) of rice-producing households in Ghana. It further compares diversification by three rice production systems: two-season rain-fed, two-season irrigated and one-season rain-fed rice production.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data were sourced from 225 rice farmers. Margalef index and three-stage least-squares were employed.

Findings

Majority of rice-farming households in Ghana diversify livelihoods. The extent of livelihood diversification differs among two-season rain-fed, two-season irrigated and one-season rain-fed rice-producing households. Credit, distance to district capitals, production purpose and number of farming seasons influence crop and income diversifications, and consumption expenditure of rice-producing households. While crop diversification reduces consumption expenditure, income diversification increases it. Crop and income diversifications positively influence each other. Consumption expenditure reduces crop diversification but increases income diversification.

Practical implications

Policy should be directed towards the promotion of more livelihood activities to boost rice farmers' welfare. There should be awareness creation and training programmes to enable rice farmers realize different economic activities within and outside the agricultural value chain.

Originality/value

Crop and income diversifications were measured as continuous response variables, unlike previous studies that used a binary response variable. The authors established a synergy among crop and income diversifications, and consumption expenditure (welfare). The authors further compared crop and income diversifications by three rice production systems: two-season rain-fed, two-season irrigated and one-season rain-fed rice production systems.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 24 February 2022

Huiyun Shi, Lu Zhang, Boyao Song and Chao He

The development of tourism around Wolong Nature Reserve changes the local communities' ways of life. This study discusses how ecotourism affects the households' use of their…

4620

Abstract

Purpose

The development of tourism around Wolong Nature Reserve changes the local communities' ways of life. This study discusses how ecotourism affects the households' use of their capitals, the livelihood strategies as well as illustrates the impact on the habitats in the reserve through Department for International Development’s (DFID) Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF) with data collected during fieldwork.

Design/methodology/approach

The study focuses on (1) Calculating Livelihood Capital Index. (2) The effects of livelihood capitals on livelihood strategy were calculated by multinomial logistic regression.

Findings

The study has yielded the following results: (1) In general, tourism promotes people's livelihood capitals. The growth in different types of households under tourism settings is ranked as full-time tourism operators > part-time tourism operators > traditional living households. (2) Tourism development mainly shifts livelihood strategies in two ways. Firstly, travel operating replaces some traditional practices that make livings; secondly, increased needs for potherbs and herbs from tourists let households enter into the hills to pick the plants more actively, which intensifies the destruction of giant panda's habitats. (3) Nine types of livelihood capitals indicators, namely farmland quality, distance between house and roads, number of laborers, average housing area, average income per person, whether family members being village cadres, and ever having received skills training shape livelihood strategies in different levels.

Originality/value

Three discussions are drawn from the study: (1) Enhancing the exploit for tourism resources to form a diversified competition. (2) Introducing herb growing to fulfill tourists' needs and improve people's livelihood in the meantime. (3) Optimizing the tourism surveillance and management system and improving the rules and regulations.

Details

Forestry Economics Review, vol. 4 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2631-3030

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 18 September 2017

Sanjay V. Lanka, Iqbal Khadaroo and Steffen Böhm

The purpose of this paper is to provide a socio-ecological counter account of the role that agroecology plays in supporting the sustainable livelihoods of a co-operative of…

7491

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a socio-ecological counter account of the role that agroecology plays in supporting the sustainable livelihoods of a co-operative of smallholder coffee farmers, where very little value is created at their end of the coffee commodity chain. Agroecology may be defined as the science that provides the ecological principles and concepts for the design and management of productive agricultural ecosystems that conserve natural resources.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a case study design of a coffee-producing co-operative in India using data collected from participant observation, focus groups and unstructured interviews with indigenous smallholder farmers. It combines the science of agroecology with the labour theory of value as a theoretical framework.

Findings

An agroecological approach supports agricultural biodiversity, while promoting sustainable livelihoods since members of the co-operative are able to reduce their use of external inputs. However, an agroecological transformation is curtailed by the continued dependence on corporate value chains. A framework using the labour theory of value is used to explain the extraction of surplus value from the labour of both the smallholder farmers as well as nature. This study provides evidence of the role of government policy and practice in perpetuating the status quo by not promoting either research on agroecology or direct consumer to producer value chains while providing subsidies for the inputs of industrial agriculture.

Originality/value

There have been very few studies that have provided an account of the limited value generated in agricultural commodity chains for smallholder farmers due to the need to purchase the inputs of industrial agriculture supported by government subsidies. This study extends the field of accounting for biodiversity into agriculture using the science of agroecology to explain the role played by biodiversity in increasing the amount of value generated by smallholder farmers. By utilising the labour theory of value, the authors have introduced the notion of the labour power of nature as represented by the environmental services that nature provides.

Details

Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, vol. 30 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-3574

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 March 2023

Asaah Sumaila Mohammed, Francis Xavier Dery Tuokuu and Edgar Balinia Adda

The purpose of this study is to contribute to the discourse on livelihood access and challenges of fisherfolks and farmers within coastal communities in Ghana. Insights from such…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to contribute to the discourse on livelihood access and challenges of fisherfolks and farmers within coastal communities in Ghana. Insights from such studies can help to create win-win outcomes between communities and oil companies and give the latter social license to operate. Also, it will help to identify the existing knowledge gaps that still need to be filled and contribute to the overall management of Ghana’s oil resources. It will further contribute to the government’s livelihood diversification programs in oil-producing communities.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employed the use of qualitative research paradigm to collect primary data in oil- and gas-producing communities in the Western Region of Ghana. Specifically, focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were conducted among diverse stakeholders.

Findings

Findings from the study show that several people and households along the coast of Ghana’s Western Region depend on the fishing industry as their livelihoods. However, fisherfolks are facing several challenges due to oil production. For instance, the quantity of fish harvest has reduced drastically since oil production started in 2010. Farming activities have also been adversely affected. The study has unearthed that the existing social and economic infrastructure are very limited to support the development of the coastal communities in Ghana’s Western Region. The study suggests that to deal with some of the challenges faced by coastal communities, livelihood diversification programs should be introduced.

Research limitations/implications

Not every community within the oil and gas areas in the Western Region was covered. Future work will address this limitation.

Practical implications

The study has revealed that the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies need to expedite the process of conducting a comprehensive needs assessment of communities and capture them in their medium-term development plans.

Social implications

The corporate social responsibility programs will create win-win outcomes between oil companies and communities.

Originality/value

The study is an original piece of work with data collected from the field. The study will contribute to the efficient management of natural resources in Ghana and other developing countries.

Details

Journal of Global Responsibility, vol. 14 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2041-2568

Keywords

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