Does poverty-alleviation-based industry development improve farmers'livelihood capital?

Targeted poverty alleviation is a unique approach adopted in China to help achieve the vision of a moderately prosperous society in all aspects and the"Chinese Dream".Industrial development as a means of poverty alleviation is an integral part of the"Five-pronged Poverty Alleviation Measures"Project of targeted poverty alleviation,and a critical foundation for other poverty alleviation measures.In this study,a comprehensive evaluation method was used to measure farmers'livelihood based on the framework of sustainable livelihood.Specifically,the effects of industrial development on farmers'livelihood capital were estimated by employing the propensity score matching combined with the difference-in-differences(PSM-DID)approach.Findings suggest that industrial development had a significantly positive effect on the livelihood capital of farmers.Industrial development can significantly enhance farmers'human,social and financial capital,while it cannot significantly affect the natural and physical capital.Industrial development had heterogeneous effects on farmers'livelihood capital,more efficiently impacting on the non-poor than the poor.The effects on farmers'livelihood capital varied across regions,with Guizhou experiencing a larger effect than Sichuan.However,the effect was insignificant for farmers in Gansu.To improve farmers'livelihood capital,it is necessary to take measures to strengthen their human capital,promote the innovation of financial products,and make good use of their social capital;it is also essential to strengthen the support of industrial development to the poor.

Influence of social capital on the livelihood strategies of farmers under China's rural revitalization strategy in poor mountain areas: A case study of the Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture

Social capital in the form of social resources or social networks is one of the most important livelihood capital of farmers, which can increase the labor productivity of poor households and increase income. It is important to explore the reasons underlying the livelihood strategy choices of farmers from the perspective of social capital under China’s rural revitalization strategy. In this study, the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, a povertystricken mountainous area in southwestern China, was selected as the case study area, and multivariable linear regression models were constructed to analyze the influence of social capital on livelihood strategies.The results are as follows:(1) Individual social capital had a positive effect on non-agricultural livelihood strategies. On average, with a one-unit increase in individual social capital, the ratio of farmers’ nonagricultural income to total productive income(Income_Rto) increased by 0.002% and 0.062%,respectively. Collective social capital, with the Peasant Economic Cooperation Organization(PECO) as the carrier, had a negative effect on the non-agricultural livelihood strategies of farmers;on average, with a oneunit increase in PECO, Income_Rto decreased by approximately 0.053%. However, this effect was only significant in the river valley area.(2) The income differences among the different livelihood strategy types were explained by the livelihood strategy choices of farmers. As non-agricultural work can bring more benefits, the labor force exhibited one-way migration from villages to cities, resulting in a lack of the subject of rural revitalization. It is necessary to implement effective measures to highlight the role of PECO in increasing agricultural income for farmers. Finally,based on the above conclusions,policy recommendations with respect to livelihood transformation of farmers and rural sustainable development are discussed.

Livelihood Capital and Livelihood Diversification for Different Farmers in Yuanjiang Dry-Hot River Valley

Under the analytical framework of sustainable livelihoods,we establish the evaluation indicator system for farmers' livelihood capital,to evaluate the current livelihood capital and livelihood diversification for different farmers in the Dai nationality region of Xinping County in the Yuanjiang dry-hot river valley area,and discuss the relationship between livelihood capital and livelihood diversification. Studies have shown that the mode dominated by agriculture,supplemented by non-agricultural activities,combined with breeding,is the commonly used livelihood strategy for farmers in this region. As farmers change from pure agriculture to non-agriculture,their total livelihood capital and nonagricultural livelihood diversification index will increase,while agricultural livelihood diversification index will decrease. In the meantime,their livelihood activities gradually shift from agricultural to non-agricultural ones,which is mainly reflected in the combination of both agricultural and non-agricultural activities. Regression analysis on livelihood capital and livelihood diversification shows that natural and physical capital is the basis of realizing agricultural livelihood diversification. Farmers with rich natural and physical capital will prefer agricultural livelihood strategies. While financial and human capital is the driving force for farmers' transition from pure agriculture to non-agriculture.

Climatic and non-climatic factors driving the livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farmers in Ahafo Ano North District,Ghana

Smallholder farmers in Ahafo Ano North District,Ghana,face multiple climatic and non-climatic issues.This study assessed the factors contributing to the livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farmers in this district by household surveys with 200 respondents and focus group discussions(FGDs)with 10 respondents.The Mann–Kendall trend test was used to assess mean annual rainfall and temperature trends from 2002 to 2022.The relative importance index(RII)value was used to rank the climatic and non-climatic factors perceived by respondents.The socioeconomic characteristics affecting smallholder farmers’perceptions of climatic and non-climatic factors were evaluated by the binary logistic regression model.Results showed that mean annual rainfall decreased(P>0.05)but mean annual temperature significantly increased(P<0.05)from 2002 to 2022 in the district.The key climatic factors perceived by smallholder farmers were extreme heat or increasing temperature(RII=0.498),erratic rainfall(RII=0.485),and increased windstorms(RII=0.475).The critical non-climatic factors were high cost of farm inputs(RII=0.485),high cost of healthcare(RII=0.435),and poor condition of roads to farms(RII=0.415).Smallholder farmers’perceptions of climatic and non-climatic factors were significantly affected by their socioeconomic characteristics(P<0.05).This study concluded that these factors negatively impact the livelihoods and well-being of smallholder farmers and socioeconomic characteristics influence their perceptions of these factors.Therefore,to enhance the resilience of smallholder farmers to climate change,it is necessary to adopt a comprehensive and context-specific approach that accounts for climatic and non-climatic factors.

From livelihood strategies to green actions:A study on the relationship between farmers'environmental awareness and pro-environmental sustainable behaviors in the Huaibei Plain

In order to explore the impact of changes in rural livelihoods in China on the environmental awareness and behavior of farmers,with the Huaibei Plain as an example,309 farmer households in Lingbi County in Huaibei Plain were surveyed.The variance analysis was used to determine the differences in environmental perceptions and pro-environmental behavior of farmers with different livelihoods.Structural equation models were used to analyze the relationships between livelihood type and environmental perception and behavior.The results show:(1)As the level of non-agricultural activities engaged in by farmers increases,their environmental perceptions shift,evidenced by a rise in both the Environmental Concern Index(ECI)and the Awareness of Pollution Hazards Index(APHI).However,there is a corresponding decrease in their Perception of Changes within the Agroecosystem(PCAE).(2)APHI caused by automobiles,pesticides,and fertilizers varies significantly among groups with different livelihood strategies(p<0.05).(3)Pro-environmental behavior(PEB),particularly in the realms of green consumption and waste management,correlates with the level of non-agriculturalization.Significant variations in these behaviors are observed among farmers with different livelihood strategies(p<0.05).(4)The livelihood strategies have significant direct impact on farmers’environmental perceptions(path coefficient 0.923 p<0.001)and a significant indirect impact on farmers’PEB(path coefficient 0.913 p<0.001).Thus,as farmers shift away from agriculture,their environmental perceptions and behaviors are changing.Diversifying livelihoods reduces dependence on natural resources and increases access to environmental knowledge.This diversification fosters greater awareness of environmental issues and a willingness of farmers to adopt environmentally friendly practices,positively impacting rural environment.Thus,by promoting diversified livelihoods,it is possible to create a powerful strategy for rural environmental governance.

Study on the Influence of Farmer Social Capital on Cooperative Supply Willingness of Agricultural Disaster Reduction Public Goods——Based on the Investigation on 515 Farmers

Based on social capital theory,related factors of three dimensions( structure dimension,cognition dimension and relation dimension) of farmer social capital are taken as independent variables,and famer's willingness to cooperatively supply agricultural disaster reduction public goods is taken as dependent variable. Taking 515 farmers in 27 villages of Hubei Province as investigation objects,the influence of farmer social capital on cooperative supply willingness of agricultural disaster reduction public goods is explored by Logistic regression model. Research results show that social solidarity,common value concept,social trust and reciprocal content have positive impact on farmer's willingness of cooperative supply,while annual household income,number of agricultural disaster reduction public goods and social network have negative impact on farmer's willingness of cooperative supply.

Impact of social capital on farmers' response to different policies for controlling agricultural non-point source pollution

Chinese society in rural areas is typically a geographically and genetically related society.Scattered farmers can be connected to form small groups through their social capital,which can affect farmers' agricultural activities in the process of controlling agricultural Non-point Source pollution.An ordered Logit model can be built to analyze the effects of social capital to farmers' responsive willingness to different measurements of controlling agricultural NPS pollution by using survey data in Shaanxi Province.This paper characterizes farmers' social capital in three dimensions:social trust,social participation and social network.The results indicated that farmers' social capital significantly affects farmers' response to different policies.When governments construct and implement policies to control agricultural NPS pollution,the effects of social capital need to be considered at same time with the effects of governmental supervision,market and education measurements.

A Study on Psychological Capital of Cultivating High-quality Professional Farmers in the Background of Rural Revitalization

Under the background of rural revitalization,high-quality professional farmers are the backbone of modern agriculture.The cultivation of high-quality professional farmers has developed rapidly and achieved particularly obvious results.The number and quality of professional farmers have been continuously improved,and the scope and level of security have been continuously improved,and remarkable achievements have been made.The significance of studying it lies in that,under the trend of developing modern agriculture,the change of psychological capital of high-quality professional farmers as the object of cultivation has an important influence on the effect of cultivation.Studying the change of psychological capital of high-quality professional farmers can better improve the enthusiasm of high-quality professional farmers and improve their sense of self-efficacy,cultivate optimism,increase resilience in the face of difficulties,and enhance hope for better development.By referring to relevant literature,the author learned the current research status of many aspects of the cultivation of high-quality professional farmers in China,and had a certain understanding of its current situation.At the same time,the cultivation of high-quality professional farmers in Shanghai is in the forefront of the whole country.The author takes the leaders of Shanghai Agricultural Cooperatives as the investigation objects,and based on the social capital theory,studies their psychological capital situation and the influence of external factors on psychological capital situation.Psychological capital emphasizes who you are and what you want to be,while social capital emphasizes who you know and focuses on networks and connections.It is hoped that this study can provide suggestions on how to effectively increase the psychological capital of high-quality professional farmers.

Great Capital:A Solution to the "Agriculture,Countryside and Farmers" Problem

CHINA is a great agricultural country,with a farming population that con-stitutes two-thirds of its nationaltotal. Since reform and opening tothe outside world, China’s agricultural produc-tion has developed rapidly. The total agricultur-al production for 2000 was 3.3 times that

Social Capital,Financial Literacy and Lending Behaviour of Farmers with Different Incomes--Evidence Based on CHFS 2015 Data

Using microdata from the China Household Financial Survey Project(CHFS 2015),a negative binomial model is used to study the impact of social capital and financial literacy on the lending behavior of farmers with different incomes.The study found that the positive impact of social capital on the formal borrowing behavior of low-and middle-income farmers was significant,while the impact on informal borrowing behavior and both types of borrowing behavior of highincome farmers were not significant.Financial literacy has a significant positive effect on formal lending behavior only for high-income farmers.Financial literacy has a significant positive effect on formal lending behavior only for high-income farmers.

Policy Capital Research on Cultivating High-Quality Farmers in the Context of Rural Revitalization

The Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Promotion of Rural Revitalization has come into effect on June 1,2021,which stipulates in Article 24 that the State shall improve the institutional mechanism for working with rural talents and promote the cultivation of high-quality farmers.In 2022 and 2023,the No.1 document of the Central Government both proposed“implementing a plan to cultivate high-quality farmers”,and in the report of the 20th Party Congress,General Secretary Xi once again emphasized“solidly promoting the revitalization of rural talents”.High-quality farmers have become the core talent component of the rural talent team.In this context,there is an urgent need for in-depth research on the cultivation of high-quality farmers in China.This paper takes the cooperative leaders in Shanghai as an example,summarizes the current situation of high-quality farmer cultivation in Shanghai through quantitative and qualitative analysis,and proposes policy capital,explores the remaining problems of high-quality farmer cultivation from the micro,meso and macro aspects of policy capital,and puts forward some targeted development opinions,hoping to help the cultivation of high-quality farmers.

Dynamic Relation between Rural Human Capital and Farmers'Income in Henan Province

We use relevant economic and labor force data from 1990 to 2009 of Henan Province to analyze the dynamic relation between stock of rural human capital and farmers' income.Results indicate that a certain causal relationship and long-run equilibrium relation exist between rural human capital and farmers' income,but their interaction shows some lagging characteristic.Increase of farmers' income in Henan Province increases the stock of rural human capital in this province for a short term.However,in the long run,this accumulation effect will decline along with renewal and aging of knowledge.The positive promotion action of rural human capital on farmers' income will appear after a long lag time.Therefore,the policy of strengthening rural human capital input should be long-term and continuous.

Spatio-Temporal Impact of Rural Livelihood Capital on Labor Migra- tion in Panxi, Southwestern Mountainous Region of China

Labor migration to urban centers is a common phenomenon in the Panxi region of the southwestern mountainous region of China, mainly owing to inadequate livelihood capital in rural areas. Numerous studies have been conducted to explore the relationship between labor migration and its causes, such as individual and family characteristics, but few studies have focused on livelihood capital. This paper examines the impact factors on labor migration employment location selection and duration from a household livelihood capital perspective. A case study of 279 households from 10 villages in the area was carried out in February 2016. We used both qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze the data. On the basis of the 279 questionnaires, the proportion of households with non-labor migration is 48.4%, whereas households with labor migration within a local city and migration across regions account for 28.7% and 22.9%, respectively. Social, financial, and human capitals are the primary factors that influence migrants' employment location choice positively. Among them, social capital has a significant impact on both migration within a local city and across regions; each of the regression coefficients is 1.111 and 1.183. Social, human, and financial capitals also have a positive impact on the duration of labor migration, and similarly, social capital is the highest coefficient with 2.489. However, physical capital only partly impacts labor migration across regions, whereas the impact of labor migration within a local city, and the duration, are not significant. Furthermore, the impact of household natural capital on migration space and time are all negative relationships, especially for labor migration across the regions and duration, with coefficient scores of 4.836 and 3.450, respectively. That is to say, a laborer is inclined to migrate within a local city for a short term, or not migrate at all, if natural capital is abundant. Our analysis results show that household livelihood capital has a strong spatio-temporal impact on labor migration.

Optimal livelihood strategy for different poverty groups among farmers: a case study of the Qin-Ba Mountain area in South-Shaanxi, China

Achieving sustainable livelihood is the ultimate goal of poverty alleviation efforts in mountainous areas,and selecting an optimal livelihood strategy for different poverty-type farmers greatly improves farmers’livelihood capital,resists livelihood risks,and promotes sustainable development.For farmers,optimal livelihood strategy means better employment opportunities,higher family income(or better income structure),and stronger employability or development potential.This paper classifies different types of farmers’poverty on the basis of a quantitative evaluation of farmers’livelihood capital in the Qin-ba Mountain Area in South-Shaanxi by using the k-means clustering method and subsequently the fuzzy evaluation method to evaluate the effectiveness of farmers’livelihood strategies.Then,the multi-attribute decision-making model is used to analyze the selection of optimal livelihood strategies for different poverty-type farmers.The results suggest a significant difference in the selection of the optimal livelihood strategy for different poverty-type farmers.Farmers without financial and human capital choose to"go out to work,"farmers lacking natural capital choose to"acquire social insurance and government relief,"farmers without physical capital choose to"use loans,"and farmers lacking social capital choose to"use savings."Studying the selection of optimal livelihood strategies for different poverty-type farmers can help to propose targeted sustainable livelihood optimization programs for farmers and accelerate efforts to overcome poverty in mountainous areas.

Livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate change: A comparative analysis based on irrigation access in South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Bulukumba Regency is one of the major rice-producing areas in South Sulawesi,Indonesia and has experienced frequent climate disasters over the past decade.Several downstream villages within the Bettu River irrigation area have been affected by the drought,culminating in reduced lowland rice production and increasing the vulnerability of farmers’livelihoods.This study aims to evaluate the vulnerability of the livelihood system among rice farmers in the Bettu River irrigation area by classifying the area into two zones based on the distance from the main irrigation canal,namely the upstream area and downstream area.The livelihood vulnerability index(LVI)framework and livelihood vulnerability index-Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(LVI-IPCC)approach were applied by selecting geographic and socio-demographic indicators that affected the farmer households,including 8 major components and 26 sup-components.The data for LVI-IPCC estimation were collected by randomly selecting 132 households from villages in the two areas.The empirical results showed that farmers in the downstream area were more vulnerable to climate change than farmers in the upstream area.The major components causing the livelihood vulnerability of the downstream farmers were livelihood strategy,food,water,land,and health,as well as natural disasters and climate variability.In particular,the sub-components of agricultural livelihood diversification,consistent water supply for farming,and drought events were important in the downstream area.Farmers in the upstream area were vulnerable to socio-demographic profile and social network components.The LVI-IPCC findings suggested that the government should prioritize farmers in the downstream area to develop resilience strategies,particularly by increasing irrigation infrastructure and the number of reservoirs and drilling holes.Furthermore,to increase their adaptive capacity in terms of diversification of agricultural livelihood systems,the government and donor agencies need to provide trainings on the development of home food industries for poor farmers and vulnerable households that were affected by disasters.

The Farmer Entrepreneurs' Social Capital and Opportunity Recognition Behavior

Using the multivariate ordered logistic and probit regression method,based on the survey data of entrepreneurship concerning farmers in China,we analyze the impact of social capital ( namely the social network) on the farmers' recognition of entrepreneurial opportunities and property of entrepreneurial opportunities. The research results show that the scale of farmers being embedded in social network has a positive effect on the probability of farmers to recognize entrepreneurial opportunities. The higher the frequency of contact and the greater the size of weak ties network in the social network,then the greater the possibility of farmers to find innovative opportunities. But strong ties network has no significant effect on replicating-type entrepreneurial opportunities. At the same time,the entrepreneurial farmers' education experience, migrant worker experience,innovation capability,and deep entrepreneurial atmosphere,are all important factors affecting the farmers' opportunity recognition

The Pulses of the Mekong River Basin: Rivers and the Livelihoods of Farmers and Fishers

The transboundary Mekong River is shared by six SE Asia countries (China, Myanmar, Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, and Vietnam). In this paper the livelihoods of farmers and fishers of Lao PDR, Cambodia and Vietnam are examined to assess impacts of Mekong River development and modernization projects on the rural peoples of the Mekong River and Delta. A high proportion of the 190 million rural people of the Mekong basin are dependent on the diverse and abundant resources of the Mekong River and its tributaries for food security and basic necessities, livelihoods, and cultural identities. Although rice farming and fisheries occupations are primary income sources, many livelihoods involve a diversity of on-farm and off-farm activities. Agricultural specialization and intensification and hydropower dam construction on the Mekong main stem and tributaries are altering traditional rural patterns of household food security, income, and cultural ways of living at an increasingly rapid pace. Rural transformation projects must better assess how these modernization efforts change the ecology of the Mekong River and in turn affect the capacity of rural people to adapt in ways that ensure food security and improve household livelihoods. It will be critical that development efforts recognize, value, and invest in rural people’s roles in producing a stable, affordable food system and managing the integrity of river ecosystems upon which future prosperity depends. Interventions are needed to prevent degradation of the Mekong Basin soil and water resources from large-scale agricultural intensification, water diversion and overbuilding of hydropower dams which are threats to small-scale land holdings and farmers and fishers capacities to provide daily food for their own consumption and to feed SE Asia’s growing urban populations.

Effect of Social Capital on Performance of Smallholder Farmer Organizations in Western Kenya

Development literature has recently promoted the use of producer organizations in linking farmers to better-paying commodity markets. However, empirical studies find mixed performance of such organizations. This study examines the producer organizations＇ internal factors that may explain the differences in the performance of producer organizations. The study specifically analyzes the role of social capital, within a producer organization, on the performance of such organization using quantitative techniques. The level of commercialization is used as proxy of organization＇s performance. The study finds that social capital positively affects the performance of producer organizations. These findings imply that development strategies that target the promotion commercialization of smallholder agriculture through producer organizations should pay attention to the internal factors within such organizations.

Can Multiple Livelihood Interventions Improve Livelihood Resilience of Out-of-poverty Farmers in Mountain Areas?A Case Study of Longnan Mountain Area,China

Clarifying the impact of livelihood interventions on the livelihood resilience of farmers in undeveloped mountain areas can not only optimize interventions,but also provide experiential support for global poverty alleviation.To analyze the impact of multiple livelihood interventions on livelihood resilience,we constructed an analytical framework and analyzed the enjoyment of livelihood interventions and the heterogeneity of livelihood resilience among out-of-poverty farmers in the Longnan mountain areas,China.Then,we studied the impact of intervention intensity on livelihood resilience through the multiple linear regression model.The results revealed that:1)the livelihood interventions enjoyed by out-of-poverty farmer in mountain areas were multiple.The proportion of farmers enjoyed diversified livelihood interventions was in descending order of high mountain areas,semi-mountain area and Chuanba valley areas.2)The overall livelihood resilience of farmers in Longnan mountain areas was generally low,with an average of 0.299.There were significant differences in the livelihood resilience of farmers across different geographic areas in the study area and types of interventions.3)The effects of industry interventions,employment interventions and education interventions were significant.The endogenous power of farmers not only had a significant positive effect on livelihood resilience,but also positively moderated the impact of the intensity of interventions on livelihood resilience.In addition,the household dependency ratio and the average altitude of the village area had a significant negative impact on their livelihood resilience.

How to Improve Tea Farmers' Livelihoods in the Sightseeing Place along Lijiang River Valley?

The unbalance of tourism development and comparative superiority of the tea industry brings new opportunities to the poor groups along Lijiang River Valley for improving their livelihoods. From the perspective of sustainable livelihoods,we analyze the problems in tea farmers' livelihoods,such as lack of fund,low capacity in price negotiation,and high cost of resisting various risks. Recommendations are put forward for tea farmers to improve their livelihoods through ways of enterprise cooperation,innovative marketing,brand cultivation,industrial integration and so on.