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Rural livelihood diversification of Dzao farmers in response to unpredictable risks associated with agriculture in Vietnamese Northern Mountains today

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Abstract

Vietnamese rural mountains are undergoing a significant transformation process in agriculture-based economy nowadays. A challenge facing ethnic minorities is identifying more appropriate way of life to cope with unpredictable risks associated with agriculture. This paper deals with livelihood diversification by the Dzao, an indigenous ethnic minority group in the Vietnamese Northern Mountains. One hundred and six Dzao households from 11 villages are surveyed with a systematic random sampling. The Simpson diversity index and the Average Agricultural Livelihood Diversification Index are used to measure the livelihood diversification of villages. Eighteen survey questions are developed from six determinants of livelihood diversification such as seasonality, risk strategies, labor markets, credit market failures, asset strategies and coping behavior and adaptation. The results show that livelihood diversification aligns Dzao farmers’ goals to the short-term economic feasibility and long-term sustainability. Farmers diversify their livelihood by combining livelihood strategies for agricultural intensification, agricultural extensification and migration. Diversification should range from a temporary change in the household livelihood portfolio (occasional diversification) to a deliberate attempt to optimize the household capacity taking advantage of opportunities and coping with unexpected constraints (strategic diversification).

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(Source: resident interview 2017)

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(Source: resident interview 2017)

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(Source: local official survey 2017)

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Notes

  1. Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP) is a state-owned bank and operating as a non-profit credit institution by providing policy credit and preferential credit to the poor households and other beneficiaries.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the Vietnam Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs (National Project Code CTDT.39.18/16-20). The authors would like to thank the community members of the study area for participating in the research, especially Dzao residents, who were most collaborative in completing the questionnaires, and in providing discussion opportunities on the results.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Economics and Business (UEB), Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam

    An Thinh Nguyen & Le Truc Nguyen

  2. Hanoi University of Natural Resources and Environment (HUNRE), Hanoi, Vietnam

    Hanh Hong Nguyen, Thao Thi Pham & Nhan Thi Thanh Tang

  3. Institute of Materials Sciences, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), Hanoi, Vietnam

    Hanh Van Ta

  4. Institute of Geography, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), Hanoi, Vietnam

    Hong Van Nguyen

  5. Tay Bac University (TBU), Sơn La, Vietnam

    Tuan Anh Pham

  6. Vietnam National University of Forestry (VNUF), Hanoi, Vietnam

    Bich Thi Nguyen

  7. Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO), Mol, Belgium

    Luc Hens

  8. Summy Stake University, Sumy, Ukraine

    Luc Hens

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  1. An Thinh Nguyen
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Correspondence to An Thinh Nguyen.

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Nguyen, A.T., Nguyen, L.T., Nguyen, H.H. et al. Rural livelihood diversification of Dzao farmers in response to unpredictable risks associated with agriculture in Vietnamese Northern Mountains today. Environ Dev Sustain 22, 5387–5407 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-019-00429-x

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