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

• Published in: Environment, development and sustainability development and sustainability, 2020-08, Vol.22 (6), p.5387-5407
• Main Authors: Nguyen, An Thinh, Nguyen, Le Truc, Nguyen, Hanh Hong, Van Ta, Hanh, Van Nguyen, Hong, Pham, Tuan Anh, Nguyen, Bich Thi, Pham, Thao Thi, Tang, Nhan Thi Thanh, Hens, Luc
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Agronomy; Bond markets; Coping behavior; Coping strategies; Diversification; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Economic Geology; Economic Growth; Economics; Environment; Environmental Economics; Environmental Management; Ethnic groups; Farmers; Feasibility; Households; Intensive farming; Labor market; Livelihood; Migration; Minority & ethnic groups; Minority groups; Mountains; Random sampling; Rural communities; Seasonal variations; Statistical sampling; Sustainable Development; Transformation; Villages
• ISSN: 1387-585X; 1573-2975
• DOI: 10.1007/s10668-019-00429-x

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).