The Gannan Plateau, located in the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is a typical ecologically-sensitive region. The peasants and herdsmen are the main economic activities body and the essential decisive unit in this region. Their livelihood pattern affects the environmental security. Therefore, increasing and optimizing the peasants' and herdsmen's livelihood capital is the fundamental and key point of reducing poverty, protecting environment and using resources sustainably. At first, we set up the livelihood capital evaluation index, calculate the farmers' livelihood capital and analyze the farmers' livelihood pressure and the urgent assistance that they need by the field survey data. Then, we analyze the impact of the livelihood capital on the life satisfaction by logistic regression model. Finally, based on the analyses, we put forward the measures of increasing the farmers' livelihood capital. By evaluating the livelihood capital, the results show that the livelihood capital has spatial heterogeneity, namely, the first is the farmers in the pasture area, and the livelihood capital value reaches 1.4769; the second is the farmers in the farming area, being 1.2920; the last is the farmers in the farming-pastoral area, 1.2841. There are some differences of the capital scarcity in this region. The farmers in the farming area are lack of material and nature capital. Meanwhile shortage of material capital exists in the farming-pastoral area and financial capital is needed in the pasture area. Moreover, the farmers' life satisfaction is lower. Some 44.40% of the interviewees are not satisfied with their living conditions, and they are facing a series of life stresses, such as income, education, medical care and employment. But the farmers respond to the life risks in a passive way, willing to depend on the local government. By analyzing the impact of the farmer' livelihood capital on life satisfaction, the results show that the most important capital is the material capital at present, and its Wald statistics is 14.635, followed by the financial and social capital, with their Wald statistical values being 12.204 and 10.837, respectively. However, the livelihood capital that makes great contribution to the improvement of life satisfaction is the human and social capital, and their odds ratios are 10.283 and 7.632, respectively.
ZHAO Xue-yan
. The impact of livelihood capital on the life satisfaction of peasants and herdsmen: A case of Gannan Plateau[J]. GEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH, 2011
, 30(4)
: 687
-698
.
DOI: 10.11821/yj2011040011
[1] Wilkes Andreas. Using the sustainable livelihoods framework to understand agro-pastoralist livelihoods in NW Yunnan. Center for Biodiversity and Indigenous Knowledge, Community Livelihoods Program Working Paper,1993.
[2] Bebbington. Capital and capabilities : a framework for analyzing peasant viability, rural livelihoods and poverty . World Development,1999,22:2021~2044.
[3] Eija Soini. Land use change patterns and livelihood dynamics on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Agricultural Systems, 2005, 85: 306~323.
[4] Bradstock A. Land reform and livelihoods in South Africa's Northern Cape Province. Land Use Policy, 2006, 23 (3):247~259.
[5] Gina Koczberski, George N Curry. Making a living: Land pressures and changing livelihood strategies among oil palm settlers in Papua New Guinea. Agricultural Systems, 2005, 85: 324~339.
[6] 张丽萍,张镱锂,阎建忠,等.青藏高原东部山地农牧区生计与耕地利用模式.地理学报,2008,63(4); 377~385.
[7] 阎建忠,张镱锂,朱会义,等.大渡河上游不同地带居民对环境退化的响应.地理学报,2006,61(2):146~156.
[8] 赵雪雁.黄河首曲地区草地退化的人文因素分析--以甘肃省玛曲县为例.资源科学,2007,29(5): 50~56.
[9] 摆万奇,张永民,阎建忠,等.大渡河上游地区土地利用动态模拟分析.地理研究,2005 ,24 (2) :206~212.
[10] Ashley C ,Carney D. Sustainable Livelihoods: Lessons from Early Experience. London: Department for International Development, 1999.
[11] Carney, D. Sustainable Livelihoods Approaches: Progress and Possibilities for Change.London: Department for International Development, 2002.
[12] 芦清水、赵志平.应对草地退化的生态移民政策及其牧户响应分析--基于黄河源区玛多县的牧户调查.地理研究,2009,28(1): 143~152.
[13] DIFD. Sustainable Livelihoods Guidance Sheets. Department for International Development, 2000.
[14] 姚玉璧,邓振镛,尹东,等.黄河重要水源补给甘南高原气候变化及其对生态环境的影响.地理研究,2007, 26(4) :844~52.
[15] Sharp Kay. Measuring destitution: Integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches the analysis of survey data. IDS Working Paper 217, 2003.
[16] Jiggins J. How poor women earn income in sub-Saharan Africa and what works against them. World Development, 1989, 17(7): 953~963.
[17] 李小云,董强,饶小龙,等.农户脆弱性分析方法及其本土化应用.中国农村经济,2007,(4):32~39.
[18] 阎建忠,吴莹莹,张镱锂,等.青藏高原东部样带农牧民生计的多样化.地理学报,2009,64(2):221~233.
[19] 谢花林,李波.基于logistic 回归模型的农牧交错区土地利用变化驱动力分析--以内蒙古翁牛特旗为例.地理研究,2008,27(2):294~304.
[20] 张宏梅,陆林.主客交往偏好对目的地形象和游客满意度的影响--以广西阳朔为例.地理研究, 2010, 29(6):1129~1140.
[21] Pretty J. Hugh Ward. Social capital and the environment. World Development,2001,29(2):209~227.
[22] Pretty J. Social capital and the collective management of resources.Science, 2003,302:1912~1914.
