Acta Geographica Sinica ›› 2009, Vol. 64 ›› Issue (2): 221-233.doi: 10.11821/xb200902009

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Livelihood Diversification of Peasants and Nomads of Eastern Transect in Tibetan Plateau

YAN Jian-zhong1,2, WU Ying-ying1, ZHANG Yili2, ZHOU Shao-bin3, SHI Yulin2   

  1. 1. College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China;
    2. Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, Beijing 100101, China;
    3. College of Politics and Social Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 400747, China
  • Received:2008-04-09 Revised:2008-12-18 Online:2009-02-25 Published:2009-02-25
  • Supported by:

    National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.40601006; No.40471009; National Basic Research Program ofChina, No.2005CB42006

Abstract:

Livelihoods of residents on the Tibetan Plateau are severely affected by grassland and herbal resources degeneration. How to use assets to diversify livelihoods is a key sustainable development issue of this region. Applying PRA, new indexes of livelihood assets and livelihood diversification level being constructed and adjusted by household interview, this paper examines livelihood assets, livelihood diversification level and future livelihood strategies of peasants and nomads in three regions of eastern transect of Tibetan Plateau-high mountain gorge region, mountain plateau region and plateau region. The results show that livelihood diversification is a popular strategy of this area. From high mountain gorge region to mountain plateau region and plateau region, livelihood diversification level is reduced and livelihood activities and the proportion of development oriented livelihood also decrease. Livelihood assets value and livelihood diversification level decreased with the increase of elevation, mainly shown in manpower assets and natural assets. It is highly positively correlative between livelihood assets value and livelihood diversification level. Nowadays, livelihood strategies of local residents still rely on assets they own. Nomads in plateau region should learn much from experiences of development oriented livelihoods of people in high mountain gorge region and mountain plateau region. Therefore, aids of governments should focus on relieving restricted factors of livelihood diversification of nomads and help improve their abilities to build up development oriented livelihoods.

Key words: Tibetan Plateau, transect, livelihood, livelihood diversification, livelihood assets