Impact assessment of wetland alliance program alternative livelihood projects on livelihood of beneficiary households in Xuan Thuy National Park, Vietnam | |
| Author | Baral, Pradeep |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.NR-16-11 |
| Subject(s) | Wetlands--Vietnam--Xuan Thuy National Park Household appliances--Vietnam--Xuan Thuy National Park |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillm ent of the requirements for the degree of Master o f Science in Natural Resources Management, School of Environment. Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. NR-16-11 |
| Abstract | Conservation and sustainable management of wetlands is closely r elated to the sustainability of people’s livelihood. Xuan Thuy National Park in northern Vietnam despite its Ramsar protected area status with d iverse biodiversity and ecosystem products and services that support livelihood of a large number of households around have faced serious human pressure on its wetland resources . Wetlan d Alliance Program (WAP), with an aim of st rengthening local capacities towards sustainable poverty - focused wetlands management , implemented three alternative livelihood projects namely mushroom cultivation, honey bee keeping and community based sol id waste management from 2008 until 2013 in the buffer zone of Xuan Thuy Natio nal Park , Vietnam . This research aims to asse ss the impact of these project interventions on beneficiary households’ access to livelihood assets and strategies. Drawing on the Sustainable Livelihood Framework, a mixed method approach comprising Most Signif icant C hange technique, key informants interview, foc us group discussions and household questionnaire survey o f 36 project beneficiaries was employed to collect and analyze the data from the field. The findings reveal that the alternative livelihood proje cts enhanced beneficiaries access to social, physical, financial, human and to a varied extent, natural capital. The projects brought on beneficiary households’ transition from high impact wetla nd dependent livelihood to wards low impact a lternative livelih ood strategy /ies through enhanced capacity, material and financial, and institutional support. Women beneficiaries and the beneficiaries from solid waste management project exhibited higher level of satisfaction from the a lternative livelihood projects com pared to mal e beneficiaries and the beneficiaries in honey bee keeping and mushroom cultivation. The findings also reveal that the alternative livelihood projects brought significant positive changes in beneficiaries’ livelihood and the ‘ domain of change ’ experienced were wide - ranging. These changes correspond ed to the broad scope of the alternative livelihood projects. However, challenges remain: sustainability of the alternative livelihood groups ; limited capacities of local partners ; price, mar ket and cl imate vulnerabilities; cross - cutting local/national socio - economic, political factors; and changing wetland resources base and access, all impeded sustainable livelihood outcomes of the beneficiaries. The study co ncludes with specific recommendations for W AP, local partners and conservation and development agencies working in area of sustainable poverty focused wetland management , and policy recommendations, and calls for further research on the topic. |
| Year | 2016 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. NR-16-11 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Natural Resources Management (NRM) |
| Chairperson(s) | Jourdain, Damien |
| Examination Committee(s) | Sasaki, Nophea;Shipin, Oleg V. |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | JSP Fellowship;Wetland Alliance Program ADB |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2016 |