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Forest clearing, livelihood strategies and welfare: Evidence from the Tsimane' in Bolivia

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  • Perge, Emilie
  • McKay, Andy

Abstract

This study analyzes the relationship between forest households' livelihood strategies, and forest clearing, and the relationship of both to welfare. The analysis relies on a rich panel dataset collected on the Tsimane' communities in Bolivia to highlight how forest households combine sales and wage activities. Forest clearing is associated with all livelihood strategies, but the association with welfare differs depending on the strategy pursued. Households that clear more and that generate their earnings by combining agricultural sales and wage activities are better-off (judged in terms of assets) than those undertaking other strategies. By contrast, households in a subsistence strategy are not able to accumulate assets in the long run. Overall, households clear only small areas of forest, which has a positive effect on welfare and enables accumulation of assets.

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  • Perge, Emilie & McKay, Andy, 2016. "Forest clearing, livelihood strategies and welfare: Evidence from the Tsimane' in Bolivia," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 112-124.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:126:y:2016:i:c:p:112-124
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.03.017
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    5. Lun Yang & Moucheng Liu & Qingwen Min, 2019. "Natural Disasters, Public Policies, Family Characteristics, or Livelihood Assets? The Driving Factors of Farmers’ Livelihood Strategy Choices in a Nature Reserve," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-18, September.
    6. Gao, Yang & Niu, Ziheng & Yang, Haoran & Yu, Lili, 2019. "Impact of green control techniques on family farms' welfare," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 91-99.
    7. Ndubuisi Obeka Chukwu & Jude Okechukwu Chukwu, 2023. "Drivers of Households’ off-the-farm Income Diversification Patterns in Nigeria: Panel Evidence Using General Household Survey Data," Review of Development and Change, , vol. 28(1), pages 67-89, June.
    8. Chady Jabbour & Anis Hoayek & Jean-Michel Salles, 2022. "Formalizing a Two-Step Decision-Making Process in Land Use: Evidence from Controlling Forest Clearcutting Using Spatial Information," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, December.
    9. Nguyen, Trung Thanh & Do, Truong Lam & Parvathi, Priyanka & Wossink, Ada & Grote, Ulrike, 2018. "Farm production efficiency and natural forest extraction: Evidence from Cambodia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 480-493.

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