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Off-Farm Employment, Forest Clearing and Natural Resource Use: Evidence from the Ecuadorian Amazon

Author

Listed:
  • Cristian Vasco

    (Facultad de Ciencias Agrícolas, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Gerónimo Leiton y Gato Sobral, Quito 1705121, Ecuador)

  • Rodrigo Valdiviezo

    (Facultad de Ciencias Agrícolas, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Gerónimo Leiton y Gato Sobral, Quito 1705121, Ecuador)

  • Herman Hernández

    (Facultad de Ciencias Agrícolas, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Gerónimo Leiton y Gato Sobral, Quito 1705121, Ecuador)

  • Valdano Tafur

    (Facultad de Ciencias Agrícolas, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Gerónimo Leiton y Gato Sobral, Quito 1705121, Ecuador)

  • David Eche

    (Facultad de Ciencias Agrícolas, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Gerónimo Leiton y Gato Sobral, Quito 1705121, Ecuador)

  • Estefanía Jácome

    (Facultad de Ciencias Agrícolas, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Gerónimo Leiton y Gato Sobral, Quito 1705121, Ecuador)

Abstract

Off-farm employment in rural households has been cited in the literature as a potentially ideal alternative to reduce forest clearing and pressure on natural resources, since it provides income while at the same time taking household labor away from the farm. Nonetheless, empirical research on the relationship between off-farm work and natural resource use is still scarce. This paper examines the impact of off-farm work on forest clearing, logging, hunting, and fishing among both migrant colonists and indigenous populations in the Ecuadorian Amazon. In contrast to prior research, we use an instrumental variable approach to control for the potential endogeneity of off-farm work with respect to natural resource use. The results indicate that the higher the number of days worked off-farm at the household level, the lower the forest clearing. On the other hand, the number of days worked off-farm has no effect on logging, hunting, and fishing. The implications of this for sustainable development and conservation are explored in the conclusion section.

Suggested Citation

  • Cristian Vasco & Rodrigo Valdiviezo & Herman Hernández & Valdano Tafur & David Eche & Estefanía Jácome, 2020. "Off-Farm Employment, Forest Clearing and Natural Resource Use: Evidence from the Ecuadorian Amazon," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-16, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:11:p:4515-:d:366384
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Vasco, Cristian & Torres, Bolier & Jácome, Estefanía & Torres, Alexandra & Eche, David & Velasco, Christian, 2021. "Use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in frontier areas: A case study in the Northern Ecuadorian Amazon," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    3. Thomas Knoke & Nick Hanley & Rosa Maria Roman-Cuesta & Ben Groom & Frank Venmans & Carola Paul, 2023. "Trends in tropical forest loss and the social value of emission reductions," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 6(11), pages 1373-1384, November.

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