Livelihood Assets and Strategies among Rural Households: Comparative Analysis of Rice and Dryland Terrace Systems in China

A comparative analysis of the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces System (HHRTS) and Shexian Dryland Terraces System (SDTS) reveals that traditional agricultural knowledge plays a crucial role in sustaining pure agricultural livelihood strategies among rural households. The study, involving 304 households, found that households with stronger understanding of traditional practices are less likely to shift to nonagricultural or part-time agricultural strategies. Livelihood assets, particularly cultural and technological elements, were higher in the HHRTS (2.249) compared to the SDTS (1.832). The research suggests that enhancing farmers' knowledge of traditional agriculture is essential for the dynamic conservation of these heritage systems.

Yang, L., Liu, M., Lun, F., Min, Q., Zhang, C., & Li, H. (2018). Livelihood Assets and Strategies among Rural Households: Comparative Analysis of Rice and Dryland Terrace Systems in China. Sustainability, 10(7), 2525. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072525