The Relationship between People’s Livelihood Systems and Forest Carbon Stock

Abstract

      This study was carrried out to determine the relationship between carbon (C) stock and people’s livelihoods. The analyzed results from 100 questionaires and group discussions at two villages which belong to Con Cuong district, Nghe An province showed that the livelihoods of the local people are very poor. The current land use types with high economic benefits resulted in low C stock. In contrast, the primary forests which arerich in C do not provide high incomes to the farmers. Policies on land management, forest protection, and forest plantation strongly impact people’s livelihoods. Due to the strict forest protection regime and the ban on shifting cultivation, farmer’s incomes have been significantly decreased at the strudy areas. Forest plantations are still financially supported by the government, but only a few better off households can afford to plant trees on their allocated forest land. Diversifying livehoods for local farmers by establishing an agroforestry model of field crops, such as cassava, inter-planted with tree crops such as fruit trees and Acacia sp., while continuing to protect upstream forests, could lead to the increase of C stocks and help poor farmers, but this measuere is only feasible if financial support is provided to the poor households.