From Production Capacity to Consumption Potential: Expanding the Approach to Sustainable Livelihood Development for Ethnic Groups in Vietnam Today

Abstract

Sustainable livelihoods have been an important research topic in Vietnam’s ethnology and anthropology over the past two decades. Despite the utility of different approaches, the studies on sustainable livelihoods in Vietnam have in common that, when assessing the sustainability of livelihoods, these studies mainly focus on the sustainability of production capabilities. The paper argues that when analysing the sustainability of livelihoods, adequate attention should be given to assessing the sustainability of consumption. The article also shows that the sustainability of consumption can be affected by various factors. In addition to the decline in consumer demand, consumption potential can also be affected by adverse policy conditions, increased competition and changes in supply, tastes, and profit-to-cost fluctuations.